I bought and used as shadow caster yesterday. I was really underwhelmed with it. I was running Lancer-class Pursuit Craft: · Asajj Ventress (37)

Push The Limit (3)

Gyroscopic targeting (2)

· Latts Razzi (2)

Glitterstim (2)

Rigged Cargo Chute (1)

Any thoughts.

Interesting to hear. I would fly it a few more times myself before deciding whether you want to use it or not. I think it is an amazing ship and I have had really good fortunes flying it. What did you have supporting it?

Looks like you played with a 53pt initiative bid. That's giving your opponent quite an advantage.

I have to agree a little with the OP, I've flown it a couple of times and felt a little underwhelmed, although I'm open to try to again several times before I make my mind up on it

Interesting to hear. I would fly it a few more times myself before deciding whether you want to use it or not. I think it is an amazing ship and I have had really good fortunes flying it. What did you have supporting it?

The thing I struggled most with it is what to fly it with, TrenchRunner, what do you use ?

Caster is not a slugger, it is all about being tricky and abusing said tricks. It HEAVES (not "heavers") when it comes to trading dice, unless you're stim Sabine

No, you gotta boost (EU) around and block/be blocked and use your ability to control your opponent and engineer advantageous scenarios for yourself

Said more simply, I'd pen it down as a ship with one of the steepest learning curves in the game

My most recent list was:

98 points

PILOTS

Trandoshan Slaver (34)
YV-666 (29), 4-LOM (1), Zuckuss (1), Dengar (3)

Black Sun Soldier (14)
Z-95 Headhunter (13), Black Market Slicer Tools (1)

Ketsu Onyo (50)
Lancer-class Pursuit Craft (38), Veteran Instincts (1), K4 Security Droid (3), Glitterstim (2), Inertial Dampeners (1), Shadow Caster (3), Gyroscopic Targeting (2)

I enjoy the tractor beam more than stress. The slaver makes a perfect kill vehicle already, but is made better when ships have -1 or -2 agility.

It probably depends how you build the rest of the list.

So far, I've played 3 games with the shadow caster and here's the thing i've noticed. The rest of your list needs to be punchy. Look at the Shadow Caster as a control ship. So you'll need either a Fenn Rau or an ordonnance carrier to help dish out some red dices. your list should have around 20-24 points to spend. Look at a TLT-Y-wing or N'dru Suhlak with Cluster/Stim/GC to fill that spot.

As for the Shadow Caster it self, I think you picked the right pilot. Asajj is the Control pilot the scum didnt have so far. It is really easy to dish out some stress with her. you should embrace her control role and slap on the Shadow caster title. those free Tractor Beam tokens are really helpfull and can drasticly mess with your opponent's plan. Oh and BTW Ketsu Onyo crew really pair's well with Asajj Pilot ability. use her.

Caster is not a slugger, it is all about being tricky and abusing said tricks. It HEAVES (not "heavers") when it comes to trading dice, unless you're stim Sabine

No, you gotta boost (EU) around and block/be blocked and use your ability to control your opponent and engineer advantageous scenarios for yourself

Said more simply, I'd pen it down as a ship with one of the steepest learning curves in the game

Ketsu csn trade dice quite effectively

Don't judge anything on a single game.

I tried out the caster and the fang on Thursday and had a blast.

Ketsu, vi, Dengar crew, titl, bmst and engine

Fenn, fearlessness, title and Autothrusters

PS 3 headhunter, concussion, bmst and chips.

Against small ships ketsu would throw them about and Fenn would just nuke them down,

Giving out an automatic tractor beam is horrible, and makes you not worried about getting blocked by a small ship, would also increase the chance of landing a second tractor token thanks to the title.

I've played around with stress before, and it's debilitating that's for sure. but we already had tactician for handing out stresss and it only goes so far.

Without ketsu's ability, landing a hit on soontir to give him a tractor beam token is pretty difficult.

Don't judge anything on a single game.

If i judged the lancer on a single game i would burn it in a fire, even with predator shooting at 2 evade dice ships at range 1 for much of the game i did a grand total of 0 damage with my shadow caster. But i did hand out a good chunk of stress (asajj feels like she/he will be strong)

I think i will like the ship, but more then 1 game is definitely needed.

Caster is not a slugger, it is all about being tricky and abusing said tricks. It HEAVES (not "heavers") when it comes to trading dice, unless you're stim Sabine

No, you gotta boost (EU) around and block/be blocked and use your ability to control your opponent and engineer advantageous scenarios for yourself

Said more simply, I'd pen it down as a ship with one of the steepest learning curves in the game

Ketsu csn trade dice quite effectively

Why trade with what you can throw into a rock ?

Caster is not a slugger, it is all about being tricky and abusing said tricks. It HEAVES (not "heavers") when it comes to trading dice, unless you're stim Sabine

No, you gotta boost (EU) around and block/be blocked and use your ability to control your opponent and engineer advantageous scenarios for yourself

Said more simply, I'd pen it down as a ship with one of the steepest learning curves in the game

Ketsu csn trade dice quite effectively

Why trade with what you can throw into a rock ?

NOt always a rock handy when you need it

I played Assaj with Push the Limit, K4 Security Droid, Glitterstim, and Gyroscopic Targeting recently to good effect. With basically four actions a turn, she was able to get some good licks in while remaining defensive. Went 3 wins and 1 loss with it at a local tournament.

Ran this today and wrecked the HoTR playtesting session.

Ketsu Onyo — Lancer-class Pursuit Craft 38

Veteran Instincts 1

Dengar 3

Glitterstim 2

Black Market Slicer Tools 1

Gyroscopic Targeting 2

Shadow Caster 3

Ship Total: 50

Syndicate Thug — Y-Wing 18

Twin Laser Turret 6

Unhinged Astromech 1

Ship Total: 25

Syndicate Thug — Y-Wing 18

Twin Laser Turret 6

Unhinged Astromech 1

Ship Total: 25

Yeah I've played against something very similar. Automatic tractor beamage plus the title makes it hard to avoid ... and then you take 4 damage from TLTs. This version is balls out for damage, you can take Ventress with Latts and achieve a similar effect but much more defensive.

I like Assaj. its super fun to give out a stress then use Latts to take it back for an evade.

Assaj with slicer tools is nasty. I used it to kill an Inquisitor without having to go through its tokens or shields. Definitely an ace killer in that respect. I'd make sure you have a second ship that also has slicer tools for best usage.

I played Assaj with Push the Limit, K4 Security Droid, Glitterstim, and Gyroscopic Targeting recently to good effect. With basically four actions a turn, she was able to get some good licks in while remaining defensive. Went 3 wins and 1 loss with it at a local tournament.

I like Tactician on Ventress, as has been discussed elsewhere, you deny an /x7 it's focus ability and it becomes a lot less tanky. I have struggled what to pair Ventress up with though. I have thought about a Bossk party bus, add fearlessness and your 180 degree front arc becomes a lot more dangerous, especially if you can roll a crit. But he is as mobile as a palp Shuttle, which is a bad thing.

Looks like you played with a 53pt initiative bid. That's giving your opponent quite an advantage.

I read this comment and laughed out loud. Well played, sir.

The list I played was Assaj - PTL, Slicer Tools, Glitterstim, Gyroscopic Targeting, Tactician + Ketsu - VI, Inertial Dampeners, Glitterstim, Gyroscopic Targeting and Gunner.

It did ok, but it needs some fine tuning.

Since I played against 3 large ships, 2 u-boats and a shadowport hunter the tractor beam effects were not as good as they could be.

Also I need practice playing them since I ended up with Assaj in the position Ketsu should have been and vice versa and that meant that Ketsu's ability did not come into effect until later in the game.

I think I like Ketsu the best, flexible, fast enough to kite with her turret, or go in for the kill at range one, can you imagine your opponents face when you 1-2 punch with her and Zuckuss/Fenn/Talonbane ?

Ventress with Latts on board is a bugger to hit - being able to drop a stress and pull it straight of again for an evade is a nasty little trick, which only gets better when engaging a couple of push the limit-equipped aces.

It's fast. Really, really fast. But as noted it's an expensive ship with only a 3-dice attack; you have to pull dirty tricks to win. Either you need to get up close and personal to use that 4th attack die, or you need to fling tractor tokens or Zuckuss/4-LOM around.

But it is fast. Did I mention how fast it was? Someone proxying Heroes of the Resistance brought one with Push The Limit, Engine Upgrade and Burnout SLAM. 5 straight/5 straight/boost on a large ship is ridiculous .

Ventress with Latts on board is a bugger to hit - being able to drop a stress and pull it straight of again for an evade is a nasty little trick, which only gets better when engaging a couple of push the limit-equipped aces.

It's fast. Really, really fast. But as noted it's an expensive ship with only a 3-dice attack; you have to pull dirty tricks to win. Either you need to get up close and personal to use that 4th attack die, or you need to fling tractor tokens or Zuckuss/4-LOM around.

But it is fast. Did I mention how fast it was? Someone proxying Heroes of the Resistance brought one with Push The Limit, Engine Upgrade and Burnout SLAM. 5 straight/5 straight/boost on a large ship is ridiculous .

I am trying to build a Tractor list with Ketsu crew. Having Tractor tokens stick around a round or two could be devastating to the likes of /x7's or Aces if you can hit them.

What to take with Ventress is proving a difficult choice.

The list I played was Assaj - PTL, Slicer Tools, Glitterstim, Gyroscopic Targeting, Tactician + Ketsu - VI, Inertial Dampeners, Glitterstim, Gyroscopic Targeting and Gunner.

It did ok, but it needs some fine tuning.

Since I played against 3 large ships, 2 u-boats and a shadowport hunter the tractor beam effects were not as good as they could be.

Also I need practice playing them since I ended up with Assaj in the position Ketsu should have been and vice versa and that meant that Ketsu's ability did not come into effect until later in the game.

I think you're gonna have a hard time trying to run two of these Lancers. As mentioned, it's a tricky support ship in which your probably better off finding a combination with a different ship or two that compliments what you're trying to accomplish with your squad. Besides the TLT Y-Wings and JM5Ks, most scum lists aren't best when spamming the same ship, which is why I enjoy finding cool combinations in the scum faction.