So I really like Zeb Orrelios crew on the Ghost, but every time I mention that, people think I'm crazy. "Trap card" is the phrase most often used.

I understand the basic logic behind this, the Ghost has 0 agility dice so you may often take more damage than you give. But the Ghost is a grisly bear, you really don't want to go blow-for-blow with it.

Here's my preferred build:

44: Chopper, FCS, autoblaster, Han Solo, Zeb, Ghost (throw whatever Phantom you like in the back)

With TLs and Han he's very offensively efficient, and I often have an action for evade. What ship wants to trade blows?

-Soontir crashes in and has no actions (though ironically gets a focus from Chopper). A perfect roll from Soontir does 3 damage, or just slightly under 1/5th of Chopper's health. In return, Chopper dishes out 5 modified dice, and follows that with 2 undodgeables. Soontir is very likely to disappear in one turn.

-Inquistor? Same deal only no focus. Vader might sneak a crit in there and might actually survive due to his HP. Omega Leader is probably worst case ace, but even he's a bad dice round from death.

-Dash? Dash does nothing but take on the chin. Hopefully he's got Lonewolf!

-TLTs? Nope.

-Even jump masters don't like it. Yes they move first, and can bump me and stop my evade. But they're still trading 3 dice for 7 against a ship that's nearly twice as tough.

I can't think of a single popular ship that enjoys this matchup.

I also think people wildly overestimate it's downside. It only triggers if an enemy ship is in MY firing arc, not the other way around. They only get to swing back if I happen to be in theirs as well. So 50% of my base is dangerous for my enemies, while only 25% of theirs is dangerous to me.

Likely at some point you'll deploy the Phantom and then Zeb's cost effectiveness goes down. But all is not lost, you're still chucking the red sledge hammer of 5 dice out the front. But you ALSO get to use your autoblaster turret if they run into your rear arc. Admittedly, this has some bad matchups (like if a decimator crashes into the back of you).

I don't know that there's ever been a time that it's triggering that I wish it wasn't.

So what makes it a trap?

Because it works against you when they bump you out of arc

Edit: my bad I meant rear arc

Because it works against you when they bump you out of arc

If they aren't in your arc, Zeb doesn't trigger.

So what makes it a trap?

For me, in this metagame, an opponent who runs into my VCX-100 is probably rolling 4 dice or more. That will often be unmodified, but not always. So I can take as much as 4 damage, possibly including crits, in exchange for making an attack with 5 dice against my target. Those dice will often be modified, but not always, and there are a lot of ships in the game that can afford to take 2-3 damage in order to draw off as much as a quarter of a game piece that costs 40+ points.

Sometimes the odds work out in my favor, of course. But it's not a very consistent bet, and when it goes wrong I lose a giant chunk of my list.

So at least in tournament play, I'd much rather be able to block a ship and prevent it from attacking me than pay a point (and take up a crew slot) to trade Range 1 shots with that ship.

-Soontir crashes in and has no actions (though ironically gets a focus from Chopper). A perfect roll from Soontir does 3 damage, or just slightly under 1/5th of Chopper's health. In return, Chopper dishes out 5 modified dice, and follows that with 2 undodgeables. Soontir is very likely to disappear in one turn.

Zeb only affects the attack that you make with your combat phase activation. He doesn't allow you to make his bonus turret attack from having a docked Phantom against a ship that he is touching.

But with the Phantom docked, you are also firing with whatever turret too (as long as you aren't wasting points with a TLT). The turret dice are guaranteed to be modified due to having FCS.

So you're trading 5 probably modified dice, plus 2 or 3 (depending on the turret) guaranteed to be modified dice, and a stress token. So between 7 and 8 dice against tops 4 less likely to be modified dice. You will more often than not roll twice as many reds as your opponent and I'll gladly trade 25% of a ship for 100% of the enemy ship.

Just too unreliable. Upgrade cards that can backfire, such as Zeb or Greedo are generally just bad choices unless they combo really well with something. For the same price (1 point could get you a, say, crack shot) you could get something that has only positive effects.

Zeb's reliable in one circumstance:

Have boost (EU or leebo) + autoblaster; **** palp aces

Incredible blocker and ace killer; honestly doesn't do much else (though boost block is incredible v scouts if you have initiative, but that's not a function of zeb)

-Soontir crashes in and has no actions (though ironically gets a focus from Chopper). A perfect roll from Soontir does 3 damage, or just slightly under 1/5th of Chopper's health. In return, Chopper dishes out 5 modified dice, and follows that with 2 undodgeables. Soontir is very likely to disappear in one turn.

Zeb only affects the attack that you make with your combat phase activation. He doesn't allow you to make his bonus turret attack from having a docked Phantom against a ship that he is touching.

That doesn't sound right...I see where you get that, this seems to be a card(s) trumps rulebook situation. The active ship per page 4 of the rulebook is defined as "The ship that is currently resolving the Activation or Combat Phase." If you're arguing that you're resolving an attack in the Combat Phase and yet are not active, I think that would need to be FAQed that way.

Because it works against you when they bump you out of arc

If they aren't in your arc, Zeb doesn't trigger.

Bah it's the rear arc I meant.

It has lost me more games than it won.

Blinded pilot from a bumped Vader has lost me the game more than once.

It's also competing for other amazing crew. Hera is standard in my VCX builds now for that 1 point.

Zeb use varies by build. It cant go on any VCX build. I use Zeb with my Heragator to good results. Hera, after all PS6 and lower have moved, can change her dial do practically any maneuver, and aim right at a ship she can bump out of its arc and it cant fire back. It's also the VCXs way of beating those 3agi ships that turtle up.

Zeb backfires big time against low ps ships and swarms that move before you, block you, and can get a token. They are getting range 1 focused shot and dont care about the return fire. The VCX can melt quickly

-Soontir crashes in and has no actions (though ironically gets a focus from Chopper). A perfect roll from Soontir does 3 damage, or just slightly under 1/5th of Chopper's health. In return, Chopper dishes out 5 modified dice, and follows that with 2 undodgeables. Soontir is very likely to disappear in one turn.

Zeb only affects the attack that you make with your combat phase activation. He doesn't allow you to make his bonus turret attack from having a docked Phantom against a ship that he is touching.

That doesn't sound right...I see where you get that, this seems to be a card(s) trumps rulebook situation. The active ship per page 4 of the rulebook is defined as "The ship that is currently resolving the Activation or Combat Phase." If you're arguing that you're resolving an attack in the Combat Phase and yet are not active, I think that would need to be FAQed that way.

The key word in Zeb's ability is "activate"

Enemy ships inside your firing arc that you are touching are not considered to be touching you when either you or they activate during the Combat phase.

Since you can only activate once in the combat phase, when its your turn to fire when your PS allows you, then Zeb can only work for you when that happens. The You aren't activating the Ghost when you fire the Phantom shot. It sounds strange and is a tad clunky but that's them rules.

-Soontir crashes in and has no actions (though ironically gets a focus from Chopper). A perfect roll from Soontir does 3 damage, or just slightly under 1/5th of Chopper's health. In return, Chopper dishes out 5 modified dice, and follows that with 2 undodgeables. Soontir is very likely to disappear in one turn.

Zeb only affects the attack that you make with your combat phase activation. He doesn't allow you to make his bonus turret attack from having a docked Phantom against a ship that he is touching.

That doesn't sound right...I see where you get that, this seems to be a card(s) trumps rulebook situation. The active ship per page 4 of the rulebook is defined as "The ship that is currently resolving the Activation or Combat Phase." If you're arguing that you're resolving an attack in the Combat Phase and yet are not active, I think that would need to be FAQed that way.

The key word in Zeb's ability is "activate"

Enemy ships inside your firing arc that you are touching are not considered to be touching you when either you or they activate during the Combat phase.

Since you can only activate once in the combat phase, when its your turn to fire when your PS allows you, then Zeb can only work for you when that happens. The You aren't activating the Ghost when you fire the Phantom shot. It sounds strange and is a tad clunky but that's them rules.

It also means that Corran Horn, Dengar, or another Ghost aren't getting to take their second shot at you while they are touching.

-Soontir crashes in and has no actions (though ironically gets a focus from Chopper). A perfect roll from Soontir does 3 damage, or just slightly under 1/5th of Chopper's health. In return, Chopper dishes out 5 modified dice, and follows that with 2 undodgeables. Soontir is very likely to disappear in one turn.

Zeb only affects the attack that you make with your combat phase activation. He doesn't allow you to make his bonus turret attack from having a docked Phantom against a ship that he is touching.

That doesn't sound right...I see where you get that, this seems to be a card(s) trumps rulebook situation. The active ship per page 4 of the rulebook is defined as "The ship that is currently resolving the Activation or Combat Phase." If you're arguing that you're resolving an attack in the Combat Phase and yet are not active, I think that would need to be FAQed that way.

IIRC, this actually was ruled on by Frank Brooks to work in the way WWHSD describes. It'll probably be in the next FAQ.

I think Zeb would have more utility as a crew member on a B-Wing, where the firing arc can be more controlled. On the Ghost, you're letting every Biggs, Dak and Porkins that can fit inside either of its ample arcs get a shot at you. On a B-Wing, he'd basically give them a version of Arvel's pilot ability, and they have the shields, defense dice and cost to be able to endure the hit.

Plus, the Ghost only has two crew slots, and there is so much competition for seats on that boat right now.

Zeb would have been an excellent pick for a 0pt crew card.

Greedo, too.

A lot of players call it a trap because that's what they heard on a podcast.

In a lot of builds, it is a trap, but in a Ghost + Biggs list, I think it's really handy. If you bump you can shoot, but with Biggs behind the Ghost (hopefully equipped with a Tactical Jammer) you won't feel the downside as Biggs has to get shot anyway.

If I had a crew slot and a point spare in such a build, I don't think I'd hesitate to include Zeb.

The other big downside in taking Zeb crew is that you then can't buy an 18pt shuttle, the minimum cost there would go up to 20pts for Ezra. You'd have to weigh that up too in your list building.

Because he's a filthy alien.

Why not Zeb? Because he's not a real doctor!

Now I'm waiting for the episode where he keeps Sabine's head alive by stitching it to Ezra's body after a speeder crash.

IIRC, this actually was ruled on by Frank Brooks to work in the way WWHSD describes. It'll probably be in the next FAQ.

When did this happen? Can you provide a link? I took second place at my last tournament because I bumped the Ghost with Fel and they did 4 auto-damage from the turret.

IIRC, this actually was ruled on by Frank Brooks to work in the way WWHSD describes. It'll probably be in the next FAQ.

When did this happen? Can you provide a link? I took second place at my last tournament because I bumped the Ghost with Fel and they did 4 auto-damage from the turret.

Refer here.

In your opponent's defence, unless you frequent the Forums and spot that, it's really easy to just assume it works the other way.

If you are going to be running a Zeb list, may I recommend:

Chopper with Hera and Zeb crew. Reinforced Deflectors, Autoblaster Turret, Tactical Jammer and Ghost Title
Ezra with Push The Limit, Kyle crew, Targetting Computer and Phantom Title
Biggs with R4-D6 and Integrated Astromech

99 points.

The idea is to ram Chopper into people or cause them to bump you. The combination of 5 dice primary and then the auto blaster is quite nasty. Reinforced Deflectors slows down the decay of your Ghost when it eventually gets targeted. Hera enables you to constantly perform red moves so you can k-turn like a pro.

Biggs hangs back and makes up for your weakness. If you do it right, you should be able to shoot your target but they will be forced to fire at Biggs, through the Ghost. Focus and three agility, plus a droid that stops you from getting insta-gibbed works quite nicely.

Ezra has late game.

Zeb on a HWK. I'm going to one dice primary all you straight to hell.

Because he's a filthy alien.

Ha! I was going to say something like this. Or that it's the anti-alien propaganda from the Empire that's turning people away from the Lasat.