I stopped being hung up on who gets an EPT and who doesn't the moment Arvel Crynyd, the LEADER OF GREEN SQUADRON, was left without one. But guess who DOES get an EPT?

GENERIC GREEN SQUADRON PILOT.

I am hoping this signals FFGs movement towards all named pilots outside of those on ships which have none at all (K-wings, Punisher, etc.) receiving EPTs.

Because being a leader is often less about just telling people what to do, and more about bringing out the best in your team.

You can be a great pilot and talented leader.

You can be a phenomenal pilot and horrible leader.

You can be a mediocre pilot but a great leader.

All the above statements are true, any one of them does not invalidate the others, only shows diversity.

I stopped being hung up on who gets an EPT and who doesn't the moment Arvel Crynyd, the LEADER OF GREEN SQUADRON, was left without one. But guess who DOES get an EPT?

GENERIC GREEN SQUADRON PILOT.

I am hoping this signals FFGs movement towards all named pilots outside of those on ships which have none at all (K-wings, Punisher, etc.) receiving EPTs.

Because being a leader is often less about just telling people what to do, and more about bringing out the best in your team.

You can be a great pilot and talented leader.

You can be a phenomenal pilot and horrible leader.

You can be a mediocre pilot but a great leader.

All the above statements are true, any one of them does not invalidate the others, only shows diversity.

Last time I checked, military usually looks to have both a great pilot and talented leader leading their squads. They would have more than enough candidates to assure this I'd think. Not saying there is no such thing as a bad pilot who can lead, or vice versa. I'm just saying if that was the case, they would be on the comm system relaying orders instead of in the ship waiting to fly themselves into a Star Destroyer and di..... Wait...

Joking aside, I still feel there is little to no reason to believe Arvel Crynyd was only one or the other. I'm convinced it was purely a game mechanics decision to leave him without an EPT. And it was a poor decision in my opinion.

Kanos is the most glaring followed by Horton. Kanos is a freaking royal guard and the PS 6 generic Royal guard has an EPT but one of the most famous and skilled Royal guards EVER somehow doesn't have one??? I think FFG feared he would be too strong if he had Focus+Evade every time but I don't think he would have been.

Drea Renthal- very low usage

Laughed hard.

No, really.

She is THE BEST USER OF SMILEY DROID EVER

even so far as being able to PUSH THE DAMAGE THROUGH FEL!

Horton is irritating because he is a famous rebel pilot without one but some unknown scum Y-Wing pilots score EPT's? That just looks like FFG realized the wave one mistake but won't rectify it.

Drea Renthal- very low usage

Laughed hard.

No, really.

She is THE BEST USER OF SMILEY DROID EVER

even so far as being able to PUSH THE DAMAGE THROUGH FEL!

I didn't say she was bad. She just sees very low usage.

The combo is nice, but I have seen it a total of... 1 time on the table.

Some pilots that never hit the table are not seen because they don't have EPT's and should. Kir Kanos is begging for one and he would be playable then right now he is a casual play only choice same as Lorrir. I would love to go back and look at ships like Krassis Trelix but with how good things like predator or outmaneuver are working it's not worth it.

I'd love a Squint title that is just a copy paste of PTL. Suddenly even Alphas would start seeing play.

Some pilots that never hit the table are not seen because they don't have EPT's and should. Kir Kanos is begging for one and he would be playable then right now he is a casual play only choice same as Lorrir. I would love to go back and look at ships like Krassis Trelix but with how good things like predator or outmaneuver are working it's not worth it.

I'd love a Squint title that is just a copy paste of PTL. Suddenly even Alphas would start seeing play.

This honestly would not be a bad idea. I think the cure for the issue altogether would be something like this-

Top of Class

title. 0 points. Unique.

You gain the Elite Pilot Talent icon.

You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have an Elite Pilot Talent icon. This title does not restrict the use of a second title.

Some pilots that never hit the table are not seen because they don't have EPT's and should. Kir Kanos is begging for one and he would be playable then right now he is a casual play only choice same as Lorrir. I would love to go back and look at ships like Krassis Trelix but with how good things like predator or outmaneuver are working it's not worth it.

I'd love a Squint title that is just a copy paste of PTL. Suddenly even Alphas would start seeing play.

This honestly would not be a bad idea. I think the cure for the issue altogether would be something like this-

Top of Class

title. 0 points. Unique.

You gain the Elite Pilot Talent icon.

You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have an Elite Pilot Talent icon. This title does not restrict the use of a second title.

I feel there should be some sort of restriction to stop ships like Miranda or Hera from getting a EPT, since they become pretty bonkers with one.

Top of Class

title. 0 points. Unique.

You gain the Elite Pilot Talent icon.

You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have an Elite Pilot Talent icon or if there is no space in your upgrade bar for the Elite Pilot Talent icon. This title does not restrict the use of a second title.

I think Arvel deserves a second look, especially with the Test pilot title. Slap some cluster missiles on him and you have a blocker that can make attacks while touching other ships! (no prockets unless you were to take another ship that would hand off focus).

There are only a few instances of glaring lack of EPT. The A-Wing was given one and it really needed it. The same is needed to the interceptor since those without EPT's rarely and I mean RARELY are seen. I think I have used an alpha 2-3 times ever and I have been playing consistently since wave 2. I have never faced one. I have also never faced Horton Salm and I know prior to TLT it was in large part to him being in major need of something to make him good. I might see him now but not often. If Horton could use outmaneuver he would be great!

Drea Renthal- very low usage

Laughed hard.

No, really.

She is THE BEST USER OF SMILEY DROID EVER

even so far as being able to PUSH THE DAMAGE THROUGH FEL!

I didn't say she was bad. She just sees very low usage.

The combo is nice, but I have seen it a total of... 1 time on the table.

Ezra gets one because game balance and learning from past mistakes.

That said I'd be happy to see them revisit some older pilots to get them more play.

I think Arvel deserves a second look, especially with the Test pilot title. Slap some cluster missiles on him and you have a blocker that can make attacks while touching other ships! (no prockets unless you were to take another ship that would hand off focus).

Arvel + Intimidation + Prockets would make any large ship that gets bumped cry.

Remember that a good blocker can go where there opponent will be, and this still get their action.

He's a Jedi in Training.

He's bound to have access to skills others may not.

He's a Jedi in Training.

He's bound to have access to skills others may not.

Jedi in training? Is that why he puts Luke's ability to shame? FFG's has learned a lot since wave 1 about what works and what doesn't. I talked to James Kniffen at Gencon about ships like the Tie Advanced and A-Wing prior to the fixes. He said they are always looking to tweak things because they want all the pilots to be useful. I think this EPT things is a major roadblock for a few ships that would suddenly make a few more ships not only viable but competitive.

Ezra isn't that skilled of a pilot, but with force abilities he may have some talents. Easy explanation.

All Jedis as pilots is starting to sound like a prequel thing. In the first episode Obi Wan did not fly he had to find a transport. Luke could fly as he already flew the Income T-16 skyhopper.

warrior icon but no pilot

pilot and warrior icon

Ezra isn't that skilled of a pilot, but with force abilities he may have some talents. Easy explanation.

All Jedis as pilots is starting to sound like a prequel thing. In the first episode Obi Wan did not fly he had to find a transport. Luke could fly as he already flew the Income T-16 skyhopper.

warrior icon but no pilot

pilot and warrior icon

"Flying is for droids"

Some pilots that never hit the table are not seen because they don't have EPT's and should. Kir Kanos is begging for one and he would be playable then right now he is a casual play only choice same as Lorrir. I would love to go back and look at ships like Krassis Trelix but with how good things like predator or outmaneuver are working it's not worth it.

I'd love a Squint title that is just a copy paste of PTL. Suddenly even Alphas would start seeing play.

This honestly would not be a bad idea. I think the cure for the issue altogether would be something like this-

Top of Class

title. 0 points. Unique.

You gain the Elite Pilot Talent icon.

You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have an Elite Pilot Talent icon. This title does not restrict the use of a second title.

I feel there should be some sort of restriction to stop ships like Miranda or Hera from getting a EPT, since they become pretty bonkers with one.

Top of Class

title. 0 points. Unique.

You gain the Elite Pilot Talent icon.

You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have an Elite Pilot Talent icon or if there is no space in your upgrade bar for the Elite Pilot Talent icon. This title does not restrict the use of a second title.

I thought about that issue a bit later after posting this.

I think that sounds like a fantastic fix. Would be difficult for FFG to build around in the future though if there were future ships they released without an EPT that did not have a full upgrade bar. I think it might work if it said this.

Top of Class

title. 0 points. Unique.

You gain the Elite Pilot Talent icon.

You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have an Elite Pilot Talent icon or if there are no pilots of this ship type which have an Elite Pilot Talent in their upgrade bar. This title does not restrict the use of a second title.

Not the smoothest wording, but I think it might be just acceptable enough. Either way, when I win Worlds (ha!) I am 100% gonna make this card. They would probably make it cost 1 or 2 points though... Boo!

Top of class is an excellent idea, now we need FFG to listen!

Whether or not ships get EPTs seems to be (and should continue to be) based on how much of a dumb hard to maneuver barge the ship is. This is why Lambdas, K-Wings, Punishers, and yes, Y-Wings don't have them. Also the Ghost. Someone with bad taste put EPTs on the Decimator.

For all the complaining about Y-Wings not getting EPTs, Horton Salm with a TLT probably needs one the least. Dutch is decent without an EPT, and Dutch and Gray Squadrons can live if they have to use the EPT Droid.

This is like complaining that a huge lumbering world war one bomber can't do loops and barrel rolls. It doesn't matter how skilled of a pilot you are, if you're piloting a small moon you're going to be no better than a novice pilot.

It can be argued that Y-Wings aren't dumb and boaty, but they're all fine without EPTs.

I stopped being hung up on who gets an EPT and who doesn't the moment Arvel Crynyd, the LEADER OF GREEN SQUADRON, was left without one. But guess who DOES get an EPT?

GENERIC GREEN SQUADRON PILOT.

I am hoping this signals FFGs movement towards all named pilots outside of those on ships which have none at all (K-wings, Punisher, etc.) receiving EPTs.

Because being a leader is often less about just telling people what to do, and more about bringing out the best in your team.

You can be a great pilot and talented leader.

You can be a phenomenal pilot and horrible leader.

You can be a mediocre pilot but a great leader.

All the above statements are true, any one of them does not invalidate the others, only shows diversity.

Last time I checked, military usually looks to have both a great pilot and talented leader leading their squads. They would have more than enough candidates to assure this I'd think. Not saying there is no such thing as a bad pilot who can lead, or vice versa. I'm just saying if that was the case, they would be on the comm system relaying orders instead of in the ship waiting to fly themselves into a Star Destroyer and di..... Wait...

Sure, and so usually, you would expect low-skill, 'generic' scrubs, to have no EPT.

And usually would expect higher-skilled, 'named' pilots, to HAVE an EPT.

And that's exactly what we have.

Sure, we've got some high-skill, 'named' pilots that lack an EPT...and some low-skill, 'generic' scrubs that DO have them...but they tend to be the exception to the rule.

I rather like the diversity possibilities this opens up - you can have the 'normal' state available along the way, but it's not locked in that high skill always = EPT and low skill blocks it. There is flexibility, and that's interesting!

Since nobody's pointed it out yet, 4 is the pilot skill of both Red Squadron and Saber Squadron generics, both squadrons are supposed to be the best of the best in the Rebels and Empire.

I'm not saying Ezra is as good as they are, I'm just saying that 4 is only low pilot skill when compared to guys like Wedge, Fel and Vader

It's a game where Vader Wedge and Fel are seen more frequently than "generic red squadrons"

just imagine how disguistingly weak the Jumpmaster shall be, with PS3 generic having a medal

and yeah, A-wing prototype PS3 pilots laugh manically

This is me inside when I field any A-Wing other than prototype pilot. And sometimes even then.