What is the worst pilot ability?

By FTS Gecko, in X-Wing

Too situational? Too obscure? Too ineffective?

What do you think the worst pilot named ability in the game is? Go!

Fels wrath. But not allowing him because he's so obvious goes maarek Steele. Then the shuttle pilot that forces target locks.

Fel's Wrath, hands down.

Maarek Steele and Arvyl Crynyd get honorable mentions.

Kath scarlet also deserves am honourable mention.

I would say vessery.

Imperials are already light on target locking ability, which means you can only take 2 ships that have it naturally, the shuttle and the advanced. The advanced does not get used, and the defender and the shuttle perform the same functions, so they don't typically get used together. There are ways to get target locks to imperial ships (targeting computer, FCS) but that means you're spending at least 2 points to aid vessery, and defender lists are already at a premium for points.

Fel's Wrath, hands down.

Maarek Steele and Arvyl Crynyd get honorable mentions.

I would say vessery.

Imperials are already light on target locking ability, which means you can only take 2 ships that have it naturally, the shuttle and the advanced. The advanced does not get used, and the defender and the shuttle perform the same functions, so they don't typically get used together. There are ways to get target locks to imperial ships (targeting computer, FCS) but that means you're spending at least 2 points to aid vessery, and defender lists are already at a premium for points.

Edited by Truegreek

I posted on the other thread about pilot skill because I thought it was asking about ability instead haha. All the skills are good in their own way IMO, although the one I don't like is porkins ability. It ties into the movie but still I don't like it haha.

I would say vessery.

Imperials are already light on target locking ability, which means you can only take 2 ships that have it naturally, the shuttle and the advanced. The advanced does not get used, and the defender and the shuttle perform the same functions, so they don't typically get used together. There are ways to get target locks to imperial ships (targeting computer, FCS) but that means you're spending at least 2 points to aid vessery, and defender lists are already at a premium for points.

Are you mad sir, a pilot that can TL and focus in the same turn without getting stress teamed up with a HLC, things melt in front of him.

I posted on the other thread about pilot skill because I thought it was asking about ability instead haha. All the skills are good in their own way IMO, although the one I don't like is porkins ability. It ties into the movie but still I don't like it haha.

I think I have to agree with you there - Porkins ability is really fluffy, but is it really worth risking damage to shake off a stress?

I can see it being worth the risk end game if it's you vs, say a Royal Guard or Sabre squadron with PtL, you're both low health and you've just K-turned - you need to finish it or it'll definitely finish you, but in general play?

Most disappointed ability, definitely Boba Fett. After Han, Luke, Chewy, Vader, Lando and detestably Wedge, Boba is the biggest name in Star Wars. He is also the #1 pilot in the Fire Spray.

He is the only pilot that I sometimes take despite his abilty as apposed to because of it.

Are you mad sir, a pilot that can TL and focus in the same turn without getting stress teamed up with a HLC, things melt in front of him.

Mmmmm... Keyan with Advanced Sensors & HLC... *drools*

WHEN, FFG? WHEN?!

Edited by FTS Gecko

I also forgot about the bomber being able to TL, so I'll just be over here while the adults talk.

What's with the hate for Fel's Wrath?? I get that it's not used a lot (no EPT pretty much ensures this on an Interceptor), but always guaranteeing that he gets a parting shot isn't a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination.

Granted, it's not the BEST one out there, but it's by far not the worst either.

Personally, I'm not all that enthused with Bigg's ability. Placing a ship on the board KNOWING it'll get taken out within 2-3 rounds BECAUSE of his ability seems like a waste of points to me. I understand the situations he shines in, but honestly 25 points for a ship that you KNOW will be going down seems... steep. I don't care that he keeps other ships alive for an extra round or 2 (if you're extremely lucky)

Edited by Papamambo

Most disappointed ability, definitely Boba Fett. After Han, Luke, Chewy, Vader, Lando and detestably Wedge, Boba is the biggest name in Star Wars. He is also the #1 pilot in the Fire Spray.

He is the only pilot that I sometimes take despite his abilty as apposed to because of it.

Having not played this, doesn't the existence of Phantoms make Boba's ability a little more usable?

Kath scarlet also deserves am honourable mention.

This. Most overrated Imperial pilot.

I would also throw in Winged Gundark because Night Beast exsists.

Edited by Jo Jo

Personally, I'm not all that enthused with Bigg's ability. Placing a ship on the board KNOWING it'll get taken out within 2-3 rounds BECAUSE of his ability seems like a waste of points to me. I understand the situations he shines in, but honestly 25 points for a ship that you KNOW will be going down seems... steep. I don't care that he keeps other ships alive for an extra round or 2 (if you're extremely lucky)

Play a game against the reigning World Champion Paul Heaver, and you will probably change your mind. :D

Edited by MajorJuggler

Fel's Wrath, Arvel, Maarek, Winged Gundark

all of the named shuttle pilots (Jendon needs to work at longer range, like the HWK pilot abilities), although Yorr has a few specific applications lately. Kagi is super situational AND the most expensive pilot, not a good combination

I would put Rexler Brath on here too but at least his ability is actually significant on the rare chance it actually works

Brath will be beast once Tactical Officer is available.

I'm also not to keen on Lt. Lorrir. He can arc dodge pretty well for a non-PTL squint, but his ability causes stress which makes it kind of weak. For 2 more points you can have the more competitive RGP/PTL.

No votes for Horton yet?

Rebel Geko

For every inane thread posted to reach 1000, receive 1 stress

Can exchange 10 Stress to get a life

Then the shuttle pilot that forces target locks.

Kagi has a great ability, and it's triggered much more often than the Rebel parallel in Biggs. It is the only ability in game that can have an effect on a friendly ship up to Range 6 away from it.

The reasons Kagi isn't used more often is because a) ordinance is not used often, which is where it really shines, b) ordinance is becoming less dependent on target locks on the target in general, and c) this ability is on the most expensive shuttle, which has only a few niche roles which can be filled with the generics as effectively as, if not better than, with the uniques.

What's with the het for Fel's Wrath?? I get that it's not used a lot (no EPT pretty much ensures this on an Interceptor), but always guaranteeing that he gets a parting shot isn't a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination.

His ability triggers once a game, if at all (e.g., he must have a ship in arc to take that parting shot). For a PS5 squint with no EPT, this puts him at basically unusable.

Placing a ship on the board KNOWING it'll get taken out within 2-3 rounds BECAUSE of his ability seems like a waste of points to me. I understand the situations he shines in, but honestly 25 points for a ship that you KNOW will be going down seems... steep.

Doomshuttle would like to say hello at 24 points.

My list of the worst abilities, in my opinion (omitting Fel's Wrath and Maarek Stele, which have already been mentioned):

  • Winged Gundark- Only usable at Range 1, only turns 1 hit into a crit, and then there's the fact that yeah that's useful if you happen to be shooting a ship without shields. For 15 points, Night Beast over Winged Gundark every time.
  • Boba Fett (Imperial)- I will admit that this is useful with Navigator, kind of, and more useful now than it used to be, what with the emphasis on pilot skill thanks to Phantoms. It still is too limited in scope (Stay on Target is better, even for the stress). Krassis' ability would be better on Boba, except if you're using him for Phantom hunting. Even then, it's predictable because it's limited to the banks.
  • Lieutenant Lorrir- His ability isn't enough of a draw to have him see much use, because of the no EPT thing on PS5. Better than Fel's Wrath, for the same price, but barely. If I were fixing his ability, I would word it like so: "When performing a barrel roll action, you may receive 1 stress token to either use the 1[bank] template for the barrel roll, or to rotate your ship by 180 degrees when it is at its final position." Or give him an EPT.
  • Arvel Crynyd- It's been mentioned that A-Wing Prototype will fix this guy, but that's not quite correct. You're skipping your "Perform Action" step if you trigger it first, and you're using your action to acquire a stress if you use "Daredevil", in either case forgoing attack modifiers except for previous target locks or free actions or tokens and in all cases forgoing defense modifiers except for free actions or assigned tokens for the ships that you aren't touching. Enhanced Scopes would have helped, making him one of the more preferable blockers since he can do 3 dice attacks without return fire, but he can't get that.
  • Ten Numb- This would be a good ability on a different (cheaper) ship. But to build around triggering it effectively, you have to jump through enough hoops with the most expensive B-Wing that it's just not worth it, and the opponent could still cancel it with an evade token.

Okay I vote Horton then

While very situational, Maarek and Rexler are simply amazing against the huge ships. Dare I say they have found a home in my epic games

Edited by born to lose

No votes for Horton yet?

Horton's halfway to a free target lock at Range 2-3, that's an ability that is pretty nice.

Can't use it at Range 1, so it only works for half of the ion turret attacks, but those are the only drawbacks. Being able to reroll an unlimited number of blanks, primary or secondary, makes those drawbacks a very fair price to pay.