Star Wars: Bounty Hunters – Gameplay and Strategy Tips
By Asmodee – Asmodee USA | Published: 2026-10-26
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to play Star Wars: Bounty Hunters with our quick-start guide and strategy tips. Master simultaneous play, card drafting, and scoring to outwit rivals.
Quick answer
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters is a simultaneous-play card-drafting game where you earn points by capturing targets, completing contracts, and buying from the Jawa market. Start by picking one card per turn, then use those cards to build your bounty hunter hand and score.
Why simultaneous play changes your strategy
Unlike turn-based games, Star Wars: Bounty Hunters has everyone picking cards at the same time. This means you cannot react to what another player just took; you must anticipate their needs and plan your picks accordingly.
A common mistake is focusing only on your own goals. Watch what cards opponents pass to you—they reveal what they do not want, which hints at their strategy. Use this to block them by taking a card they need, even if it is not your top priority.
Balancing the three scoring paths
You earn points three ways: capturing targets, completing contracts, and buying droids and crates at the Jawa market. Spreading your efforts too thin can leave you without enough points in any single path. Instead, choose two paths early and pivot only if the cards force you.
Contracts often require specific card combinations. If you see a contract card early, commit to it and draft cards that fulfill its requirements. Ignoring contracts entirely is viable but requires a strong target-capture or Jawa-market strategy to compensate.
The Jawa market: when to buy
Droids and crates from the Jawa market can give you extra points or abilities, but they cost a card pick. Buying early can pay off if the item directly supports your chosen path. However, buying too late may waste a turn when you could instead capture a high-value target.
A checkpoint: never buy a droid or crate unless you can use its effect immediately or it completes a contract. Otherwise, you are just spending a pick on a generic point source that might not outscore a well-timed target capture.
How to play Star Wars: Bounty Hunters – step by step
- Set up the game: Shuffle the deck and deal 4 cards to each player. Place the remaining cards in the center as the draw pile. Each player keeps their hand secret. Common mistake: looking at your hand before the game starts. Wait until everyone is dealt to avoid giving away your strategy.
- Play a turn simultaneously: All players pick one card from their hand and pass the rest to the player on their left. You keep the picked card and add it to your play area. Repeat until all cards are picked. Remember: everyone plays at the same time. Do not wait for others; just pick and pass. A checkpoint: if you hesitate, you might miss the chance to take a key card before it is passed away.
- Score points: After the draft ends, tally points from captured targets (cards with bounty values), completed contracts (card combinations that meet contract requirements), and any Jawa market items you purchased during the game. The player with the most points wins. Common mistake: forgetting to check if a contract is complete. Verify each contract card's requirements before scoring to avoid missing points.
Product details
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunters: Star Wars: Bounty Hunters is a light strategy game where players compete to be the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. Players have three goals: capturing targets, completing contracts, and purchasing droids and crates at the Jawa market. Knowing these three scoring paths helps you decide which cards to draft each turn and when to pivot your strategy based on what you draw.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters
