Lots of people like to talk about these two pilots when they're out of ear shot. People love to comment on how they could be so much better if they were just elite. I decided to try to take 'em out for some flying practice last night to see how they'd fare. So, who do I pair them with?

Graz the Hunter: When defending, if the attacker is inside your firing arc, roll 1 additional defense die.

Laetin A'shera: After you defend against an attack, if the attack did not hit, you may assign 1 evade token to your ship.

So, what have we got going here? Both of these abilities are pretty defensive. I decided I better start by focusing on defense to maximize their specialties. In other words, both get a Stealth Device for an extra green die.

How else can I buff defense? Serissu is the obvious choice.

Serissu: When another friendly ship at range 1 is defending, he may reroll 1 defense die.

Serissu will be a target, so I decided to equip her with Stealth device as well so that my opponent still has a tough choice in targets.

Now that I've got a solid defensive foundation, it's time to look at offense. 3-2-2 isn't too intimidating. I know a lot of people like HLCs on their Scyks, but I decided to go conservative with "Mangler" Cannons on both of them. I also decided to throw Glitterstim on Graz just for kicks. I was thinking I'd use it after a K-turn, forgetting about the extra stress it induces.

That left me with 14 points left. I decided to slot in a Black Sun Soldier for 13 with a 1 point initiative bid. I chose Black Sun Soldier of a Binayre with Feedback Array because my opponents have been bringing a lot of Predator lately.

So here's the list.

Serissu (20) [29]

-Heavy "Scyk" Interceptor (2)

-"Mangler" Cannon (4)

-Stealth Device (3)

Laetin A'shera (18) [27]

-Heavy "Scyk" Interceptor (2)

-"Mangler" Cannon (4)

-Stealth Device (3)

Graz the Hunter (25) [30]

-Glitterstim (2)

-Stealth Device (3)

Black Sun Soldier (13)

I think I'll go post a session report elsewhere and post the link here when I'm finished.

EDIT: And here's the session report: https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/189544-serissu-laetin-and-graz-take-on-darth-vader/

Keen to read your report becuse it sounds really interesting- I kinda like the synergy you've got in your build. I totally lost interest in using M3A's because everytime I used them they went *poof* really quick. Even with Stealth Advice

You could also use Guri with Bodyguard in this.

You could even Palob Bodyguard with TLT over Serissu.

You could even Palob Bodyguard with TLT over Serissu.

True, if I had TLT. I don't know, though. Scyks are too fun to leave behind. And in truth, I got a ton of evades off rerolls from Serissu's ability. If you can keep her from getting shot, she does work.

And regarding Bodyguard, I don't like it because whoever you oost defense foe, your opponent justs shoots the other one. If you have fodder, that's fine. But between Graz and Laetin, who do you give the extra green die to?

I like the M-3As pilot abilities but I have the same trouble as scumdan. Even with an extra shield they are always my first ship to go down. That said I do usually play 3 way 70 point games so that could be part of why. I do enjoy Khiraxs as their move dials are almost the same as M3A but they have more staying power and their pilot abilities are potent.

Have you considered Autothrusters in place of Stealth Devices? A lucky die roll or an autoblaster can remove that device right off the bat.

green dice? we don't need their scum

bonus round:

I want them alive. No disintegration!

*green dice roll all blanks*

Here's a possible list. You do trade some raw firepower for extended durability and difficult target selection.

Graz the Hunter (25)
Stealth Device (3)

Laetin A'shera (18)
Heavy Laser Cannon (7)
Stealth Device (3)
"Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon) (2)

Serissu (20)
Draw Their Fire (1)
Hull Upgrade (3)

Tansarii Point Veteran (17)
Draw Their Fire (1)

Total: 100
https://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Scum%20and%20Villainy&d=v3!s!136:-1,-1:-1:1:;105::17:1:U.23;104:30:-1:6:;106:30:-1:-1:]Viewin Yet Another Squad Builder

well alright, in order to be actually helpful,

ditch stealth device

never look back

stealth device is an awful piece of crap that can only be put to reliable use on the good baron Fel

people sometimes think I'm kidding about this green dice schtik, but I'm not (not entirely). They're capricious little **** who will screw you on a whim, and therefore they provide easily the worst foundation for any squad you could possibly build.

the replacements:

Graz the Hunter Jouster is never going to amount to much more than a glorified cartel marauder. That's the truth we have to face when running him, given the lack of ept or impressive ability. As a glorified Cartel Marauder, you want to keep him as cheap as possible. You could effectively run him naked, but I do believe the special-K becomes a whole different class of ship with access to TL + glitterstim for a powerful punch backed by surprising durability.

While Graz doesn't have the wow factor of Cobra or even the Blacksun Ace (crackshot), that extra agility could go a long way with stims.

Sir Grazalot

*stims

[27]

Laetin is just...yeah. The poor guy is already sadled to what is already considered the new old Tie Advance; the poor Scyk simply doesn't have a lot going for it. As for Laetin, he is at best a Scyk your opponent might not want to shoot at sometimes, and by sometimes I mean his ability is worthless if he's only taking one attack per turn. Yeah, I know, gunner yada-yada; the guy's got 3 health and no thrusters he's going to get wrecked before gunner even triggers.

Similarly to Graz, Laetin simply is never going to amount to anything more than a glorified version of the PS 2 Cartel equivalent. The only difference, arguably, is that Laetin's ability is far worse at providing any extra protection. At least Graz's still triggers when the green dice leave you bone dry

Again, run minimalist. anything more will only result in disappointment, simply because Laetin does not possess the means to exacerbate anything you give him like a true elite pilot would

Laetin (18)

*heavy (2)

*mangler (4)

[24]

that'll give you 49 points to play around with

A word on "supporting" green dice:

Seriussu is a pilot I've wanted to make work for a long time (fickle green dice insurance? seems like destiny!) but the poor girl just suffers from scykitus and in highly advanced form. At ps 8, she could have been a very good arc-dodger with that mobile dial and roll, but nooooo she has to fly in formation to make her ability work because she can't affect herself

No, the only way I've found to make green dice any more reliable is to attempt to make the opponent's dice just as spiky and unreliable

Enter Palob, mod-remover extraordinaire! If you've ever played TLTs, you know how horrid even red dice can be without even a focus to push them along, and Palob takes that opprotunity from the opponent right quick. Better yet, he takes the unimpressive offense of Graz and Laetin and makes them halfway decent by making the enemy shite

Of course, the small problem arises that your opponent will never ever shoot your two PS 6 scrubs before Palob, public enemy #1. This, however, can be used to your advantage. A ship that you know won't get shot can be put into incredibly stupid positions (like right in range 1 of every enemy ever) for some incredibly stupid gains. Skewing your target priority can lead to many positional advantages, and it's something you learn to love when you're flying a pilot that no one in their right mind would shoot first (such as Xizor )

Graz can actually pull this off incredibly well. He's not only a low priority target (no one expects the Grazic inquisition to acomplish much of anything), but he can hurt at range one (aforementioned TL + stim combo), and he can also tank like a bastard with his ability & stim if your opponent decides that four dice at range one is a credible enough threat to try to remove (and, oftentimes, it is)

Laetin, awful piece of **** that he is, can't (stupid cannons and their lack of range bonuses )

honestly, you're better off with a tansari vet with mangler & crackshot (push that crit through!). Laetin's so vilely worthless that the only reason I could imagine using him is to fufill my OCD about running at least two symmetrical pilot skills in every squad. Then again, Palob and the Tansari share PS 5, so Laetin doesn't even have that going for him

Well, fickle, I think you completely missed the point about this being a fun list and also the part whwre it wiped out 4 TIE Adavanced without losing a ship. And the part where Laetin's ability activated more than once. Would I take it to a tournament? Probably not. Would I take it to another game night? You bet! because fickle green xice work both ways -- sometimes they save your six! And that's fun!

well, fun is subjective and what works there works on a personal level

though I personally can't see what's so fun about a dice fest

Fair enough. But I enjoy a good 6-dice defense roll, even if you roll 5 blanks an 1 focus after being blocked. It happens.

On the flip slide, I have trouble seeing why B-wings are fun. You just sit there and take hits all day and fly straight at your enemy. (I'm over-simplifyimg.) I guess now that you mention it, I do like dice fests. I like being able to answer my opponent's attack rolls with my defense rolls. Thanks, Fickle, I think I learned a little bit more about my play style from this conversation.

oh I get it...you're one of them aren't you?

... yes?

... yes?

just not the red ones

I like the list. Good stuff! I hope to read more on it.