It has a great dial, a phenomenal action bar, the Segnor Loop, and good stats.
Why haven't I seen any discussion about it? It seems that most people who are buying them only want the Autothrusters from it.
Starviper: Is there a use for it?
I think a lot of people just haven't had the chance to use it yet since they're still being shipped. Theory craft is one thing but it's easier to try something out then post the list and and ask others what they think.
Wave 4 I had no interest at all in the defender.... Then I got it on the table, and it quickly became my favorite ship in the wave. Perhaps this will be a similar experience.
It's a good ship, just other Scum seem better or least more interesting. I will be using plenty of Xisor... not so sure about the rest.
It is the S&V equivalent of an E-wing/Defender. Small ship with good stats but takes over 1/4 even up to 1/3 or more of your squadron points.
People have found use for E-wings and defenders so I am sure players will find good lists that include Star Vipers.
Its the scum superfighter, I certainly plan on using it. Like all superfighters the generics are trash, but I think these ones are at least reasonably priced. I think Guri is going to end up being the best pilot for it, her with Adv Protons would be hilarious.
Like the E wing I imagine you'll mostly see one pilot (Corran Horn and Guri) souped up with upgrades and then a bunch of other stuff. Then there will be people like me who like running multiple superfighters in a game, no matter how good or bad that is.
Edited by SirEmilCraneI shall use it to crush my enemies.
Especially when the first S&V Large Turret Ship drops.
Then we will have the scourge of the Fat Xisor + loaded out big ship netlist.
I think it is too expensive to fit in a lot of builds. Scum two ships builds are likely better as 2 x Aggressor, or Aggressor Firespray. Three ship builds tend to struggle ever since the start of the game (at least without a large base damage soak and ace pilots), and it's too expensive for anything other than a bare bones 4 ship build. I am not sure they are scary enough to realistically support a mini swarm type build.
I like the ability on both Xizor and Guri, but can they be an anchor to a squad? Not seeing it. Xizor is tough to kill, but the only thing going for him is really 3 red dice. The generics are slightly too expensive and lack options to be able to fulfil the B-wing role in the same way.
I am looking forward to getting them on the table for sure, but they don't seem to quite fulfil the centrepiece of a squad role. Maybe I am underrating 3 red dice, but it just doesn't seem sufficient these days. Without evade they can't switch into tank mode either, and PtL is not a good match for their dial, limiting them to a single action most of the time (except for Guri).
I think you can build a good/great Starviper, can you also include a good support squad around it, not so sure. It's very similar to building a squad around an E-wing, unless it's a big ship it usually doesn't work. Even Corran struggles in an all small ship build.
The only issue I see with it is it is what a Royal Guard Tie with dual upgrades but with a worse dial. Virago adds options, but it's unique.
The generic is really bad though.
A generic PS5 with an EPT for 28 points would have been a vey interesting ship, but 25 for a PS1 is not going to see play.
Xizor with Virago could be a really awesome arc dodger but what to pair him with..
i paired guri with Ys or HWKs to catch the more nimble stuff. and simply build FCS and auto to try and survive.
I can easily see Xizor + a swarm becoming a popular list. His relative fragility for the cost is made up for (partially) by the damage dispersion.
It's dial is quite interesting. Like many scum ships it lacks 3 turns and 5 straights, it has no normal K-turn, S-loop only, however its got 1 turns, 1 banks and 1 straights, I'm sure many A wing and TIE pilots wish they could say the same
But seriously though... It's really just $20 for 2 Autothrusters... right?
I don't hate the idea of 4 Starvipers for 100 points. Once they are up close and personal they are quite hard to predict due to the S-loop. But then you can't afford Autothrusters for the turret matches, so maybe taking 6 points out, you could go 3 Starvipers with AT, and N'Dru with Lonewolf.
Hmm, now I might need to buy 3 Starvipers...
But seriously though... It's really just $20 for 2 Autothrusters... right?
Maybe for you. I plan to use it a lot.
But seriously though... It's really just $20 for 2 Autothrusters... right?
Maybe for you. I plan to use it a lot.
Yeah, I have a big giant rebel fleet that I already don't use. Hard for me to justify picking up a third faction when I'm pretty sure I'll still just be playing Imperials anyway.
But dat autothruster tho...
But seriously though... It's really just $20 for 2 Autothrusters... right?
Maybe for you. I plan to use it a lot.
Yeah, I have a big giant rebel fleet that I already don't use. Hard for me to justify picking up a third faction when I'm pretty sure I'll still just be playing Imperials anyway.
But dat autothruster tho...
I'm planning to grab a second StarViper not just for the AutoThrusters (I actually only see myself using 3 copies of that Upgrade at the most) but for the ship as well.
For instance, this looks like a blast to fly. I just can't figure out what to do with the remaining 3 points.
Could maybe swap the Ion Turret for a Blaster Turret.
Though, the Ion was there for control. Hm. What do you think?
Edited by GroggyGolemEspecially when the first S&V Large Turret Ship drops.
Then we will have the scourge of the Fat Xisor + loaded out big ship netlist.
Pfffft....what you talking bout all Scum ships are turret ships thanks to Hot Shot Blaster LOL.
For instance, this looks like a blast to fly. I just can't figure out what to do with the remaining 3 points.
Guri get's free focus at RB1, PTL as well? Its powerful but you've got a lot of things that might cause stress, you don't want to be tripping over your maneuvers and upgrades. You can PTL and use inertial dampeners but that's going to be two turns of stress clearing for you. Advanced sensors will let you do an action and S-loop but not PTL.
You might want to consider predator, its always on regardless of stress, frees up your actions for boost or barrel roll. With predator and free focus you don't need PTL.
I'm not sure how often ill play scum and if I do it probably won't be the way I run my rebel lists. But if I do run scum that way I can definitely see running them the way I run B wings. A little less hull but an extra 2 evade but a great slew of maneuvers for close quarter work.
Guri and Xizor will find their place in some scum lists no doubt. The title add a lot to the ship, so I can easily see some team with a Starviper as the center piece, or as the flanker.
As for the generics, only experience will tell. It as a lot going for it, but I fear it will suffer the same fate as the Defender: You either love it or hate it. I'm sure that the lack of EPT will be the main reason why people won't love it. Flying and exploiting the dial and action bar to his fullest will be key. For his price, I definetly don't see it as a user-friendly ship as you'll pay dearly for your errors and being a PS1, you'll have to be good at the guessing game. But, in the hand of a player that took the time to study the ship, I'm sure it can be pretty nasty.
My personal opinion, I really really love his dial and the stats are solid. I'll definetly experiment a lot with it because I want to know what makes it click. I can't deny that I'm a little let down by the lack of possible upgrades (title excluded) since Autothrusters seems to be an auto-include.
Speaking of the title, by allowing only the Virago to have access to all the cool toys, I wonder if the designers didn't meant for the Starviper to be played as a one of a kind ship. It definetly makes the generic looks more bland...
For instance, this looks like a blast to fly. I just can't figure out what to do with the remaining 3 points.
Guri get's free focus at RB1, PTL as well? Its powerful but you've got a lot of things that might cause stress, you don't want to be tripping over your maneuvers and upgrades. You can PTL and use inertial dampeners but that's going to be two turns of stress clearing for you. Advanced sensors will let you do an action and S-loop but not PTL.
You might want to consider predator, its always on regardless of stress, frees up your actions for boost or barrel roll. With predator and free focus you don't need PTL.
I had put all those different options in for the sole purpose of making it hard for my opponent to guess where I'm going to maneuver. I wasn't intending to stack stress tokens at all. I had originally considered Predator but realized I have a ship that can barrel roll + boost with PtL outside of arcs and still gain a free focus when stressed at Range 1. To switch things up, I could use Advanced Sensors to take an action and then either use Segnor's Loop or Inertial Dampeners. To add a little more survivability on this idea, I can toss on AutoThrusters since there are so many turret weapons out there.
My current idea looks something like this
I might try to switch back to 2 Binayre Pilots instead of the Scyk for 99pts.