Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

They'd still have a lot of old stock with the older points on it. Plus it would probably be a challenge to make sure everyone was playing with the correct values. Just a lot of overhead to it.

They actually changed some cards for Imperial Assault here .

I think changing points is quite understandable for the competitive player. Much better than significantly changing the card or having confusing FAQs.

You're right though, it's not straight-forward, but it's a small pain I'd happily take for achieving better balance.

Heh, I'm not sure which would be harder. Getting the playerbase to agree to the stickers or getting them to agree on the corrected values for cards

The Imperial Assault change was so drastic because it needed to be. It was one of the greatest F*** ups FFG have ever done, and this was the last possible option to help turn the meta away from 'Guard Swarm vs Sab swarm'.

Even in the darkest days of Fat Han, there were still variations on the build, counters, and other lists that skilled pilots could do well with. X-Wing has never been unbalanced to the same degree IA Skirmish was.

Well as of now stickers are not part of X-wing, and X-wing has the same problem that many table top games have is once you print and distribute something you can't change it. With say a video game in the multiplayer scene which requires online connections and automatic verification you can easily patch something and everyone will have all the patches or they won't be able to play multiplayer. Nature of print doesn't allow for such things.

However FFG has find ways to patch the games without major word/figure changing errata and that is by changing the core rules. Changing how decloaks works, changing scoring for large ships, changing the rules with timing charts, changing bomb detonations, (well not yet Cough*ClusterMine*Cough). These changes have huge impact on the way the game is played thus patching the core and supplemental rules is the only way FFG can make adjustments as changing pilot and upgrade cards is out of the question.

Major Rhymer and the Outer Rim Smuggler would like to know as well.

Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

I think the game works quite well for casual play where you aren't typically running the same squad for 20 games in a row. Some things are definitely stronger than others, but most lists have a chance. I think the balance is far more important for tournament play (though I agree with what others have said before, that if the game is balanced for competitive, it is balanced for casual, but that is the unattainable ideal, in my opinion). Since tournaments are where balance and a fresh meta are important, I think changing the tournament rules has the best effect. Just think of thedifference between 60 min. vs. 75 min. rounds or the change to half points for large ships, or how tie-breakers work. These are changes to scoring and such that have affected the meta without changing cards. I think it could be cool if they had specific tournament rules changes each season that cause the meta to shift.

Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

And when they need to rebalance, they'll just provide you with more stickers. And then again.

An FAQ is easily updated and much more flexible. And new players would just have to read the FAQ and be able to play competitively instead of finding out about the existence of stickers, then having to trace down a source for it and applying them. The first would cost a few minutes, the latter days.

Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

And when they need to rebalance, they'll just provide you with more stickers. And then again.

An FAQ is easily updated and much more flexible. And new players would just have to read the FAQ and be able to play competitively instead of finding out about the existence of stickers, then having to trace down a source for it and applying them. The first would cost a few minutes, the latter days.

You can't reliably rely on a FAQ to maintain balance. Over time it will become a complete mess if they do that. I'd also rather change the points on something that have it do something that doesn't make sense.

This doesn't have to be stickers. That was just a suggestion. You could maintain this all in the FAQ, tournament rules, online builders, etc. It's quite an elegant solution for maintaining near-perfect balance and changing the meta in my opinion and I'm a bit surprised on the pushback to be honest. I'd love this to happen.

How do you deal with cards that are mostly useless, but incredibly powerful in combination with other cards and pilots?

Case in point would be something like Deadeye - it's mostly useless on all but one or two ships - but (in pre FAQ nerf form at least) was incredibly powerful in combination with other cards.

Scouts aren't overpowered on their own - Agromechs / Overclocked aren't over powered on their own, all Chips do is make most ordnance just about worth having, and Deadeye is mostly pretty cr@p - but together they make an unbeatable combo

How do you deal with cards that are mostly useless, but incredibly powerful in combination with other cards and pilots?

Case in point would be something like Deadeye - it's mostly useless on all but one or two ships - but (in pre FAQ nerf form at least) was incredibly powerful in combination with other cards.

Scouts aren't overpowered on their own - Agromechs / Overclocked aren't over powered on their own, all Chips do is make most ordnance just about worth having, and Deadeye is mostly pretty cr@p - but together they make an unbeatable combo

I'm not claiming that points should be the only way to balance. It would certainly make balancing easier though.

Have proposed a digital suqd builder app as a mandatory component in the past an been ridiculed for it. Eventually, I think it's an inevitability.

No printed card cost, just a code. Squad builder has a version # and expiration date posted in the screen corner at all times. It could work.

How do you deal with cards that are mostly useless, but incredibly powerful in combination with other cards and pilots?

Case in point would be something like Deadeye - it's mostly useless on all but one or two ships - but (in pre FAQ nerf form at least) was incredibly powerful in combination with other cards.

Scouts aren't overpowered on their own - Agromechs / Overclocked aren't over powered on their own, all Chips do is make most ordnance just about worth having, and Deadeye is mostly pretty cr@p - but together they make an unbeatable combo

I'm not claiming that points should be the only way to balance. It would certainly make balancing easier though.

Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

And when they need to rebalance, they'll just provide you with more stickers. And then again.

An FAQ is easily updated and much more flexible. And new players would just have to read the FAQ and be able to play competitively instead of finding out about the existence of stickers, then having to trace down a source for it and applying them. The first would cost a few minutes, the latter days.

You can't reliably rely on a FAQ to maintain balance. Over time it will become a complete mess if they do that. I'd also rather change the points on something that have it do something that doesn't make sense.

This doesn't have to be stickers. That was just a suggestion. You could maintain this all in the FAQ, tournament rules, online builders, etc. It's quite an elegant solution for maintaining near-perfect balance and changing the meta in my opinion and I'm a bit surprised on the pushback to be honest. I'd love this to happen.

Umm, you do understand that such an Errata to a cards cost would be in the FAQ, right? That's all that changing a cards cost is, errata.

And such an errata is a worst case scenario, up there with the Restricted and Banned list options. Because when they tweak the rules a bit or errata card text, a squad doesn't become an illegal squad. In fact, you suggestion of changing a card's cost requires even heavier usage of the FAQ than the current one.

Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

And when they need to rebalance, they'll just provide you with more stickers. And then again.

An FAQ is easily updated and much more flexible. And new players would just have to read the FAQ and be able to play competitively instead of finding out about the existence of stickers, then having to trace down a source for it and applying them. The first would cost a few minutes, the latter days.

You can't reliably rely on a FAQ to maintain balance. Over time it will become a complete mess if they do that. I'd also rather change the points on something that have it do something that doesn't make sense.

This doesn't have to be stickers. That was just a suggestion. You could maintain this all in the FAQ, tournament rules, online builders, etc. It's quite an elegant solution for maintaining near-perfect balance and changing the meta in my opinion and I'm a bit surprised on the pushback to be honest. I'd love this to happen.

Umm, you do understand that such an Errata to a cards cost would be in the FAQ, right? That's all that changing a cards cost is, errata.

And such an errata is a worst case scenario, up there with the Restricted and Banned list options. Because when they tweak the rules a bit or errata card text, a squad doesn't become an illegal squad. In fact, you suggestion of changing a card's cost requires even heavier usage of the FAQ than the current one.

Yes, and? A little bit more of a nuisance (none if you use digital builders) for a more balanced game. I think it's worth it.

And for the person who doesn't religiously follow the rules or use a squad builder who suddenly brings an illegal squad to a tournament? That's just a "little" bit messier than not having their combo work any more?

If they had fixed Y-wings by just subtracting points it would be far less interesting than the btl-a4 title. Also TLT would be beyond broken.

If they had fixed Y-wings by just subtracting points it would be far less interesting than the btl-a4 title. Also TLT would be beyond broken.

Easy to buff. Hard to nerf.

I think we're just going to have to accept the fact that from time to time a few combos that dominate the meta are going to rear their heads and deal with it.

Oh wait ..... I forgot I was on the Internet for a moment there ☺

Have proposed a digital suqd builder app as a mandatory component in the past an been ridiculed for it. Eventually, I think it's an inevitability.

No printed card cost, just a code. Squad builder has a version # and expiration date posted in the screen corner at all times. It could work.

However, this doesn't quite work with FFG business model of bundling cards with ships, as an online builder would make cards obsolete.

Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

Blasphemy.

What's not to love about them??

Oh wait Anakin, what are you saying?

- I don’t like stickers. They're coarse and rough and irritating and get everywhere.

Okay sorry, bad idea Ani...

Just put a sticker with the new points over the old points (sleeved of course). Sure, it would be a bit of a mess, but it seems like a pretty straightforward way to keep the game balanced, as long as they don't make any huge screw-ups that even point changes couldn't handle.

Blasphemy.

No, STICKERS!

What's not to love about them??

Simple: They don't work without sleeves. I'm only sleeving damage decks.

Cards are cheap to produce. I agree, just make new balanced pilotcards...