So, I have a list with Porkins and R5-D8 in it. I'm experimenting with the two and early test results are quite fun. My new list gives me 2 pts left over. I've thought about putting an EPT on Porkins. Yeah, I can just use one and give him Vet. Instincts.....but I'm tired of that. I just want something interesting to mess with. Porkins is new to me and I want to flex his fat rolls out a bit.

Elusiveness lets me gain a Focus to force the attacker to re-roll a die. So....it gives me the option to turn a crit or a hit into either nothing....or maybe a face down damage card. The face down card goes through shields and I can use R5-D8 to try to remove it as an action. The chances are 5/8 that it works. Now.....at first it looks like a decent thing as it could remove a hit. Yeah, they get to re-roll and it's a 50% they just get a hit again. Yeah, I might even then roll a hit on myself with the 3/8 chances if I use my ability. Overall, though, I think it's just too much of a risk on him. I'm not liking it.

Expert Handling lets me barrel roll with an X-wing. I can either take the stress or try to remove it. Once again, the hits go through shields and I have a 5/8 chance to remove it. Overall it is an 11% chance to take a hit and not remove it. I like this better as I want to try to use Porkins as a bit of a finesse pilot. Yeah, X-wings are boring and there are more nimble ships....blah blah. Still, I can do a manuever, barrel roll, and not be stressed. I think it's got more options. I could even K-turn and then barrel roll. I'm liking this more.

Is it game breaking and super awesome? No. Is it neat and something I would try to build into a list? No. Do I have 2 pts and is it worth trying out? I think so. I think I want to try Expert Handling out on Porkins.

Yeah, I know I just answered my own question, but I'd like input. It's been kind of slow on the forums and I don't have the new ships yet. Probably not until Xmas.

I also get that a lot of people don't like Porkins and think that anything that can damage you is horribly bad and should never be used. I get it. I don't need you to tell me that again.

Maybe there is another EPT that Porkins can use that is a bit interesting? Something I've missed that is more than 2 pts?

If you are looking for a way to give stress, my favorite is opportunist. +1 attack dice for the cost of a stress is great.

The problem with Expert Handling and R5-D8 is that they're both actions. And if you're using EI to use R5-D8, then you're rolling twice to remove stress.

I think Expert Handling could be interesting, Barrel Roll with the chance of no repercussions would be fun for an X!

That said, I really think Push the Limit and an Engine are more ideal for Porkins to abuse. K-Turn, stress, ditch the stress, roll, if damage roll R5-D8, if none Boost or Focus, Push the Limit to TL, hang onto or ditch stress as desired.

Or you could just go crazy and use all three actions EVERY TURN:

Porkins

-Push the Limit

-R5-D8

-Experimental Interface

Of the two, I'd go Expert Handling, though my favorite loadout for Jek is R5-D8 + PTL + Engine Upgrade.

I prefer hull on porkins to allow for a greater margin of error.

What's a good list with Porkins that doesn't use one of the big ships? That's what I'm trying to build.

Maybe PtL is what I should go for? I'll have to re-write the list. Also, I want to lean towards X-wings as opposed to B-wings.

EDIT: I have to admit that I'm worried about making Porkins too expensive.

heychadwick:

Between Elusiveness and Expert Handling, EH wins hands-down on Porkins.

Think of it this way: Elusiveness has the following 4 outcomes:

1: 8 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Crit, and you gain a stress

3: 8 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Hit, and you gain a stress

2: 8 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Focus, and you gain a stress

2: 8 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Miss, and you gain a stress

On top of that, Porkins' ability has the following 2 outcomes:

5: 8 Porkins removes a stress and takes no damage

3: 8 Porkins removes a stress and takes a damage card to the hull

Combining everything, you have 8 possibilities:

5: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Crit, and Porkins takes no damage from his ability

3: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Crit, and Porkins takes a damage card to the hull.

15: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Hit, and Porkins takes no damage from his ability.

9: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Hit, and Porkins takes a damage card to the hull.

10: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Focus, and Porkins takes no damage from his ability

6: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die into a Focus, and Porkins takes a damage card to the hull.

10: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die to a Miss, and Porkins takes no damage from his ability.

6: 64 Elusiveness turns the rolled die to a Miss, and Porkins takes a damage card to the hull.

Analysis:

Now, as you must activate Elusiveness before rolling green dice, any time that Porkins takes a damage card to the hull is worse than having done nothing at all, as you still had a shot at canceling the dice normally. Even if Elusiveness successfully rolled a Miss, you've guaranteed damage that wasn't guaranteed before.

Similarly, any time you activate Elusiveness on a Hit and it comes up a Crit, you've done worse than nothing at all, as you've actively improved their rolled damage.

Therefore, the odds that using Elusiveness and Porkins' ability together is worse than having done nothing are 29:64 if you had them re-roll a Hit. If you had them re-roll a crit, it is 24:64

If Elusiveness successfully turns a Crit to a Hit and you have no shields left, you have done something useful.

If Elusiveness successfully turns either a Hit or a Crit to a Miss, you have canceled their damage, and have done something useful.

If Elusiveness successfully turns either a Hit or a Crit to a Focus, you force the decision on them to spend the Focus Token for damage, or let that remain canceled. If they were not already intending to spend their focus token, you have done something useful.

Therefore, the maximum odds that using Elusiveness and Porkins' ability together (starting from a Crit and they were not intending to spend a focus offensively) is 35:64, while the minimum (started from a Hit, and they're planning on spending their focus token anyway) is only 10:64.

24-29 :64 of worsening your situation vs 35-10 :64 of bettering it is a particularly terrible spread. Do not do this combo: it doesn't work.

I fly Porkins with R5-D8, Push the Limit, and a Hull upgrade, at 35 points. It works marvelously well.