When can the PTL be use?

By devotedknight, in X-Wing Rules Questions

Push the Limit states: Once per round, after you perform an action, you may perform 1 free action shown in your action bar. Then receive 1 stress token.

I looking to define when "after" takes place. Does this mean only during the Action Phase or

does this mean I can use this ability any time and any phase after I take the action, say during the combat phase?

Any time you perform an action, so if you have a way to perform an action in the combat phase you may trigger Push the Limit with it. You can still only do it once per round, of course.

If you get a free action from an ability, it can trigger PTL also. PTL isn't restricted to "when" during the round, only "once". So any action you do can trigger it.

PTL can be quite interesting on Turr Phennir. You move into range and take your action. Then, you shoot and boost/barrel roll, then push the limit to take another action. Could be an evade, the boost/barrel roll action you haven't taken yet, or anything else, depending on your situation.

I saw this in a game online, wanted to check to see if it was legal:

Could you adv sensors to take a focus, then move, THEN PTL to take another action?

Or do the actions have to be back to back?

The actions have to be back to back.

I guess I'll mention that using PtL actually requires an "action" be taken. This is just in case anyone gets the idea that PtL could trigger if a ship is given or can acquire a token without using an action. PtL can't be used on anything that having a stress token would stop; at least I believe that's right for the most part.

If you're stressed you shouldn't be able to perform the first action that would normally trigger PTL. The other trap for new players is that PTL can only be used to perform an action from your action bar. I have seen it used to try and get an Expert Handling action, which you can't do.

Worth noting here is the new Experimental Interface card, as it's almost the reverse in that you get a free action from an "Action:" upgrade card instead, and then the stress token. So it's like PTL for your upgrade cards.

One of the favourites for PTL is on Soontir Fel, because it gives him "virtually" three actions per turn. Move, first action, PTL action, stress, pilot ability for free focus token.

Very handy on the right pilot.

Edited by Parravon

I saw this in a game online, wanted to check to see if it was legal:

Could you adv sensors to take a focus, then move, THEN PTL to take another action?

Or do the actions have to be back to back?

No, when you use Advanced Sensors:

Immediately before you reveal your maneuver, you may perform 1 free action.
If you use this ability, you must skip your "Perform action" step during this round.
So, if you have used advanced sensors, you no longer get to take actions after you move, because you must skip your Perform Action step, which takes place after you move.
If you have PTL and Advanced Sensors, you can take your free action before you move, push the limit to take a second action and take a stress. You can then reveal a green move on your dial to clear that stress.

Push the Limit states: Once per round, after you perform an action, you may perform 1 free action shown in your action bar. Then receive 1 stress token.

I looking to define when "after" takes place. Does this mean only during the Action Phase or

does this mean I can use this ability any time and any phase after I take the action, say during the combat phase?

All of the above are correct, but to more precisely answer your question, Push the Limit is triggered "after you perform an action." This trigger condition tells you, exclusively, when you can activate the ability. Your opportunity to use PTL expires as soon as you move on to something else. You cannot save your free action for some time later in the round.

Also to further clarify...

Also people often erroneously cite that the title of the card came from the the 1983 movie "Scarface" but this is false. The theme in the movie is in fact called "Push it to the limit". The Enigma song from 2000 is also not called Push the Limit but in fact "Push the limits" (notice the plural).