You might have anticipated more exciting things than playing cards when you picked up Star Wars Outlaws, but lemme tell ya, Kessel Sabacc can be as thrilling as blasting stormtroopers or punching Syndicate members in the face. For one, it's a great way of making credits without having to do too much work, similar to the Fathier races.
Your first chance to play Sabacc comes when you arrive in Mirogana, and if you get on good terms with the Pykes, you'll be able to access their district cardroom for even more rewards. If you were a fan of Pazaak in Knights of the Old Republic, I'm sorry to say that the rules of Sabacc are completely different.
Instead of trying to get to 21, you have to get pairs of the lowest value possible. Here's a brief explanation of Kessel Sabacc in case it's not clicking, some tips to help you win, and info about where to get more powerful Shift Tokens.
How to play Kessel Sabacc
While Outlaws explains in-depth how to play Sabacc, you might not be one for reading through long lists of rules. Instead, here are the fundamentals you need to understand:
- Your aim in Kessel Sabacc is to get a pair (a Sabacc) of the lowest number possible. Generally, the lower your cards the better. The player with the best Sabacc wins the round.
- Each round you have three turns with which to draw or stand. Stand means you're happy with your cards, while draw is when you pay one of your chips to pick up a new card.
- Your hand always consists of an orange card (sand) and a red card (blood). If you choose to draw a red card, it can replace your red card. If you choose to draw a orange card, it can replace your orange card.
- The last player with chips remaining wins
There are few additional elements that help you strategize a bit more. These are:
- Sylops and Imposters: These are special cards you might pick up. A Sylop is marked with a dot and takes the number of the other card in your hand, making an automatic Sabacc. An Imposter is marked with three lines and takes a random value based on a dice you roll at the end of the round, making it a risky bet.
- Nix can cheat: If you're good at quick time events, you can have Nix cheat and look at your opponents' cards. This helps you determine whether you need a better hand to beat them.
- Shift Tokens: These are special tokens you can play during the game to activate certain effects, such as a free draw, or taxing another player's chips. The trick with Shift Tokens is deciding when to play them.
Kessel Sabacc tips
Now you understand the game, here are some tips to help you beat your opponents:
- Pay attention to discarded cards: If you're unable to cheat and look at an opponent's cards—such as in a high roller game—then pay attention to what they discard. Since Sabacc is about getting the lowest hand possible, players will discard the highest card, so you can assume the player's hand is lower.
- Cheating is very easy, but it can get you banned: Hilariously you can get caught multiple times before getting banned from a table temporarily. This happens if you fail the quick time event and Nix is spotted snooping.
- Don't be afraid to stand: Sometimes you get a really good hand right at the start of a round and have nothing to do. Don't be afraid to stand. No point wasting chips if your hand is good enough already.
- Recheck the help section if the numbers are confusing: The way that Sabacc cards are marked makes it hard to interpret what number they are sometimes. If you're unsure, check the help section and look at "cards". This little infographic hovers over each number so you can see.
- Time your Shift Token uses: Shift Tokens are a fantastic way of putting an opponent in a bad position and finishing them off. The General Audit and Target Tariff in particular are very strong, since they tax players two chips, which is a pretty big dent in their stockpile. The same is true for any Shift Token that lets you retrieve or steal chips from other players.
- Any Sabacc will do: If you lose a round and don't have a Sabacc (a pair), you'll be taxed the difference in value between your cards, whereas if you have a Sabacc hand, you'll only be taxed one chip even if you lose. So, trying your best to make sure you have any kind of Sabacc by the end of a round will mitigate your losses. If you start the round with a Sabacc, it might be better to just stand and save your chips, since you'll only lose one at the round end.
How to get Shift Tokens
You can find Shift Tokens in a variety of locations, such as specific Syndicate Vaults like the Pyke District one in Mirogana. The easiest way to get them is by playing and winning Kessel Sabacc at Syndicate cardrooms or purchasing them from certain Syndicate Merchants. If you want to find a specific Shift Token, their collectibles page highlights the exact location for all known tokens.
Playing at the Pyke Cardroom in Mirogana, for instance, earns you the Free Draw, Markdown, and General Audit Shift Tokens. To play here you'll need to have a good reputation with the Pykes so you can gain access to the district and the same is true of any district cardroom.
After the Shadows of Deceit Sabacc quest you'll also unlock Kaslo's Parlor in Mirogana, where you can play Kessel Sabacc against Boznok, a high roller. Defeating Boznok will open the way to other high roller players on other planets, each with their own special reward.
