Mastering Solo Play in Star Wars: Outer Rim: The Complete AI Rules Guide

If you’re a fan of Star Wars: Outer Rim and want to explore the galaxy solo, you’ll need to master the AI mechanics to create a challenging and immersive experience. This guide focuses on how to actually build that AI deck, because frankly, it’s a bit opaque/oddly distributed information in the three rulebooks (Learn to Play, Living Rules, Unfinished Expansion).

So here we consolidate all the rules, clarifications, and examples you’ll need to play against AI opponents in a single-player game. There are more AI rules, but you can get those more easily from the rulebooks.

The Objective

In solo mode, you control one character while competing against AI opponents. Your goal? Reach 10 fame before the AI meets its fame requirement (typically) 12 fame, but this can change with optional rules like Ambitions or Expert Mode.

Setting Up Solo Play

1. Map and Token Setup
   • Assemble the map according to standard rules.
   • Distribute contact and patrol tokens in their designated spaces.
2. Card Removal
   • From the Jobs Market Deck, remove:
     • “Disable Comms Network”
     • “Honest Robbery”
     • “Sail Barge Sabotage”
     • “Snatch and Grab”
   • From the Ring of Kafrene/Takodana Encounter Deck, remove card #11.
3. Select AI Opponents
   • Choose one or two AI opponents. Each AI opponent must have a different role:
     • Smuggler AI: Uses databank card #91 or #92.
     • Bounty Hunter AI: Uses databank card #90.
4. Prepare AI Decks
   • Smuggler AI: Using the purple deck: Shuffle the unique AI card (any character that starts with databank cards #91 or #92) with base AI cards: 1, 2, 6, 7, and 9.
   • Bounty Hunter AI: Using the red deck: Shuffle the unique AI card (any character that starts with #90) with Bounty Hunter AI cards: 1 through 5.
   • Place the shuffled deck near the AI board.
5. Starting Credits
   • AI players begin with 6,000 credits (or 8,000 credits if playing with two AI opponents).
6. Set Goals
   • Place a goal token on each AI’s starting cargo or job cards.
7. Starting Ship
   • The smuggler starts with the G9 Rigger ship
   • The bounty hunter starts with the G-1A Starfighter ship
8. Core Worlds Restriction
   • AI players cannot move through Core Worlds during the game.

Game Play

1. Player’s Turn:
   • Resolve your turn as normal.
2. AI Player’s Turn:
   1. At the end of your turn, the AI takes its turn.
   2. Draw the top card of the AI deck and resolve it by following these steps:
      • If the card states “do the first that applies”:
        • Attempt to resolve the top bullet in that section.
        • If the top bullet cannot be resolved or has no effect, proceed to the next bullet, and repeat until a valid action is resolved.
      • If the card states “do all that apply”:
        • Resolve each bullet in that section from top to bottom.
        • Skip any bullets that cannot be resolved or have no effect.
   3. Discard the AI Card:
      • After resolving the card, place it face down at the bottom of the AI deck.
   4. Continue Gameplay:
      • Proceed with the next player’s turn as normal.

Special Rules for AI Opponents

• Abilities: The AI does not use special abilities on cards unless they explicitly increase stats (e.g., “+1 speed”).
• Illegal Cargo: The AI delivers illegal cargo automatically but suffers 2 damage.
• Market Purchases: AI follows specific purchase instructions from its cards and avoids buying cargo with patrols as destinations.
• Contacts: The AI flips the contact token with the lowest-class (fewest pips). If multiple options are available, choose randomly.
• Bounty Hunting: AI prioritizes bounty targets in this order:
  1. Characters
  2. Crew
  3. Face-up contacts (lowest class)
  4. Face-down contacts (lowest class)

Optional Rules: Adding Complexity

Ambitions

Players can use ambitions in solo mode:

• Draw two ambition sheets during setup, select one, and gain its benefits.
• AI does not use ambition sheets but must earn two additional fame to win the game.

Expert Mode

To increase difficulty, start the AI with 1 or more fame during setup.

Winning the Game

• Player Victory: You win by reaching 10 fame (or the required fame if using Ambitions or other custom rules).
• AI Victory: The AI wins by reaching its fame requirement, typically 12 fame (or more with Ambitions or Expert Mode).

Example: Setting Up AI Decks

Smuggler AI Example: Lando Calrissian

• Databank Card: #91.
• Purple Deck Composition: AI cards: #91, 1, 2, 6, 7, and 9.
• Final Deck: Shuffle these six cards and place them near Lando’s AI board.

Bounty Hunter AI Example: Boba Fett

• Databank Card: #90.
• Red Deck Composition: AI cards: #90, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
• Final Deck: Shuffle these six cards and place them near Boba Fett’s AI board.

Have fun exploring the Outer Rim—may the Force be with you!