You kind of just have to live with her crappy PS 5 :-)

Re: Juke vs PTL, PTL is great but if she gets a second stress on her, it can be painful. Plus a lot of ace stress hate is coming at us in wave 9.

Definitely put a mk II engine on her if you're doing PTL.

Juke has its own drawbacks, as it only works if you still have that evade token. If you can force her to spend it before she fires, then Juke does nothing.

And being PS5 means plenty of opportunity for aces to remove it. Juke is better on something with a high PS where you're highly likely not to have to spend that evade token before you've benefitted from it on your attack.

Ptl

Vess is the most competitive defender simply due to him getting the most dice modifications and hes the first guy you should reach for

I disagree. Hes only the best if you have someone providing target locks for him, and even them its only really true with tie/d since he can get tl for both shots. In the above list, a delta has to tl for him, then has no defensive modifiers do your opponent will melt it. With x7 ryad with ptl is better. She gets tls for herself with no need of outside Assistance, so shes self sufficient. And a way better closer. Both together is the best option .

Vessery, Juke, x7 = 35

Ryad, PTL, Mk2, x7 = 36

Delta = 28

99 total

3x Glaive with Crack Shot = 99 (sub in Ryad and/or Vessery as desired)

Both of these are very strong and have been run competitively.

Ive been running the ryad vessery delta list with mk2 on vessery at 100 points. Thoughts either way? A couple other people locally have picked it up, so I've thought about dropping vesserys mk2 for the initiaative bid, but also havent been able to decide if Id rather take init or pass it in the mirror match.

This vess tieD thing is a fallacy

You do not need double tap to make free rerolls amazing

You DO need that evade to not die to flubbed greens

If youre flying otger defenders, you have TLs for vess. Exact same % increase in damage as focus, except vess also benefits

TieDonts melt regardless, which is why you run x7

I wasnt sayin you should run vessery with d. Only that its where Id say hes the best defender. If youre flying other defenders with tie/d and target lovking for vessery, im not worried about their attack modifiers. The issue is their defense. Of which they have none, so you just kil thrm first and now vessery has no more free target locks.

TieDonts melt regardless, which is why you run x7

I've flown Countess Ryad with Push the Limit with moderate success.

Countess Ryad ​+ Push the Limit (3) + Twin Ion Engines, Mk II (1) + TIE/x7 (-2)
​Tetran Cowall ​+ Veteran Instincts (1), or Adaptability (0) + Autothrusters (2) + Royal Guard TIE (0) + Twin Ion Engines, Mk II (1) -- I'll swap in Carnor Jax + Adaptability (0) + Autothrusters (2) + Royal Guard TIE (0) + Twin Ion Engines, Mk II (1)

​(Baron) Soontir Fel ​+ Push the Limit (3) + Autothrusters (2) + Royal Guard TIE (0) + Stealth Device (3)

She's a fun TIE to fly, for sure.

I have been playing some Ryad lately because her ability is really seductive. Sure, it´s nice when you get the triple action to work (focus, target lock, evade with PtL). I have started to really feel the pain of her low PS however. There are a lot of PS8 and PS9 aces out there and I feel that if I fly Ryad I have to couple her with a high PS pilot to cover that base.

X7 Defenders are really solid so I have started to look at VI-Rexler. I know his ability is crap but you´re really paying a couple of points to have the chance to boost him to PS 10. Rexler may make up for the lack of target lock by actually getting more shots because people won´t know exactly where he´ll end up. Let´s not forget that Rexler can often get a target lock to use later since he will know if it´s safe not to get a focus.

When you compare PS10 to PS5 there really is a huge difference. How often do you get that killshot against a lower PS ship which has now lost its final attack for the game. Whenever that happens I make a mental note to call it Rexler´s missing special ability.

ps. In my meta there are a couple of really nasty Whisper-users. PS10 is really something to cherish in those situations.

I wasnt sayin you should run vessery with d. Only that its where Id say hes the best defender. If youre flying other defenders with tie/d and target lovking for vessery, im not worried about their attack modifiers. The issue is their defense. Of which they have none, so you just kil thrm first and now vessery has no more free target locks.

oh no!

a powerful late game ship that can focus and evade every round for only one more point than the glaive, we're doomed!

I'm still honestly amazed the Tie/Don'ts survive with or without a single focus token. That has not been my experience in the slightest, even going up against them!

usually green dice roll evades when it's not me

to writ, though, you only need one TL (it's not like Vess keeps count). The other guy, probably in the worse position, can focus.

Anyone saying that 5 is too low for Ryad has no clue how to dial in a green 5K. People aren't used to blocking at that distance, and so 1 of 2 outcomes occurs.

1: range one, pointed at them with full modifiers but taking return fire

2: range one behind them with full modifiers.

I wasnt sayin you should run vessery with d. Only that its where Id say hes the best defender. If youre flying other defenders with tie/d and target lovking for vessery, im not worried about their attack modifiers. The issue is their defense. Of which they have none, so you just kil thrm first and now vessery has no more free target locks.

oh no!

a powerful late game ship that can focus and evade every round for only one more point than the glaive, we're doomed!

I'm still honestly amazed the Tie/Don'ts survive with or without a single focus token. That has not been my experience in the slightest, even going up against them!

usually green dice roll evades when it's not me

to writ, though, you only need one TL (it's not like Vess keeps count). The other guy, probably in the worse position, can focus.

I'm...not even sure what exactly you're trying to say here. I'm not saying vessery is bad. I'm just saying he's not the best tie defender pilot for x7. Ryad with PTL is because she's completely independent, while vessery relies on having someone else feed him target locks. If you don't get the target locks, he's no different from a glaive.

And /Ds are definitely going to die faster than an x7, but they'll still (in general) survive longer with a focus token than they will without. Sure, only 1 of the 2 has to target lock for vessery, but you just kill that one first. Now the ohter one has to do it. So you kill him. Oh look, no more TLs for vessery.

I seem to be the only crazy one that's flying x7 Ryad with Lone Wolf and Engine Upgrade... tons of fun and completely unpredictable!

But yeah, in any serious tournament list with Ryad, its Ryad X7 PTL MK2.

I'm...not even sure what exactly you're trying to say here. I'm not saying vessery is bad. I'm just saying he's not the best tie defender pilot for x7. Ryad with PTL is because she's completely independent, while vessery relies on having someone else feed him target locks. If you don't get the target locks, he's no different from a glaive.

And /Ds are definitely going to die faster than an x7, but they'll still (in general) survive longer with a focus token than they will without. Sure, only 1 of the 2 has to target lock for vessery, but you just kill that one first. Now the ohter one has to do it. So you kill him. Oh look, no more TLs for vessery.

Ryad is hands down the best defender. Vessery while amazing, isn't near as scary in a one vs one closing match. As others said, together, they are dang near unstoppable.

Take juke over VI on ryad.

Predator is also a good option, although it won't hit nearly as hard as PTLs target lock. But it saves you a point from not taking TIE mk 2 and keeps you unstressed to help against those pesky black market slicers coming out.

That MK2 opens up the 1-turns too, which is something that really helps. Overall I agree with frickle, even when I do like Juke on her as well.