When building a competitive list with PS9s, should I be aiming for 99 points to ensure I can beat Whisper+VI?

By BahnCalamari, in X-Wing

I am planning on bringing a 3X1Z list featuring Wedge to an upcoming tournament. I have only played casual and not played in any events since wave 4 dropped. Should I be comfortable at 100 points or should I drop a point to be at 99?

The difference would be Garven -> Biggs.

I may end up just running with Biggs anyways because, well, Biggs. Either way, thoughts?

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edit to add: the EPT slot on Wedge has a PTL on it.

Edited by BahnCalamari

That initiative bid is pretty important, also Biggs. Out of curiosity, whose the third x and how are you running wedge?

drop Biggs and fit vi on wedge if your that concerned. However phantoms arnt only countered by high PS, good asteroid placement and ship placement can work too. I wouldn't feel forced to take PS 10+ just for one ship. And alot of phantom builds stay at 99 anyway so you'd just go to a rolloff

You are right, maybe biggs just because biggs. Garvin is good too. I'd call it personal choice. Now on to the main question

A lot of people talk about their initiative bids like it in itself is what gives them the edge against Phantoms and the like. Sometimes people write lists that just happen to have a point left over and they say, "cool, i have an intiative bid". But when your list has no movement actions (barrel roll, boost) and doesn't care when it shoots, does it really matter? Now you are looking to catch Phantoms with your PS9, but it is a win/win lose/lose sort of thing with initiative. If you do not have movement actions like boost, then you are moving there no matter what. If you move first, you can punch through their lesser evade dice. If you move first you also can be reacted to, which IMO as a phantom player is much more important to a phantom player.

Bottom line, got a point left and really want to scare the pants off a Phantom player, put Veteran instincts on Wedge. :)

You can make up your own mind about the merits of Biggs vs Garven.

99 points hardly "guarantees" you anything, since I've seen several phantom lists go 98 or even 97 if they decided they wanted initiative enough. I would just use my 100 points. If that meant I happened to be at 99 and win initiative here and there, so be it (...Jedi).

That initiative bid is pretty important, also Biggs. Out of curiosity, whose the third x and how are you running wedge?

Just with Ptl.I guess I should edit the OP.

Edited by BahnCalamari

I've been working on a list that features Wedge with PTL, Engine Upgrade, and R2 astromech. It is surprisingly fast, nimble and most of all packs a huge punch. It also isn't very survivable and is very expensive. If you want to run Wedge with PTL just to get that mega sweet Targetlock/Focus combo, I'd recommend Predator instead of PTL. You still get 1 reroll on each shot which is average what you need anyway. Plus, it doesn't stress you and works on Kturns and when you bump. My general rule of thumb: if you don't have more than two actions available, don't use Push the Limit.

By the way, good luck at your first tournament!

For what it's worth, when I run Whisper, or Soontir, I aim for 97 or 98 at the highest to beat out those 99 point bids. I doubt I am alone in this. Just for your consideration so you can be ready when you don't win the initiative against those kinds of lists.

IronTau loves these threads, I should just PM you because I keep flip flopping on lists for a tourney this weekend. :P

I just had another minor light bulb:

Wes - VI, R3-A2

Wedge

Filler

Once Wes lands his hit on the Phantom with R3 he can't recloak before Wedge attacks regardless of initiative. Hell with this setup it might be best to let the Phantom move first so Wes and Wedge don't give a away their formation maneuvers.

By the way, good luck at your first tournament!

Thanks!

But to clarify it is just my first tournament since wave 4 ;)

By the way, good luck at your first tournament!

Thanks!

But to clarify it is just my first tournament since wave 4 ;)

I missed that. Well good luck anyway.

IronTau loves these threads, I should just PM you because I keep flip flopping on lists for a tourney this weekend. :P

I just had another minor light bulb:

Wes - VI, R3-A2

Wedge

Filler

Once Wes lands his hit on the Phantom with R3 he can't recloak before Wedge attacks regardless of initiative. Hell with this setup it might be best to let the Phantom move first so Wes and Wedge don't give a away their formation maneuvers.

I guess I do. I'm working on a list for this weekend too. Wait do I know you or something?

The Wes looks downright painful. Wedge is good. I built that list a while ago and my filler was either biggs or luke. Biggs is probably the better version, because Wes and Wedge are easy targets without upgrades. Biggs takes a lot of the heat off them. I agree with letting the phantom move first. You can still do damage with your Wedge against 3 dice and it forces the Phantom player to play it safe when normal he can react to your movements.