I don't even see them in casual games.

... is it really THAT bad?

The StarViper is bought for the upgrade cards - and left in wherever you store your ships at home.

It seems that the only pilot which was mentioned to be considered to be played is Guri.

I think the Title card is too weak.

The Virago should be really badass to make Prince Xizor worthwhile.

And I mean BADASS.

The Virago title should read like:

"Your upgrade bar gains the [cannon], [illict], [missile] and [system] upgrade icons.

Each upgrade you equip cost 2 squad point less. You cannot equip this card if your pilot skill is "3" or lower." - 0 Points

I bet you would see this Virago at the tables, wielding a Heavy Laser Cannon, while being protected by Guri with Bodyguard, together with Z-95 grunts to catch some damage for their prince....

I don't know if it's really that bad, but it's appearance is. And you are correct, when wave seven comes out I plan to start a case just for the Starviper and the K-wing, possibly the Punisher as well, of ships I don't bother carrying to the FLGS. To answer the question why, they just don't seem to fit aesthetically with Star Wars. I know there are some here who disagree but this is my opinion, and yes I have played this ship to try it out, still can't get past it's appearance.

I really like the star viper in concept. The issue I have is there are just too many ships that edge it out in terms of what I consider to be really fun and want to play. Boba, IG, kath, Emon, ndru, palob and some others are all ships that I just think are amazing. When I finally do get around to breaking them out you can be sure the first pilot I test is Xizor with a mini swarm. He's just too badass in the books. Guri is cool too but everyone already plays her so Xizor needs some lovin too

Guri is just. Absolutely incredible if she gets shots. Her weaknesses are high ps boosters. Namely the fat turrets. Any interceptor or phantom caught even once is pretty scared.

Xizor isn't bad either.

And the ps1 is actually somewhat useful too. But the rest of your squad has to be really good to makel up for the low cost efficiency of the vipers.

They see a lot of play in our casual games and campaigns.

I like your improved Virago (I don't understand why the Virago pays a tax in order to get access to slots it has to pay for, doubly worse when you only want to take one of the slots). I think Xizor is lacking in damage output to be really scary and HLC would fix that issue. But Xizor's issue is also about what can you bring with it that is both going to both do damage and able to soak up the hits you need them too. I know some have had success with Z's, but I just don't see the power in that list. It seems like a gimpy swarm and I don't trust X to do enough to get it over the hump.

Guri is great, but is also close to 40 points in a lot of builds (same with X) and it is hard to give them solid backup. You put way too much pressure on each of them to perform and put out consistent damage.

I still think the PS1 SV is decent with the auto include Autothrusters. They are solid at both range 1 and range 3. Avoid range 2 and they are really good. But they really really need a solid ship or ships to fill out the squad. I like Kath myself and 2 PS2 SV's. In the Turret matches it makes for the really tough time for Fat Han, Dash or a VT-49, but they are also really versatile ships when you are not having to rely on them doing the heavy lifting.

I think the new ships coming in Wave 7 actually fit a lot better around the Starviper. SV's paired with YV-666's could be interesting, and there is probably even some interesting 2 ship builds possible there. Bossk/Xizor has me really intrigued.

I will say, when playing against them they feel a lot like Defenders with just how much firepower you need to put into them to kill them. I am not sure how to feel about that comparison. From playing them it seems petty apt, since non-named Starvipers lack the action economy they need to be really scary.

Yeah I really think the Virago title should have been zero cost. Illicits are good but not absolutely game breaking. Systems are good too, but... honestly not that good. The ship needs help!

To answer the question why, they just don't seem to fit aesthetically with Star Wars. I know there are some here who disagree but this is my opinion, and yes I have played this ship to try it out, still can't get past it's appearance.

This is it, IMO.

I love Xizor. He's great as a late-game finisher, and it's usually possible to get him safely to the late game because of his ability. He might be my second-favourite ship to fly after the Baron.

I've not quite settled on what I think his portable bags of hit poi... Er, I mean what his wingmen ought to be. A Mandalorian Merc and a couple of Zs seems promising, as does some flavour of YYZ. Last night I flew two Zs with hotshots and a munitions failsafe and two with bugzappers, which I think is kind of flawed in concept but was tremendous fun. Also: I like to imagine how the conversation went in the hanger:

"Wow, I can't believe we get to be Prince Xizor's Royal Guard! What an honour!"

"Yeeeeeeah... You DO realise we're the fifteenth Royal Guard he's had this year, right?"

"He's been pretty unlucky, for sure. Ooooooh, there's a big red button in here marked Break The Ship! Some sort of secret weapon, I bet! Wonder what it does?"

I really really want to like them. It's just that every time I put a list together, I can't help but stare at some gaping flaw. Guri is awesome but her PS 5 is a real problem as a lynchpin ship. Xizor has a harder time. He's right on the cusp of almost action efficient, almost high PS, almost survivable. He needs to be built around to really take advantage of his ability.

Basically I just with their pilot abilities were switched. Then Guri could be a complete write-off and we'd have one named Viper with it all!

I am really intrigued by the concept of Opportunist/Sensor Jammer on Guri. Her PS is nice for it to give you opponent bad choices all around, but it is a 9 point combo and leaves the choice up to the opponent.

I agree with the point that you can't fit some solid backup in with Guri and Xizor. Any list with two of them seems to have a gap left in that nothing quite fills correctly. I'm trying some combos now without too much luck.

However, either of the named starvipers plays very nicely with Advanced Sensors and Predator. Very manoeuvrable, hard to block, slip in behind you where you don't expect it and have predator to help a little bit with the damage output.

Just after Scum first came out I also saw a list with Xizor with Sensor Jammer and Palob make the cut. It had a really nice synergy. Palob would nick a focus token from whoever was pointing at the Prince, he'd then Sensor Jammer their dice and pass any remaining damage off on to someone else.

I think that they would do better in a meta that isn't so focussed on the race up to the highest pilot skill (not in all cases, but in lots) and we're not quite there yet.

However, they do look awesome, so I do love getting them out for casual play.

I used guri to almost one shot an aggressor with a torpedo this week, xizor has won me a few games by ending up last man standing with almost full health.

But like the defender before it the aggressor overshadows the viper.

I don't know if it's really that bad, but it's appearance is. And you are correct, when wave seven comes out I plan to start a case just for the Starviper and the K-wing, possibly the Punisher as well, of ships I don't bother carrying to the FLGS. To answer the question why, they just don't seem to fit aesthetically with Star Wars. I know there are some here who disagree but this is my opinion, and yes I have played this ship to try it out, still can't get past it's appearance.

If you don't think its star warsy enough, then you either don't understand or agree with star wars aesthetics. The star viper is a luxury hi tek star fighter. Its looks are extravagant and out of the box. sort of like a lambourghini miura. It has the perfect flavor for xizors court and I'm tired of hearing people complain about it. The rebels aesthetics are inspired by the "used future" concept, the empire is sorta third reich perfection industrial might-ish, and between those lines you have something completely different that is alien, old, strange cultural and first and foremost; different. That aesthetics is broken up into two halves; the outer rim with the bounty hunters being the most prominent representatives. These ships are functional and tough. The 666 and the firespray come into mind. The star viper represents a sophisticated, decadent, deeply aristocratic and core oriented style of which Xisor is the perfect icon. A replica droid worth nine million creds, a orientally inspired palace, deep manipulation plots, chinese mandarine inspired style and ****** love pheromones coming out of his ears! This guy is 100 years old, ten times stronger than a human, has the guts to play ball with palpy and vader, runs a mafia with millions, not thousands, of henchmen and has sex with his own personal lolitadoll guri just for kicks. He's something else and Thats why he flies a star fighter that looks extraordinary. And that multilayered cultural vision is as star warsy as it gets. Also, the viper looks absolutely boss, imho.

only bad thing is, that its not stronger. Its described as being way better than most other space superiority star fighters and in the good old swccg card game (that should be the benchmark of all power levels in SW universes) it is as powerful as the falcon. Id say, if the viper had 2 shields id fly nothing else. Sad thing is that only one ship can have a system upgrade. That slot gives the viper a chance even though prices seem to sky rocket pretty fast.

IMHO, when my friends and I play "x wing".we want to see.on the table the classic ships. Starviper is too odd. It is not about PS, titles or tactics. For us this is a game to move Ties and ? Wings. Just a matter of perspective and.feelings. 37 years ago we were 7 year old children in extasis... and x wing is a way to remember those times.

Plus beer and soccer !!!

thats a fair point : )

yeah i have flown it and for me its a combo of it being ugly and its pilot abilities kind of suck.. I mean I think the Hwk is kind of ugly bit it has some really useful pilot abilities!

I've run both Guri and Xizor a number of times and have never been disappointed in my points spent. Ships a beast and is very slippery, you don't need higher PS to outmaneuver interceptors, but you need advanced sensors.

I am really intrigued by the concept of Opportunist/Sensor Jammer on Guri. Her PS is nice for it to give you opponent bad choices all around, but it is a 9 point combo and leaves the choice up to the opponent.

I have a list that I'm hoping to play soon. Probably won't win a story champ but it looks fun. I call it "PS5, stay alive":

STAR VIPER: · Guri (30)

Predator (3)

Autothrusters (2)

· Virago (1)

Sensor Jammer (4)

Inertial Dampeners (1)

HWK-290: · Palob Godalhi (20)

Expert Handling (2)

Ion Cannon Turret (5)

Y-WING: · Drea Renthal (22)

Proton Torpedoes (4)

Ion Cannon Turret (5)

Unhinged Astromech (1)

I've run both Guri and Xizor a number of times and have never been disappointed in my points spent. Ships a beast and is very slippery, you don't need higher PS to outmaneuver interceptors, but you need advanced sensors.

But probably only in casual games right? Feel free to share lists anyway. I've flown most combos. The best where guri/kath, his highness / 5 z, his lordship / 4z with hotshots, Guri/lordship/enforcer. Yes a three SV list. some dude won a swedish SC with it. To me it just feels so incredibly fragile and crit prone but its probably the most fun list I've ever flown. and i can definitely win games.

Wookieepedia has the StarViper shield rating as 50 SBD - same as the X-wing. Would it really have made the StarViper OP to have 2 shields?

I think FFG were just being overcautious with costing this ship.

my point exactly. it would be worth its points at 2 shields. also without the virago title. THATS the fix it needs. But it will never happen.

The pilots just don't scream play me, I have a scum build with 2 naked Vipers I want to try, but I have played against Vipers before and took them out very easy, leaving the squad with very little left due to the upgrades placed on the viper, this makes me think that when I give mine a try I will use them naked with a decked out Firespray.

I don't even see them in casual games.

... is it really THAT bad?

The StarViper is bought for the upgrade cards - and left in wherever you store your ships at home.

It seems that the only pilot which was mentioned to be considered to be played is Guri.

I think the Title card is too weak.

The Virago should be really badass to make Prince Xizor worthwhile.

And I mean BADASS.

The Virago title should read like:

"Your upgrade bar gains the [cannon], [illict], [missile] and [system] upgrade icons.

Each upgrade you equip cost 2 squad point less. You cannot equip this card if your pilot skill is "3" or lower." - 0 Points

I bet you would see this Virago at the tables, wielding a Heavy Laser Cannon, while being protected by Guri with Bodyguard, together with Z-95 grunts to catch some damage for their prince....

I agree that FFG just dropped the ball on this ship. It should have all kinds of cool upgrades. Instead it is a EU Characters vehicle; just like TIE Adds that are only here to get Vader on the table... well, kinda.

I like it. But I can never quite fit it into a list.

I want to run Fett, Guri, ZZ so bad. But it just will not fit.

my point exactly. it would be worth its points at 2 shields. also without the virago title. THATS the fix it needs. But it will never happen.

I think it should have been 3 shield, 3 hull like defender with no cost title.

Personally, I would have liked all the vipers to have system slot. Title could have made it 4 dice primary. Vigo generics should have EPT. Points could be adjusted to make these happen. With how high priced they are maybe only 1 point more each with all of the above changes.

I don't think I'm being unreasonable. These ships should be like so oped up interceptors.