The defender has last say in modifications, right? So it's not like the attacker has the potential to turn it back into a hit with a focus token. I guess it doesn't really matter but it came up over the weekend. Just a random bit of fun? To save space with a focus symbol instead of writing out "blank" on the card?

... FFG writer lost a bet?

Just curious as to what people think or if I'm misunderstanding the rules on dice modification in a way that would give this some meaning I'm accidentally neglecting.

It would be way too powerful and also less offensive. Right now it forces them to spend a focus on the attack, which softens them up when you shoot them back. A blank conversion would be less interesting and cost 6 or more I think.

I have a feeling it may be a balance issue. Being able to effectively cancel all the hit results from all attackers seems a bit much. The way it is, it forces the attacker to spend a focus, if they have it, or treat it as a miss.

So attacker has last say in dice modification?

OP, the attacker has last say in offensive dice modifications, not the defender.

To keep the balance every ship or upgrade that is powerful must have a counter actions. HLC flips crits down to hit. Outrider stops primary weapon attacks.

For Sensor Jammer it does one good thing and that is to shut down Target Locks and Re-roll strategies like Han. Also being able to modify attack dice first is a powerful tool for defenders. It can turn a hit into a focus before the attacker can turn it into a crit. So there has to bee a loophole or the card will just be too OP and you would never be able to land a hit on a phantom again. So the focus is the weakness of sensor jammer. If they were to print it otherwise they might as well just say reduce the number of attack dice by 1 (to a minimum of 0)

Good question. I ran into the same problem on a tournament a while ago. But on page 11 of the rulebook, it states "If the attacker and defender both have abilities that can modify attack dice, the defender resolves all of his abilities before the attacker".

This is why the sensor jammer turns it into a focus, not a blank. The attacker will still be able to change it back to hits if he/she has a focus token to spend. If "Sensor Jammer" changed it to a blank, it would be too powerful an ability.

You aren't processing the order of events correctly. The Defender modifies Attack rolls before the Attacker modifies them. Attackers modify Defense rolls before the Defender modifies them.

So in the case of Sensor Jammer it would look like this:

Attacker Rolls hit, hit, blank

Defender uses Sensor Jammer to modify results to hit, focus, blank

Attacker spends a focus token to change results to hit, hit, blank

Defender rolls evade, focus , blank

Attacker has the opportunity to modify the Defense roll but has nothing that can do so.

Defender spends a focus token to change the results to evade, evade, blank.

Results are compared and Defender is able to cancel all hits.

Effects that modify the other player's dice results are rare so you will often need to remind your opponent to give you the chance to modify their dice before they do if you have a card that can do so.

So attacker has last say in dice modification?

A full sequence of event during an attack.

• Attacker declares active ship and target. (apply immediate effects if any)
• Attacker declares any effects that may add or reduce the number of attack dice to roll
• Defender declares any effects that may add or reduce the number of attack dice to roll
• Attacker rolls attack dice (and then apply immediate effects if any)
• Defender (if able) modifies attack dice
• Attacker modifies attack dice with effects abilities or spending tokens (if able)
• Defender declares any effects that may add or reduce the number of defense dice to roll
• Attacker declares any effects that may add or reduce the number of defense dice to roll
• Defender rolls defense dice. (then apply immediate effects if any)
• Attacker (if able) modifies defense dice
• Defender modifies defense dice with effects abilities or spending tokens (if able)
• Compare number of evade results with number of hit results and cancel hits first (if able) then cancel critical hits
• Apply Hit/Miss effects (if any)
• Apply damage (if any) starting with hits then critical hits.

TL;dr: whoever rolls the dice modifies them last.

Also it adds a bit to the strategy. If I know I'm going to fire on someone with a sensor jammer, I'd have to think twice before using a focus on defense. In that sense, a low PS sensor jammer can make a high PS ally even more effective on offense.

Ugh I should've killed Vader sooner then. Damnit. Alright, thanks a ton guys.