I posted this in the other thread specifically regarding Esege's interactions with a CR-90. Thought I'd share it more widely.

I just came across this on Reddit (credit to original poster WDWolf):

I asked FFG if the Tantive can focus using Esege Tuketu's focus. The answer is - yes, yes it can;

"In response to your rules question: Rules Question: Does Esege Tuketu's ability work with the Tantive IV?
Esege Tuketu: "when another friendly ship at range 1-2 is attacking, it may treat your focus token as its own."
Can the Tantive use this focus?
Thanks!

Yes, the CR90 is able to spend Esege’s focus tokens.

Thanks for playing,

Frank Brooks
Game Developer
Fantasy Flight Games
[email protected]"

So, bottom line, despite the seemingly certain rules interpretations delved into in that thread, those interpretations regarding the following rule are now turned on their head by Frank's ruling:

Focus, Evade, and Stress Tokens:
Focus, evade, and stress tokens do not affect huge ships. When a huge ship receives any of these tokens, immediately remove them and return them to the token supply.

An example of RAI trumping RAW, I suppose.

Are there any other interactions with Huge Ships that now suddenly become open for use?

OK, will respond the same way I did in the other thread...

This strikes me as absolutely bonkers. Makes the whole kerfuffle over slam and bomb even harder to fathom. Not OP but just strange. Completely and thoroughly abrogates the RAW. How very odd.

It does seem rather inconsistent... gonna be a big FAQ update.

OK, will respond the same way I did in the other thread...

I needed to see this gif again. Freaking awesome.

Frank is trolling us hard.

Edit: While Esege's ability makes sense and I support it, I'm just noting how his replies seem to conflict with certain "consensi."

On the other hand, it's a huge buff for the Tantive and gives them something to counter the Raider/Jonus combo. A Tantive with Esage in support is something to be respected.

These guys really need to invite someone over from Wizards of the Coast to explain to them how to write rules and keywords.

There is a difference here, and RAW aren't being violated. CR-90 isn't being assigned a focus token by Esege, it's spending Esege's. If Esege's ability was to give tokens (Like Garven), then RAW would say it would be discarded, which is what happens. The CR-90 is not receiving any tokens in the case of Esege.

Because the focus token isn't affecting the huge ship but is instead affecting the dice? Hopefully this one gets some real explanation in the next FAQ because I'm not sure I'd buy it otherwise...

On the other hand, it's a huge buff for the Tantive and gives them something to counter the Raider/Jonus combo. A Tantive with Esage in support is something to be respected.

Very good point. The Epic's could really use some extra options here. I would love to see some new Epic crew that allows some limited dice modification. Agent Kallus only helps against one target.

FFG has had no issues with making rules based on how they want something to work, regardless of if RAW backs that up or not. The ruling about Ion tokens and Conner Nets for example... Or Turrets in general based on the old rules.

But sometimes I wonder if problem is really that the rules were simply poorly worded.

I can see the case being made RAW that since the Focus token never actually is assigned to the CR-90 then the rule doesn't come into effect, so it can in fact use it, and the part about how focus, stress, and evade not having an effect on the ship is simply poorly written.

Lets consider the rule like this...

Focus, evade, and stress tokens do not affect huge ships. When a huge ship receives any of these tokens, immediately remove them and return them to the token supply.

You could argue that since the huge ship never actually receives the token, the token never actually changes places, it's just that the ship gets to act as if it had one. Then this would still work RAW.

Now normally I wouldn't simply remove a section of rules, but considering Frank's email it seems like that first sentence doesn't actually mean anything, but is more descriptive in nature then an actual rule.

Nevertheless, the line is there. I'd love to get an actual explanation from FFG as to why it doesn't apply so we can actually know what it is or isn't supposed to mean going forward.

There is a difference here, and RAW aren't being violated. CR-90 isn't being assigned a focus token by Esege, it's spending Esege's. If Esege's ability was to give tokens (Like Garven), then RAW would say it would be discarded, which is what happens.

Huh Wha? RAW not violated? If the CR-90 "treats (her) focus tokens as its own" shouldn't it be immediately discarded? No way is this RAW.

Focus, evade, and stress tokens do not affect huge ships. When a huge ship receives any of these tokens, immediately remove them and return them to the token supply.

You could argue that since the huge ship never actually receives the token, the token never actually changes places, it's just that the ship gets to act as if it had one. Then this would still work RAW.

Now normally I wouldn't simply remove a section of rules, but considering Frank's email it seems like that first sentence doesn't actually mean anything, but is more descriptive in nature then an actual rule.

I agree with you here. And as I argued in the other thread, the first sentence could be construed to mean attackers don't get to spend their focus tokens when attacking a Huge. Whether or not my argument has merit ... it's still amazing to find that we are in a position where we are having to argue that a series of words written in a rule book do not actually constitute "a rule".

Epic ships only discard focus tokens if they receive them. They never receive this token so they are able to spend it. If there was a regular ship that lacked the focus action it would be able to do the same. And yea that first line needs to be axed, since it clearly isn't true in today's game.

Just make it a blanket statement:

Huge ships are not affected by the abilities of small or large ships.

Solved. Makes a lot more sense that way.

If the CR-90 "treats (her) focus tokens as its own" shouldn't it be immediately discarded?

No not really. You can argue that since the focus token is never assigned to the ship, it doesn't need to be discarded.

It's not a great argument, but it would be enough for a shadow of doubt IMO. But unless we are going to refuse to accept Frank's email as being legit, then RAW or not, this is RAI and when RAI comes from the games developer it IMO trumps RAW.

Because at best RAW is still based on how we interpret the rules in some or perhaps even many cases.

There is a difference here, and RAW aren't being violated. CR-90 isn't being assigned a focus token by Esege, it's spending Esege's. If Esege's ability was to give tokens (Like Garven), then RAW would say it would be discarded, which is what happens.

Huh Wha? RAW not violated? If the CR-90 "treats (her) focus tokens as its own" shouldn't it be immediately discarded? No way is this RAW.

Read the actual rule. The only thing that causes the token to be discarded is being assigned a token.

This... doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. Agree with others that FFG needs a big ol' FAQ and some errata work.

I would love to have a reason to run Esege Tuketu, but with the mid PS and the SLAM being changed to not allow bomb drops, I couldn't think of a reason to. I mean, I still can't, but he could do something in epic now that no other ship can.

Solved. Makes a lot more sense that way.

That's only true if that's what they want to happen. But clearly that doesn't seem to be the case so rather then solving anything, it would actually break a great deal.

Like say Jan being able to buff a CR90's attacks with her abilities.

There is a difference here, and RAW aren't being violated. CR-90 isn't being assigned a focus token by Esege, it's spending Esege's. If Esege's ability was to give tokens (Like Garven), then RAW would say it would be discarded, which is what happens. The CR-90 is not receiving any tokens in the case of Esege.

THIIIIISSS

Epic ships only discard focus tokens if they receive them. They never receive this token so they are able to spend it. If there was a regular ship that lacked the focus action it would be able to do the same. And yea that first line needs to be axed, since it clearly isn't true in today's game.

Huge ships discard focus tokens they receive. Nobody is debating that or thinks it's at all involved in this ruling. The problem is that the rules also say that focus tokens do not affect huge ships.

Well, that particular interaction hadn't occurred to me, but I can't think of a single reason why anyone would think it wouldn't work.

Seems very straightforward to me.

Solved. Makes a lot more sense that way.

That's only true if that's what they want to happen. But clearly that doesn't seem to be the case so rather then solving anything, it would actually break a great deal.

Like say Jan being able to buff a CR90's attacks with her abilities.

Yeah, I see no problem with that.

It takes care of confusion, they won't have to design pilots with breaking huge ships in mind and it makes no sense for small ships to buff the huge ships like they do.

Take Jan, Roark, Dutch and Esege, put them next to a CR-90 and suddenly you've got a PS12, 6 dice, focused, target locked, Han Solo'ing Corvette blasting at you.

Never liked that.

On the other hand, it's a huge buff for the Tantive and gives them something to counter the Raider/Jonus combo. A Tantive with Esage in support is something to be respected.

But Jonus is range 1. Esage is range 1-2. Makes them stick together more. Like the shuttle only giving target locks out to range 1; anyone ever use this often or effectively?