How Scoring Works

The system behind every delta you see on this site

1. The Cost Curve

Every card in Star Wars Unlimited has a resource cost. The game's designers built a formula into the cost curve: a ground unit should have roughly 2 + (2 × cost) total stat points (power + HP). A 3-cost ground unit "should" have about 8 stat points.

Ground unit expected = 2 + (2 × cost)

Space unit expected = 1 + (2 × cost)

Upgrade expected = 2 × cost

Event expected = cost (in RE)

Space units get 1 fewer point than ground units at the same cost because they're harder to interact with. This baseline is the "fair price" — what you should expect for what you're paying.

2. Resource Efficiency (RE)

RE stands for Resource Efficiency. It converts stat points into a normalized scale: 1 RE = 2 stat points. This lets us compare units, events, and upgrades on the same scale despite their different cost formulas.

Delta RE (Δ RE) is the gap between what a card actually delivers and what the cost curve says it should. A card with +1.5 RE gives you 3 more stat points than expected. A card at -1.0 RE is 2 stat points short.

+2.0 RE or higher Exceptional. Among the strongest cards in the game.

+1.0 to +2.0 RE Above curve. Strong pick for competitive decks.

-0.5 to +1.0 RE Fair value. Playable, no red flags.

-0.5 to -1.5 RE Below curve. You're overpaying for what you get.

-1.5 RE or lower Significantly overcosted. Needs a very good reason to play.

3. Ability & Keyword Scoring

Raw stats are only part of the picture. The AbilityParser reads every card's ability text and matches it against 238 effect patterns ported from a TypeScript reference implementation. Each pattern assigns an RE value based on the effect's power level.

Keywords like Sentinel, Ambush, Overwhelm, and Restore each have calibrated RE values. Raid and Shielded scale with their numeric values. The parser handles conditional triggers ("When Played", "When Defeated", "On Attack") and applies appropriate multipliers — a "When Played" effect is worth more than a "When Defeated" one because it's more reliable.

The final Theoretical Δ RE combines: stat delta + keyword value + ability value. This is the card's paper score before any tournament data.

View all scored keywords and ability patterns

Keywords

Smuggle +1.5 RE

Plot +1.5 RE

Sentinel +1.0 RE

Shielded +1.0 RE

Ambush +1.0 RE

Overwhelm +1.0 RE

Saboteur +1.0 RE

Grit +0.5 RE

Restore +0.5 RE

Hidden +0.5 RE

Piloting +0.5 RE

Exploit +0.5 RE

Coordinate +0.5 RE

Raid +0.2 RE

Bounty -0.5 RE

Ability Effect Patterns (288 patterns)

Buff others 0.25x multiplier · 48 patterns

attached gains keyword base

attached unit gains -0.23 RE

attack any number units base

buff hp base

buff power base

buff stats +0.48 RE

cant be exhausted by enemy base

cant be returned by enemy base

choose keyword base

cross arena attack base

each other gains base

experience per unit base

experience token +0.30 RE

force pay or exhaust base

gain ambush base

gain keyword attack base

gain overwhelm base

gain raid -0.17 RE

gain sentinel -0.34 RE

gain trait base

gains grit base

gains hidden phase base

gains keyword base

gains keyword and attack base

gains keyword while upgraded base

gains restore base

gains shielded phase base

gains trait base

give typed unit keyword phase base

give typed units keyword base

ignore aspect penalty base

indirect damage increase base

keyword doubled base

mass buff base

move upgrade base

opponents cant take control base

other friendly type gains base

ready another unit base

ready arena units conditional base

ready him her base

ready non unit leader base

ready resource base

ready typed unit base

ready unit -1.09 RE

resources gain smuggle base

scaling keyword per condition base

set printed hp base

unit acts as resource base

Card advantage 0.25x multiplier · 43 patterns

action play card base

collect bounties base

conditional draw base

conditional play base

copy when played base

discard base

draw card +0.13 RE

draw revealed unit base

look at cards base

look at hand base

look defeat resource base

look discard aspect match base

look opponent resources base

may discard one base

may play paying cost base

play for free base

play from discard base

play from resources base

play ignore aspects base

play it base

play opponent resource free base

play revealed free base

play that card base

play top of deck base

play unit from hand base

put rest back base

return aspect card from discard base

return from discard base

return n from discard base

return revealed unit to hand base

return unit discard broad base

return units from discard base

reveal draw base

reveal event from hand base

reveal from hand base

reveal hand base

reveal top cards base

reveal top deck card base

search and play free base

search deck base

search play units free base

use when defeated abilities base

use when played abilities base

Debuff 1.32x multiplier · 9 patterns

cant be healed base

debuff aspect units base

debuff phase +0.43 RE

debuff stats -0.46 RE

give power debuff phase base

loses keyword base

mass debuff base

opponent choice debuff base

opponent creates token base

Downside 0.25x multiplier · 27 patterns

action take control base

any player may use base

conditional capture base

costs more base

defeat another friendly base

defeat friendly resource base

defeat friendly unit base

discard from deck base

discard from hand base

discard from opponent deck base

discard hand base

discard typed card base

doesnt ready base

exhaust unless base

only opponents use base

opponent conditional discard base

opponent discard card base

opponent discard random base

opponent discards base

opponent takes control base

regroup phase defeat base

regroup phase lose base

regroup phase return base

return resources base

return resources to hand base

they discard base

they may play free base

Immediate impact 0.34x multiplier · 31 patterns

damage equal power multi base

damage equal power single base

damage equal remaining hp base

damage equal to damage base

deal combat damage first base

deal damage +0.56 RE

deal damage equal +0.75 RE

deal damage self base

deal damage to base +0.39 RE

deal up to damage friendly base

deals damage first conditional base

double unit power base

enters play ready base

give keyword phase base

give shield token +0.52 RE

give stats keyword phase base

give stats this phase -0.40 RE

heal +0.57 RE

heal equal to damage base

heal flexible base

heal triggers damage base

indirect damage +0.36 RE

prevent combat damage attacks base

prevent damage base

prevent first damage base

prevent that damage base

ready -0.93 RE

remove damage base

shield -0.58 RE

unit deals power damage base

win the game base

Lockdown 0.66x multiplier · 25 patterns

action attack with unit base

attack n units base

attack with attached base

attack with n units base

attack with typed unit -0.57 RE

attack with unique units base

attack with unit +0.53 RE

cannot be attacked base

cant attack base

cant be affected base

cant play base

cant play that name base

cant ready base

enemies lose keyword base

exhaust +0.53 RE

exhaust attached base

exhaust enemy resources base

exhaust unit base

exhaust up to ground base

exhaust up to n base

for this phase cant base

if attack with another base

initiative base

loses keywords phase base

may attack with base

Mass removal 0.78x multiplier · 15 patterns

defeat all arena units base

defeat all non leader base

defeat all units base

defeat conditional units base

defeat each unit player base

defeat those units base

defeat up to n units base

exhaust all arena base

exhaust all same arena base

exhaust any non unique base

exhaust any number base

extra regroup base

mass capture base

mass discard hand base

ready all units base

Ramp econ 0.25x multiplier · 19 patterns

costs less base

costs more opponent base

costs resource less base

create credit token -0.26 RE

create token -0.28 RE

create unit token -1.14 RE

each player resources base

force is with you base

may defeat resource base

opponent may pay or base

pay half base

put top or bottom deck base

reduce cost base

resource base

resource from discard base

resource ramp base

resource self base

resource self from discard base

use the force -0.27 RE

Setup zero 1.00x multiplier · 41 patterns

arena dominance win base

attach to base

attach upgrade base

bounty effect base

cant play from hand base

choose another friendly base

choose any number base

choose discard pile card base

choose mode base

choose target base

choose typed ground unit base

conditional resource top card base

conditional return typed base

coordinate label base

defeat it trailing base

defending attacks first base

disclose aspect base

each player chooses unit base

leave on top base

name a card base

no longer unit base

on attack prefix base

on defeat trigger base

opponent chooses ground unit base

opponent chooses one base

opponent chooses unit base

owner takes control revert base

pay resources base

pay up to resources base

play first action base

put bottom deck base

put bottom that deck base

regroup phase generic base

return if power threshold base

reveal resources base

smuggle cost base

smuggle reminder base

use once per round base

when attack ends survived base

when played as unit base

when played smuggle base

Single removal 1.65x multiplier · 30 patterns

attach to enemy vehicle base

base captures unit base

bounce unit base

capture base

captures unit cost base

defeat credit token base

defeat damaged unit base

defeat enemy non leader base

defeat experience token base

defeat n upgrades base

defeat non unique upgrade base

defeat non unique upgrade broad base

defeat resource base

defeat shield base

defeat typed unit base

defeat unit -1.50 RE

defeat unit hp threshold base

defeat upgrade base

defeat upgrades on unit base

discard captured base

exchange control base

loses abilities base

rescue captured base

return to hand +0.38 RE

take control resource base

take control unit base

take control upgrade base

take control upgrade broad base

unit captures base

unit loses abilities except base

4. Tournament Adjustment

Theory doesn't always match practice. The Adjusted Δ RE blends the theoretical score with real tournament performance data.

For each card, we pull: win rate (how often decks with this card win), meta share (what % of decks run it), average copies (how many copies per deck), and play pattern (mainboard vs sideboard split).

A card that looks average on paper but consistently wins tournaments gets a boost. A card that looks great on paper but underperforms in competitive play gets pulled down. The adjustment is conservative — tournament data nudges the score, it doesn't replace it.

Format Staple 30%+ meta share, 2.3+ avg copies, mostly mainboard

Sideboard Tech 50%+ of copies in sideboard

Sleeper 53%+ win rate but under 15% meta share

Role Player Solid contributor, no standout pattern

How Adjusted Δ RE is calculated

The adjustment uses four components blended into a single score:

Tournament RE (win_rate − 0.5) × 100 × 0.5

Meta weight 0.1 + 0.3 × (0.5 × deck_confidence + 0.25 × copy_signal + 0.25 × mainboard_ratio)

Play pattern RE clamp(meta_share × (avg_copies / 4.0) − sideboard_ratio, −1.0, +1.0)

Adjusted Δ RE (1 − meta_weight) × theoretical + meta_weight × tournament_RE + play_pattern_RE

Meta weight ranges from 0.1 (no data) to 0.4 (100+ decks, high copy count, mostly mainboard). At low meta weight the score stays close to theoretical; at high meta weight tournament results drive the number. Play pattern RE adds a bonus for high-volume mainboard staples and penalizes cards that mostly sit in sideboards — a card played in 30% of decks at 2.3 copies mainboard earns a meaningful boost, while a card that's 80% sideboard takes a hit regardless of its theoretical score.

5. Deck Composition & Synergy

Card-level stats can only tell you so much. A card that looks mediocre in isolation might be a 3-of in every winning Boba Fett deck. The scoring engine accounts for this through deck composition analysis.

We import tournament deck lists and compute per-archetype play rates, co-occurrence patterns (which cards appear together), and synergy density — how tightly a card is connected to its most common partners. High synergy density means the card is part of a package (always played with specific partners). Low density means it's a flexible card that slots into many different builds.

The calibrator uses deck-weighted value as its training target: a formula that factors in play rate, average copies, leader win rate, and deck count. This means the system learns from what actually wins tournaments, not just what looks good on paper.

6. Calibration

The scoring engine runs a two-stage calibration against tournament data:

Tier multiplier fit — adjusts how much weight each category of effect gets (removal, card draw, stat buffs, synergy density). Uses coordinate descent to find the multipliers that best predict tournament performance.
Per-pattern delta fit — fine-tunes individual ability patterns. If "deal 2 damage to a unit" is consistently undervalued, the system learns a positive delta for that pattern.

Calibration is validated with cross-validation and gated on three metrics: Spearman correlation (predicted vs actual tournament value), top-decile precision (do the cards we rate highest actually see the most play?), and zero-meta exceptional (are we over-rating cards that see no tournament play?).

Current Spearman correlation: 0.565 (Premier) / 0.609 (Eternal). Up from 0.11 before deck composition data was integrated.