One problem that was mentioned with regards to the damage deck ruling was that players could, to some degree, control the kinds of criticals their ships receive. The crits can be 'tailored', as it were. I would add (don't know if this was mentioned) that the old deck is somewhat 'safer' and will usually be chosen, even though the new one is better in terms of general gameplay. What's the point of introducing a new deck if it is not used?

My proposed solution is very simple: each player's damage deck will be used by the opponent during the game. So you (slightly) control what criticals the opponent gets, rather than what you get. This matters of course for squads that rely on criticals (Etahn, Ten Numb, Saboteur, etc.) but will generally encourage use of the new deck in many cases. In fact, I don't think anyone will choose the old unless he doesn't own the new one. This makes it possible to maintain that the old deck is still legal, but stimulates use of the new.

As someone said before: I'd rather not have someone put their grubby, snotty paws on my pristine cards.

I think that is the best solution. Truth be told I don't like the damage deck ruling...but i'll assume that there are actual solid business reasons for it. Perhaps making the initial offering at target didn't work so well...

I think this solution is he way to go....it keeps you from tailoring your crits to protect you...when crits should be weakening you and your opponent.

It's been brought up before and has some merits as a way to go. I'd rather the new deck be the standard and maybe it will with a longer wait time now.

As someone said before: I'd rather not have someone put their grubby, snotty paws on my pristine cards.

I kind of agree with this. I take great pains to take care of my cards.

Yes, touching your opponents deck - or any of their cards or ships, for that matter - should be a capital offense.

As someone said before: I'd rather not have someone put their grubby, snotty paws on my pristine cards.

sleeves should fix that problem...I didn't realize dirty hands was such an issue for so many people.

The only solution I find acceptable for Tournament play is the use of the new Damage Deck.
It is better designed, worded and balanced.

What people do in casual games is entirely up to them and if someone ask me for a casual game with the old deck I am ok with that.

While I don't think it is going to happen, I still think the ideal situation is for FFG to simply sell the new deck on its own. This would make it far more palatable for those with a significant investment in the game (and who do NOT want the new core set) to acquire the new deck.

While I don't think it is going to happen, I still think the ideal situation is for FFG to simply sell the new deck on its own. This would make it far more palatable for those with a significant investment in the game (and who do NOT want the new core set) to acquire the new deck.

I think that is a commonly held position.

Perhaps they should have called the new core set the, "Forced" Awakens core set, since, if you want a new damage deck you are presently being forced to buy yet another core set. Granted a great many of us will want to buy one or more new core sets anyway - but that feeling that we must pay a sort of ransom in order to continue playing in tournaments didn't sit well with a lot of us when the original news first came out.

The only solution I find acceptable for Tournament play is the use of the new Damage Deck.

While I don't think it is going to happen, I still think the ideal situation is for FFG to simply sell the new deck on its own.

But giving the deck to your opponent will probably mean no old decks in most or all games.

But giving the deck to your opponent will probably mean no old decks in most or all games.

Not sure I agree with that. The meta is currently very heavily loaded with ace pilots, and exchanging decks would mean you want to bring the old deck. I know I would.

Couple that with the fact that way more people own the old damage deck compared to the new deck and that the new FFG ruling means those numbers won't change anytime soon, I would expect to see very few new decks if players were to exchange.

But giving the deck to your opponent will probably mean no old decks in most or all games.

Not sure I agree with that. The meta is currently very heavily loaded with ace pilots, and exchanging decks would mean you want to bring the old deck. I know I would.

Couple that with the fact that way more people own the old damage deck compared to the new deck and that the new FFG ruling means those numbers won't change anytime soon, I would expect to see very few new decks if players were to exchange.

The only solution I find acceptable for Tournament play is the use of the new Damage Deck.

So you'll not be playing tournaments for the foreseeable future then?

My ideal solution is allowing people to construct their own damage deck out of available cards and dealing damage to the opponent from that deck. It'll allow for customizable decks with new cards added through expansions.

I also think the entire thing is blown out of proportion. How many lists have been built with the purpose of abusing the old damage deck, if it's so unbalancing, shouldn't we have been seeing multitudes of those lists before Core Set 2?

It's all too circumstantial: if you hit my ship, if a crit goes through, if I have the right ship AND if I get the right crit, then I'm in luck.

You could try it in casual play and see if anyone feels it's worth it. I predict that if you try it for a couple of games, you'll find that it doesn't make a big enough difference to keep doing it.

The meta is currently very heavily loaded with ace pilots

But I think the reality is that neither deck makes a big difference in play, and the differences between them aren't significant enough to unbalance the game. If anything, the new rule will tip the scales slightly in favor of squad archetypes that are currently lagging, but it certainly won't unseat aces (who will likely continue to be very competitive).

It's all too circumstantial: if you hit my ship, if a crit goes through, if I have the right ship AND if I get the right crit, then I'm in luck.

As opposed to: I hit your ship, a crit goes through, and you're guaranteed to be critically damaged because it's a bloody critical hit.

No, I can't see this as a tournament fix. FFG made their ruling, so both are legal, and you choose your own. we didn't need a new damage deck, the large ship ruling emphasizes that more than ever. I don't think switching decks is going to help any.

It's all too circumstantial: if you hit my ship, if a crit goes through, if I have the right ship AND if I get the right crit, then I'm in luck.

As opposed to: I hit your ship, a crit goes through, and you're guaranteed to be critically damaged because it's a bloody critical hit.

Except of course the damaged engine for shuttles and structural damage for the Ghost and Decimator. Tycho doesn't care about the thrust control fire or the loose stabilizer, y-wings with R2's aren't bothered all that much either by the latter and a Feedback Array ship doesn't particularly care about blinded pilot. And does anyone care about the shaken pilot?

I have an idea. What if players could choose their own damage decks and we all lived with it because the old damage deck was a non-issue to begin with?

I have an idea. What if players could choose their own damage decks and we all lived with it because the old damage deck was a non-issue to begin with?

I'm sorry, but the game designers clearly disagree that the old damage deck wasn't an issue, otherwise they wouldn't have updated and revised the damage deck when given the chance to do so.

That a commercial decision has taken priority over that issue does not mean there wasn't an issue to begin with.

While I don't think it is going to happen, I still think the ideal situation is for FFG to simply sell the new deck on its own. This would make it far more palatable for those with a significant investment in the game (and who do NOT want the new core set) to acquire the new deck.

I would really like to have a pack with the new damage deck AND all reference cards (Title/Mod/Bombs/Cloak/Slam etc) in their latest reincarantion with all FAQ and erratas applied. Would be awesome, FFG! Probably not going to happen, though :/

I think the new damage deck is just more balanced, there are very few exceptions compared to the number of exceptions in the old one.

I am very reluctant to buy a new core, as I have already 2 old ones (one bought very shortly before FA came). Only for a damage deck, as i am not very interested buying into FA stuff, which is a new timeline. Neither playing competitivey, so i do not need any of the cards or ships from the set.

(And maybe, maybe even the threat that in a few waves from now, First Order and Resistance will be their own factions, meaning you would need more ships, more money drain).

I have an idea. What if players could choose their own damage decks and we all lived with it because the old damage deck was a non-issue to begin with?

I'm sorry, but the game designers clearly disagree that the old damage deck wasn't an issue, otherwise they wouldn't have updated and revised the damage deck when given the chance to do so.

That a commercial decision has taken priority over that issue does not mean there wasn't an issue to begin with.

To be fair the designers are also wrong about Super Dash.

All the old deck did was on occasion screw HWK and Y-Wing players and people who put 60 points into a fat turret. Fat turret players getting screwed is always a good thing, and the occasional game where your Gold Squadron loses its TLT sucks but it never warranted the new deck.

Academy Pilots ignoring 1/7th of crit effects isn't actually a problem.

If the old deck was even an issue it was pretty much the least pressing one this game has ever faced. Certainly not enough to alienate a bunch of people unwilling to obtain the new core, and still less of an issue than Super Dash or Super Corran. They made the right decision allowing damage deck choice.

I have an idea. What if players could choose their own damage decks and we all lived with it because the old damage deck was a non-issue to begin with?

I'm sorry, but the game designers clearly disagree that the old damage deck wasn't an issue, otherwise they wouldn't have updated and revised the damage deck when given the chance to do so.

That a commercial decision has taken priority over that issue does not mean there wasn't an issue to begin with.

To be fair the designers are also wrong about Super Dash.

All the old deck did was on occasion screw HWK and Y-Wing players and people who put 60 points into a fat turret. Fat turret players getting screwed is always a good thing, and the occasional game where your Gold Squadron loses its TLT sucks but it never warranted the new deck.

Academy Pilots ignoring 1/7th of crit effects isn't actually a problem.

If the old deck was even an issue it was pretty much the least pressing one this game has ever faced. Certainly not enough to alienate a bunch of people unwilling to obtain the new core, and still less of an issue than Super Dash or Super Corran. They made the right decision allowing damage deck choice.

So why should any ship get a significantly different outcome to the same Critical Hit. It's supposed to be a critical hit, after all. If they wanted basic ships to be immune to 1/7 crits, you'd be able to roll an attack die for every crit and if you roll a crit as well, you flip it face down.

Would you be happy if your opponent was allowed to make you include an attack die that didn't have a crit marked on it a couple of times a game?

We all use the same dice, marked the same way for a reason. Allowing player choice over such a core game mechanic as the damage deck is, to my mind at least, a poor decision at a game design level. You don't normally get to chose which version of the decloak or barrel roll rules you want to use, why is the damage deck any different?

Especially when they had so many other options to get the new damage deck out there, such as including damage decks in Tournament packs so that players can access the new damage deck without buying the new core set.

I've played other systems that gave away printed copies of their new edition rule book (albeit a readers digest version) to players that showed their old rulebook to their games store. And they did that twice!

For a company that can and does print a stack of new art card versions for each new tournament pack, cost to the player doesn't need to come into this.

I have an idea. What if players could choose their own damage decks and we all lived with it because the old damage deck was a non-issue to begin with?

Except they did find a issue with it. Thats why it was redesigned and the lead developer participated in a Scum and Villany podcast telling people how it was a far better and balanced designed deck than the old one.

Then the financial department forced them to change the rule back to sell more of the old core set.

I would like some sources to back that claim, it's all too easy to victimize the designers.