Good Against Remotes - Full Cooperation

The Hoth invasion is complete. I have (and I think I'm not alone) greatly anticipated The Executor Arrives (#66) objective set. This article will focus on this new objective set, card by card, why ISB Liaison is the best card in the Force Pack (OK, Sith Holocron is playable), and showcase 5 new builds.

1) What makes The Executor Arrives (66-1) fantastic?

First, the Sith objective set produces 2 resources and is non-restrictive. I love Trust Me (71-1) with Lando, but it is a restrictive objective set. Any objective set that forces me into a certain build is always a pain to work around (See #4 Journey to Dagobah). Darkside decks, and specifically Sith and Navy builds, do well with 6 or more resources. Any objective set that has 2+ resource generation is always the first thing I check for in new Force Packs.

On to the cards in the objective:

Executor (66-2): The Spike player in me jumps up and down ready to smash with this card. A week of testing and the card has yet to disappoint. Short of a Blockade Runner smashup, the Executor is basically indestructible. The sacrifice damage ability is good, but the non-edge dependent unit damage is the real star here. This is an expensive unit, but I believe is actually under costed; 10 would have been a more fair cost, as there are at least 6 cards that cheat this in for cheap (see Sith Holocron and deck list #4). In the end game, this ship finishes off LS objectives quickly.

Sith Holocron (66-5): At zero resource cost, this card is utterly overpowered. It allows DS players to play Palpatine for 3, Vader for 2, Executor for 5, and unlike objectives like (Discard X cards to reduce cost), the cost can be zero: Emperor’s Guard for free, Force Lightning for free. The Holocron even has 2 pips for edge battles. The only downside to this card and (Endless Resources) is your hand size for edge battles, starts to dwindle quickly.

Bonus: Here is a site about holocrons…I had no idea: (http://starwars.wiki...i/Sith_holocron)

Aggression (66-5): The jury is still out on this one. I haven't gotten much play from it and honestly don’t really care considering how good the rest of this objective set is.

x2 ISB Liaison (66-3): I am saving the best card in this pod for last. Yes, you read that correctly. Let me outline the brilliance that is ISB Liaison. At one neutral resource cost this card is everything that, say Twe’lik Loyalist (#1 A Hero’s Journey) is not:

• It has defensive non-edge dependent unit damage
• Can flip the force dial on turn one
• Triggers Executor with its sacrifice
• Gives you information about your next draws or your opponent’s next draw
• Cycles a card into your hand
• Comes in pairs in the objective

This card is the all-star (or at least most efficient) in this entire Force Pack (The latest Luke Skywalker is a close second). ISB Liaison is not glamorous, but has so much value for just 1 resource. FFG would do well to give more cards like this to LS (E.g. Tauntaun with several abilities for 1 resource).

Overall, “The Executor Arrives” is a well-tuned set that uses 4 sacrifice cards in coordination with the Executor unit. Even if you don’t use the sacrifice trigger, the non-Executor cards standalone well.

Shifting gears, let’s look at some possible lists (Ideas, vs. set deck lists)

1) Bigger Red Boat
Navy affiliation

x2 Counsel of the Sith
x2 The Executor Arrives
x2 The Emperor’s Web
x2 Imperial Command
x2 Fall of the Jedi

We start with the knee jerk Sith control Vader/Palpatine list and add Executor. There isn't much friction here as Sith Holocron does a ton of work. You could easily pull Darth Vader or Admiral Motti and go with Defense Protocol. You will hard cast Executor more often than you would think. Sith Libraries, Admiral Motti, 1 and 2 cost units that produce resources, and 4/10 objectives with 2 resources makes this a powerful deck.

2) Executor for Sale
Scum and Villainy affiliation

x2 Lucrative Contract
x2 Trandoshan Terror
x2 The Executor Arrives
x2 The Emperor’s Web
x2 Counsel of the Sith

This deck has 4 Twist of Fates, Palpatine, and Executor. Its resource base is great: 6/10 sets produce. Corrupt Official can give your opponent fits as well. As always, I prefer DS decks that pack a lot of strong 2 cost units. This deck has a lot of that and great top end units as well.


3) Maximum Sacrifice
Sith

x2 The Killing Cold
x2 The Executor Arrives
x2 Counsel of the Sith
x2 Emperor’s Web
x1 Sabotage in the Snow
x1 Shadow’s on the Ice

Initial testing of this deck has left me wanting more, or a variance. You are building around the Executor’s sacrifice mechanic with the Biting Cold. There is a touch of Hoth theme here with the Snowtroopers and Wampa’s. This deck struggles to consistently play the Executor early, like turns 2-3 consistently.

4) Big Navy
Sith

x2 Kuat Reinforcements
x2 The Executor Arrives
x2 Death and Despayre
x1 Imperial Command
x2 Deploy the Fleet
x1 Imperial Blockade

Play capital ship units, often and early.

5) The Capital Grill:
Sith

x2 The Heart of the Empire
x2 Kuat Reinforcements
x2 The Executor Arrives
x2 Deploy the Fleet
x2 Death and Despayre

I’m pretty sure this is a B-league deck, but wanted to do a throw back with Heart of the Empire, which has been collecting dust in the box.

Please post your thoughts on my lists!

Thanks for your cooperation in this matter and good luck against the living.