I am of the opinion that the Phantom change was too harsh but it's hard to really go back and fix it. It functions... mostly... as it currently exists, but it maybe should have been 3 attack 3 agility from the start. I'm not in favor of simply rolling back the change, it's better to stay consistent than flip flop like with the new damage deck.

I just started playing this year, and I have bought the Phantom this year. I have two questions:

1) Do I have the right cards in my Phantom pack or do I need to look up some errata somewhere?

2) What was the Phantom like before the nerf? I keep hearing it was bad but I haven't see what it was. Just curious.

Look up the errata on the decloak mechanic. The rule card from your Phantom expansion is outdated.

I will. Are my pilot cards outdated?

That's it? Was your experience that tramatic that even years later you are incapable of discussing it rationally and intelligently and thus simply shreak "No!" With haunted eyes locked forward?

I never played one pre-nerf. I am undefeated with Whisper post-nerf.

Nerf I think is the wrong way to look at it. I see it as an improvement to the component design. As a fix it was a masterstroke.

Sorry I'm such a noob, I'm still learning the Phantom and haven't played it as much as I'd like to. Is this correct?

No.

Decloak happens at the very start of the activation phase, before ANY dials are revealed.

No.

Decloak happens at the very start of the activation phase, before ANY dials are revealed.

Awesome, thanks for telling me! I played it wrong. This makes it much easier to play.

Anyone who says the Phantom isn't still a good ship, is either not playing the Phantom, or doesn't know how to play the Phantom. It's gone from being horrendously overpowered, to balanced, but still strong.

No, the Decloak card has changed.

Now, all decloaking occurs at the beginning of the activation phase. So that means you are committing to your decloak before you see any of the opponents' ships move.

A nice bonus to this is that Intelligence Agent triggers before Decloaking occurs, allowing the possibility of:

- seeing an opponents dial

- decloak to block a lower PS ship

- execute your maneuver to block a higher PS ship

Edit: ninja'd

That's it? Was your experience that tramatic that even years later you are incapable of discussing it rationally and intelligently and thus simply shreak "No!" With haunted eyes locked forward?

it's more like we've been asking to do vaccinations with a hacksaw instead of a hypodermic needle

common sense says to stay away

A little socially late to the party here but...

No.

This has been another episode of Short Answers to Long Questions^TM.

The Mist Hunter has the updated decloak reference card in it.

The erreta didn't really change generic phantoms who would activate first most the time. It really only changed how reactive vi echo and vi whisper were. If you want reactions go back to soontir. It's the same kind of thing, hard maneuver on dial an then boost barrel to the best spot. It's honestly the most boring opponents to fly against. I'll factor in all risks and make a decision on where to be, you'll just hard two and boost barrel roll. It's amazing to see "reactors" have to fly against vi poe/han/dengar. "You mean I have to think about where you'll go and decide before you move?!?" And then they are crushed.

If you like tho old way just fly a generic 3, it's like you're decloak on activation of you're the first to activate.

Not really? Even at PS 3, plenty of PS 1 and 2 running around. Which lost their ability to block a Decloak. Also lost the vulnerability to Ionization.

The Mist Hunter has the updated decloak reference card in it.

Ha, I will have to double-check mine and make sure I have the correct one with my little stash of rules reference cards, thanks!

Look at me! I found it and I'm being helpful!

Honestly, and I am a phantom player ( 4-2 with whisper just this past weekend)

I am fine with cloaking being what it is now. the timing of the decloak isn`t that big of a nerf.

keep playing it. it all clicks together just fine.

to the fella above wondering what to buy to get upgrades for it....it depends on your budget. theres a good crewmember (kallus) on the gozanti.

otherwise it is most commonly ran with Vet instincts, fire control system, Advanced cloaking device.....crew slot is to taste. rebel captive,navigator,recon specialist, sometimes gunner. are all solid options that make it to your own playstyle.

_{I was present at a tournament pre-nerf where an 86 pt. 2 Phantom list won, and our local community has some very good players. I think of the 6 games he played, he lost 1 Phantom in 1 game. Not more than a month ago today, at another tournament here, 2 lists that made the top 4 cut(including mine) had Phantoms. Phantoms had to be nerfed but they are doing fine. People think that because something is nerfed, that its not good any longer. Phantoms are still strong.}

Whisper and Echo are still strong. That said, the generic TIE Phantoms (and most high agility ships with low pilot skill from ALL factions) need something to help boost their health points (hull + shields).

The balance is way off now; generic ships with low health that cost 15+ points are pretty much useless.

Basically, with all the upgrades and pilot abilities that negate green dice or bypass evades completely, we need a FREE "hull reinforcement" upgrade that boosts your hull points until your base/starting health (hull + shields) equal 5 ... but only if your ship has a native pilot skill below PS 6 and a point cost of 15 or more.

Aces can still be strong with less than 5 health/hit points beause they have unique abilities and high enough pilot skill that they should be among the first ships to shoot. Whisper, Soontir, The Inquisitor, Omega Leader, etc. will be fine even with only 3 or 4 native hit points.

The lower pilot skill ships with less than 5 health are pretty much useless ... unless your list is a swarm with 6+ ships. That's why I suggest this free "hull reinforcement" upgrade can't be used on ships with point costs below 15 points.

If we had a free upgrade that boosts the health of ships with low pilot skill that aren't cheap enough for a giant swarm then we'll see more ships in play like the generic Phantoms, the Scyk, etc.

Just an admittedly crazy idea ... but it might work with a bit of tweaking ... and less game-breaking than a de-nerfed TIE Phantom.

Palp aces had several variants, and packing a phanton was one of them.

A very scary one of them.

What was the problem, again?

But apart from making more sense thematically, offering different tactical options, making the ship more dependant on and more rewarding of player skill, creating greater tension, being better game design and no longer causing a gross imbalance in the meta-game... what has the Phantom nerf ever done for us?

Whisper is still great.

Perhaps a better question is how do you equip and fly low PS phantoms? ACD seems silly on a PS 3 ship since most everyone will have already shot unless you are facing a swarm. So you run the SPA instead for the evade. Then add recon specialist or sensor jammer. Anybody found any good way to build these?

...making it something of a novelty that is never seen in the top rounds of serious competitive play.

^{[citation needed]}

It's a rare Store Championship in SoCal that doesn't have at least one Phantom make the cut.

*Looks at the Top 16 at Worlds 2016*

Man. I don't want to know what constitutes "serious competitive play" in Princezilla's world.

The Attack Shuttle Phantom and the TIE Phantom are going to cause confusion as some point....

Palp aces had several variants, and packing a phanton was one of them.

What do you mean, "had"? I think Palpatine Aces is going to do just fine in Wave 8.