Are you wildly unimpressed with the Mandalorian faction? Good. Capital Games wants you to think exactly that. Caution: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Since the faction was formally added to the game earlier this year, you would think that there is some viability-or even use-in areas other than Galactic Challenges. Unfortunately that is not the case; after a shamefully extensive amount of time searching online, all I have to report is that the faction has gained zero traction or purpose.
While that may be a huge disappointment to on how Star Wars fans, considering the epic journey the faction came to be in lore, I don’t think it’s time to give up just yet. With season 3 of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett coming to our screens in the future (not to mention the media we already have), I believe that CG is merely laying the groundwork for an incredible faction.
As it currently shows, there are a total of 9 characters with the Mandalorian tag in the game (5 light side and 4 dark side), with only two of them (Bo-Katan and the Armorer) possessing leadership abilities for the faction. The issue, as many may have already realized, is that the faction is so clearly divided. Jango Fett and OG Mando belong with bounty hunters, Beskar Mando is far more useful (which, despite the effort involved in unlocking him, doesn’t say much) with scoundrels, and the Armorer is a low-level version of Wat Tambor, being a useful plug-and-play character, especially in the Jedi Master Kenobi counter team. That leaves…a bunch of trash for Bo-Katan to lead, which makes the entire faction unappealing at best and fan service at worst. However, Capital Games has announced the arrival of Maul via Conquest in the most recent Road Ahead, and was guaranteed to have the Mandalorian tag: “His kit pays tribute to his time as the leader of Mandalore. So when Maul is in the leader slot, he has the Mandalore status effect until he is defeated…and then passes the mantle onto the character that defeated him.” As he is meant to be Lord Vader’s counterpart to JMK’s Commander Ahsoka Tano, it’s exciting to theorize where he may fit in. Reading into that announcement, though, I don’t think this version of Maul is the last we’ll see of him. The creation of a whole new faction and then leaving it in the same rank as Jawas, Rogue One, Phoenix and Tuskens seems uncharacteristic. Sure, we also have the awkward “Unaligned Force User” tag, but that so far seems strictly for the versatility of future Galactic Legends.
So what then? The faction is broken before it even got off the ground, and the awkward remnants do not boost confidence-much less desire to waste time and precious gear. Most factions have 1-2 solid leaders that players willingly want to utilize, often split between defensive and offensive viability. That leaves us several possibilities to explore:
- The finale of Season 2 saw Mando face off against Moff Gideon, with the former being defeated and Mando taking possession of the Darksaber. Considering that it can only be earned by besting someone in combat, it seems that the third season will have some serious friction between Bo-Katan, who believes she should be the rightful ruler, and Din, who seems to not really care as much and was willing to give away one of the most iconic weapons in the Star Wars universe. Since Bo-Katan isn’t the main character and Din has both literal and figurative plot armor, it’s going to be an enjoyable ride watching his ascent to the throne. Considering the past of such leaders, the way his armor is designed does seem familiar…
- The two most likely candidates are Pre Visla or Canderous Ordo (Mandalore from KOTOR2). Pre Visla is less likely than Ordo; while he would likely make a great leader for the Dark Side Mandalorians, his “reign” was short-lived (and “cut” short) by Maul. He could become a decent marquee character, but with a 5’s style sacrifice to make the Mandalorian leader stronger. For those who have not had the pleasure of playing KOTOR2, Canderous/Mandalore seems more polarizing as a potential leader to gather these awkward remnants; a small side quest in the game involves gathering lost Mandalorians from around the galaxy to gain favor from the character. Another potential character we may see is Duchess Satine, whose kit may function similar to Mon Mothma’s. In short, however, there are a wide variety of options other than relying on this new upcoming version of Maul to look out for. Hopefully one of these will make the factions usable in game modes like Territory Battles/Wars, or even Grand Arena…
The line in the Tatooine sand has been drawn, and Boba has been declared NOT a Mandalorian; considering he is literally the reason Mandalorians exist causes me to believe The Book of Boba Fett will put him on the path to earning the right to be called Mandalorian, as a means to honor his father, a guiding principle throughout his younger life. It’s far less likely however; it seems that Boba is branching off into his own kingdom, and may become a leader for Scoundrels and Bounty Hunters-potentially even a Galactic Legend himself.
And there we have it! Short but sweet, this infant faction desperately needs some love and attention. With plenty of content to pull from, as well as the hope for some solid future media, Mandalorians will likely rise to be a prevalent faction for guilds within the next 2 years (so much for the game dying!).
Until next time, Holotable Heroes! And don’t forget-Relic your Mace!
CommanDollar 