This is covered by FFG in a few areas. A pilot can spend their tokens during their turn of the combat phase. Furthermore, a token can be spent without effect. Garven does not need to roll dice to spend his Focus token.

They have been clear that you can spend tokens to make no changes to dice rolled. Aka you role 3 hits and spent a TL to modificy "any" dice you choose... which in this case is "none". You can spend a focus to "change all eye results into hit results" even if there are no eye results.

I do not think they have said you can spend tokens when there are no dice and the player did not role any... Blinded Pilot crit was FAQ to allow any ability triggered by an "attack" can be used but they did not mention spending tokens.

Dice modification happens during dice rolling (step 4), that is when you can spend tokens like focus to modify dice.

Rolling 0 dice is still "rolling dice" not skipping the dice rolling step entirely.

I would agree and so do the FAQ when rolloing 0 dice is caused by anything OTHER then not having a target to attack aka not in range nor arc. One example is Blinded Pilot.

A pilot can spend their tokens during their turn of the combat phase.

This is not strictly true, if there isn't an enemy in your firing arc, you cannot spend your token(s).

Not true. One can spend an Evade, TL, or Focus regardless of wither they are attacking or not. The only way Garven could not is if something was keeping him from doing so... like being within R1 of him.

Please quote rules, FAQ etc...

While it is not specifically mentioned, most seem to agree that while there is such a thing as rolling 0 dice during an attack... You will have to be able to attack to modify dice even if there are 0 dice to modify.

'I attack the darkness with magic missile!'

Like many other games there is a difference between 0 (zero) and -/nil/nothing even if they may act the same in many situations. Having a 0 will interact with certain things but not having anything does NOT interact with those same things which can change dynamics.

Not true. One can spend an Evade, TL, or Focus regardless of wither they are attacking or not . The only way Garven could not is if something was keeping him from doing so... like being within R1 of him.

No. This is incorrect.

The attack phase goes through the following steps:

• Declare Target: The attacker chooses which enemy ship he wishes to attack.
• Roll attack Dice: The attacker rolls a number of attack dice equal to his ship’s primary weapon value (red number), unless using a secondary weapon (see “Secondary Weapons” on page 19).
• Modify attack Dice: Players can spend action tokens and resolve abilities that reroll or otherwise modify attack dice results.
• Roll Defense Dice
• Modify Defense Dice
• Compare results
• Deal Damage

If you are unable to declare a valid target, you cannot proceed to step 2.

Once you're at step 2 you roll the appropriate number of attack dice ( even if this number is 0 ).

You then modify your attack dice. This is where you can spend TL and/or Focus tokens - and you can do so even if you rolled 0 dice, or spending the token has no effect on your dice.

This means the following scenarios are possible:

• Garven attacks, rolls 3 hits, uses focus to flip all eyeball results (in this case, 0) into hits. He then passes the focus.
• Hobbie can attack with a Blinded Pilot crit, roll 0 dice, spend to TL to re-roll any dice he chooses (in this case, 0). He then discards a stress token for spending the TL.
• Kir Kanos, with a Blinded Pilot crit, can attack at range 2, rolling 0 dice and spend an evade token to add a hit result to his die roll.

And, saving the best for last...

• Lieutenant Blount, with a Blinded Pilot crit, can attack a Stealth Device equipped Howlrunner with Assault Missiles, roll 0 dice, yet still deal 1 damage to the ?? TIE Fighters around Howlrunner AND strip away Howlrunner's Stealth Device.

There is a fundamental difference between attacking with 0 red dice and not attacking at all.

• Lieutenant Blount, with a Blinded Pilot crit, can attack a Stealth Device equipped Howlrunner with Assault Missiles, roll 0 dice, yet still deal 1 damage to the ?? TIE Fighters around Howlrunner AND strip away Howlrunner's Stealth Device.

There is a fundamental difference between attacking with 0 red dice and not attacking at all.

Didn't even think of the Stealth Device + Blount... wow might be the only time I don't focus fire, have blount attack every stealth device he sees... Though not sure if that alone is worth 17 pts but with Assault missiles sure.

• Lieutenant Blount, with a Blinded Pilot crit, can attack a Stealth Device equipped Howlrunner with Assault Missiles, roll 0 dice, yet still deal 1 damage to the ?? TIE Fighters around Howlrunner AND strip away Howlrunner's Stealth Device.

There is a fundamental difference between attacking with 0 red dice and not attacking at all.

Didn't even think of the Stealth Device + Blount... wow might be the only time I don't focus fire, have blount attack every stealth device he sees... Though not sure if that alone is worth 17 pts but with Assault missiles sure.

Same idea with Ion Pulse Missiles, you're guaranteed to deal 1 damage and ionize.

What would really incredible is an Ion Cannon/Turret on Blount :-p Guaranteed 1 damage + ion token - on every attack.

If you are unable to declare a valid target, you cannot proceed to step 2.

Once you're at step 2 you roll the appropriate number of attack dice ( even if this number is 0 ).

You then modify your attack dice. This is where you can spend TL and/or Focus tokens - and you can do so even if you rolled 0 dice, or spending the token has no effect on your dice.

This! QFT

A pilot can spend their tokens during their turn of the combat phase.

This is not strictly true, if there isn't an enemy in your firing arc, you cannot spend your token(s).

Not true. One can spend an Evade, TL, or Focus regardless of wither they are attacking or not. The only way Garven could not is if something was keeping him from doing so... like being within R1 of him.

If that was the case you could slow play a Garven/Kyle combo and have 5 or 6 focuses on the Moldy Crow before you even start firing.

If that was the case you could slow play a Garven/Kyle combo and have 5 or 6 focuses on the Moldy Crow before you even start firing.

The question this raises though, is whether you can use R5-P9 if you already have all your shields...

I would argue that yes, you can. And, supposing you can...

A Garven + R5-P9 and a Hwk-290 + Recon Spec. + Moldy Crow combo can stack up 3 focus tokens on the Hwk-290 per round.

I'm guessing we'll have a R5-P9 FAQ eventually

R5-P9 if anyone isn't familiar yet...

Edit; nevermind

If that was the case you could slow play a Garven/Kyle combo and have 5 or 6 focuses on the Moldy Crow before you even start firing.

The question this raises though, is whether you can use R5-P9 if you already have all your shields...

I would argue that yes, you can. And, supposing you can...

A Garven + R5-P9 and a Hwk-290 + Recon Spec. + Moldy Crow combo can stack up 3 focus tokens on the Hwk-290 per round.

I'm guessing we'll have a R5-P9 FAQ eventually

R5-P9 if anyone isn't familiar yet...

I think the key phrase on that card is "(up to your shield value)". You can't exceed it so you can't spend a focus token to recover a shield? I dunno, but its a possibility.

A pilot can spend their tokens during their turn of the combat phase.

This is not strictly true, if there isn't an enemy in your firing arc, you cannot spend your token(s).

Not true. One can spend an Evade, TL, or Focus regardless of wither they are attacking or not. The only way Garven could not is if something was keeping him from doing so... like being within R1 of him.

If that was the case you could slow play a Garven/Kyle combo and have 5 or 6 focuses on the Moldy Crow before you even start firing.

I do this with Kyle/Jan Ors, Moldy Crow and Recon Spec already. Before you fire you have 6-8 Foci stored. Having a mountain of excess focus makes the Hawk surprisingly durable.

If that was the case you could slow play a Garven/Kyle combo and have 5 or 6 focuses on the Moldy Crow before you even start firing.

The question this raises though, is whether you can use R5-P9 if you already have all your shields...

I would argue that yes, you can. And, supposing you can...

A Garven + R5-P9 and a Hwk-290 + Recon Spec. + Moldy Crow combo can stack up 3 focus tokens on the Hwk-290 per round.

I'm guessing we'll have a R5-P9 FAQ eventually

R5-P9 if anyone isn't familiar yet...

I think the key phrase on that card is "(up to your shield value)". You can't exceed it so you can't spend a focus token to recover a shield? I dunno, but its a possibility.

Part of the contention in this thread is that generally you CAN spend tokens for 0 effect if you are in a phase/step that allows spending tokens. Some think this rule allows spending tokens (focus) even when the ship doesn't attack (aka no ship in range/arc), most here think that since you didn't "attack" anything you never reach step 3 or 5 of the combat phase to modify dice which is where dice modification occurs. Where as with blinded pilot you can still "attack" you just can't roll any dice, thus you can do steps 3/5 and modify dice even with 0 dice rolled.

What seems to be the general thought is that if you are in a phase where you are given the option to spend a token, you can do so even to no benefit. That means yes you can spend a focus to recover a shield, even 0 shields at end of round if you wished, and of course had R5-P9 droid.

hmmm I might have found the wording that implies you cannot modify dice unless you are actually "attacking"

Page 10 of the Core Rules

The last sentence strongly implies that you cannot continue further to step 3 modifying dice (aka spending tokens) unless a target is declared and target is within range and arc.

Isn't that what everyone other than stone has been saying for the past 40 posts?