Hello all.

I am quite familiar with the tournament scene now days. I had the urge to make a tournament that would allow for the use of good but less-popular combos, ships, and pilots. Since this is a tournament, people will bring the best possible lists (most likely). Thus, a ban list will need to be imposed to ensure everyone doesn't just field meta lists. I think the funnest part of x-wing is flying around a conglomeration of all the SW universe ships, fielded in unique and creative ways. Flying against the same ~7 ships/pilots gets old after a while.

Here is my proposed ban list. The goal is to eliminate all cards that are an auto-include in most lists or that are simply significantly better than the other options.

Pilots:

Soontir Fel

Dengar

Darth Vader

Inquisitor

Fenn (maybe)

Biggs

Poe (ps 8 version)

Kannan (maybe)

Omega Leader

Upgrades:

Tie x7

VI

Crack Shot

Zuccus

R2-D2 Astromech (maybe)

PTL (I am hesitant to do this one because the pilots who abuse it are already banned)

Palpatine

You will notice that most of the banned pilots are high PS and that VI is also banned. This will allow for the lower PS pilots (4-7) to actually see some more play.

Did I miss anything? What are your thoughts?

Corran, Dash, Miranda, Asajj, Fat Han? Seems like this opens up a rabbit hole.

I'm surprised to see pilot Vader on the banned list.

I think you just brought Whisper back. With VI gone, and most PS9's she hates and Zuckuss, she can Adapt to PS8 and be a force here.

You are both correct. With the ban list I have above, Corran, Whisper, Dash, Asajj, and the original Han would also need the ban. I forgot to include TLT in the ban list for the upgrades. With TLT banned, i think Miranda will be fine.

Corran, Dash, Miranda, Asajj, Fat Han? Seems like this opens up a rabbit hole.

I'm surprised to see pilot Vader on the banned list.

Vader is arguable. Without PTL and Palp he isn't too obnoxious. However, I see him all the time where I am from.

You are both correct. With the ban list I have above, Corran, Whisper, Dash, Asajj, and the original Han would also need the ban. I forgot to include TLT in the ban list for the upgrades. With TLT banned, i think Miranda will be fine.

Corran, Dash, Miranda, Asajj, Fat Han? Seems like this opens up a rabbit hole.

I'm surprised to see pilot Vader on the banned list.

Vader is arguable. Without PTL and Palp he isn't too obnoxious. However, I see him all the time where I am from.

PTL on Vader isnt very good

Wouldn't it be easier not to play the standard tournament? For example an escalation or epic tournament? Or even the missions? For complete change... Heroes of the Aturi Cluster. I think there are easier ways to change the meta than taking it upon yourself to draw up a banned card list.

If you want an interesting format with few to none of the typical upgrades and pilots, play Mario Kart.

If you want a ban list, keep it very, very short. I'd probably attend a tournament which banned Palp, x7, and Zuckuss crew. I wouldn't attend one which banned 20-odd things.

Yeah, your ban list does make certain builds that are also obnoxious viable again.

Might I suggest checking out the Collected Tournament Format thread for some alternatives to the standard? #shamelessplug

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/230069-the-collected-tournament-format-topic/?hl=tournament+format

I think if you kill upgrades instead of pilots it will have the desired effect. Take out the cards that make a top pilot annoying and even if that pilot appears it will be a creative use of them.

we had good luck with an upgrade card point limit - excluding titles, and counting the absolute value of the card - so tie x/7 is considered 2 points against the 12 point limit.

we had good luck with an upgrade card point limit - excluding titles, and counting the absolute value of the card - so tie x/7 is considered 2 points against the 12 point limit.

Triple defenders don't need that many upgrade cards, right? So wouldn't that just become the dominant list?

Paratanni is, what, 8 points of upgrades I think?

You forgot Manaroo. Nice Idea I think.

Just run a no unique tournament where all named pilots and unique upgrades are banned.

I think instead of making a ban list you should make "must include" list. This way your list will not include milion positions that someone will break for sure ("he that thing is also banned?!" ) but force them to include for example:

rebels: non biggs xwing or non tlt ywing or "make your picks" .

Turn it around.

If your objective is to make people fly different lists from what has been good in the past, I think you need a more weighted banlist, something like that.

Pilots:

Soontir Fel *

Carnor Jax *

Corran Horn *

Dengar

Inquisitor *

Fenn *

Biggs

Omega Leader

Old Han

RAC

Manaroo

Asaji *

Bossk (maybe)

IG-B

Howlrunner

Upgrades:

Tie x7

Crack Shot

Zuccus

R2-D2 Astromech

Outrider

Palpatine

Attani Mindlink

TLT

FCS

Dengar

*They can be allowed if you ban PTL. Probably you'd better with banning PTL and allowing those pilots

Run a pirate tournament. No faction restrictions, no unique cards/ pilots, only one of each ship type.

Seriously... a restricted list might give you the results you're looking for without the slippery slope. The difference is that in a restricted list, all options are still available, but any list may only have ONE restricted option in it.

For example, place both dengar and manaroo on the restricted list and someone can field one or the other, but not both at the same time.

If your objective is to make people fly different lists from what has been good in the past, I think you need a more weighted banlist, something like that.

Pilots:

Soontir Fel *

Carnor Jax *

Corran Horn *

Dengar

Inquisitor *

Fenn *

Biggs

Omega Leader

Old Han

RAC

Manaroo

Asaji *

Bossk (maybe)

IG-B

Howlrunner

Upgrades:

Tie x7

Crack Shot

Zuccus

R2-D2 Astromech

Outrider

Palpatine

Attani Mindlink

TLT

FCS

Dengar

*They can be allowed if you ban PTL. Probably you'd better with banning PTL and allowing those pilots

Carnor and Corran will be more than happy to run VI

I wonder if doing a points cap on upgrades per ship would be better than a Ban list. That's what they do in Star Trek attack wing.

Double ABT Rebel + ABT Gold Squadron. GG every list.

Lothal Rebel 35

- ABT 2

- AC 3

Lothal Rebel 35

- ABT 2

- AC 3

Gold Squadron 18

- ABT 2

Carnor and Corran will be more than happy to run VI

Non-PTL, no emperor backed, Carnor is supersquishy. Playable but far from ban worthy.

Corran without FCS, R2D2 and PTL ain't really efficient. Again, playable but far from bannable.

Spam of generics is probably the most obvious consequence of such ban list

I think you just brought Whisper back. With VI gone, and most PS9's she hates and Zuckuss, she can Adapt to PS8 and be a force here.

but do you actually want to bring whisper back in this type of setting? I can easily see 4 whisper builds taking the top4 spots in this type of tourney

Wouldn't it be easier not to play the standard tournament? For example an escalation or epic tournament? Or even the missions? For complete change... Heroes of the Aturi Cluster. I think there are easier ways to change the meta than taking it upon yourself to draw up a banned card list.

Also, this. Escalation or mission tourney for the win.

I wonder if doing a points cap on upgrades per ship would be better than a Ban list. That's what they do in Star Trek attack wing.

Yep. And they also do a new mission for every tourney which I think is really cool and forces you to change your fleet every time you go to a new tournament. Imo ship/upgrade design in x-wing is superior to attack wing but tournament design is superior in attack wing.