Foregoing Dash's ability

By PopsDexter, in X-Wing Rules Questions

So the other day I was at a tournament and it was ruled that if I forego Dash's ability to perform a boost action then I can not use his ability for the rest of the round. Essentially that if I forego his ability for any action I forego his ability for the entire round. Now I have hard time reading the card text and rules in anyway that would make this so. Can someone explain this to me?

Thanks,

Pops

Arguable but most people I've seen would let you do it on a per obstacle basis. And either way it's rarely worth turning it off except for your last reposition of the round if it might put you on a rock and stop you shooting.

I guess I have always seen it on a per action basis. I was wondering if there was something posted somewhere that would explain it. I hate getting a ruling without any literature to justify it.

It's per obstacle. The only thing the FAQ has to say about his ability is that you need to declare whether or not you are using his ability before placing a template to boost or barrel-roll.

The is nothing on the card that would lead me to believe that it is a choice you are making for the entire phase.

The card clearly does not state that it is a choice for the whole round.

Since you can do actions outside the activation phase it is clear you can still choose per opportunity.

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

THis is correct. If you boost using the ability and realise you didn't want to... tough luck.

But if you boost not using the ability because you don't want to stop on a rock, nothing stops you from then boosting or b-rolling using the ability to avoid the effect of a Debris Field in a different place that you don't mind stopping on.

Or so the current consensus goes.

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

Yes. You can do: attempt to br left, fail, attempt to br right, fail, attempt to boost left, fail, attempt to boost straigh, fail, attempt to boost right, succeed, > PTL > attempt to br right, fail, attempt to br left, succeed.

Until you successfully complete the action, you haven't done one that turn, so assuming you have the option open to you, you can keep trying until you succeed once.

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

Yes. You can do: attempt to br left, fail, attempt to br right, fail, attempt to boost left, fail, attempt to boost straigh, fail, attempt to boost right, succeed, > PTL > attempt to br right, fail, attempt to br left, succeed.

Until you successfully complete the action, you haven't done one that turn, so assuming you have the option open to you, you can keep trying until you succeed once.

So then Dash should be able to declare that he is not using his ability, fail the boost, then choose a different action, which happens to be a boost using his ability.

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

Yes. You can do: attempt to br left, fail, attempt to br right, fail, attempt to boost left, fail, attempt to boost straigh, fail, attempt to boost right, succeed, > PTL > attempt to br right, fail, attempt to br left, succeed.

Until you successfully complete the action, you haven't done one that turn, so assuming you have the option open to you, you can keep trying until you succeed once.

So then Dash should be able to declare that he is not using his ability, fail the boost, then choose a different action, which happens to be a boost using his ability.

That is my understanding, yes.

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

Yes. You can do: attempt to br left, fail, attempt to br right, fail, attempt to boost left, fail, attempt to boost straigh, fail, attempt to boost right, succeed, > PTL > attempt to br right, fail, attempt to br left, succeed.

Until you successfully complete the action, you haven't done one that turn, so assuming you have the option open to you, you can keep trying until you succeed once.

So then Dash should be able to declare that he is not using his ability, fail the boost, then choose a different action, which happens to be a boost using his ability.

No boost left (no ability) and boost left (with ability) under the rules are same action. However another action clears the memory, so you could boost left (no ability) and fail, then focus and ptl to boost left (using ability)

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

Yes. You can do: attempt to br left, fail, attempt to br right, fail, attempt to boost left, fail, attempt to boost straigh, fail, attempt to boost right, succeed, > PTL > attempt to br right, fail, attempt to br left, succeed.

Until you successfully complete the action, you haven't done one that turn, so assuming you have the option open to you, you can keep trying until you succeed once.

So then Dash should be able to declare that he is not using his ability, fail the boost, then choose a different action, which happens to be a boost using his ability.

No boost left (no ability) and boost left (with ability) under the rules are same action. However another action clears the memory, so you could boost left (no ability) and fail, then focus and ptl to boost left (using ability)

Where can I find "memory" (or a different word) explained in the rules. If the boost left (with ability) fails, then the action never took place. If the action never took place then boost left (with ability) should be able to proceed, I would think.

Because it specifically calls out that you can choose a different direction or a different action, not the same one again.

I don't know to be honest why you would ever want to do it in that order anyway (boost without the ability then with) but that would be the argument for that order of things I assume.

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

Yes. You can do: attempt to br left, fail, attempt to br right, fail, attempt to boost left, fail, attempt to boost straigh, fail, attempt to boost right, succeed, > PTL > attempt to br right, fail, attempt to br left, succeed.

Until you successfully complete the action, you haven't done one that turn, so assuming you have the option open to you, you can keep trying until you succeed once.

So then Dash should be able to declare that he is not using his ability, fail the boost, then choose a different action, which happens to be a boost using his ability.

No boost left (no ability) and boost left (with ability) under the rules are same action. However another action clears the memory, so you could boost left (no ability) and fail, then focus and ptl to boost left (using ability)

Boost left and boost right are also the same action. If it is legal to change one parameter to an action to retry it, it should be legal to change other parameters of the action.

Edited by WWHSD

The closest to this that I've seen it ruled, is the different action rule in the rulebook.

This is where if you try and do an action and can't, you can go back and choose a different action or a different direction. This has been used to argue (and I agree with), if you try and boost right without Dash's ability, land on the rock, then you can't go back and boost right with using Dash's ability.

This came up because of people automatically saying they wouldn't use Dash's ability so they could see exactly where they'd end up and if they didn't like it could go back and do something else and if they did like it, they'd do it again.

I can almost agree with that ruling. Rules as written does not take into account Dash's pilot ability so when the rules say choose a different direction or another action it seems cut and dry.

However, I would need clarification on failed actions. If an action fails are you able to perform the action again. For example if I try to BR left and find that I would bump another ship, I then choose a different action and boost, can I then BR left even though my first attempt failed.

It seems that the biggest argument for not letting Dash change his mind and use his ability is because his ability is awesome and people want to real it in.

Yes. You can do: attempt to br left, fail, attempt to br right, fail, attempt to boost left, fail, attempt to boost straigh, fail, attempt to boost right, succeed, > PTL > attempt to br right, fail, attempt to br left, succeed.

Until you successfully complete the action, you haven't done one that turn, so assuming you have the option open to you, you can keep trying until you succeed once.

This is actually correct. You declare before putting it down, per the FAQ, then you fail or success. If you fail, you haven't performed any action and must choose something valid. The FAQ says nothing about trying another illegal action not being possible (that is, if determined illegal, you cannot attempt it again, the result is the same in most cases, in this case it could change).