Designer Diary 4: Unique Heroes

I think most people like feeling special. I could never compose a symphony, but I can fit my entire fist in my mouth. Likewise, each character in The Mandalorian™: Adventures has a unique deck that highlights their special skills.

One of my main design goals was to give each character a fun identity. Each game, I want every player to have one moment when they feel like the coolest person in the room. I want them to receive high-fives and cheers. I want them to feel amazing.

To achieve this, we looked at each character under a microscope, designing and redesigning their skill cards until they were awesome. So, let’s look at 4 of the 8 characters, show some of their best cards, and discuss their unique schtick.

Before we dive in, I want to talk about something we haven’t discussed yet: the guide deck! This deck contains a wide range of new cards and rules that are slowly added after each game. It allows us to keep the basic game easy-to-learn, and gradually add new mechanics as you play the game. Each character’s skill deck starts with 12 cards, but as you play, new cards are added to it from the guide deck.

In this journal, I will only show cards from the starting decks, but I may drop hints of cards that you unlock later. If you want to avoid spoilers, venture forth at your own risk.

The Mandalorian

The titular bounty hunter appears in every mission, so he’s the most well-rounded character in the game. He also has more unique cards in his deck than anyone else.

If I were to describe him in one phrase, I would say: walking arsenal. He has a wide array of weaponry available including his "Flamethrower" and "Phase-Pulse Blaster"; eventually, he'll add ways of tying up enemies and dealing with multiple foes at once.

He’s got a tool for every situation, especially if that situation requires disintegrations or setting stuff on fire. His “BeskarHelmet” also means he can survive some punishment. In game, this lets him pull a defend card directly from the planning deck or discard pile.

The Mandalorian is a one-man army. If you want a character with a wide range of different weaponry and equipment, he’s the character for you.

IG-11

Unlike his well-rounded ally, IG-11 has a very specific play style: risky maneuvers.

Cards like “Draw Their Fire” and “Calculated Risk” give him additional attacks or actions at the expense of damaging himself. Later, he gains access to cards that become more powerful based on how much damage he has on his character.

If things get too dicey, IG-11 is one of the few characters with the ability to repair damage.

Wouldn’t it also be cool if he could self-destruct? Well… maybe he can.

IG-11 is a high-risk, high-reward character. If you like risk management and attacking multiple enemies at once, he’s the character for you.

Xi’an

Xi’an might not be the first character you think about when someone says The Mandalorian, but she has such a unique personality and a mysterious past. We see her in episode 6, “The Prisoner,” in which she undertakes a prison break with The Mandalorian. They have history it seems, but money is tight, so The Mandalorian takes on the job.

Xi’an has some of the biggest combos in the game, and serious gamers are really going to enjoy playing her.

First off, she’s fast. Not only can she use “Running Volley” to move before making a huge attack, she is the only character in the game with a movement boost on a “4” strength card.

Her real trickiness, though, comes from her ability to discard cards from action slots. For example, “Agility” can discard the top card from another action slot. This lets you get rid of a high strength card to avoid crises and events. Likewise her “Surprise Dagger” card discards itself if you manage to defeat an enemy with it.

As you get more cards for her, they play deeper into these strategies and allow you to pull off some bombastic turns.

Xi’an is a sneaky character. If you’re into clever combos, she’s the character for you.

Greef Karga

Unlike the other characters, Greef Karga isn’t a blaster-for-hire. Sure, he can shoot, but his real strength is in diplomacy and manipulation.

He’s got a wide range of ways to avoid a fight, such as using “Backup Plan” to discard a dangerous event card. Likewise, “Smooth-Talking” lets him move through enemies (faceup or facedown) and avoid abilities like sentry.

The pinnacle of his starting deck is his “Manipulate” card. This lets him swap the location of two facedown tokens, moving an enemy or feature into a more accessible location. This card is especially delicious when playing the hidden motives mode (which we’ll discuss in our next journal). In fact, Greef betrayed The Mandalorian on multiple occasions before becoming one of his closest allies.

Greef Karga is a charismatic character. If you like defeating your foes with your words, he’s the character for you. 

These are just 4 of the 8 character's you'll find in the game, and each has their own tricks and combos. In our next journal, we'll discuss how you unlock new content and how the game grows with your experience.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Threads, and our website for the most up to date news on The Mandalorian: Adventures!