Black Market Slicer is anaction that has a specific range requirement: "Action: Choose a stressed enemy ship at Range 1-2 and roll 1 attack die. On a hit or a critical hit result, remove 1 stress token and deal it 1 facedown damage card."

Does this follow the target lock rule where you have to declare the action then measure? Or do you get to measure first, before deciding on the action? I assume it is the former, but may need an FAQ on this to avoid issues.

Also, assuming you have to choose the action before measuring, if there are multiple ships in range, but the one you initially want to use it on, isn't in range, do you have to choose another ship or can you choose a different action. Basically does it follow target lock rules where you select the action and potential target, then measure and if it doesn't work, you can choose another action (or target lock another ship) or does it follow the barrel roll ruling where you choose the action and must perform it if there is a valid option. I hope it is the former and you don't have to perform the action against a different ship, but as written it could be read either way depending on if the target is selected before or after choosing the action.

There's no reason to expect this particular ability won't follow the general theme of "Declare what you want to do, then check whether you can do it. If you can't, do something else (either another version of the first thing you tried to do or a different thing you could do now)."

I hope it works that way, but the way the FAQ is written regarding measuring range isn't clear that the same process and result occurs with this action as for target lock:

"Measuring Range Players may only measure range and/or use the range ruler to determine whether a ship is inside or outside of a firing arc at the following times:

• When a ship becomes the active ship during the combat phase, the active player can measure range from the active ship to any enemy ships before declaring one as its target.

• When a player declares a ship’s ability that requires another ship (or ships) to be at a certain range, the player trying to resolve the ability can measure range from their ship to any valid ships before resolving the ability.

• After declaring the intended target of a target lock action, the active player may measure range to the intended target, and only to the intended target."

It isn't the first bullet point since this isn't the combat phase.

If it follows the second bullet point (though it is an action not ship ability), then you would declare use of Black Market Slicer Tools, then measure range. If your desired target is out of range, but another ship is in range, number 2 suggests you have to take the action against one of those ships. Under this process, you declare the action, then measure to determine all available options and then choose which one to resolve it against.

The third bullet point is the target lock action, where you declare the action and a specific target then measure and if out of range, can choose another action (or try to target lock another target).

None of those explicitly deal with Black Market Slicer Tools.

I'm pretty sure that the second point covers it perfectly.

I'm pretty sure that the second point covers it perfectly.

But rules lawyers, gotta lawyer.

I know this is old, but it runs along the lines of something that I have in my list that allows for "premeasuring" but I've argued it's within the rules.

I have Kaa'to Leeachos with the ability "At the start of the Combat phase, you may remove 1 focus or evade token from another friendly ship at Range 1-2 and assign it to yourself."

He's equipped with XX-23 Thread Tracers that state "Attack (focus): Discard this card to perform this attack. If this attack hits, each friendly ship at Range 1-2 of you may acquire a target lock on the defender. Then cancel all dice results."

I've used his ability to determine which friendly ships are within range 1-2 before deciding to use thread tracers to ensure I maximize the effectiveness. I had someone question whether that was within the rules as I was obviously using the ability as a premeasuring technique. I argued that it was within the rules because of the second bullet referenced above, and that fact that it also allows me to "premeasure" is a happy coincidence designed into the list.

I wanted to verify that my interpretation is correct, or do I need to declare who I'm trying to steal focus or evade from before measuring to them and only to that ship with Kaa'to ability?

36 minutes ago, Raven19528 said:

I know this is old, but it runs along the lines of something that I have in my list that allows for "premeasuring" but I've argued it's within the rules.

I have Kaa'to Leeachos with the ability "At the start of the Combat phase, you may remove 1 focus or evade token from another friendly ship at Range 1-2 and assign it to yourself."

He's equipped with XX-23 Thread Tracers that state "Attack (focus): Discard this card to perform this attack. If this attack hits, each friendly ship at Range 1-2 of you may acquire a target lock on the defender. Then cancel all dice results."

I've used his ability to determine which friendly ships are within range 1-2 before deciding to use thread tracers to ensure I maximize the effectiveness. I had someone question whether that was within the rules as I was obviously using the ability as a premeasuring technique. I argued that it was within the rules because of the second bullet referenced above, and that fact that it also allows me to "premeasure" is a happy coincidence designed into the list.

I wanted to verify that my interpretation is correct, or do I need to declare who I'm trying to steal focus or evade from before measuring to them and only to that ship with Kaa'to ability?

Based on the second bullet point I believe that would be legal but you will be forced to resolve the steal a focus ability if anyone is within range. If you don't like the results of your measurements then you would not have to use the tracers since you hadn't reached that step yet but a friendly would now be minus a token.

The "to any valid ship" part seems pretty clear. "Valid" in your case meaning friendly.

1 hour ago, sharrrp said:

The "to any valid ship" part seems pretty clear. "Valid" in your case meaning friendly.

I do wish they were more clear on what valid is. Is a friendly ship without focus is evade valid for his ability? There really is not much clarity in 'valid'.

The list makes this fairly easy for me, as it's mindlinked, so likely all friendly ships would have focus, and therefore all be valid. Plus, stealing the focus would simply regenerate it on the link, so it isn't nearly as detrimental to just measure to all valid targets.

You do bring up a good point though. If a friendly ship doesn't have a focus or evade token, I would imagine it can't be a valid ship, as you wouldn't be able to take either of those tokens from it. However, if it just needs to be a valid ship in the sense of being friendly, then that seems a little odd. On the other side of the coin, you have Palob with a Dorsal Turret that is measuring for his ability to steal one of those tokens from an enemy ship. Does valid just mean all enemy ships, or do you have to only measure to ships that have focus or evade tokens? I'd imagine the same definition of "valid" would have to apply to both instances.