I still remember the first time it ever occurred to me that the Jabba's Palace/ Expand the Empire was a very mean monster indeed, giving birth to the powerful "manipulator." I also remember the bursts of sheer creativity that came about as fellow local players searched for ways to create viable light side decks that could withstand repeated Scanning Crew, A Dangerous Time, M'yoom Onith, and Gailid. Rarely have I ever seen players so fully stretch their minds and use their cards in such spectacular ways. Had it not been for the existence of the manipulator, Gainesville probably never would have seen the creation of the Ithorian Training/Drain deck or the Cloud Ruling H'nmenths. And while I still think that anyone who played a Baragwin on Dagobah deck is going to a final resting place much warmer than Florida, never have I so vigorously put my mind to countering a strategy (Reegesk and Fear have never seen more game play). Perhaps Jabba's Palace did create the potential for abuses of certain cards or strategies, but it was also a challenge to players to stop whining and figure out a new way to play.
The reign of Jabba's Palace was, for the most part, a time when we were all content to remain on the ground. Sure, I played the DS Space Domination deck more than a time or two, but the ground was where it was at. B'omarr monks, Klatoonian Revolutionaries, Abyssins, and Skrillings had their day in the double sunshine of Tatooine. Now it would seem we are to face (or enjoy) an effect-bloated light side space fleet that has somehow managed to get an X-Wing to be as powerful as a Victory-class star destroyer - so much for ridding the game of abuses.
When I asked the BBS what they would miss the most after Special Edition came out, most mentioned that while they won't miss turtle decks or asteroid sanctuary, they would indeed shed a tear for a few old strategies that appear to be on the way out (of course we all remember when resistance/ultimatum was the end of inserts, too). Dark Deal, ground fights, sense/alter, and characterless decks all got a mention for what people will miss most.
Whether we like it or not, the reign of Jabba's Palace is over - which is not to say that it will die in its entirety. The approaching release of Jabba's Palace means that the good players will have to one of two things: figure out how to make the old strategies work with the new cards and rules or develop new strategies that make the most of the new set. The bad players won't do either - they'll sit back and whine.
Queen Jawa