I think the rules + FAQ as written create a contradiction here and I'm trying to make sense of it. My position is developing as I work my way through this. I agree that my logic there is flawed for the reasons you spell out. However, the logical conclusion of that same interpretation is that Howlrunner could grant a ship attacking Omega Leader a re-roll since the ability to modify the attack dice originates from Howlrunner and not the attacking ship. I don't think that was the intention of the FAQ ruling. If it is, then it really needs to be rewritten to make that explicit. If not, then it needs to be rewritten to clarify what's actually going on.

I think the confusing element here is that M9-G8 can function both as a "Defender Modifies Attack Dice" and an "Attacker Modifies Attack Dice" ability, but the origin of the ability is from a ship that can be the attacker, the defender and also neither the attacker nor the defender. Since it doesn't fit neatly into these categories, it is difficult to extrapolate how it should interact with the current rules + FAQ.

I think you have locked into the main problem here.

Through the Omega Leader ruling with Elusiveness and R7, FFG made a distinction on the source of modifications.

With Snap Shot, you can carry that ruling over so that the equipped ship may not be able to modify, but if the source of modification is external, it's allowed.

It does bring into question M9-G8 and Jonus on whether they will provide for a reroll or not.

I would argue that modify and a reroll are two different actions. But I would need to read rules again to soundly clarify.

One part that I realized in reading over the rules 5 times is that there may be a difference in how this works depending on whether you have a friendly or enemy ship locked by the M9-G8 carrier.

My understanding of Snap Shot is that it prevents any modifications during the "Attacker Modifies Attack Dice" step in the Attack sequence. So presumably it wouldn't apply to the "Defender Modifies Attack Dice" step. So if you have a

The FAQ is quite simple. It doesnt matter who the CARD says is modding the die, it only matters who HAS the card.

Omega leader prevents all modifications from cards on the ship he has locked. That includes Elusiveness, M9G8, R7, as well as luke or Poe's pilot abilities.

Snap shot prevents all modifications from the ship with snap shot. all modifications from ships NOT using snap shot are fine.

Following your reading of the FAQ, Captain Jonus would allow a friendly ship at Range 1 with Snap Shot to re-roll up to 2 dice. Do you agree?

No, Jonus does not work because HE isnt doing anything. He is giving the friendly ship the option to reroll, which is the same thing as Howlie. Allowing a reroll is different from forcing a reroll or mod. In both these cases the ship with the card is modifying the dice, not Jonus/Howlie. They are essentially a situational Predator far as the active ship is concerned.

I would argue that modify and a reroll are two different actions. But I would need to read rules again to soundly clarify.

You would be wrong. From the rules reference.

MODIFYING DICE

Players can modify dice by spending focus, evade, and target lock tokens and by resolving card abilities. Dice can be modified in the following ways:

• Add: To add a die result, place an unused die displaying the result next to the rolled dice. A die added in this way is treated as a normal die for all purposes and can be modified and canceled.

• Change: To change a die result, rotate the die so that its faceup side displays the new result.

• Reroll: To reroll a die result, pick up the die and roll it again.

• Dice can be modified by multiple effects, but a die cannot be rerolled more than once.

FFG has made it clear that the "you" keyword refers not to a player, not to a squad, but to the ship upon which the card with the keyword is equipped. Hence:

"After an enemy ship executes a maneuver, you may perform this attack. You cannot modify your attack dice and cannot attack again this phase"

Rephrased for "you" keyword:

"After an enemy ship executes a maneuver, you may perform this attack. This Ship With Snap Shot cannot modify its attack dice and cannot attack again this phase"

Since "you" in normal English refers to the person reading it, its an easy mistake. However, you in X-wing refers to an individual ship. M9-G8 is worded as:

"When a ship you have locked is attacking, you may choose 1 attack die. The attacker must reroll that die."

Where "you" in this instance refers to the ship with M9-G8, not the ship with snap shot. This wording makes it clear that the ship with snap shot is not the one modifying attack dice - the ship with M9-G8 is. Therefore, the reroll is acceptable.

The distinction with Jonus is that he reads "... It may reroll up to two attack dice" meaning that the snap shot ship is the one doing the rerolling, which is forbidden by snap shot itself.

In lighter news, an appendix to the strategy of the original list. Shara target locks two A-wings on the first turn. Turn 2 they engage and use the rerolls for the snap shot attacks (hopefully before Shara moves). Then, if no more snap shots are likely to trigger, Shara can switch her target lock to two enemy ships, forcing them to lower their offense. Not only that, but then the A-wings can use the target locks as their own due to Shara's ability for their combat phase attack. Its a small addition, but it means that you force 4 rerolls in the first combat turn (2 good for you, 2 bad for the opponent), plus have two target locks for either Shara's swarm leader shot or the A-wings range 1 juke shot.

Finally: FFG, please FAQ this rules discussion.

Part of the issue is that the rules are written to make it clear that a player never gets to roll the opponent's dice.

Part of the issue is that the rules are written to make it clear that a player never gets to roll the opponent's dice.

And at the same time, the rules imply that ships and cards can roll dice.

I would argue that modify and a reroll are two different actions. But I would need to read rules again to soundly clarify.

You would be wrong. From the rules reference.

MODIFYING DICE

Players can modify dice by spending focus, evade, and target lock tokens and by resolving card abilities. Dice can be modified in the following ways:

• Add: To add a die result, place an unused die displaying the result next to the rolled dice. A die added in this way is treated as a normal die for all purposes and can be modified and canceled.

• Change: To change a die result, rotate the die so that its faceup side displays the new result.

• Reroll: To reroll a die result, pick up the die and roll it again.

• Dice can be modified by multiple effects, but a die cannot be rerolled more than once.

That's what I get for running my keyboard before checking rules. Thanks

Part of the issue is that the rules are written to make it clear that a player never gets to roll the opponent's dice.

Yeah, they're writing themselves in a corner with these issues. They might've better written OL as "when defending or attacking, enemy ships may not modify any dice" and be done with it.

But still.

OL cancels Elusiveness because the target is modifying dice during the attack which is illegal.

Likewise Snap Shot should cancel M9 because it is modifying attack dice.

Part of the issue is that the rules are written to make it clear that a player never gets to roll the opponent's dice.

Yeah, they're writing themselves in a corner with these issues. They might've better written OL as "when defending or attacking, enemy ships may not modify any dice" and be done with it.

But still.

OL cancels Elusiveness because the target is modifying dice during the attack which is illegal.

Likewise Snap Shot should cancel M9 because it is modifying attack dice.

When Omega Leader is attacking a ship, that ship cannot modify any dice, but Omega Leader can modify dice normally.

When Omega Leader attacks a ship with Elusiveness, that ship cannot use Elusiveness to make Omega Leader reroll an attack die, even though Elusiveness says "The attacker must reroll that die". That is, even though Elusiveness says that "the attacker" rerolls the die, it is the ship with Elusiveness that is actually modifying dice, not the attacker. Since this specific example is addressed in the FAQ, we can be confident that it works this way.

When a ship is performing an attack with Snap Shot, that ship cannot modify any dice, but other ships can modify dice normally. M9-G8 uses the exact same phrase to describe its effect as Elusiveness: "The attacker must reroll that die." Just like Elusiveness, the "the attacker" rerolls the die, but it is the ship with M9-G8 that is actually modifying dice, not the attacker. This means that a ship with M9-G8 can reroll 1 attack die for a ship that is performing an attack with Snap Shot, as it is not the ship with Snap Shot that is modifying dice.

@ kraedin

I can see your point on Snap Shot. If the card read "Your Attack Dice cannot be Modified" then we wouldn't be having this discussion.

So it's a 'follow the money' kind of thing. You're supposed to trace where the actual decision to modify or not is made and what ship is responsible. The ship with elusiveness is doing the modification because that ship 'decides' what die should be rerolled.

When a ship is performing an attack with Snap Shot, that ship cannot modify any dice...