In a short discussion yesterday I asked myself why FFG from the outset didn't allow all fighters/pilots - even the generic ones - access to optional Elite Pilot Talent slots.

In my opinion there's nothing speaking against that move but a lot of speaking for it:

• Some Pilots or Elite-Upgrade-cards which are now just nominal options would become feasible suddenly. Pilots with unique skills would still retain them, thus being compensated accordingly.
• The cost for the EPT would make even lowly PS1 pilots more expensive thus differentiating them from their fellow low-rankers, but in the same way individualizing them
• Also from a fluff perspective it would make more sense. There are always more talented people in the mass of faceless mooks.
• More options to choose and customize from
• Veteran Instincts would have to be restricted to unique pilots, to avoid a discount PS-Upgrades between Pilots of adjacent Pilot skills

All in all I think this move would help A LOT to fix certain problems with ships and open up a whole new sandbox of opportunities rather than streamlining the choices from Meta-season to Meta-season like it is now the case.

In my opinion the game would only benefit from this move.

What do you think...?

I think the world isn't ready for a Howlrunner-assisted 7 Crackshot TIE swarm. Take the idea to an extreme and learn where it crumbles.

I think that any ship that has at least one EPT unique pilot should have an EPT generic. I just feel like it's a waste of possible design space to publish a PS1 and a PS3 (or 2/4) that are identical except for PS; adding EPT slots to the higher PS generics makes them a lot more interesting to build with and to fly with. And this does seem to be the pattern for many later-wave ships, so I hope it's the pattern going forward.

I definitely don't think that ALL generics getting EPT slots would be sensible.

I think the world isn't ready for a Howlrunner-assisted 7 Crackshot TIE swarm. Take the idea to an extreme and learn where it crumbles.

Predator TLT's aren't my cup of tea either.

I think the why is in the upgrade term "ELITE", not all pilots are elite pilots.

Something like this?

Ace; title; 0 points

Your upgrade bar gains the [elite talent] upgrade icon. You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have a [elite talent] upgrade icon or if your pilot skill value is "4" or lower.

I think the why is in the upgrade term "ELITE", not all pilots are elite pilots.

I was going to post something similar.

The hint is in the name...

I think the world isn't ready for a Howlrunner-assisted 7 Crackshot TIE swarm. Take the idea to an extreme and learn where it crumbles.

Predator TLT's aren't my cup of tea either.

There is a reason why I like Kyle Kartarn and Palob Goldahi now, Predator + Moldy Crow TLTs are just silly.

I can get behind the idea of high-PS pilots having it as a matter of course - far, far too many are dead in the water for lack of this simple upgrade.

Many high PS generics would appreciate it too.

Everything? C'mon, we already have a universal slot; it's called modifications.

Having two achieves little.

I still don't see the counterpoint, because eberyone would have this option thus everyone could benefit from it.

I think the why is in the upgrade term "ELITE", not all pilots are elite pilots.

Well, if you fill the empty Elite slote with an Elite upgrade card, then you can call yourself Elite...!

Don't forget that you'd only get the slot for free; the upgrade itself would still cost it's regular price. So, you could have at max 3 Predator/TLTs in a list rather than 4 TLTs you could buy now in total.

I still don't see the counterpoint, because eberyone would have this option thus everyone could benefit from it.

I think the why is in the upgrade term "ELITE", not all pilots are elite pilots.

Well, if you fill the empty Elite slote with an Elite upgrade card, then you can call yourself Elite...!

Don't forget that you'd only get the slot for free; the upgrade itself would still cost it's regular price. So, you could have at max 3 Predator/TLTs in a list rather than 4 TLTs you could buy now in total.

I know people often forget that, but HWKs exist. 4 Rebel Operatives with Predator and TLT would be pretty good, would definitly take quad Y-Wings down.

Something like this?

Ace; title; 0 points

Your upgrade bar gains the [elite talent] upgrade icon. You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have a [elite talent] upgrade icon or if your pilot skill value is "4" or lower.

This would be awesome except it would really need to somehow EXclude the ships where none of the unique pilots have EPTs; EPTs on Miranda and Redline would be... interesting...

I still don't see the counterpoint, because eberyone would have this option thus everyone could benefit from it.

I think the why is in the upgrade term "ELITE", not all pilots are elite pilots.

Well, if you fill the empty Elite slote with an Elite upgrade card, then you can call yourself Elite...!

Don't forget that you'd only get the slot for free; the upgrade itself would still cost it's regular price. So, you could have at max 3 Predator/TLTs in a list rather than 4 TLTs you could buy now in total.

I know people often forget that, but HWKs exist. 4 Rebel Operatives with Predator and TLT would be pretty good, would definitly take quad Y-Wings down.

8 shots, with rerolls each, and focused on at least half those shots, would take most everything down in a single round of fire.

Don't forget that you'd only get the slot for free; the upgrade itself would still cost it's regular price. So, you could have at max 3 Predator/TLTs in a list rather than 4 TLTs you could buy now in total.

You could fit ten of those Y-Wings in an Epic list. There is more than just the 100 point dogfight list, and while you maybe do not care, the designers have to take that into account as well.

There are no Named Rebel Y wing pilot with a EPT slot. While many Generic pilots are EPT capable. This is one of the most strange points in X wing that I can't understood.

Writing scenarios with a little common sense solves this, but it is one of those x wing unsolved enigmas. Even more, good EPTs are seen rarely because you can only equip one. Soontir playing 3 actions every turn is OK and awesome, but if you told a some kind of player that you wrote a scenario where a Red X wing Pilot was equiped with "Deadeye" and "Cool Hand", two EPT on a non EPT capable Pilot, they can cry that you are destroying their game.

One of the best aspects of x wing is that it is growing and growind, a machine to obtain notable profit and make us happy. And there are sooooo many of good upgrades that are, simply,not competitive in the 100 pts world

Experiment a little. You can fly Soontir + PTL in the tournament.

Exactly that...!

Something like this?

Ace; title; 0 points

Your upgrade bar gains the [elite talent] upgrade icon. You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have a [elite talent] upgrade icon or if your pilot skill value is "4" or lower.

Maverick; Title; 0*points

Your upgrade bar gains the [Elite Talent] upgrade icon. You cannot equip this card if you already have an [Elite Talent] upgrade icon.

* If your Pilot Skill is 4 or less the pointcost of this card is "1“.

My feeling is that we should have 4 categories of ships.

Generics: PS1-4 with no EPT

Elite generics: PS 4-6 with EPT

One-trick-ponies: PS 4-8 with special rules but no EPT

Aces: PS6+, special rules and EPT.

This is certainly how more recent ships have turned out. It is just some of the older ones like Y-wings that remain an anomaly.

I can see the case that not every unique pilot should have an EPT. Red Ace is a popular choice already, can you imagine how much better she would be if you added Juke?

Actually that is no worse than combining the new Defender x7 title with Juke so maybe that is a bad example.

My feeling is that we should have 4 categories of ships.

Generics: PS1-4 with no EPT

Elite generics: PS 4-6 with EPT

One-trick-ponies: PS 4-8 with special rules but no EPT

Aces: PS6+, special rules and EPT.

This is certainly how more recent ships have turned out. It is just some of the older ones like Y-wings that remain an anomaly.

I can see the case that not every unique pilot should have an EPT. Red Ace is a popular choice already, can you imagine how much better she would be if you added Juke?

Actually that is no worse than combining the new Defender x7 title with Juke so maybe that is a bad example.

Yeah, except X7 defenders with Juke cost at least 33 points (depending on the cost of Glaive Vets) and Red Ace is... similarly expensive actually. But Juke isn't the worry with Red Ace I don't think, the worry would be one of the more defensive EPTs, because she's already extremely hard to kill. Something like Lone Wolf would potentially be hideous.

I think at PS 3/4 depending then EPT should be standard.

Deltas, Shadows, characters like Fel's Wrath...

Otherwise yeah, there are a few way OP possibilities.scimitars with PTL/deadeye and all the ordnance spring to mind.

Would pump up ordnance a bit though...!

Giving everyone access to the Adaptability EPT (which is free and therefore an autoinclude as far as we can tell, in this scenario) would push a lot of pilots to PS 3 and out of double reroll Predator range.

The game was not designed to accommodate this and it would need to extremely carefully balanced, the amount of interactions is huge. Wired on a Stresshog?

There are no Named Rebel Y wing pilot with a EPT slot. While many Generic pilots are EPT capable. This is one of the most strange points in X wing that I can't understood.

Writing scenarios with a little common sense solves this, but it is one of those x wing unsolved enigmas. Even more, good EPTs are seen rarely because you can only equip one. Soontir playing 3 actions every turn is OK and awesome, but if you told a some kind of player that you wrote a scenario where a Red X wing Pilot was equiped with "Deadeye" and "Cool Hand", two EPT on a non EPT capable Pilot, they can cry that you are destroying their game.

One of the best aspects of x wing is that it is growing and growind, a machine to obtain notable profit and make us happy. And there are sooooo many of good upgrades that are, simply,not competitive in the 100 pts world

Experiment a little. You can fly Soontir + PTL in the tournament.

The same pilots in the ghost may have EPTs in the Phantom - its a balance issue. However with FFG's no errata and no MSRP policy, what was once considered balanced become unbalanced and left behind. (Besides, that policy isn't a hard and fast rule - see Tactician.)

Would pump up ordnance a bit though...!

Guidance chimps, long range scanners, extra munitions, munitions failsafe (still useful if you flachette).

Ordnance is fine.

Would pump up ordnance a bit though...!

Guidance chimps, long range scanners, extra munitions, munitions failsafe (still useful if you flachette).

Ordnance is fine.

Disagree. Ordnance, now, is only a valid tool in the hands of a few elite pilots. And it is a shame. Extra Munitions didn't fix the problem. So it is far from fine.

You're kidding right? Are you factoring in the chimps? Because that makes a huge difference.