I think I already know the answer to this question, but really want someone to tell me otherwise XD

I've recently started playing around with Mindlink, and naturally Palob and Kaa'To are first on the list. However, I've just started wondering whether the Moldy Crow title couldn't activate Mindlink...? Naturally, the wording on the card says "assigned" possibly to avoid this particular loophole, but it would also seem logical to say that since Palob is focused, the whole squad is automatically focused.

Like I said, it probably doesn't work like that, but I can't seem to find other forums discussing this.

Anyway, thanks for the help!

Keeping focus token (not discarding) is not equal to "be assigned a focus token"

so nope.

but WHEN HE STEALS ONE, it triggers

No, having a focus token at the start of a round wouldn't activate Mindlink, any more than spending a focus token (and thereby having none) would with any normal ship.

Moldy Crow actually makes Mindlink shenanigans more difficult.

You are right, it doesn't work like that. "You are assigned a token" is not the process of holding it, but of aquiering it. Meaning you only get to give your other ships focus when you gain a new one.

Thanks guys, at least i have confirmation. Shame, it could have made for some sweet action economy, but hey ho...

I've got this scum foursome on the ago atm, lots of fun and surprisingly good on the table:

Kaa'To

Mindlink

Concussion M

G chips

Black Sun Ace

Mindlink

Concussion M

G chips

Tansarii Point Veteran

Mindlink

Title

HLC (or Mangler + Stealth Device)

Palob

Mindlink

Dorsal turret (or maybe Blaster Turret, but that complicates things)

All PS5, all able to move and fire as one...what do you guys think? Have I missed an opportunity for even more mindlink shenanigans?

I've played around with Mindlink a lot recently. Personally I find Kaa'to a bit expensive, once he's fired off his missiles he's still just an expensive z-95. Palob is fantastic in Mindlink lists as his ability can trigger mindlink and focus the whole squad even if you're all blocked. Guri is brilliant with Mindlink and Manaroo is also fantastic. Not got round to testing my Sycks or Kirazhsjhfkhfgkj fighters with mindlink yet.

I got third in a 16 player tournament with

Guri

Mindlink

Tittle

Autothrusters

FCS

Cloaking Device

Palob

Mindlink

TLT

Dengar

Kavil

Mindlink

TLT

Unhinged

Great fun to fly

Strip down Kaa'to and BSA. Treat your Palob as the ace he is and gear him up properly.

Moldy Crow actually makes Mindlink shenanigans more difficult.

I'm new but have enjoyed using Moldy Crow with Palob. I recently picked up the Attanni ML cards, so how does MC make ML difficult? Jalob certainly benefits more than his ML partners but how does it adversely affect using ML?

And while I'm asking, does Laa'Too's ability to strip a Focus from a friendly mean he's acquired a focus, thereby supplying any mindlinked partners, including the one stripped, a Focus?

Moldy Crow actually makes Mindlink shenanigans more difficult.

I'm new but have enjoyed using Moldy Crow with Palob. I recently picked up the Attanni ML cards, so how does MC make ML difficult? Jalob certainly benefits more than his ML partners but how does it adversely affect using ML?

And while I'm asking, does Laa'Too's ability to strip a Focus from a friendly mean he's acquired a focus, thereby supplying any mindlinked partners, including the one stripped, a Focus?

Crow just means he won't get another focus through the mind link since he already has one (or more). But he can still get more by focusing with his own action.

I like to use manaroo with him, because he can save 3 per turn with her.

With Kaa'to, yes. The person he steals the focus from gets it right back as long as they are linked. He's the inverse of manaroo.

Moldy Crow actually makes Mindlink shenanigans more difficult.

I'm new but have enjoyed using Moldy Crow with Palob. I recently picked up the Attanni ML cards, so how does MC make ML difficult? Jalob certainly benefits more than his ML partners but how does it adversely affect using ML?

And while I'm asking, does Laa'Too's ability to strip a Focus from a friendly mean he's acquired a focus, thereby supplying any mindlinked partners, including the one stripped, a Focus?

Because the more focus Palob holds on to, the less benefit he specifically gets from Mindlink.

Thanks Sekac and thespaceinvader. So, it would be better to replace the MC 3 points with a Hull Upgrade as I don't see how you get Manaroo on his ship.

I've had fun with Guri, Palob, and Manaroo all with mindlink. There is tons of synergy between these friends.

Moldy Crow is for sure one of the upgrades in every variant of the list. He stores 3 focus a turn and can actually justify a blaster turret with that level of focus piling. I usually tend toward dorsal/ABT because blaster still isn't that great and points are tight.

I've played around with Mindlink a lot recently. Personally I find Kaa'to a bit expensive, once he's fired off his missiles he's still just an expensive z-95. Palob is fantastic in Mindlink lists as his ability can trigger mindlink and focus the whole squad even if you're all blocked. Guri is brilliant with Mindlink and Manaroo is also fantastic. Not got round to testing my Sycks or Kirazhsjhfkhfgkj fighters with mindlink yet.

I've found that Kaa'to is one of the better Mindlink platforms due to his ability. You're paying three points for him over a Black Sun Soldier, but get a +2 PS bump and he can either get double focus tokens or just serve to feed the squad while still functiing as a normal Z-95. I had a blast teaming him with Bossk and Zuckuss, with Mindlink freeing the other two to take Target Locks, evades or boosts.

I'm less of a fan of Palob and mindlink. At that point, he's just a deterrent against taking a focus action at all, since it will just help the entire team.

Lots of X7 Defenders out there getting free evades. Palob counters lots of good ships out there right now.

I'm less of a fan of Palob and mindlink. At that point, he's just a deterrent against taking a focus action at all, since it will just help the entire team.

That's not always a bad thing though. Recent tournament my opponent was simply not taking actions with his b-wings. He had unspent TL's, didn't want to barrel roll (or did so for no reason at times just to use his action) and refused to focus so Palob couldn't steal it. Made them very inefficient whilst Guri just picked them off using boost/BR to stay in range 1 and get TL & double focus from FCS, mindlink and her ability. Palob brings psychological warfare which can really tip the balance over a long day.

The other key with Palob is actually the PS5 - being able to choose activation order can be vital in a Mindlink list to deal with stress, and most of the best candidates for the list (due to EPT availability and cost) are the same.

To add a question; if your hwk has the mindlink *and* recon specialist do all the ships with the mindlink receive two focus tokens?

Alas, no. Recon Spec triggers on an action, Mindlink assigns a token.

To add a question; if your hwk has the mindlink *and* recon specialist do all the ships with the mindlink receive two focus tokens?

Mindlink only EVER provides one token of each type on a given occasion it triggers. It doesn't matter how many tokens one ship gains, the maximum the others can get is one.

The card reads:

"Each time you are assigned a focus or stress token, each other friendly ship with Attanni Mindlink must also be assigned the same type of token if it does not already have one. "

So how do you double/triple stack focus tokens with mindlink? Guri, Palob and Manaroo. They all trigger at the start of the combat phase so you get to choose the order of triggering. For example; Guri has used her action to boost/BR into R1 of an enemy ship. Manaroo has BR'd to block and Palob performed a red move to get within range for his ability. All your ships are stressed due to Palob moving last and mindlink sharing the stress. So now what? Trigger Palob to steal a focus, triggering mindlink giving everyone a focus. Trigger Guri to get her free focus for R1. Trigger Manroo to drop her focus onto Guri thus triggering mindlink again and assigning Manroo a focus as she is the only ship with no focus. Everyone's stressed and focus'd and Guri has triple focus in addition to taking 2 re-positional actions. Maybe even a TL from Manroo too (K4, Unhinged build is great). Manaroo could also drop her tokens onto Palob or you could trigger guri first or Palob could steal an evade or... or... or... whatever the situation requires. You can take focus actions if you have no need to re-position and double stack on everyone but my point is it really open up your action economy if you look for ways to get a free focus instead of looking to your actions with mindlink. Guri gets blocked? No problem. She's at R1 of an enemy ship so will get a free focus and trigger mindlink.

Kaa'tos seems like a good choice at first but he has to have a friendly ship to steal from to trigger his ability. Yes I know, Palob steals too but from your opponent. This helps create a big bubble they just don't want ships going into with a focus or evade token. Kaa'tos means keeping him close(ish) to another ship for maximum benefit. Brobots are pretty good with it so long as you use the switch and bait method well and sure there are plenty of lists that will benefit from it but for maximum benefit I find this trio of Guri, Palob and Manaroo are the dream team.

It's a fantastic card but takes a little thinking to really get the most out of. Stress and blocking are considered it's weaknesses so figure out how to get multiple triggers into a list and your laughing. It's not auto-win, it doesn't need nerfing. It just is the most fun I've had with x-wing in a while. I love this card and I'm loving finding new ways to abuse it to the full

That is one hell of a combo...gonna have to try that out!

I just had another thought (yes I know, i'm still thinking about Moldy Crow...)

WHAT IF...palob focuses like mad for the first couple of rounds, keeping all of his tokens with MC etc. Then, when things start getting hairy, no need to focus because Kaa'To will just steal one of Palob's many focuses(/focii/focusees?), thus activating mindlink for everyone, thus freeing up the action roound for more important things like TLs and BRs.

LOL, maybe I should just give up the idea of MC and Mindlink...

That is one hell of a combo...gonna have to try that out!

I just had another thought (yes I know, i'm still thinking about Moldy Crow...)

WHAT IF...palob focuses like mad for the first couple of rounds, keeping all of his tokens with MC etc. Then, when things start getting hairy, no need to focus because Kaa'To will just steal one of Palob's many focuses(/focii/focusees?), thus activating mindlink for everyone, thus freeing up the action roound for more important things like TLs and BRs.

LOL, maybe I should just give up the idea of MC and Mindlink...

I did try this out when I first started experimenting with Mindlink. It does work and provides a contingency for everyone getting blocked etc. but my opponents usually found it fairly predictable keeping Palob and Kaa'tos close by. Give it a go though. It's all about fun at the end of the day. Find a squad you like and fly the hell out of it! Make tweaks and adjustments based on your results. No teacher like experience my friend

That is one hell of a combo...gonna have to try that out!

If you're interested; HERE's what I've been using recently.