Night Beast wins the prize for the most underrated ship of the game.

With people fawning all over themselves about Push the Limit I am surprised Night Beast hasn't seen more play. (or love)

He is only 15 points (half what most top tear pilots cost) and he basically has a free Push the Limit.

Yes getting a free focus doesn't do quite the same thing as just taking another action, but in some ways it is better.

I will admit that Night Beast isn't a top tear pilot. He will not compete with Vader, or Limit pushing Soontir. He is just in a TIE. But he only costs 15 points. I have seen Shuttles with more than 15 points of upgrades.

For two points more, you can take a Black Squadron Tie with PTL.

For two points more, you can take a Black Squadron Tie with PTL.

Night Beast is far superior to a PTL'd black squadron, in my opinion. For two more points, you could put targeting computer on him.

I don't like PTL on a black squadron TIE. It lets you evade, focus, or barrel roll in exchange for a stress. TIEs do not have a great stress shedding dial. I prefer PTL when it allows you to set up good combinations like boost and barrel roll or target lock and focus.

But Night Beast's ability can not trigger if he's stressed, and there's only 4 moves that trigger the ability. I think that makes him kind of predictable, and subject to getting blocked.

That being said, he is a good ship for the cost.

But Night Beast's ability can not trigger if he's stressed, and there's only 4 moves that trigger the ability. I think that makes him kind of predictable, and subject to getting blocked.

That being said, he is a good ship for the cost.

I think that's right. He's good for the cost, hard to beat for 15 really, but let's not overrate the ability.

Who wins in a fight: 7 Night Beasts or 5 Rookie Pilots? Both are 105 point fleets, after all.

Night beast is unique for a reason.

Night Beast has a great ability, and no one argues that. He's a total pain in the butt.

But who has a great ability that no one even recognizes? Roark Garnet. He's cheap, can house crew and turrets, and his ability can be a game changer. He guarantees that one of your ships will shoot first.

Night Beast has a great ability, and no one argues that. He's a total pain in the butt.

But who has a great ability that no one even recognizes? Roark Garnet. He's cheap, can house crew and turrets, and his ability can be a game changer. He guarantees that one of your ships will shoot first.

Pfft, I <3 Roark. He's the only HWK pilot worth using. For 24 points (because he always has an ion) you pay 1 point more than a Gold w/ Ion. In exchange, you get 2 PS, shooting at 12PS for a main ship, a second agility die, and you lose 1 hull, 2 shields, 4K, and 3 turn. It's a great trade off imo. Plus, if you have 4 extra points lying around, you can put Chewy on him instead of a SU on someone. Now you get twice the effect for the same cost, and the added benefit of potentially discarding a munitions failure or direct hit or injured pilot.

But Night Beast's ability can not trigger if he's stressed, and there's only 4 moves that trigger the ability. I think that makes him kind of predictable, and subject to getting blocked.

That being said, he is a good ship for the cost.

And that's exactly why it's almost just like PTL - PTL says "get stressed, so take a green maneuver to do this again" - if you're using PTL and always taking focus + something else, and doing green maneuvers - Night beast is not very different.

Night Beast has a great ability, and no one argues that. He's a total pain in the butt.

But who has a great ability that no one even recognizes? Roark Garnet. He's cheap, can house crew and turrets, and his ability can be a game changer. He guarantees that one of your ships will shoot first.

Pfft, I <3 Roark. He's the only HWK pilot worth using. For 24 points (because he always has an ion) you pay 1 point more than a Gold w/ Ion. In exchange, you get 2 PS, shooting at 12PS for a main ship, a second agility die, and you lose 1 hull, 2 shields, 4K, and 3 turn. It's a great trade off imo. Plus, if you have 4 extra points lying around, you can put Chewy on him instead of a SU on someone. Now you get twice the effect for the same cost, and the added benefit of potentially discarding a munitions failure or direct hit or injured pilot.

But Night Beast's ability can not trigger if he's stressed, and there's only 4 moves that trigger the ability. I think that makes him kind of predictable, and subject to getting blocked.

That being said, he is a good ship for the cost.

Wait, doesn't Night Beast still get to take the Focus action if he is blocked? I thought that was the point )

And, it's a green move to take the Free Focus, right? You'd remove stress before taking the free action.

Also, I think the free focus lets him be LESS predictable, since you can barrel roll with him and not sacrifice offense/defense.

For two points more, you can take a Black Squadron Tie with PTL.

Yeah but then the name isn't as cool

But Night Beast's ability can not trigger if he's stressed, and there's only 4 moves that trigger the ability. I think that makes him kind of predictable, and subject to getting blocked.

That being said, he is a good ship for the cost.

Wait, doesn't Night Beast still get to take the Focus action if he is blocked? I thought that was the point )

And, it's a green move to take the Free Focus, right? You'd remove stress before taking the free action.

Also, I think the free focus lets him be LESS predictable, since you can barrel roll with him and not sacrifice offense/defense.

Unfortunately, he doesn't get a Focus when trying to remove a stress:

Q: If “Night Beast” has a stress token when

he executes a green maneuver, is he able

to perform a free focus action?

A: No. “Night Beast’s” ability triggers before the

Check Pilot Stress step.

Night Beast has a great ability, and no one argues that. He's a total pain in the butt.

But who has a great ability that no one even recognizes? Roark Garnet. He's cheap, can house crew and turrets, and his ability can be a game changer. He guarantees that one of your ships will shoot first.

Roark is so underrated I run him w/Ion Turret, 3 Blues w/ Advanced Sensors, currently I'm at 11-1 (won two store champs) time and time again his ability has saved my skin and counter balances the low PS.

I literately just finished from a 2v2 75points per person game about an hr ago, I had 2 Blues w/ Roark vs. 6 Interceptors (Soon, Turr, Carnor, Kir, Tetran & Lorrir) I was able kill 3 Interceptors before they could return fire.

He's very nice. In fact, all the named TIEs are bloody nasty for their cost.

I've often thought - just to fit a 'story' force - about fielding Obsidian Squadron as a force; Obsidian 1 through 7 (i.e. Howlrunner, Winged Gundark and Night Beast, plus 4 generic obsidian pilots) is exactly 100 points....

I love back stabbed as a cheap flanker. I use him as a shuttle escort a lot. I just let him hang out out if the way until someone is on my shuttle then he swoops in and tears Em up. "I find your attack on my school bus disturbing. " he is worth a lot psychologically as a flanker.

Nightbeast is good! but, Backstabber or Dark Curse are both so much better, and that is for just one point more than the beast.

He's very nice. In fact, all the named TIEs are bloody nasty for their cost.

I've often thought - just to fit a 'story' force - about fielding Obsidian Squadron as a force; Obsidian 1 through 7 (i.e. Howlrunner, Winged Gundark and Night Beast, plus 4 generic obsidian pilots) is exactly 100 points....

Just so no one gets the wrong impression -

Typically, the #2 and #3 folks in the squad are _5 and _9 so when they break into 3 flights, your 2nd flight leader is your #2 in command, and 3rd flight leader is #3 in command. This however is not always true due to replacements being added and whatnot, but its rare to see the "top 3" all as 1,2,3.

It just so happens in this specific instance, what you said works, but not for the immediate reasoning

Howlrunner is indeed Obsidian 1

Night Beast is Obsidian 2

And Winged Gundark is Obsidian 7

So your 4 generic Obsidians are 3-6

Just thought I'd add that little tidbit.

And yes, I know that there are always exceptions. For example, Rogue squadron, when reformed, had Wedge as R1, Gavin was R5, and Corran was R9. I can't remember who was in charge of flight 2, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Gavin. And Corran was considered to be second in charge.

And then if you look at Wraith Squadron, Wes was Wraith 11, but was in charge of flight 3. Though I'm not 100% sure that wasn't intentional, since Wedge always planned on leaving Wraith to return to Rogue, putting Wes in charge (thus your flight leaders would then be 1 5 and 9). But still, an example of when that's not true.

Nightbeast is good! but, Backstabber or Dark Curse are both so much better, and that is for just one point more than the beast.

In a timed format, I agree with you. Backstabber is the most offensive of the three. Night Beast, with his free focus, would be a logical second choice. Dark Curse, as awesome as his ability is, is one of attrition. This is fantastic in friendly play, not so much in timed formats.

Night Beast wins the prize for the most underrated ship of the game.

With people fawning all over themselves about Push the Limit I am surprised Night Beast hasn't seen more play. (or love)

He is only 15 points (half what most top tear pilots cost) and he basically has a free Push the Limit.

Yes getting a free focus doesn't do quite the same thing as just taking another action, but in some ways it is better.

I will admit that Night Beast isn't a top tear pilot. He will not compete with Vader, or Limit pushing Soontir. He is just in a TIE. But he only costs 15 points. I have seen Shuttles with more than 15 points of upgrades.

I like running him with Dark Curse as a good defensive combo. Not great to close with them, but they have excellent staying power. Even if they accomplish nothing major, your opponent still has to factor them in when planning their dials, and a couple extra blaster bolts never hurt (well, not you anyway).

My original point was not that Night Beast was the best ship, the best TIE or even in the top tear. My point is that he is awesome despite the fact that I hardly ever see him played.

I think part of the issue with his scarceness is that he was part of the original release. It wasn't until wave 2 that the double action became so popular and by that time he wasn't shiny and new anymore.

With subsequent waves released there are just so many cool new things we want to try. Backstabber, Mithel, and Howerunner (the top three TIEs) continued to be used, and people came to realize the power of Dark Curse. But, at least in my areas, and the forums I read, Night Beast has been greatly overlooked.

Jans Ors, on the other hand, I see all the time. I think I have ever seen a HWK-290 that wasn't him once.

Black Squadron+PtL on the other hand I consider inferior to Night Beast. Night Beasts ability doesn't actually generate stress, so you can K-turn when ever you want. IMO opinion the biggest disadvantage of PtL is not being able to k-turn. Oh and Black Squadron+PtL costs 20% more and has a lower PS.

Night Beast is not a punished by Ion Fire either.

Jans Ors, on the other hand, I see all the time. I think I have ever seen a HWK-290 that wasn't him once.

Her, her!

Her, her!

I keep waiting for welding goggles to become a fashion item.