looking at the damage deck dare I say, the new damage deck is a nerf to critical hits.

Say what you want about munitions failure but since Dash is so dominant in the meta and TLTs have begun to take over removal of munitions failure means those two ships no longer have to fear loosing most of their firepower.

I have determined if players have a choice in the matter than players that use Outrider or TLTs and BTL-A4 title would prefer the new damage deck over the old one. Super Dash just got buffed.

The odds of the crits showing up on those ships when you need them are low enough that when you deal them it's just dumb luck. Winning or losing a match because you got lucky isn't fun.

But we used to play IronClads. Getting a crit took several die rolls and even then you had to roll 2D6. It was something seeing a well built, well gunned, late model IronClad simply disintegrate because of a magazine hit. It was rare to be sure and everyone always yelled ohhhhh and laughed.

Of course if that was their last ship we just played again but it was awesome to see, rare, but awesome none the less.

Mr. Stele thinks the more generic damage deck isn't as much fun. But at least he can still use his ability.

Edit: yay spelling

consistency is good

random crap that might do literally nothing (damaged astro on a PWT? chortle chortle) is...crap

well it would have hurt Dengar

After some analysis and gameplay, I have come to this conclusion. I saw others mention it during the leaks and now I agree completely.

The lasting effect that the damage deck will have on your games is affecting your action economy. And that is a very good thing. Every crit affects every ship. Most of the affects simply cannot be ignored. Dash can't receive a Munitions Failure, but Weapons Malfunction affects every weapon your ship fires. The ones that affect your maneuvering capabilities can be crippling. And so on. Most of the damage cards are easier to remove than before. Many you could not remove here you can remove most or all of them. And for the majority, it simply takes an action to do so, and without a die roll.

Ships with powerful action economies will absolutely feel the affects of the new deck, especially those that rely on it for defense, such as Dash or Soontir. ESPECIALLY if you get multiple crits. Some of the cards may seem underwhelming to some because they eliminated upgrade specific ones, but some combinations of the cards in this deck are quite crippling if you receive them together. One crit will affect your actions next turn, which matters to a lot of ships. Two or more crits can change that ships chances severely. Decimators will particularly hate it, because they could potentially have several of these cards that simply cannot be ignored.

Don't knock it til you play it. It hurts. It will absolutely affect your game.

consistency is good

random crap that might do literally nothing (damaged astro on a PWT? chortle chortle) is...crap

well it would have hurt Dengar

but I like Dengar (he cares about his arc)

I kind of wanted to destroy that Engine Upgrade on the Fat Turret. Crits like that would add a nice flavor to the game.

I'll need to try the new deck before I knock it.

I kind of wanted to destroy that Engine Upgrade on the Fat Turret. Crits like that would add a nice flavor to the game.

I'll need to try the new deck before I knock it.

crits like that are too focused on things that most ships dont take.

also theres a crit that makes it so that you can do actions on your bar, thats the crit you're looking for.

I kind of wanted to destroy that Engine Upgrade on the Fat Turret. Crits like that would add a nice flavor to the game.

I'll need to try the new deck before I knock it.

crits like that are too focused on things that most ships dont take.

also theres a crit that makes it so that you can do actions on your bar, thats the crit you're looking for.

The Damage Deck 2.0 crit actually limits you to just performing actions on crit cards (So you can't use, say, Marksmanship or Flight Instructor, and Isard won't work on a Decimator or Shuttle anymore)

I kind of wanted to destroy that Engine Upgrade on the Fat Turret. Crits like that would add a nice flavor to the game.

I'll need to try the new deck before I knock it.

crits like that are too focused on things that most ships dont take.

also theres a crit that makes it so that you can do actions on your bar, thats the crit you're looking for.

The Damage Deck 2.0 crit actually limits you to just performing actions on crit cards (So you can't use, say, Marksmanship or Flight Instructor, and Isard won't work on a Decimator or Shuttle anymore)

unless im reading it wrong only thing you can do is drop 'before you reveal bombs' as those do NOT say ACTION

I kind of wanted to destroy that Engine Upgrade on the Fat Turret. Crits like that would add a nice flavor to the game.

I'll need to try the new deck before I knock it.

crits like that are too focused on things that most ships dont take.

also theres a crit that makes it so that you can do actions on your bar, thats the crit you're looking for.

Now Damage Sensor Array is a 50/50 shot of clearing it. Before it was only 37.5% chance. That one was/is a pain in the butt.

How have you all got the new set already?

How have you all got the new set already?

my local target had like 20 of them when i picked mine up.

How have you all got the new set already?

my local target had like 20 of them when i picked mine up.

Ooh, this is a USA only thing, right?

How have you all got the new set already?

my local target had like 20 of them when i picked mine up.

Ooh, this is a USA only thing, right?

Yeah. Target stores in the US had a limited number available last Friday; the rest of the world has to wait a couple more weeks, as FFG gets them into the regular distribution pipeline.

I am disappointed, but really, it's only because I'm a Maarek Stele superfan.

His ability itself was awesome. With a damage deck that was full of potentially useless cards, as well as some severely crippling cards, the ability to pick from 3 choices was great.

The only problem was, since it only worked when you critted, it was an ability that you rarely ever got to use. Then the Advanced Targeting Computer came out, and it became an ability you were using almost every time you attack. Maarek was suddenly awesome!

Then, two weeks later, they released the new damage deck. The new deck is much more even. There's no useless cards in it, but there's no really crippling cards in it. All the cards are just "good". Which really hurts the usefulness of his ability. When all the cards are good, there's not as much benefit from being able to choose between them.

So my favorite pilot got to be awesome...for about 2 weeks. He's still a lot better than he was before the ATC, but not as cool as he was before the new damage deck.

I am disappointed, but really, it's only because I'm a Maarek Stele superfan.

His ability itself was awesome. With a damage deck that was full of potentially useless cards, as well as some severely crippling cards, the ability to pick from 3 choices was great.

The only problem was, since it only worked when you critted, it was an ability that you rarely ever got to use. Then the Advanced Targeting Computer came out, and it became an ability you were using almost every time you attack. Maarek was suddenly awesome!

Then, two weeks later, they released the new damage deck. The new deck is much more even. There's no useless cards in it, but there's no really crippling cards in it. All the cards are just "good". Which really hurts the usefulness of his ability. When all the cards are good, there's not as much benefit from being able to choose between them.

So my favorite pilot got to be awesome...for about 2 weeks. He's still a lot better than he was before the ATC, but not as cool as he was before the new damage deck.

on the topic of Stele I wonder is Majot explosion (the one that causes critical damage) can be also used in tandem with Stele's effect. So that he Crits, picks major explosion, which rolls and gets damage, then he gets to rechoose. but i doubt that works as ive mentioned.

I am disappointed, but really, it's only because I'm a Maarek Stele superfan.

His ability itself was awesome. With a damage deck that was full of potentially useless cards, as well as some severely crippling cards, the ability to pick from 3 choices was great.

The only problem was, since it only worked when you critted, it was an ability that you rarely ever got to use. Then the Advanced Targeting Computer came out, and it became an ability you were using almost every time you attack. Maarek was suddenly awesome!

Then, two weeks later, they released the new damage deck. The new deck is much more even. There's no useless cards in it, but there's no really crippling cards in it. All the cards are just "good". Which really hurts the usefulness of his ability. When all the cards are good, there's not as much benefit from being able to choose between them.

So my favorite pilot got to be awesome...for about 2 weeks. He's still a lot better than he was before the ATC, but not as cool as he was before the new damage deck.

You have until January before you have to switch to the new deck for tourneys, so, if you like the old deck for him, I suggest using him until then. And maybe test him out with the new one anyway.

added consistency rarely made anyone worse

it just made Adv homing missiles less of a worthwhile investment, but those are a POS anyway so no skin off anyone's nose

I am disappointed, but really, it's only because I'm a Maarek Stele superfan.

His ability itself was awesome. With a damage deck that was full of potentially useless cards, as well as some severely crippling cards, the ability to pick from 3 choices was great.

The only problem was, since it only worked when you critted, it was an ability that you rarely ever got to use. Then the Advanced Targeting Computer came out, and it became an ability you were using almost every time you attack. Maarek was suddenly awesome!

Then, two weeks later, they released the new damage deck. The new deck is much more even. There's no useless cards in it, but there's no really crippling cards in it. All the cards are just "good". Which really hurts the usefulness of his ability. When all the cards are good, there's not as much benefit from being able to choose between them.

So my favorite pilot got to be awesome...for about 2 weeks. He's still a lot better than he was before the ATC, but not as cool as he was before the new damage deck.

Yeah, that does sound like he's gone a bit useless again.

I haven't seen the new deck, but from what people are saying it sounds like their intention was exactly that, almost as if they wanted to ruin Marek.

I think they could have done both fairly easily if they'd wanted to.

If it were up to me, there would have been two different types of upgrade destroying crits.

One for injured crew that removes one random Crew, Elite Pilot Talent upgrade, or your pilot's special ability.

And another for destroyed equipment that removes one randomly chosen every other type of upgrade except for Titles.

And for both of these, I would word it so that if the ship has no upgrade cards or special abilities to lose, it takes an extra point of damage instead(basically becomes a Direct Hit).

Everyone wins. You get to cause real damage that takes away a ships abilities. And if the ship doesn't have any abilities, then the crit still does something.

You have until January before you have to switch to the new deck for tourneys, so, if you like the old deck for him, I suggest using him until then. And maybe test him out with the new one anyway.

I don't really have a choice though, because Maarek's ability is based on whatever deck my opponent is using, not mine.

Well, that was the other thing. I was all psyched to use AHM with Maarek and just snipe those Falcon pilots right in the cockpit.

Now, it's not really worth the 3 points anymore...

Well I was going to use a YV with gunner and two tacticians but that dastardly FFG put and end to that. I am very disappointed, FFG.

Then, two weeks later, they released the new damage deck. The new deck is much more even. There's no useless cards in it, but there's no really crippling cards in it. All the cards are just "good". Which really hurts the usefulness of his ability. When all the cards are good, there's not as much benefit from being able to choose between them.

Hell yes, there's a benefit for being able to choose between them. Soontir won't really care about a Major Hull Breach or a Loose Stabiliser, for example, but hand him a Damaged Engine or Thrust Control Fire and he is basically dead. A relatively healthy Han or Chirpy won't mind too much if they take a Direct Hit, but a Major Hull Breach or Damaged Sensor Array will put them in panic mode. And, as always, Damaged Cockpit on any high-PS ship is more than a little annoying.

Having your high PS pilot suddenly become lower on the chain, thus more likely to be killed before he kills something, is pretty game changing.

Agreed. Even just 2 broad categories would be enough. Personnel and Equipment. One is for Pilot abilities, Elite and Crew upgrades, the other is for everything else except Titles(because really, no crit should effect a Title upgrade, the Falcon doesn't just stop being the Falcon on a critical hit).

They already do this with the crits themselves. Splitting them between pilot crits and ship crits.

And when they invent a new type of upgrade, they just have to specify which of the 2 types of upgrades it is. Like they just introduced Tech, which would obviously be Equipment.

Regarding the loss of things like Injured Pilot and Munitions Failure: good riddance.

Yeah, you can't get that crit that blows off Dash's HLC. However, the Dash player paid 12 points for that ability. HWKs and Y-Wings are paying 2-6 points for their turrets. EPTs cost between 1-4 points, and likely double that if you injured an A-Wing pilot. The ability to permanently destroy something an player invested points in on a lucky crit was not a very balanced factor.

And that's without even getting into the things that added no punishment, like Munitions Failure and Minor Hull Breach to Chiraneau.