Hi everyone,

The imperial player recently acquired the "power to shield" card that negates, among other things, "blast." Does this card really stop Fenn's Havoc Shot? So in effect when I use Havoc Shot in my attacks, I am trading 1 strain for the imperial player's 1 threat?

Thanks for your help!

If the IP chose "Blast" with Power to Shields, then the Blast 1 granted by Havoc Shot (or Blast from any other source during that attack) would have no effect.

Note that there is no "trade" of Strain for Threat. The IP has the choice to spend 1 Threat if she wishes to ready Power to Shields after exhausting it.

Also note that Fenn can trigger Havoc Shot at any point during the attack, and the imperial player can exhaust Power to Shields at any point during the attack. (Unless Fenn also has Veteran Prowess, then Fenn needs to trigger Havoc Shot during the Apply Modifiers step to get the +1dmg from Veteran Prowess.)

However, because during attacks the timing order is: mission/core rules, attacker abilities, defender abilities, in this case the imperial player can always decide whether to use Power to Shields after Fenn has decided on Havoc Shot (or any other ability that adds Blast to the attack).

And like Fizz says, the cost for Power to Shields is exhausting the card (it can only be used if it is ready). After using the ability, the threat can be paid to be able to ready Power to Shields immediately so it can be used again during the same round.

Thanks Fizz and a1bert for your answers!

What I meant by trading my 1 strain for the IP's 1 threat is that: for my first attack, I spend 1 strain to activate havoc shot and then the IP negates the havoc shot's blast by using (exhausting) the Power to Shield card. But the IP immediately spends 1 threat to un-tap the Power to Shield card to get ready for my second attack, in case I choose to use havoc shot again.

I am bummed that Fenn's class ability is negated by an Imp card. Are there other hero class abilities that are negated by particular Imp cards too?

Subversive Tactics is all about negating hero abilities by giving them strain.

Pinpoint Accuracy is depleted to remove a dodge from the defense results (good against Foresight).

Riot Grenades and Arc Blasters are good at stripping the rebels of the focused condition. (Jeswandi Training, Battle Meditation, Life Debt, MHD-19's Medical Loadout)

Cloaking Device helps against Precise Strike.

Think of it this way, every time the Imperial Player spends a threat to bring that card back, its less threat to spend on troopers. And you could always bring Leia and have her exhaust the card with her attack...

There's all sorts of abilities and countermeasures to those abilities on both sides... which is probably why players' experiences are all over the place, depends on combo of heroes vs the Imperial class and agendas...

OK thanks so much for the information about those pesky imp cards.

I bought Fenn's Suppressive Fire (3 XP) card just to complement the havoc shot ability, and now at the beginning of each round, I have to ask how many threats the IP has, and ponder if IP is willing to spend them on un-tapping Power to Shield.

Leia huh? I have to check out the mission we need to do to get her.