I get that stress is becoming a bigger part of the game and being able to shed it is a good thing. But the risk of drawing a direct-to-hull hit seems like it makes him somewhat mellow for the price. I could see you using it once, maybe two times, in a match but that still requires some luck. I like that it's fluff invoking but it doesn't seem robust enough on its own.
Or am I just wrong? Convince me otherwise.
Just think of it as his KFC-induced heart attack. He'll likely survive to feast again.
The skill is fine, there are ways to mitigate the damage or just use it once or twice you really need it. Beyond that, PS7 with elite slot for a reasonable price in a solid ship. SOLD.
The number of times you'll really NEED to use it will be pretty small. If you go with the super secret astromech combo the odds of the damage sticking are pretty small. You're not going to be doing it every round but you also shouldn't need to do it every round that you can do it.
Jek Porkins + PtL + R5-D8 - 32 points
Perform a K turn
Remove the stress using his ability.
Use PtL to get a target lock and either R5-D8 in attempt to fix the lost hull point if you took one, or focus to make his attack even stronger.
If after using PtL you deem it necessary and you haven't lost any hull points, use his ability again to drop the stress so that you can perform white maneuvers again on the following turn.
If used wisely this could net you some exceptional range 1 shooting on an opponent who didn't expect it. You need to weigh up the risk and reward of course and he is reasonably expensive in this format. You could drop PtL to save some extra points and just go with a TL after K turning and hope to attempt to fix the hull later.
But the risk of drawing a direct-to-hull hit seems like it makes him somewhat mellow for the price.
If you look at the card it says on a (Hit) take damage to your hull, but not a crit! This makes him more appealing to me for sure!
I think this is the most accurate ability for a named pilot in this game.
I love it. Well done to FFG for thinking this one up.
First off, the best defense is guaranteed you're not shot at. Koiograning turn after turn is definitely a way to do that.
Similarly, taking the stress out of PTL (et al.) gives him his entire dial to work with for positioning on the following turn!
However, let's address the issue at hand: Porkins' Squishiness.
3/8 of the time he removes stress from himself, he will take a face-down damage card. However, if you're scared of death, he can simply opt to keep the stress. Very little danger of him blowing himself up, but we have more to work with.
Now, I see two specific cards that work with him beautifully: R5-D8 and a Hull Upgrade.
Hull Upgrade's pretty simple: Extra damage buffer, while adding some synergy to R5-D8 late-game.
If you choose to remove the stress every time you take a red maneuver and/or stressful action, that's a 5/8 chance of getting no damage, and a 3/8 of taking a face-down card. With a single use of R5-D8 per stress removed, that face-down card has to dodge another 5/8 chance of removal, bringing you to a 9/64 chance of having any damage on your hull.
For the record, the ratios of No Harm vs Action Spent to Damage Kept (for a round) are now 40::15::9 (each out of 64).
Keeping in mind that taking those odds lets me:
and I'll say that Jek is pretty danged potent! Heck, he might be in the running for "Best Pilot Ability".
* Naked Daredevil comes with extra synergy here. You're regenerating self-damage anyway, so you're already in the mind-set to use it. However, as Daredevil can crit against you, and hit your non-regenerative shields, that may not be worth it without boost.
** Elusivenessing every attack with Jek Porkins essentially hands the attacker an extra, unblockable, non-critting attack die that is unaffected by actions, with the caveat that I can re-roll one of their regular dice. This is a terrible idea, particularly if they're focused while attacking, but the point is that you can do it if you wished!
*And it's only a 3/8ths chance that you'll get a damage, so in certain circumstances the benefits could Far outweigh the possibility of taking a damage. Especially with PtL
Ninja'd (much better post)
Edited by Syleh ForgePorkins is about as a good as a bucket of Extra Tasty Crispy from Kick the Frickin Chickin. Yum!
Also if you're running him with PtL and you can afford to run green maneuvers you can use PtL to keep attempting to remove damage whilst still getting a TL to damage the enemy.
Porkins has a very useful and fitting ability. I think you'll be able to get good use out of him, with the droid that can repair him and ptl. As with many things, it will fall down to some luck. However, for Porkins being Porkins, it is pretty funny he'll be the most agile and tricky X wing pilot if you think about. However, it is fitting, you can't stress out Porkins for long, he's got a problem, but he can hold it. He can always, hold it.
Well, gee. Color me convinced. Thanks guys and gal.
(I've always recognized that the ability fit him, just saying I didn't see it as particularly robust -- regardless of who it was on. But with Jek and C3PO especially, I'm enjoying this nod to fluff FFG is doing. ... Though it occurs to me Wedge's ability fits too, it's just sterile in its straightforward lethality.)
Edited by R22Replaces Luke in 3 amigos?
But the risk of drawing a direct-to-hull hit seems like it makes him somewhat mellow for the price.
If you look at the card it says on a (Hit) take damage to your hull, but not a crit! This makes him more appealing to me for sure!
Yeah. Its 50/50 its 3 out of 8 chance of taking damage. So unless you have a nack for rolling hits like a boss your chances are better than 50/50.
Replaces Luke in 3 amigos?
I would say so.
Pure speculation, but there is talk on forums about this new "Wingman" Card in Wave 4...
People think, based on the partial text, that you can take a stress from a nearby ally. So, in theory, a list with Porkins (and also Hobbie) can soak not only their own stress, but others' also. So, even when his buddy is stressed out, Porkins can still hold it. Thoughts?
Edited by Engine25His pilot ability does not cost any points. If you never use his ability he is worth the cost. The ability is risky but it comes free of charge.
I will try Porkins with D5-D8, PTL and probably hull upgrade.
He's pretty cra cra to be honest.
When his ability works, he is amazing. When it doesn't, too bad. I guess it depends on how much you trust the odds.
His pilot ability does not cost any points. If you never use his ability he is worth the cost.
It's like I said in the thread about Hobbie.
Just because you can use their special ability to remove stress doesn't mean you have to so every round. Frankly you shouldn't be stressed every round so it's not like you'll be needing to remove stress 90% of the time.
Second, if you pair up with R5-D8 you have a chance to remove any damage you might take, which as was pointed out isn't even a given. Or put a R2 Astromech on him and give him more green maneuvers to remove the stress.
Porkins like Hobbie, have abilities that should really be saved for when the tactics tell you that *now* is the best time to use it. Saving it for setting yourself up for 2 really good firing runs on a target.
Also consider he has 1 more PS then Garven and a EPT for the same points.
When his ability works, he is amazing. When it doesn't, too bad. I guess it depends on how much you trust the odds.
Also, the forward 1 is no longer the automatic jousting speed.
Edited by FrazioIt always works. That's what is great. Now if you are down to one hull versus 2 ships is it worth using a k - turn - eat stress - target lock+focus combo with a 3/8 chance of death, or your defence dice vs their attack dice?When his ability works, he is amazing. When it doesn't, too bad. I guess it depends on how much you trust the odds.
Also, the forward 1 is no longer the automatic jousting speed.
Nope, I'm gonna go with a 4K, followed by a Focused and Locked rear attack, followed by another focused/locked shot when they get stressed K turning.
Slap R5-D8 and a Hull Upgrade on Porkins and he should be okay. I'd rather run Janson though.
Me and my boy Jay got some Imps to shred.
No he is not worth it.
Like most named pilots he is too expensive to equip. That's the problem with this game your better off with a bunch of scrubs rather than two or three elite guys.