Hey Guys, if you're not familiar with the Heroes of the Aturi Cluster campaign, I highly suggest you find that thread on this forum.

For those of you who are, I have been thinking a lot about using their upgrade system for a Furball event for my local group.

The rules are thus:

Each player gets 30 points to buy a generic ship and any legal upgrades for that ship, including EPTs if you can take/afford them.

Then each player gets 12 Pilot points to purchase Pilot abilities from the faction of their ship or EPTs.

Each pilot's ability costs points equal to their skill and EPTs cost their point value.

Pilot Skill is determined by adding up the Pilot Skill of each pilot purchased, the generic base ship, and any pilot points you have left over.

What over-the-top combinations can you veteran pilots come up with?

Are there any Imperial or S&V combos that could be real monsters?

Bonus points to whoever tools up the nastiest Albino Astral Auroch.

Bonus points to whoever tools up the nastiest Albino Astral Auroch.

Challenge Accepted

The ultimate blocker Whale:

Omicron Group Pilot (21)

Enhanced Scopes (1)

Anti-Pursuit Lasers (2)

Ion Cannon (3)

Mara Jade (3)

Abilities (12)

Captain Oicunn (4)

Carnor Jax (8)

So PS would be 14? 2 from OGP, 12 from all of the points spent?

ANYWAY, the idea is to just get into the middle of the fight and just sit there. Move at PS 0 (ES), bump them for damage (The Cap), have them bump you and roll for damage (APL). They can't take or use focus/evade at range 1 (Jax). Then they get stress for being at range 1 (MJ). The Ion Cannon is just there to get a guaranteed block the round after an attack hits. Idk if it's the best, but it would be really friggin annoying to fly against for sure.

Post a few examples. I'm still a bit confused. Are you saying we can take an EPT as an upgrade but also pay to incorporate a second EPT into our pilot card? A few examples, please.

Example Time!

I want to make a killer B-wing, so a Blue Squadron Pilot seems a good place to start:

Blue Squadron Pilot (30): B-Wing (22), Fire-Control System (2), Ion Cannon (3), B-Wing/E2 (1), Tactician (2)

Seeing I have some points left, I add some upgrades, ending up with a ship that looks to have a control focus.

Now, I have 12 Pilot points to build my Crack Ace:

Mobility is important to me, especially with a B-Wing's limited value, so Sabine Wren (5) looks nice.

As I look at the list of pilot abilities, Lt. Blount (6) also jumps out. Automatic Ion Cannon hits? Beautiful!

With my last point, I can only afford an EPT. Adrenaline Rush (1) look useful, especially if I need to K-turn and continue knife fighting.

Now I have my Ship and my Pilot.

To total up Pilot Skill, I add all of the Pilot skills of my pilot abilities and the base ship:

2 + 5 + 6 = 11

Now, If I chose a ship that had an EPT on the generic, I could fill that slot using the budget for my ship, and still get more EPTs or pilot skills from my Pilot Points.

Did that clear things up?

PILOTS

Tycho Celchu (30)
A-Wing (26), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Chardaan Refit (-2), Veteran Instincts (1), Autothrusters (2), Push the Limit (3)

Start with this as the base (above). Then for skills and EPTs, it's shuttle pilots Ezra (4) and Sabine (5), then Eaden Vrill for (3). Also Adaptability for (0) and +1 PS.

Your Pilot Skill is now 23 (base 10, 12 from pilot abilities, 1 from Adaptability). I think this is the second highest possible (24 should be the cap) under these rules (unless you can take VI multiple times).

Ezra's ability becomes more abusive with a third green die, and Sabine's ability is more useful when you move last. You can PtL off your action before you reveal your maneuver (thus preventing bumps), then take another action after you complete your maneuver. Three actions per turn, super charged defense dice with Autothrusters, second highest PS possible. If anyone else tries to play the stress game alongside you, your A-Wing goes up to 3 attack dice thanks to Eaden Vrill's ability.

You only have 4 HP, but as long as you don't get Wampa'd into oblivion, you have insane tanking and arc dodging abilities, and stress mechanics have no effect on you. I prefer a defensive setup like this in a Furball type situation. If somebody does have a Wampa or Omega Leader type ability, your PS should be higher, so make sure that those are the arcs you're dodging. Also, beware autoblaster turrets and bombs, etc.

Edit: On second thought, maybe scratch PtL in favor of Lone Wolf? Lone Wolf will really make Sabine's ability sing in the early game and help offense in the late game. Then, you can manually take Evade since you won't need the focus token defensively. In the late game when there are fewer ships remaining, arc dodge for defense and then manually take focus, which should be good offense combined with Lone Wolf. (only if nobody has shots on you, obv).

PILOTS

Darth Vader (30)
TIE Advanced (29), TIE/x1 (0), Veteran Instincts (1), Sensor Jammer (4)

PS11 base.

Pilot Skills: Dark Curse (6), Wampa (4), Academy Pilot (1) (for 1 extra PS)

EPTs: Calculation (1), Adaptation +1 (0)

Final PS: 23

Good luck getting damage through. Good luck evading Wampa crits.

How about something like this for a support tank?

T-70 (24) + R2-D2 (4) + Autothrusters (2)

Biggs Darklighter (5) + Ezra Bridger (4) + Elusiveness (2) + Wired (1)

EDIT: Actually, maybe not. Wired and Ezra's ability don't synergise too brilliantly - maybe Determination then? What else is defendive for 1 pt?

Also, Dengar + Tarn Mison on a ship with an auxiliary arc would be obscene, right?

I think you need to start with a generic pilot. And all pilot skills must be faction specific.

Let me try:

Rebels

Knave (27pts) + Stress bot (2)

Vrill (3) + Keyan (7) + Lone Wolf (2)

PS 11

4 attack primaries, with built in offensive focus and cause stress.

Empire

Omicron (21) + Sensor Jammer (4) + Ion (3) + Tactitian (2)

Dark Curse (6) + Colzet (3) + Crack shot (1) + Lightning reflexes (1) + Adrenaline Rush (1)

PS 11

Difficult to kill, ion stressor, can turn very fast!

Scum

Tansarii Point Vet (17) + Title (2) + HLC (7) + Wired (2)

Palob (5) + Laetin (6) + VI (1)

PS 18

Almost Max PS so moves last (Max is 19), steals tokens for wired and defense, difficult to kill

And bonus super tycho

Green (19) + Refit (-2) + Juke (2) + PTL (3) + Rage (1) + VI (1) + Outmaneuver (3) + Experimental Interface (3)

Tycho (8) + Ezra (4)

PS 17

This guy must be having a bad day, hes so stressed. But man does he perform under pressure.

Tycho and Fel + Rage?

Generic Pilots to start, huh?

I think you need to start with a generic pilot. And all pilot skills must be faction specific.

Scum

Tansarii Point Vet (17) + Title (2) + HLC (7) + Wired (2)

Palob (5) + Laetin (6) + VI (1)

PS 18

Max PS so moves last, steals tokens for wired and defense, difficult to kill

Max PS, huh? I'll see that, and raise you:

PILOTS

Royal Guard Pilot (30)
TIE Interceptor (22), Push the Limit (3), Royal Guard TIE (0), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

Base PS: 6

Pilot Skills: Dark Curse (6), Night Beast (5)

Bonus EPTs: VI (1)

Final PS: 19 (if we're not yet playing with Wave 8 cards, like Adaptation. PS 20 is max possible)

This guy always performs a green to clear stress, then gets a focus action. Even if this ship bumps, the focus action lets you activate PtL. If you don't bump, you get 3 actions (evade, focus, movement of choice). Attacks can't be modified against you so you're crazy hard to kill, and have the second highest PS possible (only an Interceptor who took VI as their main and never got PtL can out PS this, I think).

Empire

Omicron (21) + Sensor Jammer (4) + Ion (3) + Tactitian (2)

Dark Curse (6) + Colzet (3) + Crack shot (1) + Lightning reflexes (1) + Adrenaline Rush (1)

PS 11

Difficult to kill, ion stressor, can turn very fast!

Also, Lightning Reflexes is still small ship only. =P

Ok let me try this for real this time. I think I get how it works now, so I've got two ideas.

A Real Team Player:

Omicron Group Pilot + FCS + Tactician + Gunner (30)

Keyan Farlander ability (7)

Captain Yorr ability (4)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Total PS: 14 (i think)

He allows any teammates you're playing with to do k-turns and other stressful maneuvers and retain actions, takes the stress unto himself, then uses Tactician and Gunner to spit them back out at your enemies.

Sigma Squadron Pilot + ACD + Intell Agent (30)

Poe Dameron (8)

Chaser (3)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Again, another guy who benefits from teammates. That Aturi Cluster thing is co-op, right?

Ok let me try this for real this time. I think I get how it works now, so I've got two ideas.

A Real Team Player:

Omicron Group Pilot + FCS + Tactician + Gunner (30)

Keyan Farlander ability (7)

Captain Yorr ability (4)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Total PS: 14 (i think)

He allows any teammates you're playing with to do k-turns and other stressful maneuvers and retain actions, takes the stress unto himself, then uses Tactician and Gunner to spit them back out at your enemies.

Sigma Squadron Pilot + ACD + Intell Agent (30)

Poe Dameron (8)

Chaser (3)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Again, another guy who benefits from teammates. That Aturi Cluster thing is co-op, right?

Aturi Cluster? This is for a custom store game, I think. All the pilot skills need to be from the same faction, also.

Starviper 25

Autothrusters 2

Title 1

Fire control 2

Plus

Palob 5

Laetin 6

crackshot

No need for actions, with free target lock and stolen focus or evade, plus more evades from missed attacks.

PS 12

I could not afford everything i wanted and empire looks so good.

All the pilot skills need to be from the same faction, also.

Oh, right. Forgot about that.

Don't much like the double pilot abilities or the massive PS combos.

Farrel Omnicron derping around with a buzzsaw build sounds joyous. If you combine epts for 12 total, pick up palob or guri

but what'd be most fun is if the goddamn generic Vipers could get virago so I could get Palob with sensor jammers

oh well, it'll have to be imperial phantom pilot Palob with jammers

Also, I think the RGP is the highest PS generic outside those using ep ace's ability (ps12 bwing with Thurr arc dodging anyone?)

Rgp with Daredevil and ei leaves 2 points for RGP title + thrusters

Slap on Tycho + oicuun; never have to fire a shot (just bury yourself in the enemy's bosom)