After the Phantom got nerfed, can we suppose that the PS race (at least over PS 7) is over now? What are the actual circumstances and PS dangers you have to care of? At which level is the actual pilot skill "hot spot". (For me, there is a big gap between PS 3 and 7 (maybe 6 because of Aggressors now). I think everything between does not have a too big impact during game.

The PS9 like Chiraneau and Han Solo are more dealable than the (old) PS9 Whisper. Aggressors will stay between 6 and 8 (altough I don´t know if Veteran Instints on Aggressors is a good idea? Think there are better EPT choices for them?)

So we can sigh with relief now and equip the pilots with more suitable talents?

What do you think?

After the Phantom got nerfed, can we suppose that the PS race (at least over PS 7) is over now?

Whisper still wants to shoot at PS9 so you can recloak before other ships get to shoot back. That was really the biggest advantage of VI on a phantom, being able to shoot and recloak before getting shot back.

Who won the race?

It also helps against Interceptors and high-PS large ships with EU.

After the Phantom got nerfed, can we suppose that the PS race (at least over PS 7) is over now?

Whisper still wants to shoot at PS9 so you can recloak before other ships get to shoot back. That was really the biggest advantage of VI on a phantom, being able to shoot and recloak before getting shot back.

Good point. Although green dice... For me, phantoms moving after my ace pilot is the bigger threat, or my ace pilot moving after him his bigger threat concerning arc dodging and firing arc

High PS is always advantageous for arc dodgers (fighting them and being them).

Shooting first always helps too.

The Pilot Skill race will never be over. PS is one of the best stats in the game.

It also helps against Interceptors and high-PS large ships with EU.

Yes, higher PS is ALWAYS good, but the question is, if its efficient enough now to choose VI instead of other EPT. And because of the nerf we will not see so many Phantoms now...

Who won the race?

Kenyan Farlander...

No.

The real urgency to get to 9+ may have been slightly downgraded, but I think the last few months flying with PS9+ pilots has really taught many people the true value of PS as a stat. I include myself in this. Prior to this past fall I was primarily a player of low PS generics. Now I'm really enjoying my high PS pilots. I don't see myself going back to pure PS1-2 generics now that Phantoms are more predictable.

No.

The real urgency to get to 9+ may have been slightly downgraded, but I think the last few months flying with PS9+ pilots has really taught many people the true value of PS as a stat. I include myself in this. Prior to this past fall I was primarily a player of low PS generics. Now I'm really enjoying my high PS pilots. I don't see myself going back to pure PS1-2 generics now that Phantoms are more predictable.

Yes I know, aces are better than generics. But the question is, when you already have an ace pilot and you want him to be "better ace"

An example: Tycho who is PS 8. His first EPT would of course be Push the limit. So now the question. VI would of course be good because you get PS10 and beat Phantoms. But is this rentable? Or just a little bit paranoid?

No.

The real urgency to get to 9+ may have been slightly downgraded, but I think the last few months flying with PS9+ pilots has really taught many people the true value of PS as a stat. I include myself in this. Prior to this past fall I was primarily a player of low PS generics. Now I'm really enjoying my high PS pilots. I don't see myself going back to pure PS1-2 generics now that Phantoms are more predictable.

Yes I know, aces are better than generics. But the question is, when you already have an ace pilot and you want him to be "better ace"

An example: Tycho who is PS 8. His first EPT would of course be Push the limit. So now the question. VI would of course be good because you get PS10 and beat Phantoms. But is this rentable? Or just a little bit paranoid?

Really just depends on how much you care about always shooting first, including shooting uncloaked phantoms. I have a list with two ps 8 pilots carrying hlc, and I prefer predator so that they shoot more accurately. They will gladly shoot uncloaked phantoms, but have enough dice that it's really not crucial to shoot first.

I've been in the PS race since wave 2, the addition of phantoms and their recent nerf changed nothing for me

with phantoms less present, ships with (multiple) crew slots can utilize Intelligence Agent as their V.I and free up their EPT for something more useful

No.

The real urgency to get to 9+ may have been slightly downgraded, but I think the last few months flying with PS9+ pilots has really taught many people the true value of PS as a stat. I include myself in this. Prior to this past fall I was primarily a player of low PS generics. Now I'm really enjoying my high PS pilots. I don't see myself going back to pure PS1-2 generics now that Phantoms are more predictable.

Yes I know, aces are better than generics. But the question is, when you already have an ace pilot and you want him to be "better ace"

An example: Tycho who is PS 8. His first EPT would of course be Push the limit. So now the question. VI would of course be good because you get PS10 and beat Phantoms. But is this rentable? Or just a little bit paranoid?

I don't put VI on Tycho. On the rare occasions that he's not loaded with PTL, DD and EI, I'll put PTL and Outmaneuver on him.

But then again, I also like to run him with either a VI Jake or a VI Corran. Though my most recent list that I want to try out actually has him running along side of a non-VI Wedge.

No.

The real urgency to get to 9+ may have been slightly downgraded, but I think the last few months flying with PS9+ pilots has really taught many people the true value of PS as a stat. I include myself in this. Prior to this past fall I was primarily a player of low PS generics. Now I'm really enjoying my high PS pilots. I don't see myself going back to pure PS1-2 generics now that Phantoms are more predictable.

Yes I know, aces are better than generics. But the question is, when you already have an ace pilot and you want him to be "better ace"

An example: Tycho who is PS 8. His first EPT would of course be Push the limit. So now the question. VI would of course be good because you get PS10 and beat Phantoms. But is this rentable? Or just a little bit paranoid?

PS10 allows him to not only beat phantoms, but also to move and boost after opposing ships have already gone. I think that it's definitely a way to go if you don't have a plan for that second EPT.

I've been running VI on Dash, post phantom-nerf and have not had cause to regret it. Being able to barrel roll out of the donut hole is amazing, as is being able to move after everyone has gone. Pulling a nice 4 straight and landing right where my opponent used to be (while they rolled ahead to try and block me) won me the final game at a small tournament on Sunday.

After the Phantom got nerfed, can we suppose that the PS race (at least over PS 7) is over now? What are the actual circumstances and PS dangers you have to care of? At which level is the actual pilot skill "hot spot". (For me, there is a big gap between PS 3 and 7 (maybe 6 because of Aggressors now). I think everything between does not have a too big impact during game.

The PS9 like Chiraneau and Han Solo are more dealable than the (old) PS9 Whisper. Aggressors will stay between 6 and 8 (altough I don´t know if Veteran Instints on Aggressors is a good idea? Think there are better EPT choices for them?)

So we can sigh with relief now and equip the pilots with more suitable talents?

What do you think?

It's not over and PS bidding is still skewed more towards super PS instead of measured mid PS bidding, but it's definitely not so important that you simply autolose anymore. Most agressor builds aren't running VI, there are a decent amount of 7 PS scum pilots about.

Who won the race?

Han Solo. At least, according to worlds 2014.

It depends on the ships you play.

I see a lot of low skill generic pilot lists do pretty well, especially Rebel lists like BBBBZ, Warthogs/Thug Life for Rebels/Scum, Panic attack rtc.

I also beat Imperial interceptor and Phantom lists with double Agressors pretty reliably (without VI). The Phantom is much much more predictable and dodgeable now that it actually has to play the maneuver game. I managed to block it out, deny it shots and recloaks much more often than before. And Soontir is pretty much dead and extremely vulnerable if you can block him. Especially with Manglers where one nasty crit often seals his fate.

The only thing i miss is the midrange pilots from 3-6. They are often too expensive to field 4 Ships and not elite enough to survive amongst the real Cracks.

It will never be over if you want to beat higher PS guys reliably you either have to bring higher ps, win the initiative bid with same ps, or bring a TON of generics. Ps 4-6 (excluding aggressors) is a pretty weak place to be at imo.

For me, the big jump in advantage at lower PS is between 2 and 3. It still very sharp for me. But at high PS levels, its not so clear anymore. For me, between PS 9 and 10 you had this jump, because of VI Whisper and all the High PS 9 pilots like Chiraneau, Han Sole etc. But with the nerf, the treshold got blurry for me (not only because of the more predictable Whisper, but more because of the declined use of him in squads because of that)

For the Phantom, it's important to shoot first, but for most highly maneuverable ships, the real meat is i n moving _last_. Soontir would much rather know where every other ship on the field is before he decides on his actions. As mentioned above, Dash wants to know how to position his donut hole- something difficult to do if he's moving before 3 PS 9 ships.

On the other hand, Wedge or VI Wes can't really take advantage of their high PS numbers. At least, not without making them even more expensive, and also foreclosing a few other options. I'd almost like to see a negative point card for them that reduces their PS.

So: is the PS war over? I'd say that it settled into an uneasy Christmas Truce with everyone still in the trenches. But there's no shellfire for now.

Wes Jenson with VI is always worth it, the best part about taking away tokens is the fact that they wont get to use them to attack back with

I'd add that move / action last has benefits (especially if you can barrel roll or boost)

Wes Jenson with VI is always worth it, the best part about taking away tokens is the fact that they wont get to use them to attack back with

Only if he has a target worth shooting at already in his arcs.