I think FFG has started to realize giving the highest PS pilot the best ability with an EPT slot is kinda pushing the game towards top pilot or no pilot. When you look at Wave 8, the best Ghost pilot is Kanan (ps5), AS is Sabine (PS5), I would argue 4-LOM's ability is better than Zuckuss', Manaroo is definitely better than Tel, and Dengar is the first real PS9 ace that Scum has. The inquisitor is really the only pilot that's the top pilot in the ship (again, discounting Dengar because they needed an PS9 ace).

W9 is similar. Old Teroch sounds better than Fenn, though I expect they'll both be of similar quality at the end of the day (either both awesome, or both garbage), Asajj is much cooler than Ketsu, Norra is the best Arc ability, Backdraft is better than Quickdraw (though QD sounds more fun).

So it's not 100%, but it's definitely a departure from before, especially when you look at each individual ship release. Exceptions seem to be (imo): Biggs, Dutch(?), Wampa, Jonus, Vessery, Echo, Jendon, and Pablo. So 7 pilots over 7 waves, vs. 6 pilots over 2 waves. Definitely a trend that they're putting better abilities on the lower PS ships.

And here's to hoping the new T-70 pilots in HotR follow that trend.

you can squint at the spread image

the ps 3 doesn't have it (red vets always had it though)

snap and nien have em thankfully

I think FFG has started to realize giving the highest PS pilot the best ability with an EPT slot is kinda pushing the game towards top pilot or no pilot. When you look at Wave 8, the best Ghost pilot is Kanan (ps5), AS is Sabine (PS5), I would argue 4-LOM's ability is better than Zuckuss', Manaroo is definitely better than Tel, and Dengar is the first real PS9 ace that Scum has. The inquisitor is really the only pilot that's the top pilot in the ship (again, discounting Dengar because they needed an PS9 ace).

W9 is similar. Old Teroch sounds better than Fenn, though I expect they'll both be of similar quality at the end of the day (either both awesome, or both garbage), Asajj is much cooler than Ketsu, Norra is the best Arc ability, Backdraft is better than Quickdraw (though QD sounds more fun).

So it's not 100%, but it's definitely a departure from before, especially when you look at each individual ship release. Exceptions seem to be (imo): Biggs, Dutch(?), Wampa, Jonus, Vessery, Echo, Jendon, and Pablo. So 7 pilots over 7 waves, vs. 6 pilots over 2 waves. Definitely a trend that they're putting better abilities on the lower PS ships.

And here's to hoping the new T-70 pilots in HotR follow that trend.

you can squint at the spread image

the ps 3 doesn't have it (red vets always had it though)

snap and nien have em thankfully

Ah, sad. Still, Jess could have an ability to make up for it. This is a bit of hopeful thinking, but I'd like to believe it's actually optimism.

Be great if she could steal or at least copy epts from other ships at a certain range

Make it an other ship (no friendly or enemy restriction) to open up build options

Also indirect infinite crackshot because there's no card to discard

If i recall correctly they technically arent called Elites anymore, we just keep calling them EPTs anyway.

You should think of the slot as just another upgrade slot, and ignore the "elite" part (which I don't even think is even official any more).

Rules Reference, p20: "Upgrade Icons". They're officially called "Elite" upgrades.

But yeah, that word has very little impact on who gets one.

ah they took the PT part off. I knew it changed i just didnt care because it only changed the name not the effect or ruling.

Bear in mind that X-wing is literally bursting at the seams with nerfs, "fixes," titles, errata, FAQs, and so on. The game is really becoming a bloated mess which hopefully points towards a 2nd Edition (preferably sooner rather than later) that streamlines this. I would really like a lot of point corrections, fixing mistakes (Scout EPT), and eliminating the need for a lot of the titles and ship-only mods that do what should have been done on the ship in the first place. I think the whole EPT interaction will be something they address.

I dont want to argue this to much, but i came from a game where after 6 years of playing the game we still had to break out the rule book let alone FAQ's and what not every single time we played.

X-wing i rarely if ever actually have to break out the rules or FAQ mid game, in fact thinking back to regionals i cant even remember the TO being asked for any rules clarifications.

To call the game bursting with rules fixes and what not is kind of overstating the facts, its several years old now and there are very few things where you simply do not just follow whats written on the card beyond the base rules of the game. Sure they do exist like the phantom but it is fairly lean on actual rule changes and the FAQ's mostly just explain things and once you have read it and played it a few ways with that understanding it makes sense and you dont need to reference them again.

Maybe is just the miniature games i played in the past but this game is fantastic for simple and easy to follow rules and cards, sure there is allot of them now but that is because the game is several years old with allot of components.

Elite pilots, those with a higher pilot skill, are those who have elite talents.

Elite pilots. Like everyone in Green Squadron at PS3. Well, except Arvel Crynyd (PS6), despite the fact that he was Green Leader.

The correct answer is that the allotment of EPTs is pretty much an arbitrary choice based on game balance notions made at the exact time that card appeared in the meta. There's really no rhyme or reason to it in a larger scope, because the assignment of EPTs has changed over the years. Wave 4, Hobbie, Garven Dreis and Biggs don't get an EPT at PS5/6. Wave 8, Manaroo gets one at PS4.

I think FFG has started to realize giving the highest PS pilot the best ability with an EPT slot is kinda pushing the game towards top pilot or no pilot. When you look at Wave 8, the best Ghost pilot is Kanan (ps5), AS is Sabine (PS5), I would argue 4-LOM's ability is better than Zuckuss', Manaroo is definitely better than Tel, and Dengar is the first real PS9 ace that Scum has. The inquisitor is really the only pilot that's the top pilot in the ship (again, discounting Dengar because they needed an PS9 ace).

W9 is similar. Old Teroch sounds better than Fenn, though I expect they'll both be of similar quality at the end of the day (either both awesome, or both garbage), Asajj is much cooler than Ketsu, Norra is the best Arc ability, Backdraft is better than Quickdraw (though QD sounds more fun).

So it's not 100%, but it's definitely a departure from before, especially when you look at each individual ship release. Exceptions seem to be (imo): Biggs, Dutch(?), Wampa, Jonus, Vessery, Echo, Jendon, and Pablo. So 7 pilots over 7 waves, vs. 6 pilots over 2 waves. Definitely a trend that they're putting better abilities on the lower PS ships.

And here's to hoping the new T-70 pilots in HotR follow that trend.

you can squint at the spread image

the ps 3 doesn't have it (red vets always had it though)

snap and nien have em thankfully

Ah, sad. Still, Jess could have an ability to make up for it. This is a bit of hopeful thinking, but I'd like to believe it's actually optimism.

Be great if she could steal or at least copy epts from other ships at a certain range

Make it an other ship (no friendly or enemy restriction) to open up build options

Also indirect infinite crackshot because there's no card to discard

I dont see why in the future they couldnt release an upgrade in the vein of Titles and Modifications, ie available for all ships. No idea what it would be called, but I think Elite Pilot Skills should be left for Elite Pilots. Hera is a great pilot but doesnt have an EPT because of balance I am guessing. But saying that, some generic in a JM5K has access to a plethora of upgrades, where some old school good pilots do not.

EPT FOR KIR KANOS!!!!

I think the simple answer is because they're called Elite Talents. Elite pilots, those with a higher pilot skill, are those who have elite talents.

Jacob

Also anyone who pilots a Pogostick 5000 for some reason.

That reason being that FFG wanted to make a generic, large base ship competitive - and, as demonstrated by their recent upgrade inclusions, they also want more low-PS pilots with an EPT too.

I don't see any EPTs on the low pilot skill ARCs or U-Wings.

Doesn't it seem kinda ridiculous when Manaroo, a dancer, has an elite pilot talent while Thane Kyrell doesn't?

Manaroo needed to have one to equip Attani Mindlink since she's the inspiration for the card. The U-wing lacks one because its a PS 2 Generic that could be run as a four-of (Or, if FFG felt Thane's ability merited costing a point, be the new BBBBZ). As for Thane... Different design subteam? The x7 defender and the Inquisitor proving to be stronger than intended leading to over cautiousness with a new action-economy based pilot? I dunno, that one bothers me a bit to, but I'd rather argue that Thane should have one than Manaroo shouldn't.

To be honest, though, I'm of the opinion Elite Upgrades should have been universal, with a handful of the spammable ones getting PS requirements (I.E. crack shot).

In my opinion, at least, there are only a handful of pilots who shouldn't have access to elite upgrades, and even then I'm not sure they'd actually break the game if they did have them. After all, R2-D6 has proven Biggs isn't broken with one, and I'm not sure PTL Epsilon Leader would be that bad either.

Overall, it would seem that PS 1-3 shouldn't get EPTs (if they were Elite, they'd be better pilots, not Rookies or Academy pilots), PS4-6 does or doesn't depending upon the specific pilot's abilities (you're a Veteran now), and PS 7-9 never gets EPTs because their unique talent is so cool an EPT would break it.

Not that it works that way. . .

Since an EPT slot probably "costs" points in the ship's design, I imagine it is one way FFG tries to balance price points on some of the generic ships.

Elite pilots are Elite ... except when they're not.

I can see the argument on the A-wing since it's supposed to be so difficult to fly, but then by the same logic all of the Defenders should have had EPTs. Not sure what the rationale for the JM5K is ... temporary insanity?

Stubborn determination to see a large based generic see play, combined with totally missing the interaction of deadeye on a torpedo boat.

The irony is, both the YV-666 and jumpmaster both would see viable play as generics once the wave -and the attendant crew - came out anyway.

Which is to say, they got fixated on a goal... And then overshot by quite a bit, unfortunately.

Assuming that certain pilots have (or don't have) EPTs for balance reasons is, sadly, giving too much credit to the designers. Some things they have done are spectacular... and then they appear to have a spontaneous stroke and release things like Expose, or R3 Astromech.

Yes, certain pilots shouldn't have EPTs (Biggs, Miranda, etc) because they'd probably be too good without them. But that list is WAAAAY shorter than the list of lower-skill pilots who don't have them and should.

Then there's the whole pilot skill thing. Defenders are supposed to be the ships they give the best of the best, right? The guys who have survived a bunch of missions and whatnot? Why are their generics (that aren't royal guard) PS 1 and 3, which no EPTs?

Yes, certain pilots shouldn't have EPTs (Biggs, Miranda, etc) because they'd probably be too good without them. But that list is WAAAAY shorter than the list of lower-skill pilots who don't have them and should.

I would actually go as far as to say that Biggs and Miranda are the ONLY unique pilots without EPT's to have seen consistent Tier 1 competitive play, Biggs for the reason that his ability is in most opinions the most warping in the game and Miranda actually has 2 separate abilities with one of them being the rare game effect of regeneration. You could argue that Yorr could be included in that list but it’s a stretch.

EPT's effectively give a ship with an ability already another ability, so effectively 2 abilities for uniques to be viable meaning that any ship with 1 ability is paying for it and typically mid-range PS for little or no gain as generics will in most cases just be better pound for pound on the point cost.

As such this is the reason why all new unique pilots without EPT's revealed are almost always instantaneously decried as unplayable, and sadly the statistics back up the naysayers.

I think the simple answer is because they're called Elite Talents. Elite pilots, those with a higher pilot skill, are those who have elite talents.

Jacob

Also anyone who pilots a Pogostick 5000 for some reason.

Nobody gives you Pogo-5000 license unless you're Elite as hell!

Elite pilots are Elite ... except when they're not.

I can see the argument on the A-wing since it's supposed to be so difficult to fly, but then by the same logic all of the Defenders should have had EPTs. Not sure what the rationale for the JM5K is ... temporary insanity?

Stubborn determination to see a large based generic see play, combined with totally missing the interaction of deadeye on a torpedo boat.

.

When will this idea die? They knew about deadeye scouts, they just underestimated their effectiveness by like a million percent. This is very clear if you listen to the Alex Davy interview a while back; he notes that sometime they miss something and sometimes they underestimate it. the idea that nobody thought of putting the ordnance ept on an ordnance carrier in a wave that included an enormous ordnance buff is totally absurd and while he hems and haws a bit it's clear he's not implying that in this case.

If i recall correctly they technically arent called Elites anymore, we just keep calling them EPTs anyway.

They used to be called Elite Pilot Talents. Now they're just called Elite Upgrade. Indeed people keep using EPT, but it still is called Elite.

Page 14 of the Learn to Play rulebook.

Jacob

So I think this is one of FFGs biggest design mistakes. Look at every named pilot that pilots a ship that allows an Elite (so Miranda is out of the question), and you will see that, except maybe Biggs, every single one of them is so far from being top level competitive that there is basically no good reason they shouldn't have been given an Elite. Arvel, Horton and Dutch, Every non-Elite named Interceptor, Laetin, etc...

FFG may be a bit inconsistent at times, but at the end of the day precluding some pilots from having access to the EPT slot reduces OP pilots.

Could you imagine Biggs with an EPT?

What ept would make Biggs OP? Because you can give him one