Pilot Ability or Elite Pilot Talent?

By That One Guy, in X-Wing

While I was at work today, I got an idea for something. I don't know enough about EU to think of a pilot they haven't used yet that this would be good on, so I am not sure if it would make a good Pilot Ability for someone. So for now i'll call it a good EPT, and if someone knows a good pilot this could go on then y'all can talk about it below. so….

Dogged Pursuit- 3 pts

When attacking, if the defender does not cancel any [hit] or [critical hit] results with defense dice, then they receive 1 stress token.

You'll notice there's a "with defense dice" in there.

I like that idea actually, although maybe a bit powerful?

As it stands, it's very nice as an EPT on Kath Scarlet, especially if paired with some torps and Rebel Captive. Stressed if you do, stressed if you don't.

Kath, the true Miss Stress.

I'm not feeling the talent though, it's punishing the defender for having unlucky dice rolls. "You rolled all blanks? Well, you drop 2 shields, get a blinded pilot and oh, by the way, you're stressed".

Punishing the defender for choices, sure. Forcing choices? By all means. But this is benefiting from a bad roll and taking away choices in the next turn, thereby limiting the possibility to cancel hits and crits, doing it again and again.

And what if you roll all blanks as an attacker? The defender doesn't cancel anything so the stress would trigger?

Edited by Dagonet

Autoblaster. (+Ten Nunb). I attack you. You're stressed. Period.

Like the idea, though. Maybe "when attacking, if the defender does not cancel any (hit) or (crit) results and suffers damage or critical damage, the defender recieves one stress token." Wordy, but workable. And I would allow evade tokens to cancel; otherwise, like I said, Ten or Autoblaster becomes unstoppable with this card. But you'll still probably punch through; you just need two or more hits, and that's fairly likely.

I think it's a bit sick and far too viable against certain targets while others have less to fear. In some ways giving a ship a Stress token is almost as bad as giving one an ion token except that a ship can gain multiple stress token and they are hard to get rid of. I mean against those 1 agility ships this has a very good chance at working which could rob a ship of actions almost indefinitely.

If implemented I think such an ability would need to go on a unique pilot but just a couple ships with an upgrade like this and you could easily leave a ship permanently stressed.

Ok, then let's all just get rid of that bit about the tokens not working. Or following Ailowynn's lead, we could try:

After an attack, if the defender is assigned at least one face up or face down damage card, the defender receives 1 stress token.

But anyway, the aspect for this being slightly overpowered in some respects is why I think it would work better (in my original format) as a Pilot Ability. That way you can't just slap it on anyone you want. But for that, I'd want it to be on an Imperial (I just don't know anyone that this fits. Although as I think more about it, it might make a good ability for a medium PS bomber pilot in the much-wished-for Imperial Aces II).

And if anyone thinks as an ability it's too OP then you can just go right back and take another look at Corran Horn, and then take that complaint and stuff it.

Though now I'm wondering about Imp Aces II. Maybe they're gonna wait until we've had lots of play time with Huge ships to see what people do, and think about useful abilities that work well in Epic games/against huge ships? Hmm...

Yes, it's not something you'd want multiples of in a squad. And it definitely has an Imperial feel, maybe an Advanced?

If I were facing it, it'd be my priority target because I would not want to be punished more if I'd already rolled badly. :P .

I don't feel that the Advanced is nimble enough for the flavor of this. Maybe if they ever release an Avenger though.

If that were to become a pilot ability it would scream to be matched up with outmaneuver.

It's much more balanced if you sick it in a medium PS pilot with no EPT.

Autoblaster. (+Ten Nunb). I attack you. You're stressed. Period.

Like the idea, though. Maybe "when attacking, if the defender does not cancel any (hit) or (crit) results and suffers damage or critical damage, the defender recieves one stress token." Wordy, but workable. And I would allow evade tokens to cancel; otherwise, like I said, Ten or Autoblaster becomes unstoppable with this card. But you'll still probably punch through; you just need two or more hits, and that's fairly likely.

I'd be okay with a lot of things if it actually made those cards usable, but as it stands neither Autoblaster nor Ten see much play. I sincerely doubt such an upgrade would make them competitive, let alone 'unstoppable.'

My son has suggested that one ship getting three or more red target lock tokens in one turn should get an automatic stress token, just from all the cockpit warning alarms.

My son has suggested that one ship getting three or more red target lock tokens in one turn should get an automatic stress token, just from all the cockpit warning alarms.

That would have been such a huge advantage for the rebels it's not even funny.

I actually like it the other way around:

Dogged Pursuit- 3 pts

When attacking, if the defender cancels all [hit] or [critical hit] results with defence dice, then they receive 1 stress token.

Makes more sense to me than punishing someone who's already taken (probably serious) damage even further.

I actually like it the other way around:

Dogged Pursuit- 3 pts

When attacking, if the defender cancels all [hit] or [critical hit] results with defence dice, then they receive 1 stress token.

Makes more sense to me than punishing someone who's already taken (probably serious) damage even further.

I like it.

I don't know that the original idea is all that overpowered, at least not by the standards of the other cards we're seeing these days. It's basically R3-A2 with a condition rather than a cost to the attacker. Honestly, it feels rather under powered - don't look at the effect, look at how often it will happen. Even against a 1 Agility target it's only going to work about 60% of the time, even with no tokens. Against a higher agility target the likelihood drops quickly - 2 defense dice will catch a stress about 20% of the time with focus, 35% or so without (quick rough numbers). Again, compared to R3-A2 who can do it every time, not all that extreme.

I would reword it to require the attacker to roll at least one hit/crit though - right now it would trigger if the attacker rolled straight blanks because there was nothing for the defender to cancel. That feels off. I might also remove the "With defense dice" part, which would remove the auto-effect nature of it. Although that requires Ten, an Autoblaster, and this to work... and if you're running Ten and an Autoblaster you kinda deserve something for your pain.

I actually like it the other way around:

Dogged Pursuit- 3 pts

When attacking, if the defender cancels all [hit] or [critical hit] results with defence dice, then they receive 1 stress token.

Makes more sense to me than punishing someone who's already taken (probably serious) damage even further.

I like it.

Just makes sense to me. A pilot desperately dodging incoming fire...

"I need a little help here!"

"I can't shake him!"

"He's on my six!"

"AaaaaaaaaAAAAArrr-"

Sounds quite stressful to me...

Ship stress, not pilot stress.

Pffffft tomatoes tamatas.