Customs Frigate has a primary ability: “You may acquire a ship of cost four or less and put it on top of your deck.” If you play this as your first ship, it will apply both the ship’s ability and the scenario’s ability to put things on top of your deck. If you want to put two ships on top, acquire the first using another means.

Blob Carrier has an ally ability: “Acquire any ship without paying its cost and put it on top of your deck.” This works just like Customs Frigate — use this ability after acquiring another ship, if you want to put two ships on top of your deck.

Freighter has an ally ability: “You may put the next ship you acquire this turn on top of your deck.” It does not seem to consume the scenario’s rule.

Construction Hauler has an ally ability: “You may put the next base you acquire this turn directly into play.” This ability will not work if the first card you acquire is a base, as the scenario rules will take precedence.

Central Office has a primary ability: “Add 2 Trade. You may put the next ship you acquire this turn on top of your deck.” In this arena, it will always put it on top of your deck. It will also not consume the scenario’s ability, so you will be able to stack two ships on top of your deck if you want.

Each turn should be spent setting up the next turn.

In normal games of Star Realms, you purchase with an eye towards the next shuffle or even an end-game combo. This week, with the unmatched power to stack the top of your deck, you should focus not on the next shuffle but on the next turn. Each player has the ability to determine the terms of the next turn’s fight.

This week is driven by who is buying bases and when, and who is buying base-killers and when. If one person buys a base and the other person doesn’t respond by either having or buying enough damage in their next turn to deal with it, the game is half-over right there. For nearly every base in the format (not you, Defense Station), getting a base to stick for a turn or two can make a massive difference. And it’s much more likely in this format than any other.

Bases you buy this turn will always see play next turn. This means if your opponent doesn’t have combat in their deck for the turn after that, they will be forced to purchase that or risk a runaway base situation they cannot come back from. (Arena veterans will remember runaway bases from earlier this season.) Bases that give trade in the early game are especially powerful: I have converted a turn-two Blob Wheel into a turn three Mothership or Central Office or other 7+ cost card more than once this week, and I’ve won nearly every time I’ve done it.