Tractor Beam. Will it cripple the awesome versatile meta?

By Taiowaa, in X-Wing

For shear hilarity:

Wild Space Fringer (30)
Tractor Beam (1)
Concussion Missiles (4)
Outrider (5)

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

It's like a rodeo, just slinging something around and using Protos to hogtie them.

Shenanigans are awesome, but also don't underestimate 0 innate damage

Tbeams are going to fit a niche, not become auto include

I've already gone 4 and 1 with vessery and 3 bombers.

Every game so far minus the one where I made some real bad errors tb has shined

I can see it being a auto include on vessery like Ptl on fel

And I've already beaten meta top lists with it, fel,Vader and palmobile

Tractor beam, vessery the d title and crackshot, fel or Vader will not escape.

People will try it on other things like bwings etc, but it'll have nowhere near the effect like it does in vessery.

Getting a primary shot afterwards is priceless.

With a bwing you'll get to shoot and if it hits your not doing any dmg.

This game is also about focus firing things down as fast as possible.

Plus tb is a big plus for imps.

With so many of their ships rolling only two dice this definitely helps them get that dmg through.

Two bombers and vessery took out Vader, and it wouldn't have happened without tb.

Vessery tb Vader barrel rolled him into range 1 of two bombers, vessery attack and then the two bombers finished him off.

Even the emperor couldn't save him

And reducing his agility really helped those bombers.

Without it, he probably would have lived

Edited by Krynn007

What about 2 agility X-wings? they don't stand a chance against tie/d with tractors.

They will do fine. Beating generics on PS and blowing up any foolish defender who brings them into range 1. Ships die quickly these days, only extreme token stacks prevent it, and these builds are being targeted ( zuckus, omega leader, beams ). Of course we all will have a learning curve at release and a flood of players will try them out all at once so it will seem to be everywhere.

Edited by GeneticDrift

What about 2 agility X-wings? they don't stand a chance against tie/d with tractors.

Amazingly, 3 Atk is not an auto hit against 2 Agi.

Shenanigans are awesome, but also don't underestimate 0 innate damage

Tbeams are going to fit a niche, not become auto include

I have to say you're wrong here

I've already gone 4 and 1 with vessery and 3 bombers.

Every game so far minus the one where I made some real bad errors tb has shined

I can see it being a auto include on vessery like Ptl on fel

And I've already beaten meta top lists with it, fel,Vader and palmobile

Tractor beam, vessery the d title and crackshot, fel or Vader will not escape.

People will try it on other things like bwings etc, but it'll have nowhere near the effect like it does in vessery.

Getting a primary shot afterwards is priceless.

With a bwing you'll get to shoot and if it hits your not doing any dmg.

This game is also about focus firing things down as fast as possible.

Plus tb is a big plus for imps.

With so many of their ships rolling only two dice this definitely helps them get that dmg through.

Two bombers and vessery took out Vader, and it wouldn't have happened without tb.

Vessery tb Vader barrel rolled him into range 1 of two bombers, vessery attack and then the two bombers finished him off.

Even the emperor couldn't save him

And reducing his agility really helped those bombers.

Without it, he probably would have lived

There are a lot of factors. I understand the appeal of Tractor Beam on Vessery with the /D title. But with the Ghost, Punishing One, Iggy, the Shuttle, the Outrider, and the Falcon, I would be hesitant to say the Tractor Beam is an auto include. Especially if the Firespray or Decimator become more popular. There is plenty of reason to take Ion Cannon instead.

What about 2 agility X-wings? they don't stand a chance against tie/d with tractors.

Amazingly, 3 Atk is not an auto hit against 2 Agi.

Shenanigans are awesome, but also don't underestimate 0 innate damage

Tbeams are going to fit a niche, not become auto include

I have to say you're wrong here

I've already gone 4 and 1 with vessery and 3 bombers.

Every game so far minus the one where I made some real bad errors tb has shined

I can see it being a auto include on vessery like Ptl on fel

And I've already beaten meta top lists with it, fel,Vader and palmobile

Tractor beam, vessery the d title and crackshot, fel or Vader will not escape.

People will try it on other things like bwings etc, but it'll have nowhere near the effect like it does in vessery.

Getting a primary shot afterwards is priceless.

With a bwing you'll get to shoot and if it hits your not doing any dmg.

This game is also about focus firing things down as fast as possible.

Plus tb is a big plus for imps.

With so many of their ships rolling only two dice this definitely helps them get that dmg through.

Two bombers and vessery took out Vader, and it wouldn't have happened without tb.

Vessery tb Vader barrel rolled him into range 1 of two bombers, vessery attack and then the two bombers finished him off.

Even the emperor couldn't save him

And reducing his agility really helped those bombers.

Without it, he probably would have lived

There are a lot of factors. I understand the appeal of Tractor Beam on Vessery with the /D title. But with the Ghost, Punishing One, Iggy, the Shuttle, the Outrider, and the Falcon, I would be hesitant to say the Tractor Beam is an auto include. Especially if the Firespray or Decimator become more popular. There is plenty of reason to take Ion Cannon instead.

That's why I said it'll be an auto include on vessery like fel with Ptl.

Their ability just works so well with it

I could maybe see a shuttle with it, because why not? Only 1 pt but still it doesn't get that follow up shot like the Defender does

The Falcon also can't equip a tractor beam as it doesn't have a Canon slot

As of right now the Firespray isn't popular so you don't really need to worry about that, and if you come across a decimator build well tb maybe just the thing to take fel out early.

For my squad even fel will have a hell of a time avoiding vessery with crackshot.

Not only is he trying to avoid vessery but 3 bombers with Tactician puts the fear of God into the ace squads.

So far in my list everything really shines off each other.

Really wish it was out now because im confident enough right now that I can do well with it

I want to see bombers in a top spot for once lol

What about 2 agility X-wings? they don't stand a chance against tie/d with tractors.

Amazingly, 3 Atk is not an auto hit against 2 Agi.

Its not auto hit against AG 1 either, but we're talking about how tractor beams will beat B-wings.

What about 2 agility X-wings? they don't stand a chance against tie/d with tractors.

Amazingly, 3 Atk is not an auto hit against 2 Agi.

Its not auto hit against AG 1 either, but we're talking about how tractor beams will beat B-wings.

I think, again, people are speaking generally, but Vessery with a TL+Focus or another high PS Defender with predator +focus has a ridiculously good chance of landing at least one hit (88%+) even when the defender has a focus. I think you'll see the effective builds like that more often than the one you don't have to worry about.

that was my point. 1 or 2 agi wont hold up to vesserys focus + tl + primary

A /D is not the same as Vessery.

A /D is not the same as Vessery.

True, but A /D with predator isn't very different.

People tend to take the most efficient versions of ships, too, so what the rest do, don't tend to matter as much. You'll likely be seeing those versions (Pred/Ds or Vessery D) most often and a lot.

I'm thinking Crack Shot actually - you only need your T-Beam to make that crucial hit against a glass cannon ace once, after all...

I'm thinking Crack Shot actually - you only need your T-Beam to make that crucial hit against a glass cannon ace once, after all...

Read my post and you'll see how well that worked for me

I'm thinking Crack Shot actually - you only need your T-Beam to make that crucial hit against a glass cannon ace once, after all...

Read my post and you'll see how well that worked for me

Yep it makes Vessery even more dangerous. For the others it's good but I'd still prefer predator.

The meta isn't defined by a cards general use. It's defined by its most efficient and extreme uses. The tractor beam, and whether it is too good or not, will be defined by Vessery and, to a lesser extent, other defenders with an EPT.

lol, I doubt bro bots will be so worried.

Why has no one mentioned the TB+Ruthless combo on Col V? Its not my idea, but I have played it and it makes grown men cry, somtimes it backfires, but it still makes grown men cry.

I make it sound like Paul Heaver defines the meat

Paul "The Butcher" Heaver.

This made me larf too!

Anyway, my two cents is that it will maybe shake things up a bit but you still have to be in arc for it to work unless it goes on Dash... arc dodgers will still be a thing.

Edited by John Rainbow

Why has no one mentioned the TB+Ruthless combo on Col V? Its not my idea, but I have played it and it makes grown men cry, somtimes it backfires, but it still makes grown men cry.

Because ruthlessness isn't all that great.

Plus it hits your own ships if they get close

Crackshot is a much better choice and with vessery is almost a guaranteed hit on ships with high agility and puts the fear of God into fel and any other squishy ace.

Ruthlessness is good to break enemy formations, but if your flying against a two three ship build, it can be avoided.

And again it can bit you in the ass.

Ohh! a new and different upgrade card that has potential - The sky - it is - falling. again.

I'd caution waiting - for the upgrade to hit, and then waiting some more for the nationals - and then, looking at the meta after the dust has settled.

I haven't read much about people using large based ships, which can't be moved. So will we not just see a resurgence on the Falcon perhaps?

I actually really like the idea of this because it is an interesting counterplay option. It's not just bringing a ship immune to part of the beam's ability, it's a trade off. You're bringing something that can't be shifted, but in return you're essentially limiting a lot of the Fat builds by making things like C-3P0 risk being useless, and also losing that one agility in general. It's not an option that becomes empirically better, it's a compromise.

Can you make them tractor into touching another ship? No right?

Since Tactician triggers after the attack, and you move the ship with Tractor Beam... Could you attack a ship at range 1 or 3 with Tractor Beam, and make it barrelroll or boost into range 2 so that Tactician triggers after the attack?

Edited by Azrapse

Can you make them tractor into touching another ship? No right?

No. "Touching" is only caused by an overlap, and you can't cause an overlap with another ship.

@OP: I'm not sure what you do for a living, but a sample rate of '2' is hardly scientific. I think you may be overreacting just a tad....

Since Tactician triggers after the attack, and you move the ship with Tractor Beam... Could you attack a ship at range 1 or 3 with Tractor Beam, and make it barrelroll or boost into range 2 so that Tactician triggers after the attack?

No, although Tactician triggers it's effect at the end of the attack, it takes the range of the attack as it's condition.

What about 2 agility X-wings? they don't stand a chance against tie/d with tractors.

Amazingly, 3 Atk is not an auto hit against 2 Agi.

Its not auto hit against AG 1 either, but we're talking about how tractor beams will beat B-wings.

Until you pair Roark with a B with his own tractor beam.