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Nicole Simeone
Dejarik Rules
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What good is a Dejarik Table if you don't have any rules to play the game? Here is my take on the elusive Star Wars game. Hopefully, you're the Wookie and not the droid.
As promised, we are going to go over the gameplay for the Star Wars staple. These aren’t the official rules of the game. George Lucas has never released those to the public. What I have for you today is an interpretation of the game seen briefly in A New Hope, The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and a bevy of other Star Wars shows and written material.
Pieces
There are eight character pieces in Dejarik, each representing a mythical or real creature from the Star Wars universe. The beasts form two teams. Let’s call them Team Red and Team Blue.
Team Red
Monnok
K’Lor Slug
Mantellian Savrip
Ng’Ok
Team Blue
Grimtaash
Kintan Strider
GHHHK
Houjix
Each character has different traits allowing them to work as a team to win the game. Let’s take a look at Team Blue first.
The Grimtaash is allowed two actions per turn and has a defeat value of four. This beast uses a D6 to attack and defend. When stunned, the beast uses a D4.
The Kintan Strider is allowed only one action per turn and has a defeat value of eight. For attacking and defending, the Strider will use a D12 during gameplay. When stunned, the creature will use a D8.
Like its Grimtaash teammate, the GHHHK has the option of taking two actions per turn. The monster’s defeat value is six points and uses a D8 for attacking and defense. When stunned, the GHHHK uses a D6.
The Houjix has the choice of performing three actions per turn, being the most agile member of Team Blue. Its defense and attack are not at the same level as his compatriots though. He uses a D4 to attack and defend and is only worth two points to defeat. When stunned, the Houjix has a static defend value of one.
Team Red has the power to match its opponents:
Monnok is allowed two actions per turn with a defeat value of four. Like Team Blue’s Grimtaash, it attacks and defends with a D6. When stunned, the creature will use a D4.
With a defeat value of eight and an attack/defend using a D12, the Mantellian Savrip is up for the challenge presented by the Kintan Strider. The downside being the creature is only allowed a single action on its turn. When stunned, a D8 will be used.
Team Red’s K’Lor Slug can perform two actions per turn and has a defeat value of six points. When attacking or defending, the creature will use a D8. The Slug will use a D6 when stunned.
Mirroring the Houjix, Ng’Ok can perform three actions on its turn and has a defeat value of two. Short on strength, the creature will be using a D4 to attack and defend. When stunned, this character has a static defend value of 1.
Object
The first player to either defeat all of their opponent’s creatures or reach [insert # of points] wins the game. Really, the points you are playing to depends on how long you want to be at the game.
Gameplay
To begin, both players arrange their four characters in adjacent spaces around the outer ring of the board opposing one another. There should be two empty spaces separating the teams on both sides as shown below.
To decide who will go first, both players will roll a D6. The highest value of the two dice will determine who has the initiative.
Actions
Move – A creature may move into any orthogonally adjacent space. You may not move onto an area containing a teammate.
A point is gained if a creature moves into the center space of the board.
Attack – Characters can attack one another when in adjacent. See Attacking/Battles section for more detail.
Unstun – As a result of a battle, a creature may become stunned. The unstun action will allow the beast to continue play. See Battle Effects for more detail.
Rounds
At the start of a round, the player with the initiative will take the first turn. Both players take a single turn each round.
Your turn
On your turn, you must activate a creature. Once the piece is active, it may perform the number of actions allowed per the piece instructions above.
End of Round
After both players have taken a turn, the round ends.
Attacking/Battles
A battle commences when a creature moves into an opponent’s space. When this happens, both players roll the dice associated with their piece in the battle. When comparing the results, the Attacker is the creature whose turn it is, and the Defender is the creature whose space is invaded.
When the Attacker’s number is double or more than the Defender’s number, then the Defender is defeated.
Should the Attacker’s roll be more than the Defender’s number but less than double, then the Defender is pushed. The Defender can also be pushed when both player’s rolls are the same value.
If the Defender rolls double or more than the Attacker’s number, then the Attacker is stunned.
When the Defender rolls more than the Attacker’s number but less than double, nothing happens to either player’s piece.
Battle Effects
Defeated – When a creature is defeated, remove it from the board along with its corresponding die. The player who beat the piece gains tokens worth the value of the defeated monster.
Pushed – When a creature is pushed, the player who won the battle may move that creature orthogonally one space. Creatures may be pushed off the edge of the board.
Should this occur, they are defeated, and the opponent responsible for the push is awarded tokens worth the value of the defeated creature.
Creatures cannot be pushed into a space containing another piece.
Stunned – When a creature is stunned, place the piece on its side. That creature must spend one of its move to stand back up before it can rejoin gameplay.
In the event a stunned creature is engaged in a battle, in order to defend the attack, the stunned die will need to be used. See the Stunned die section in the character descriptions.
And that, friends, is the way this Dejarik table rolls!
There is wiggle room in these rules for modifications. Like I noted at the beginning of this post, you can play to whatever point value you’d like. Or, remove the point system entirely, meaning you are playing to annihilate your opponent. If you do keep the point system, you can choose not to play with the “Holding the Center” point at the end of the round.