The gist of the article is that if you only Target Lock, then you get an additional defense boost for 3 points at no cost for your damage output. Not to mention Integrated Astromech goodness on X-wings.
http://aripax.blogspot.ro/2016/07/focus-vs-target-lock-fresh-look-with-r3.html
the wording is misleading
see, the article only mentions "when you're using TL"
what you want is "when you're only using TL" or other re-rolls, which is not something you will commonly see on the high PS pilots needed to make the evade relevant
I disagree vehemently with the conclusion of "it's not as bad as people say"
the vast set of restrictions, including the horrible rng, makes this one of the most bafflingly horribly designed cards to date
if the odds of it working are truly a pathetic 33% with 3 dice or 41% with four dice, then it's somehow even worse than I initially imagined
Edited by ficklegreendiceI'm with the OP on this. People are talking about it like you're always using it, instead of using it opportunisticaly. I see it useful in several situations, appropriate for its cost:
1. You want to maximize defense. You Focus, but you keep it for defense, and you get to harvest an Evade from an eyeball on attack.
2. You make a balanced attack. Basically what the OP discusses, you TL instead of Focusing, and depending on game state, you harvest the Focus before or after the TL re-roll.
Compared to regen droids, it's cheaper, doesn't restrict movement (R2D2) and doesn't require an action (R5P9). It also does damage avoidance instead of damage recovery, so it's more useful against control cannons.
The main thing I don't like about it is that it is much better on high PS stuff unless you're packing Comm Relay.
Double post
Edited by Biophysicalthe wording is misleading
see, the article only mentions "when you're using TL"
what you want is "when you're only using TL" or other re-rolls, which is not something you will commonly see on the high PS pilots needed to make the evade relevant
Yeah, my bad, I should specify that it's only TL. But you shouldn't look at this card as being for action-economy aces, but for pilots who lack that. It's for Horton, Luke, Ello, Etahn (an example, not that I've run Etahn in over two years), assuming they see play. It's basically for your 2nd ship in degrees of importance.
I disagree vehemently with the conclusion of "it's not as bad as people say"
the vast set of restrictions, including the horrible rng, makes this one of the most bafflingly horribly designed cards to date
if the odds of it working are truly a pathetic 33% with 3 dice or 41% with four dice, then it's somehow even worse than I initially imagined
It has a 33% chance of working if you're not giving up any offense. And bear in mind that it can activate Juke, which can increase your damage output by 10-18% (compensating for the chances of it activating).
I'm with the OP on this. People are talking about it like you're always using it, instead of using it opportunisticaly. I see it useful in several situations, appropriate for its cost:
1. You want to maximize defense. You Focus, but you keep it for defense, and you get to harvest an Evade from an eyeball on attack.
2. You make a balanced attack. Basically what the OP discusses, you TL instead of Focusing, and depending on game state, you harvest the Focus before or after the TL re-roll.
Compared to regen droids, it's cheaper, doesn't restrict movement (R2D2) and doesn't require an action (R5P9). It also does damage avoidance instead of damage recovery, so it's more useful against control cannons.
The main thing I don't like about it is that it is much better on high PS stuff unless you're packing Comm Relay.
Yes, I forgot to mention that you can harvest the focus before you reroll if you're in a pickle.
R3 is bad.
It's bad, man.
Let's move on.
Dang! I had thought about this just recently and was going to talk about it tonight when I record my next podcast. I thought I was going to be first about it. Oh, well.
I absolutely agree! There is always the age old argument of "should I TL or should I focus"? Whenever I argue one, the luck blows the utter opposite. So much so, that the next time someone asks me, I suggest the other....and the wind blows so far the other way that I just shut up on the subject now. I don't offer TL or Focus to anyone.
With the idea of Always going for a TL, you have a chance to get that Eyeball result with the re-roll and improve your defense. So, you are increasing your damage out put at the same time you are increasing your defensive output.
Yes, it works best on higher PS pilots. Still....what's one of the worst aspects of Wedge? He's a monster on offense, but not the best on Defense. So, R3 might actually give him a better chance to stay alive. Wedge can use the free Evade more than most.
Luke is a perfect pilot to use R3, as well. He usually doesn't need the Focus as he gets a free one every round on 2 dice. With R3, he becomes even tankier as you know he's going to TL every round.
If you have Comm Relays, it's good for getting in that banked Evade. It works with Juke.
I think a lot of people are dismissing it without even trying it. I think it's one of those that you look at first and it doesn't seem that great, but you try it and it actually works much better than one thinks.
Useful in only a limited way. NOT the boost to bring some astromech ships back to the table I was hoping for.
Edited by Cr0akerYes, it works best on higher PS pilots. Still....what's one of the worst aspects of Wedge? He's a monster on offense, but not the best on Defense. So, R3 might actually give him a better chance to stay alive. Wedge can use the free Evade more than most.
I was leery of giving the example of Wedge, because he's such a huge target. If your opponent focuses him down, then R3 didn't have much chance to trigger. I think this is the main reason people are dismissing it: if you're a big target 33% chance of an evade doesn't do much.
the wording is misleading
see, the article only mentions "when you're using TL"
what you want is "when you're only using TL" or other re-rolls, which is not something you will commonly see on the high PS pilots needed to make the evade relevant
Yeah, my bad, I should specify that it's only TL. But you shouldn't look at this card as being for action-economy aces, but for pilots who lack that. It's for Horton, Luke, Ello, Etahn (an example, not that I've run Etahn in over two years), assuming they see play. It's basically for your 2nd ship in degrees of importance.
I disagree vehemently with the conclusion of "it's not as bad as people say"
the vast set of restrictions, including the horrible rng, makes this one of the most bafflingly horribly designed cards to date
if the odds of it working are truly a pathetic 33% with 3 dice or 41% with four dice, then it's somehow even worse than I initially imagined
It has a 33% chance of working if you're not giving up any offense. And bear in mind that it can activate Juke, which can increase your damage output by 10-18% (compensating for the chances of it activating).
r3 is garbage for Horton unless you enjoy BTL-a4's 2 dice fishing for a focus and 2 greens to help out with the K-turn you have to do during jousting. **** thing is primary weapon only
Ethan's PS 5, just about everything that isn't generic (not counting Glaives) is going to make that evade irrelevent
all we have is poor Luke, who is still stuck doing chump damage and jousting inefficiently
as for activating Juke, it's still completely random. Throwing away more points to offset the offensive loss in a way that might just fart out on you is not a good idea
even worse is the fact that the Juke r3 relay red vet is 33 points. Compared to the x7 juke Glaive, it's just horrible.
RNG dependent trigger for Juke. Low PS means no chance to use the evade defensively. Already horribly jousting inefficient at a base cost; worse with all these situational upgrades piled on
Edited by ficklegreendiceFickle: "if it's not a 100% guarantee, blow it out your ass"
Meanwhile lonewolf is still considered amazing, despite it have more restrictions to work
Yes, it works best on higher PS pilots. Still....what's one of the worst aspects of Wedge? He's a monster on offense, but not the best on Defense. So, R3 might actually give him a better chance to stay alive. Wedge can use the free Evade more than most.
I was leery of giving the example of Wedge, because he's such a huge target. If your opponent focuses him down, then R3 didn't have much chance to trigger. I think this is the main reason people are dismissing it: if you're a big target 33% chance of an evade doesn't do much.
True, but if you went with the idea of either a Focus or a TL, the answer (with R3) is to always TL. It will boost your attack and it has a 33% of boosting your defense at the same time. R3 is like onions: it has layers.
If anyone gets focus fired they are pretty much screwed.
Fickle: "if it's not a 100% guarantee, blow it out your ass"
Meanwhile lonewolf is still considered amazing, despite it have more restrictions to work
uh, no
Lonewolf has one restriction (don't be in range 1-2 of friendly ship)
let's examine r3
Restrictions:
Lone wolf is not round restricted, it isn't attack or defense restricted, and it isn't primary weapon restricted (from either attacker or defender)
if you think not having rolled blanks for LW to work is somehow a restriction, then idk what to tell you other than "you generally don't ever want to see blanks rolled"
Edited by ficklegreendiceYes, but one gives a re-roll and one gives an Evade token. Bigger difference to me.
Yes, but one gives a re-roll and one gives an Evade token. Bigger difference to me.
not quite correct
one gives you re-rolls on one blank result per roll made while active
the other might give you an evade token at the cost of a focus result at a time during which you couldn't usefully spend the evade anyway (re: v people shooting before you)
hell, no attack? no chance at an evade
attack? might not get it anyway; might not even be relevant due to PS differences
attack AND higher ps? just might not get it anyway
Edited by ficklegreendiceall we have is poor Luke, who is still stuck doing chump damage and jousting inefficiently
Wait....when did an X-wing start to be "chump damage"? Is it at the point in the game that 3 red dice are considered "chump damage"? I figure with the TL he will use every turn that his damage output was pretty good. Oh, not HLC or Proton Torp good, but definitely not bad.
As for jousting score, I wonder what it would be with IA and R3 thrown in.
I agree that Lone Wolf is a better card than R3. That's not in question here. But if it is better than Shield upgrade, then perhaps ships that would like a shield upgrade but can't take one (*cough* Autothrusters) could instead take this, or this and Comm Relay with the conditions I've specified.
And lone wolf, if triggered, can give me nothing.
This will never be the case for R3.
Yes, but one gives a re-roll and one gives an Evade token. Bigger difference to me.
not quite correct
one gives you re-rolls on one blank result per roll made while active
the other might give you an evade token at the cost of a focus result at a time during which you couldn't usefully spend the evade anyway (re: v people shooting before you)
Well....the other means using a TL to improve your attack, but gives a 33% that it will also definitely increase your defense. The bit about "at a time during which you couldn't usually spend the evade anyway" is purely based on the PS value and completely subjective. Put it on a PS 8 or 9 pilot and you are doing great.
PS difference is anything but subjective, it's a strict numerical comparison and it greatly restricts your ability to leverage the upgrade on MANY pilots; against many pilots on top of R3's myriad other restrictions
And lone wolf, if triggered, can give me nothing.
This will never be the case for R3.
uh, bull
you can just not roll focus
not to mention, if you focus with LW you're either getting positive results (natural hit/evade or focused hit/evade) or a re-roll
with R3, well hey you get to give up the result if you want it to do anything
Edited by ficklegreendiceIf I don't roll a focus, R3 can't trigger.
See, all the words mean stuff.
If I don't roll a focus, R3 can't trigger.
See, all the words mean stuff.
they sure do
they mean R3 is pretty **** horrible
...in your opinion.
...in your opinion.
afraid not
it's not like I wished for a crummy astromech, but we got what we got: a card that is not only incredibly situational AND incredibly corner case, but also completely random
I don't get to decide these things, they're all written into the card's ability
It's garbage. Wishing very hard that it weren't garbage, won't make it not garbage.
Garbage