Is there something in the lore about Dengar being a pilot on par with Darth Vader, Han Solo, etc., or is this purely for game balance purposes?

He was a swoop racer before becoming a bounty hunter, which requires absurd reflexes. He also lost a race to Han specifically because Han cheated, so it has to be assumed that his skills are up there.

Yes, there's a story about a swoop race between Dengar and Han. Han only won because he cheated, which led to Dengar crashing. He was severely wounded, and that led to him becoming a cyborg with a grudge against Han.

Something like that, at least.

I have no idea why Dengar's so high, he's aways been portrayed as the least competent of the Empire Strikes Back bounty hunters (Even in the new canon with Clone Wars). Boba Fett, the IG-88s, Bossk, and Zuckuss+4-LOM all did way more fighting in their ships in Tales of the Bounty Hunters, with Boba Fett easily showing the best performance when he took out two IG-2000s. The only thing I can recall about Dengar's piloting skill was that he got his head wounded when he completely messed up in a swoop race against Han Solo... Which doesn't exactly make him sound like PS9. Maybe he's PS9 to emphasize his rivalry with Han Solo, but it's a pretty one-sided rivalry.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best. Still, he's certainly a way better pilot than Dengar.

So I'm just gonna assume Dengar's PS9 because the FFG devs took pity on him.

I don't think it's pity. I do think Scum had a hole in their game with the lack of PS 9s and that probably had an influence. But Alex Davy mentioned the swoop race with Solo being a big part of why Dengar is PS 9.

And I never had the impression that Dengar was the most incompetent bounty hunter. I always felt like Zuckuss had that honor (much to my disappointment). But seriously, if you read Tales of the Bounty Hunters, Bossk comes out being more of a screw-up than Dengar.

I do agree that Boba Fett seems like an awesome pilot and probably could have been a 9, but we actually haven't had the pleasure of reading much of Dengar's combat skills. I'm open to giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I have no idea why Dengar's so high, he's aways been portrayed as the least competent of the Empire Strikes Back bounty hunters (Even in the new canon with Clone Wars). Boba Fett, the IG-88s, Bossk, and Zuckuss+4-LOM all did way more fighting in their ships in Tales of the Bounty Hunters, with Boba Fett easily showing the best performance when he took out two IG-2000s. The only thing I can recall about Dengar's piloting skill was that he got his head wounded when he completely messed up in a swoop race against Han Solo... Which doesn't exactly make him sound like PS9. Maybe he's PS9 to emphasize his rivalry with Han Solo, but it's a pretty one-sided rivalry.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best. Still, he's certainly a way better pilot than Dengar.

So I'm just gonna assume Dengar's PS9 because the FFG devs took pity on him.

Is Luke really an Ace pilot? Sure he hit the hole on the Death Star but with advice from Obiwan and help from the force. We haven't seen his dogfighting skills.

I don't think it's pity. I do think Scum had a hole in their game with the lack of PS 9s and that probably had an influence. But Alex Davy mentioned the swoop race with Solo being a big part of why Dengar is PS 9.

And I never had the impression that Dengar was the most incompetent bounty hunter. I always felt like Zuckuss had that honor (much to my disappointment). But seriously, if you read Tales of the Bounty Hunters, Bossk comes out being more of a screw-up than Dengar.

I do agree that Boba Fett seems like an awesome pilot and probably could have been a 9, but we actually haven't had the pleasure of reading much of Dengar's combat skills. I'm open to giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I guess. Bossk lost everything in Tales of the Bounty Hunters, but he was the villain of his own story so it's understandable, and he's way more competent than Dengar in Clone Wars.

You're right that we've barely seen any of Dengar's pilot skills, so he might turn out to actually be a crazy ace pilot.

Is Luke really an Ace pilot? Sure he hit the hole on the Death Star but with advice from Obiwan and help from the force. We haven't seen his dogfighting skills.

Using the force to hit the hole was part of his piloting skill though. Also the Legends EU is pretty clear that Luke is one of the best starfighter pilots ever.

Swoop pilot /= Podracer pilot. Maybe Dengar should try spinning.

But then PS is just a game mechanic and not an absolute value, especially since PS can go up to 12 from some other pilot's ability.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best. Still, he's certainly a way better pilot than Dengar.

To quote Will Whedon: "Han shoots first. ALWAYS."

please don't

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best.

Han Solo successfully dodged the tractor beams on 3 closing Star Destroyers, causing two of them to collide. He then out maneuvered 4 Tie Fighters through asteroids with a YT-1300 freighter.

He navigated an asteroid field (3,720 to 1 odds), took a course to ram a Star Destroyer bridge and managed to land the Falcon on the back of said Star Destroyer bridge. And guess what? The Falcon? Not. A. Scratch.

His pilot skill should be infinity.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best.

Han Solo successfully dodged the tractor beams on 3 closing Star Destroyers, causing two of them to collide. He then out maneuvered 4 Tie Fighters through asteroids with a YT-1300 freighter.

He navigated an asteroid field (3,720 to 1 odds), took a course to ram a Star Destroyer bridge and managed to land the Falcon on the back of said Star Destroyer bridge. And guess what? The Falcon? Not. A. Scratch.

His pilot skill should be infinity.

Thank you for saving me the keystrokes.

I have no idea why Dengar's so high, he's aways been portrayed as the least competent of the Empire Strikes Back bounty hunters (Even in the new canon with Clone Wars). Boba Fett, the IG-88s, Bossk, and Zuckuss+4-LOM all did way more fighting in their ships in Tales of the Bounty Hunters, with Boba Fett easily showing the best performance when he took out two IG-2000s. The only thing I can recall about Dengar's piloting skill was that he got his head wounded when he completely messed up in a swoop race against Han Solo... Which doesn't exactly make him sound like PS9. Maybe he's PS9 to emphasize his rivalry with Han Solo, but it's a pretty one-sided rivalry.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best. Still, he's certainly a way better pilot than Dengar.

So I'm just gonna assume Dengar's PS9 because the FFG devs took pity on him.

Is Luke really an Ace pilot? Sure he hit the hole on the Death Star but with advice from Obiwan and help from the force. We haven't seen his dogfighting skills.

I think it's safe to assume that he is his father's son.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best.

Han Solo successfully dodged the tractor beams on 3 closing Star Destroyers, causing two of them to collide. He then out maneuvered 4 Tie Fighters through asteroids with a YT-1300 freighter.

He navigated an asteroid field (3,720 to 1 odds), took a course to ram a Star Destroyer bridge and managed to land the Falcon on the back of said Star Destroyer bridge. And guess what? The Falcon? Not. A. Scratch.

His pilot skill should be infinity.

Are we sure that Chewie wasn't flying the Falcon then?

And then of course you've got the Legends themes, with Han, at the Imperial Academy - learning under Fel - and being considered exceptionally talented by him.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best.

Han Solo successfully dodged the tractor beams on 3 closing Star Destroyers, causing two of them to collide. He then out maneuvered 4 Tie Fighters through asteroids with a YT-1300 freighter.

He navigated an asteroid field (3,720 to 1 odds), took a course to ram a Star Destroyer bridge and managed to land the Falcon on the back of said Star Destroyer bridge. And guess what? The Falcon? Not. A. Scratch.

His pilot skill should be infinity.

Dang, don't think I'll ever get a more convincing answer for Han being an ace than this.

I have no idea why Dengar's so high, he's aways been portrayed as the least competent of the Empire Strikes Back bounty hunters (Even in the new canon with Clone Wars). Boba Fett, the IG-88s, Bossk, and Zuckuss+4-LOM all did way more fighting in their ships in Tales of the Bounty Hunters, with Boba Fett easily showing the best performance when he took out two IG-2000s. The only thing I can recall about Dengar's piloting skill was that he got his head wounded when he completely messed up in a swoop race against Han Solo... Which doesn't exactly make him sound like PS9. Maybe he's PS9 to emphasize his rivalry with Han Solo, but it's a pretty one-sided rivalry.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best. Still, he's certainly a way better pilot than Dengar.

So I'm just gonna assume Dengar's PS9 because the FFG devs took pity on him.

Han isnt as good as Luke... Luke crashed two times in one movie, Han has yet to total his ship.

If the Robot Chicken Star Wars shorts are to be believed, Dengar is an excellent strategist, willing to disguise his ship as a toilet in order to capture the Millennium Falcon. (Unfortunately Boba Fett had a similar idea and beat Dengar to it :\)

I have no idea why Dengar's so high, he's aways been portrayed as the least competent of the Empire Strikes Back bounty hunters (Even in the new canon with Clone Wars). Boba Fett, the IG-88s, Bossk, and Zuckuss+4-LOM all did way more fighting in their ships in Tales of the Bounty Hunters, with Boba Fett easily showing the best performance when he took out two IG-2000s. The only thing I can recall about Dengar's piloting skill was that he got his head wounded when he completely messed up in a swoop race against Han Solo... Which doesn't exactly make him sound like PS9. Maybe he's PS9 to emphasize his rivalry with Han Solo, but it's a pretty one-sided rivalry.

Then again, I have no clue why Han Solo is PS9 either. While he is a great pilot in the movies, he isn't portrayed as an ace like Luke or Vader, and Lando has the more impressive showing with the Millennium Falcon in the Death Star 2 battle. I guess it's because Han is the most famous and prominent pilot for the Falcon and people would complain if he weren't the best. Still, he's certainly a way better pilot than Dengar.

So I'm just gonna assume Dengar's PS9 because the FFG devs took pity on him.

Is Luke really an Ace pilot? Sure he hit the hole on the Death Star but with advice from Obiwan and help from the force. We haven't seen his dogfighting skills.

Well... it's a bit like with Darth Vader.

In the movie, he is just flying straight with cover of 2 friendly pilots... he miss a shoot at point blank range...

Seriously, there is no single situation in classic movie when Vader proves any of his "ultra pilot skills".

When you compare Han to Vader - well, from those two only Han showed something in the movie.