Lando / C-3P0

By thespis721, in X-Wing Rules Questions

This was something that was talked about and now the new FAQ clarifies it. You can use Lando's crew ability with C-3P0.

For the uninitiated:

Lando Calrissian - Action: Roll 2 defence dice. For each focus result, assign 1 focus token to your ship. For each evade result, assign 1 evade token to your ship.

C-3P0 - Once per round, before you roll 1 or more defense dice, you may guess aloud a number of evade results. If you roll that many evade results, add 1 evade result.

So the FAQ confirms you can use them together. The question for the masses is whether this is a statistically viable thing. I roll this with the Falcon.

C-3P0 gives you a 100% chance of evading one hit per round (except against autoblasers).

However, with Lando, you have the possibility of going into the match with focus/focus/evade, evade/evade/focus, or getting an evade token if you blank out. Is it statistically smarter to do that? Especially in the advant of autoblasters (because I believe you can evade them with tokens).

Thoughts?

You can't evade autoblaster hits with tokens anymore. It was FAQed. Crits are still fair game though.

You can't evade autoblaster hits with tokens anymore. It was FAQed. Crits are still fair game though.

Fair. But even still, what are the chances of getting a stronger token roll? Or is it better to just get the guaranteed evade result?

Depends on the ship you're flying. If you're flying a Falcon, which is where C3P0 is most popular, you are better off waiting until you roll green dice on defence to take a guess with C3P0.

Here's why:

  • Lando has you rolling 2 green dice, and you'll likely be rolling a single green die for defence.
  • C3P0 only gives you an extra evade if you guess correctly.

Is it easier to guess the number of evades when rolling a single die, or when rolling 2 dice?

I hope the answer to that last question is fairly obvious ;)

Edited by Klutz

Depends on the ship you're flying. If you're flying a Falcon, which is where C3P0 is most popular, you are better off waiting until you roll green dice on defence to take a guess with C3P0.

Here's why:

  • Lando has you rolling 2 green dice, and you'll likely be rolling a single green die for defence.
  • C3P0 only gives you an extra evade if you guess correctly.

Is it easier to guess the number of evades when rolling a single die, or when rolling 2 dice?

I hope the answer to that last question is fairly obvious ;)

Alternatively, the Evade Token produced by guessing correctly on Lando is strictly better than guessing on your dice, as you can choose not to spend your Evade Token until it guarantees cancels a hit.

Alternatively, the Evade Token produced by guessing correctly on Lando is strictly better than guessing on your dice, as you can choose not to spend your Evade Token until it guarantees cancels a hit.

I just calculated the expected number of evades when rolling 2 green dice:

  • 14% chance of getting 2 evades
  • 47% chance of getting 1 evade
  • 39% chance of getting 0 evades

And when rolling a single green die:

  • 38% chance of getting 1 evade
  • 62% chance of getting 0 evades

If you use C3-P0 to guess on Lando's roll, the smart move is to guess 1 evade result.

Doing so will get you 0.47 extra evades per turn.

If you use C3-P0 to guess when rolling a single evade die, the smart move is to guess 0 evades results.

Doing so will get you 0.62 extra evades per turn.

Is the advantage of getting to spend the token when you know it'll have an impact worth 0.15 evades per turn? Does the fact that you get to spend it when you know it'll help make it 32% more valuable?

I doubt it, and will therefore strongly suggest that you use C3-P0 to guess when rolling a single green die.

The only time I'd guess on Lando's roll is if I'm getting shot at at range 3 and/or through a rock.

Edited by Klutz

Is the advantage of getting to spend the token when you know it'll have an impact worth 0.15 evades per turn? Does the fact that you get to spend it when you know it'll help make it 32% more valuable?

Yes. Clearly.

Is the advantage of getting to spend the token when you know it'll have an impact worth 0.15 evades per turn? Does the fact that you get to spend it when you know it'll help make it 32% more valuable?

Yes. Clearly.

So, in your experience, when you use C3-P0 to guess when rolling a single evade die, and guess correctly, the extra evade result is useless 25% of the time?

I think you may be overestimating how often the extra evade from C3-P0 is wasted... Because that doesn't correspond to my experience at all.

Edited by Klutz

If your opponent is running Outmaneuver or Wedge, though, all those stats are useless, so it's nice to know that 3PO has something he can do.

If your opponent is running Outmaneuver or Wedge, though, all those stats are useless, so it's nice to know that 3PO has something he can do.

Only if all of your opponents' ships are Wedge or have Outmaneuver.

As for the advantage of only using an evade token when you know you'll need it, you can see your opponent's attack dice before you decide to use Threepio, so Threepio's bonus result will never be wasted either.