With the release of Way of the Force, mill decks took an immediate leap forward, forcing their way to the top tables at Store Championship events and GenCon alike. While I would still contend that the “millpocalyspe” has been greatly exaggerated, there is no denying the power that new cards like Cassian Andor (WF90), Anakin’s Podracer (WF102), and Pacify (WF61) bring to the archetype. While much has been made of the three-wide Cassian/Anakin/Yoda builds, they are not the only options for those of us allergic to damage. Like a good box of popsicles, mill has more than one delicious flavor, and it’s time to unwrap a new one.
No, not the pineapple one.
Nobody likes the pineapple one.
Instead, let’s talk about two of the most revered seniors in the galaxy, Leia Organa (WF73) and Yoda (LG33), who have teamed up to bring you AARP – the mill deck for the discerning retiree.
Craft Time at the Senior Center
After more than 6 months of action in a multitude of powerful decks, it’s no secret that Yoda is a monster character. His success with vehicles, Hondo (LG65), and Cassian, among others, speaks to his efficiency and utility. But while Yoda’s other partners have been fighting for the spotlight, Leia has largely flown under the radar – and if The Last Jedi taught us anything, it’s that Leia certainly can fly.
She is a powerhouse character in her own right, complete with multiple Discard sides, a double-Focus, and a built-in mill mechanic. Her dice also synergize well with Yoda, and her Power Action and double-Focus ensure that you will always be able to squeeze every ounce of value out of your turns. Together, they provide a solid package for an aggressive mill strategy.
Treading in the world of Red offers us a host of new card possibilities to add to the existing Mill framework. Here are a few reasons to consider Blue/Red with our pair of lovable seniors:
Suppressive Fire (WF84) and Pacify – Clear standout cards from Way of the Force, Suppressive Fire and Pacify provide the bedrock of an incredibly efficient removal suite. Krayt Dragon Howl (SR104) deserves a mention as well, occasionally acting as 0-cost removal card as well.
C-3PO (SR30) and Chance Cube (EW57) – Anyone who has ever played with 3PO shouldn’t be surprised when I say he one of the best utility cards out there. His die is solid for a 1-cost support, sporting Discard, Resource, and Focus sides, but it’s his built-in action that really makes his gold plate shine. This is a deck that will thrive on making every die count, and 3PO’s interactions with Leia’s 2-value sides is utility at its finest.
With double-Focus sides on both of our characters, Chance Cube is an obvious include. When paired up with C-3PO, it is among the most powerful cards in the game. The extra shielding and discard this pair can generate can easily take over matches if left unchecked. If all else fails in the mill mirror, resolving a 3-value Chance Cube die for damage can sneak in a tie-breaking win.
Force Mediation (LG36) and Scout (AW33) – Force Meditation and Scout provide efficient mill and discard support, as well as Focus sides to help your heavy-hitting Chance Cube and Leia dice. Both also have double Special sides that pair well with Yoda’s chaining potential. Scout becomes important late if Leia is killed, as it can give Yoda the extra discard opportunities he needs to close out the game.
Commando Raid (AW103) and Hit and Run (AW106) – A trip through our box of previously unplayable red cards yields Commando Raid, one of the stiffest beatings in the Destiny universe in the hands of Leia. The ability to resolve a discard die for +2 and snag an extra card is a turn killer, and while its application is admittedly narrow (it can often only modify Leia and 3PO dice), the explosive potential is too good to pass up. One of the advantages that Leia offers over the more methodical Cassian/Anakin builds is a natural 2-Discard side, and Commando Raid helps leverage this to the fullest, providing a possible turn-ending threat every time Leia rolls in.
Hit and Run augments this logic, creating a nice first action to try and hit some discard before your opponent can react. Coupled with Commando Raid, your opponent’s turn can be over before it begins if either of Leia’s dice roll a Discard side.
There… Is… Another… Skywalker
The Leia/Yoda pairing was good enough to snag first place in both Store Championships I was able to attend over the summer (11 and 28 players). The following is my current list for the pair:
The term “aggressive” doesn’t get used frequently enough when talking about mill strategies, but the reality is that mill decks often have just as fast a clock as their damage-oriented counterparts. This build is capable of extremely aggressive discard and milling if left unchecked. While we are running lots of efficient removal pieces and the ability to shield up with Yoda’s Specials and C-3PO if necessary, it is not preferable to play a slower game most of the time. The most important decisions to make will usually involve how much of your time and resources to devote to your win condition vs. playing defensively when needed. In a perfect world, every action you spend would be put toward maximizing your discard and mill opportunities.
Alas, it’s not a perfect world, and there are plenty of games when you will have to take your foot off the gas and slow things down by leveraging C-3PO and Yoda to generate shields, digging for your Force Illusions (SR135), and slamming down milkshakes at Dex’s Diner (WF107) to keep a character alive. While this does sacrifice tempo and resources, against trouble cards like Force Speed (SR55), Tactical Mastery (AW74/TP15), and Sabine Wren (EW40), you must ensure that a lucky roll doesn’t end things in one shot. The single Rend (EW150) is a concession to the prevalence of Force Speed and Chance Cube, and has bonus value against Mandalorian Super Commando (WF37) builds, where it can snag a Sith Holocron (AW16) as well. One copy of Way of the Light (WF106) helps our lack of interaction with most vehicle dice, particularly Planetary Bombardment (WF33). While our heavy discard can be a natural foil to big vehicles, a Planetary Bombardment that dodges discard and hits the board on turn one is a nightmare for our 21-health list.
The upside to this kind of list is that if your opponent stumbles out of the gate – or they are just playing a slower deck – you can frequently sell out and go for the fastest possible mill win, knowing that it is unlikely they can catch up to you. It’s not uncommon to be able to mill 8-10 cards in a single turn between Krayt Dragon Howl, Yoda’s Specials, Leia’s Power Action, Force Meditation, and Strength Through Weakness (LG104). Throw in a discard or two and your opponent can be stripped of options and on the clock in a hurry. Most vehicle match-ups seem follow this pattern, as it can be difficult for many builds to get online in time. Even many weapon-heavy builds like Kylo/Pryce can have some clunky turns if they roll too many modifiers against our efficient character dice removal.
The mill mirror match is another place where this build can shine. The double Strength Through Weakness, while occasionally a 3-cost liability in other match-ups, more than pulls its weight here. Our discard also has a higher potential ceiling, due in part to Leia’s 2-value side and the threat of Commando Raid. Because there are so many suboptimal cards in the mill mirror, your opening hand/mulligan is a critical part of the match, so digging for those early mill upgrades can make all the difference. A turn-one Force Meditation or Scout is key to getting ahead, and they will dodge future discard that can occasionally make actions like Strength Through Weakness unreliable. Your worst-case scenario is facing an early Anakin’s Podracer, which can allow them to keep pace with your discard.
There hasn’t been a clear winner in the Battlefield department, so you should simply play against the meta as you expect to see it. Everything from Otoh Gunga (SR157) to Jedi Temple (AW170) to Medical Center (EW158) to War-Torn Streets (SR160) have gotten a chance, and they all have a potential place that is purely match-up dependent. Otoh Gunga and Medical Center represent much safer choices, as they have no real drawback to your game plan and offer some real value against high-damage decks. I prefer one of those in general, unless there is a compelling reason to field something else. While this deck has some decent speed, the goal of maximizing all our Focus sides and using things like Leia’s Power Action can slow us down significantly. Because of this, it can be a struggle against faster decks that can consistently resolve our own claim effects against us with Battlefields like Jedi Temple or War Torn Streets.
And finally, a public service announcement about Plots from Yoda:
Stolen Intel (LG172) is better than Fortify.
There. I said it.
An extra opportunity to snag a Chance Cube, C-3PO, or Commando Raid/Hit and Run on turn one is well worth the shield hit a large enough percentage of the time that I’m comfortable taking the hit. It is also not a dead card in the mill mirror, which is becoming more prevalent day by day. And while it might seem counter-intuitive to want to draw an extra card against another mill deck, the same principle applies – you are looking for the best turn-one set-up in a match where you have several sub-optimal (or flat-out dead) cards. It’s often a simple race to mill your opponent out, and you need to be digging for your best tools to accomplish that singular goal. Having one more card in your deck is unlikely to matter as much as being able to find your relevant pieces early on.
As the mill hype builds, consider adding a little Red into your life and try this pairing out for yourself. With over 960 years of combined Light Side experience, you’re bound to learn something new from AARP.
– Jim Despaw
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