One of the most exciting parts of the Factions Deckbuilding system for me is use of the “Supply” cards. At the start of the game, there is a Market of cards you can add to your deck from the Core, Border, and Rim space, but there is also a separate board with Supply sets. While the Market cards are all (more or less) unique, the Supply cards are in sets (5 of the same card for each, except for Shiny which has 6, and The Black which has 12). Shiny and The Black will be in every game, but the other 4 Supply sets can be added or removed.
You can use predetermined Supply sets (and some Episodes will prescribe them), or you can “draft” the Supply sets. The board shows the attributes a Supply set must have to be drafted there (Deal, Fight, Maneuver, and Any). The first player will draft one for any of those four slots, then the next player in counter-clockwise order will draft a set, and so one until all four have been drafted. Then whoever would be next will be the first player when the play starts.
So what’s so special about Supply sets? They are one-shot cards. Normally in deckbuilding, you build your deck, and the cards typically stay in there. Sometimes you’ll have effects that let you “trash” cards from your deck, but it’s still part of an action or process. Supply sets, once played to your “Display Area”, return to the Supply board when their effect is resolved. This means your decks will stay pretty streamlined throughout the game (not to mention because you’ll also be playing cards from your deck down onto your player board (or “Tableau”). It’s not unusual to end the game with a deck that is smaller than the one you started with (in fact, I often try to have only a 5 card deck at the end, so I know exactly what I’m drawing, and all of it can be used to defense my win).
Most Supply cards have multiple uses, and you have to decide which effect you want. Shiny can be used for its 2 Influence to help you Recruit another card to your deck, or you can just play it to gain 3 credits. Lastly, you can play it for 2 Credits, and “Cycle” 2 cards in the Market (shuffle them into their decks and then replenish). Misbehave can be used in Fights for 4 Power, or it can cancel a Deal or Steal. It can even cancel an effect that cancels a Deal (like another Misbehave). Lastly, you can just use it to Steal 3 credits from someone else. But in all cases, once played, it returns to the Supply.