I recieved one face up damage card. It is a pilot card. I discard it taking no damage.
Is this correct? As per the wording on the card.
Determination
Yes, that's exactly how Determination works.
You discard it and suffer none of the effects.
Note that it only works when the card is DEALT face-up and is a pilot card. If it is dealt face-down you have no idea what the card is so it can't be a pilot card; a few people may think you'd still look at what a face-down card actually is and can use that information and discard it via Determination but that would be incorrect. Also, if a face-down card is later turned face-up by some effect then there is nothing that Determination can do to it; you've already been dealt the card and it landed on the ship but now it is just changing form.
OK in your opinion For Darth Vader would this or veteran instincts be better to ensure that he goes last and shoots first or possibly survives an extra round?
In all fairness when Vader acts last and shoots first he should be more likely to survive "an extra round" as opposed to running into the off chance that he can discard a damage card. Of course if you're PS 9 and aren't facing any other PS 9 or 10 going to PS 11 is a complete waste of an upgrade.
A reason to take Determination is often when you can't risk that one or two bad pilot criticals that may leave your ship alive but destroy its ability to function. If Vader can't use his special ability for two actions or Howlrunner loses her attack boosting ability both of those ships have lost a great deal of their potential even if they still remain on the board.
OK in your opinion For Darth Vader would this or veteran instincts be better to ensure that he goes last and shoots first or possibly survives an extra round?
VI, definitely. The chances of vader getting critted and it being a pilot crit, in his three hit points, are low enough that Determination isn't remotely worth it for him.
VI, Predator and Juke are the three most common EPTs for Vader I think.
OK in your opinion For Darth Vader would this or veteran instincts be better to ensure that he goes last and shoots first or possibly survives an extra round?
VI, definitely. The chances of vader getting critted and it being a pilot crit, in his three hit points, are low enough that Determination isn't remotely worth it for him.
VI, Predator and Juke are the three most common EPTs for Vader I think.
Aye, and I have also seen Engine Vader put Outmaneuver to good effect. But those three are the typical EPTs.
OK in your opinion For Darth Vader would this or veteran instincts be better to ensure that he goes last and shoots first or possibly survives an extra round?
VI, definitely. The chances of vader getting critted and it being a pilot crit, in his three hit points, are low enough that Determination isn't remotely worth it for him.
VI, Predator and Juke are the three most common EPTs for Vader I think.
Ironically, the chances of him getting critted are fairly high.
He has good damage mitigation, which means any incoming damage is likelier to be a crit than if he had poor damage mitigation (due to Hits getting canceled first)
He has two shields, which means that he's got an additional buffer of absorption before crits start hitting hull, but not enough of one to be recursively redundant (you're not guaranteed to force an entire attack to damage only shields like a B-Wing or Large Ship is).
OK in your opinion For Darth Vader would this or veteran instincts be better to ensure that he goes last and shoots first or possibly survives an extra round?
VI, definitely. The chances of vader getting critted and it being a pilot crit, in his three hit points, are low enough that Determination isn't remotely worth it for him.
VI, Predator and Juke are the three most common EPTs for Vader I think.
Ironically, the chances of him getting critted are fairly high.
He has good damage mitigation, which means any incoming damage is likelier to be a crit than if he had poor damage mitigation (due to Hits getting canceled first)
He has two shields, which means that he's got an additional buffer of absorption before crits start hitting hull, but not enough of one to be recursively redundant (you're not guaranteed to force an entire attack to damage only shields like a B-Wing or Large Ship is).
The chances of him getting a crit are high, but the chances of it being one that he can discard with Determination remain low, as compared to something like a Decimator that might receive 4 or 5 crits in a match.
OK in your opinion For Darth Vader would this or veteran instincts be better to ensure that he goes last and shoots first or possibly survives an extra round?
VI, definitely. The chances of vader getting critted and it being a pilot crit, in his three hit points, are low enough that Determination isn't remotely worth it for him.
VI, Predator and Juke are the three most common EPTs for Vader I think.
Ironically, the chances of him getting critted are fairly high.
He has good damage mitigation, which means any incoming damage is likelier to be a crit than if he had poor damage mitigation (due to Hits getting canceled first)
He has two shields, which means that he's got an additional buffer of absorption before crits start hitting hull, but not enough of one to be recursively redundant (you're not guaranteed to force an entire attack to damage only shields like a B-Wing or Large Ship is).
The chances of him getting a crit are high, but the chances of it being one that he can discard with Determination remain low, as compared to something like a Decimator that might receive 4 or 5 crits in a match.
Fair.
8/33 is just shy of 25%.
For the odds Determination's 1 point cost is justified, low cost - not the most agreeable odds that the faceup card dealt to you will have the Pilot trait.
For the cost of an EPT slot and 1 Squad Point I would much rather spend that point on something that helps me deal damage. Like shooting first (Veteran Instincts) or adding {kaboom}s (Calculation). I, personally, find it very hard to justify using my EPT slot for Determination. Not worth it, if my opponent isn't generating crits I could go the whole match and, theoretically, never be dealt a faceup damage card. The squad point cost isn't the problem here, it's the opportunity cost associated with the EPT slot. I feel the EPT slot is too valuable to risk wasting on something like Determination. Especially when the EPT slot's opportunity cost is built into my pilot's squad point cost, you're paying for it so try to get the most bang for your buck.
Per Vader above I like Veteran Instincts is a default include.
What if you have built your list such that your pilot abilities are core to the build (i.e. IG-88's? There's some pilot crits that can spoil your build. 
What if you have built your list such that your pilot abilities are core to the build (i.e. IG-88's? There's some pilot crits that can spoil your build.
With the old deck.
They got rid of Injured Pilot in the new one.
Are you running Pilot Leebo? No? Don't ever use Determination then.
I suppose if you wanted to run a Decimatir and only had 43 points, Oicuun with Determination would be okay. Oh, not it wouldn't because Vader crew on a Patrol Leader.
So since Vader is not Leebo, don't use Determination. How about Adrenaline Rush? Do a 4 K-Turn and still do 2 actions. Seems pretty good.
Are you running Pilot Leebo? No? Don't ever use Determination then.
I suppose if you wanted to run a Decimatir and only had 43 points, Oicuun with Determination would be okay. Oh, not it wouldn't because Vader crew on a Patrol Leader.
So since Vader is not Leebo, don't use Determination. How about Adrenaline Rush? Do a 4 K-Turn and still do 2 actions. Seems pretty good.
Leebo and Determination isn't a combo I would recommend as "don't ever use". It's actually quite workable. Leebo gets a faceup damage card and has to draw another one. If he gets a Pilot card, he chooses that one to keep, discards the other one, then uses Determination to discard the Pilot Damage card.
End result: no damage card at all. What's bad about that?
Edited by Parravon
Are you running Pilot Leebo? No? Don't ever use Determination then.
I suppose if you wanted to run a Decimatir and only had 43 points, Oicuun with Determination would be okay. Oh, not it wouldn't because Vader crew on a Patrol Leader.
So since Vader is not Leebo, don't use Determination. How about Adrenaline Rush? Do a 4 K-Turn and still do 2 actions. Seems pretty good.
Leebo and Determination isn't a combo I would recommend as "don't ever use". It's actually quite workable. Leebo gets a faceup damage card and has to draw another one. If he gets a Pilot card, he chooses that one to keep, discards the other one, then uses Determination to discard the Pilot Damage card.
End result: no damage card at all. What's bad about that?
Umm... he was saying 'unless you're using Leebo, don't use Determination'. Which is perfectly good advice, as you pointed out.
Missed that. It's been a long blurry day. 