Star Realms Combat Calculator
Total a combat turn with authority, outposts, base shields, faction ally triggers, direct damage, and scrap-for-combat decisions.
⚙Real Turn Presets
🃏Turn Inputs
▣Combat Component Grid
📊Reference Tables
| Star Realms Target | How Combat Applies | Calculator Treatment | Turn Planning Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outpost base | Must be destroyed before normal authority damage | Subtracts from normal combat first | Direct authority damage can still bypass it |
| Non-outpost base | Can be ignored unless you choose to clear bases | Optional shield sink based on target plan | Clearing it may prevent future ally turns |
| Authority | Normal combat after outposts plus direct damage | Compared against opponent authority | Zero or lower marks the turn as lethal |
| Your authority | Increases from Trade Federation and card effects | Added to swing and final authority | Often matters in close race turns |
| Faction | Common Ally Theme | Calculator Bonus | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blob | Combat bursts and card draw | +2 combat at 2 cards, +1 per extra card | Push lethal and clear outposts |
| Trade Federation | Authority gain and steady combat | +4 authority at 2 cards, +1 per extra card | Improve race math while attacking |
| Star Empire | Discard pressure and combat | +1 combat and +1 discard at 2 cards | Reduce opponent comeback odds |
| Machine Cult | Scrap and deck cleanup | +1 combat if paired with scrap choice | Turn weak cards into burst damage |
| Combat Band | Typical Turn Shape | Authority Threat | Check Closely When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Opening hand or economy-heavy draw | Low unless opponent has no outpost | Direct damage or a small outpost is involved |
| 6 to 12 | Midgame attack with one ally chain | Can clear one base and chip authority | Opponent is below 15 authority |
| 13 to 22 | Strong faction turn with scrap or draw | Often threatens lethal through one outpost | There are multiple shield targets |
| 23 plus | Late-game chain or heavy Blob turn | Likely lethal unless shield wall is large | You may not need to scrap every option |
| Spec Grid | Conservative Plan | Aggressive Plan | Calculator Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outposts present | Clear outpost only | Ignore non-outpost bases | Authority damage after required shields |
| Scrap option | Save scrap if lethal is already reached | Scrap for extra combat now | Scrap value shown in total combat |
| Trade Federation heal | Count heal as race protection | Still push damage if lethal exists | Authority swing combines both sides |
| Star Empire discard | Value next-turn defense | Pair discard with base clearing | Discard pressure appears in breakdown |
💡Combat Tips
Star Realms require players to calculate a variety of number that occur during combat. When there are many element to the game board, it can become more difficult for the player to calculate these numbers correctly. During Star Realms, players must calculate combat power, faction symbols, scrap values, and the number of opponent outposts.
If a player dont have enough combat power to bypass the outpost of there opponent, they will not be able to reach the opponents base. When a player does not succeed in reaching the opponents base, the opponent will get a turn to build more defense. Thus, prior to combat, the player must calculate whether their current level of combat power is enough to reach the opponents base, or if they will have to clear their opponents outpost first.
Simple Math for Star Realms: Combat, Outposts, Scrap, and Authority
Outposts present a specific obstacle for players to overcome in order to reach their opponents base. To clear an outpost with normal combat, players must aim their current hand of cards at the correct target. Otherwise, they will think that their normal combat power will deal damage to the opponents base, which is a common mistake for player.
Based off whether or not players will use their scrap trigger to clear their opponents outpost, they can decide whether they will use their scrap trigger for that round of combat, or save it for later. Each of the different faction includes specific ally bonuses that will aid the player. However, the player only gains the benefit of these bonus once they reach the required threshold for that specific faction.
For instance, if a player has two Blob faction symbols, they will gain both bonus combat power and scaling combat power for each extra card that they plays. The Trade Federation provide authority for the player instead of combat power. The Empire faction provides discard pressure for the player, which will reduce the number of cards that their opponent have for that turn.
The Machine Cult provides extra combat power for each scrap value that the player chooses. These bonuses isnt the same for each of the available factions, so the player with the same cards will experience different outcomes different than their chosen faction. Authority swing is one of the more important aspects of Star Realms, but many players often ignore this aspect of the game.
Authority swing is considered to be more important in games that are close in terms of the amount of authority that is available for each player. Healing works similar to combat power, as it will allow a player to survive more attacks. For instance, a turn that does nine damage and gains six authority is more beneficial than one that does four damage but have no authority gained.
Thus, players must consider authority swing before combat, as it may change the mathematical nature of the game between player. The tables provided on this page are meant to be reference tables for common decision during Star Realms. These tables indicate how each of the combat bands in the game will behave.
Additionally, they provide information for players regarding the meaning of having outposts or scrap values in their game. These tables will not replace the player’s judgment in the game, but they will provide an understanding of the pattern that occur throughout many games. Due to the complex nature of the game of Star Realms, many players makes mistakes.
Some of the most common include not remembering to separate their outpost shields from their base shields. Additionally, many players treat scrap values as if they are automatically an upgrade for each turn, but they should only use the scrap value if they has not yet achieved lethal damage against their opponent. Finally, many players do not value the amount of discard pressure that their opponent can play; even though it is not direct damage, it is still a valuable resource in the game.
The calculator for Star Realms will help to avoid these mistakes by allowing the player to separate each component of the game instead of consider all the components together. The most useful habit for players is to run the numbers prior to choosing to use scrap values or to use their base clear. By calculating how many amount of combat power will reach the opponents base after accounting for their shields, the player will be able to make a clear decision about the best use of their available resource.
For these reason, the game reward players who understand that combat power is a resource in the game, as well as players who do not simply try to reach the highest possible number for combat power. They should of prepared for teh math.
