YJ: Podracing in Atlanta

I had the good fortune to be able to demo Boonta Eve Podrace in Atlanta.

I have to say it was a lot of fun, everyone was instantly hooked! One game came down to Aurra needing to survive one last battle to win the podrace, but she lost the destiny draw* :-(

The downside is that to podrace successfuly, you need the UR's (Anakin and Sebulba) and to have a few cards with two destiny numbers (ie YJ reflections).
The good news is that you can download the UR's to hand using Anakin's friends (or the DS equivalants) to start podracing on turn 2.

I know I'll be podracing at Gamesfest in Essen next month** and expect it to be a lot of fun!

later,

DT

* Obviously this would never have happened to the mighty Watto!

**Subject to Decipher still being allowed into Germany ;-)

 

I'm hearing some people saying that YJ podracing has really broken the game (even worse than the SWCCG's version *apparently* has). Personally I think it's the same old cry from players who just don't like the metagame being vhanged on them. What's your opinion on that? What would you say to a player who believes that podracing is a bad thing in YJ?

 

I had the priveledge of learning the new podracing rules a little over a month ago. I think they are a new and fun way to play the game. If they ever wanted to have a almost closed environment this would be a great way to do it. I think podracing only tournaments would be fun. But anyway I think the people who are against this mechanic are afraid of change and I think they now that they wouldnt be as good as they once were. The one problem I have with the new set is that the UR have handling numbers of 1 which really sucks, the only advantage that the UR have over any other podracer is there awesome game text. I personaly think that a handling number of 3 or 4 would have made the UR darn near unstoppable in podracing. I have been tinkering with a podracing deck but I still havent managed to come up with a good deck yet. I think that currently the dark side has a slight advantage in podracing due to the fact that if you decide you dont wanna use the UR Sebulba you then have a handling number of three then you can deploy the new Jabba and now you have 2 handling numbers 1 or 3 which is a huge advantage in podracing. I would rather have 2 handling number than get an extra thrust token. Anyway thats my thoughts for whatever they are worth.

 

Podracing is extremely powerful, the handling numbers of 1 on the UR's are completely neccessary (there's quite a few cool destiny 1 cards, including some with a second destiny number ;-)

I have no doubt that the worlds will be won by someone playing two podracing decks, but YJ isn't about the worlds.

YJ is about having fun and podracing without the UR's is going to be great fun in local tournaments (not that we have many of those round here).

later,

DT

 

I like the way that there's now another aim in the game. Deck and planet victories are cool, but now there's a whole new element to deckbuilding. Podracing, I like it.