This will be my first official FFG X-Wing tournament, so I'm SUPER excited! Being a multi-day/grueling marathon tournament noob, which flight should I register for? And which flight are people who are going thinking of doing?

Thursday seems like the day to play, especially if only top 16 make it out (which requires a 4-2 record and good MoV, if I did the math right). They let you play again on Friday if you just miss the cut on Thursday.

Granted, after 6 rounds and a 12 hour day, would anyone want to play another 6 rounds and 12 hours just to make the Final 32?

Friday also seems good, since you can arrive leisurely on Thursday, check out all the other fun stuff and games, and just play without the temptation of "trying again" if you fail to make it out of the swiss rounds.

Any thoughts/advice/suggestions for a noob?

If it's anything like GenCon, the first flight will be most of the really good players. Second flight will be everyone else plus the really good players who had a bad day yesterday. Hopefully it will be more even than that. If not, day 2 will be much easier to get in.

That was true at GenCon largely because you could ONLY reserve a spot on Thursday. Friday was at the door only. At worlds you can reserve a spot on either day, and I know a lot of folks traveling are coming in Friday since they can take less time off work that way. I don't think GenCon assumptions will be totally valid for worlds.

None. I plan to go next year if possible.

So if anyone can turn up to the world championships, what's the point in the Nationals and Regionals?

To get a bye?

Edit: Or is it by? I don't really know.

So someone could in theory turn up to Worlds as their first tournament ever and become World Champion? I've got to be missing something here.

Why not? It'd make a great underdog story.

So someone could in theory turn up to Worlds as their first tournament ever and become World Champion? I've got to be missing something here.

Sure in theory it could happen. I would be highly surprised with the player that will be showing up though.

So someone could in theory turn up to Worlds as their first tournament ever and become World Champion? I've got to be missing something here.

Hey now, this isn't the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest. Let's just settle down.

I want to go, but will probably sit this one out.

My first round in 2013 was against someone who hadn't played competitively until then. He lost to me but did really well the rest of the day (which was AWESOME back in the Strength of Schedule days ).

I registered for Thursday because I'll already have been there in MN for work earlier in the week, so jet lag and whatnot will no longer be a factor. Otherwise I'd have done Friday. Will do Escalation on Friday, and hope to be playing competitive X-Wing Saturday (or, worst case scenario, watching some amazing players throw dice).

My first round in 2013 was against someone who hadn't played competitively until then. He lost to me but did really well the rest of the day (which was AWESOME back in the Strength of Schedule days ).

I registered for Thursday because I'll already have been there in MN for work earlier in the week, so jet lag and whatnot will no longer be a factor. Otherwise I'd have done Friday. Will do Escalation on Friday, and hope to be playing competitive X-Wing Saturday (or, worst case scenario, watching some amazing players throw dice).

Nice! I assume last year there was some thread to try to meet up in person at Worlds and put a face to the screen names? I'll probably try my hand at Escalation and other games (maybe play the Netrunner preliminaries on Saturday if I don't make the X-Wing finals (which I probably won't..).

I wonder if they will let players change lists between qualifying and finals (unlike Gencon). If not, then Friday seems to be a better option because you'll have a better sense of the meta.

If they don't let you change lists between qualifying and finals, how will playing on Friday be a better option, since each day sends 16 people to the finals?

If they don't let you change lists between qualifying and finals, how will playing on Friday be a better option, since each day sends 16 people to the finals?

Since you'll likely know what half the lists are that you might face in the Top 32 are, and in general get a sense of the types of lists you would need to beat to get there. It's not perfect but it is a whole lot more information than the Thursday qualifiers have at their disposal.

If they don't let you change lists between qualifying and finals, how will playing on Friday be a better option, since each day sends 16 people to the finals?

Since you'll likely know what half the lists are that you might face in the Top 32 are, and in general get a sense of the types of lists you would need to beat to get there. It's not perfect but it is a whole lot more information than the Thursday qualifiers have at their disposal.

Oh I see, that makes sense. Though I guess if you're prepping for Worlds and want to be competitive, you're probably only going to make smaller changes and have practiced a list many times so can't make too big of changes in the end.

The one thing that will be the big unknown is if Wave 5 is available, and that's going to change the meta quite a bit in a very short period of time.