Post from another thread got me thinking about the span of possible middle skill Defender named pilots, and abilities they might have. We already have some ultra aggressive chaps in there, so I came up with some support ones instead.

Defender PS 5

At the start of the combat phase, you may choose one friendly ship at range 1-2. Treat that ship as if its pilot skill were 2 higher than it actually is.

And this one...

Defender PS 7

When another friendly ship is defending, if its attacker is in your firing arc, you may assign 1 evade token to the defender.

Sort of a cover fire guy.

anyone else wanna have a go? (They don't have to be supportive or defensive abilities)

Defender PS 9: When attacking, if the attack hits, you may perform a free Barrel Roll action immediately after the attack completes, using the Straight 2 movement template.

The idea here is that he can shoot early and then arc dodge, but if he already did a BR that turn he cannot use his ability. It seems like a fitting ability for a top Defender pilot, pushing his fighter to the extremes of its manueverability.

Defender PS5: Every time you get a kill, you can perform a free celebratory barrel roll, even if this would be your second roll this round.

PS 7 enemies in your arc roll one less attack die if their PS is 2 or less or turns one of their attack die results to a focus if higher than 2.

Defender PS 4: When attacking with a secondary weapon, the defender may not spend Focus or Evade tokens.

Defender PS 5: When you reveal a K-turn maneuver, you must use the 3-bank template instead of the 4-straight.

Defender PS 10: When attacking, roll double the normal number of attack dice. For this attack the defender reduces his Agility value by 3, to a minimum of 0. [Okay, that one is stupid OP, but hey, he's PS10, he deserves it.]

PS 5 ion cannon included but second cannon slot is still available.

PS 3. EPT. May deploy at range 2.

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

PS 5. No EPT. Once per turn, if you are not stressed, when a ship at range 1 takes an action you may take that action. If that action does not appear in your action bar, take 1 stress.

PS 3. EPT. 32pts. Systems slot.

Darth Vader PS9 - After Darth Vader gains a focus token he may perform an additional free action.

PS4 - EPT (similar to Black Squadron) - Blank (storyline text)

PS7 - EPT All his speed 2 manuevers count as green manuevers

Defender PS 9: When attacking, if the attack hits, you may perform a free Barrel Roll action immediately after the attack completes, using the Straight 2 movement template.

The idea here is that he can shoot early and then arc dodge, but if he already did a BR that turn he cannot use his ability. It seems like a fitting ability for a top Defender pilot, pushing his fighter to the extremes of its manueverability.

You could even name the pilot "Wheniamold iwannabeaphantom."

PS 7, EPT: "Whenever you perform a [Koiogran] maneuver, you may perform a free Boost action."

Remember guys that top pilots are Pilot Skill 8. PS9 FFG reserves for truly legendary pilots. The only PS9s so far are Wedge, Vader, Soontir and Han. We haven't had a PS9 since Wave 2.

And a quirky one:

PS 5: "Whenever you perform an attack that hits, if you have no stress tokens, you may perform a white [K-3] manuever. Then receive one stress token."

PS 3 - If you barrel roll inside one enemy ship fire arc, you may perform a free target lock action.

PS 3 - When an enemy ship perform a target lock action into you, you can perform a free barrel roll action.

PS 3. EPT. May deploy at range 2.

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

PS 5. No EPT. Once per turn, if you are not stressed, when a ship at range 1 takes an action you may take that action. If that action does not appear in your action bar, take 1 stress.

PS 3. EPT. 32pts. Systems slot.

"At the start of the combat phase, choose one enemy ship in your firing arc. That ship may not perform attacks outside it's primary firing arc this turn."

Would also not mind seeing a PS4 generic with EPT slot.

PS 3. EPT. May deploy at range 2.

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

PS 5. No EPT. Once per turn, if you are not stressed, when a ship at range 1 takes an action you may take that action. If that action does not appear in your action bar, take 1 stress.

PS 3. EPT. 32pts. Systems slot.

I really like the PS5 idea.

That's a good one!

PS7 with EPT

When attacking or defending, if the enemy ship spends any number of focus or evade tokens, you may assign them to your ship. If the enemy ship spends a target lock, you may acquire a target lock on that ship.

PS 5. No EPT. Once per turn, if you are not stressed, when a ship at range 1 takes an action you may take that action. If that action does not appear in your action bar, take 1 stress.

FFG, please make this a pilot. Even if it isn't the Defender. This seems like it would be fun to play with.

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

How about a rewording like this:

When defending, you may spend 1 focus token as if it were an evade token.

PS 7 When an enemy you have a target lock on performs an action, you may perform an action.

PS 5 when you gain a target lock on an enemy in your arc it gains a stress token.

PS 4 if you attack with a missile, and it hits, it deals at least one face up damage card to each ship it damages.

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

How about a rewording like this:

When defending, you may spend 1 focus token as if it were an evade token.

Close. But then you can't change a TL to evade or a stress to focus...not sure where to limit it and how to do so without a wall of text!

PS 3. EPT. May deploy at range 2.

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

PS 5. No EPT. Once per turn, if you are not stressed, when a ship at range 1 takes an action you may take that action. If that action does not appear in your action bar, take 1 stress.

PS 3. EPT. 32pts. Systems slot.

I really like the PS5 idea.

That's a good one!

Glad folks are liking these... The PS5 one on a defender would be really fun. No EPT means shenanagins should be limited.

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

How about a rewording like this:

When defending, you may spend 1 focus token as if it were an evade token.

Close. But then you can't change a TL to evade or a stress to focus...not sure where to limit it and how to do so without a wall of text!

Yes, that's the point. Some of the abilities being stated feel very OP to me. I like to try to balance them. For instance:

PS 5 when you gain a target lock on an enemy in your arc it gains a stress token.

I'd say something like: When you acquire a target lock on an enemy ship at range 1, that ship receives 1 stress token.

PS8 Defender

EPT

After you perform an attack that does not hit, you may perform a primary weapon attack in the start of End phase, then receive a stress token.

Basically Gunner and Corran Horn mixed up

PS7 Defender

EPT

Once per round after you successfully defended an attack, you may assign an evade token to your ship.

Defender gonna defend.

PS5 Defender

When attacking, you may place one of your stress tokens to the defending ship

PS 4. EPT. At the beginning of combat, change a token you possess to a token of a different type that a friendly ship at range 1-3 has (bad wording)

How about a rewording like this:

When defending, you may spend 1 focus token as if it were an evade token.

Close. But then you can't change a TL to evade or a stress to focus...not sure where to limit it and how to do so without a wall of text!

Yes, that's the point. Some of the abilities being stated feel very OP to me. I like to try to balance them. For instance:

PS 5 when you gain a target lock on an enemy in your arc it gains a stress token.

I'd say something like: When you acquire a target lock on an enemy ship at range 1, that ship receives 1 stress token.

The idea was to simulate the enemy getting freaked out by getting missile locked. Kind of like in Top Gun. Defenders don't like being range 1 of the enemy very often, but they do have a missile slot. PS 5 makes it harder for him to get a target lock on upper level pilots but better against generics. It's not as OP as it seems, and it's thematic for dog fighting. Maybe it should only be outside enemy ship's arc. That makes it harder to use but kind of pointless. Defenders are expensive ships and should have abilities that make those points count.

PS8 Defender

EPT

After you perform an attack that does not hit, you may perform a primary weapon attack in the start of End phase, then receive a stress token.

Basically Gunner and Corran Horn mixed up

PS7 Defender

EPT

Once per round after you successfully defended an attack, you may assign an evade token to your ship.

Defender gonna defend.

I like that second one a lot.

Yeah, Okay Ryther, i see your point. But I feel there simply can't be a ship that always hands out stress every time. There's gotta be some mitigator. So far every stressing thing out there has something that limits how often or easily you can do it.

Also, I will apologize in advance for being a buzz kill to some. It's a flaw of mine.

PS 7 Defender

After you spend a focus token, you may perform a free boost or barrel roll action.

That can help you get out some firing arcs if people are trying to focus you down, or at least get to range 3 if you can't get out. Not sure if it's too powerful as it is, maybe it should only be "when defending".