I'm kind of curious as to the thought process that goes into building squads for other players. I know when I first started playing that I was all about thematic lists - if I was playing a Star Wars game, I wanted to be flying as Luke or Han or Boba, but as my skill with the game and familiarity with cards and options increased, I realized that playing thematic lists was actually hampering my ability to be successful. More reading of the forums and looking at winning lists got me thinking differently about construction and I started building lists with inherent themes, rather than being thematic - i.e., a list made up purely of "Rebel Regen" ships, rather than trying to build a Luke, Biggs, Wedge combo. I occasionally build a support list around a specific build for a specific ship, but I still have problems with total "meta" lists.

So, do you guys start with a thematic list, do you go with min/maxing and meta, do you try out all the random ships and cards to make your own unique combos, or have your own proprietary method?

i do my own thing and build to the models i have! lol.

i'm still in the "thematic" style, i love running my ghost with A Wings, i will generally run an "ace" with 2 A wing wingmen, i love running as many a wings as humanly possible! soo much fun.

I want to try out some "net lists" and regionals winning lists but don't want to give up on my a wings. lol

I normally just throw a squad together and hope for the best, sometimes it works, like squadron y.u.b. Which just started as a squad to test out my u-wing and new stuff I got from the ghost, but I actually think it may have some merit in a tournament

1 of 3 things come into mind when i make a list

1. I wanna fly this ship. Need to make a list involving it
2. Found a hilarious gimick, who can abuse it the best?
3. Would this be fun to fly?

Usually #1 is the primary thing in my head. I tend to just go "I wanna fly the X" and make a list lol

I've got a spreadsheet with a list of every pilot for every ship. I mark off each pilot once I've flown them in at least one casual game. When new ships come out, I add the new pilots to the spreadsheet. My goal is to fly every single pilot at least once each. So when I'm stuck for inspiration for new squads, I pull up my spreadsheet, find a pilot or two that I haven't tried yet, and see if I can figure out to make them useful.

I choose a ship or pilot I really like and start trying configurations and training how to fly it. Then I add some generics to the mix to support the main guy. It doesn't really work but I like it.

I usually start with a ship, upgrade, or combo that I'd like to use. Then I try to figure out what that thing I want to use does for a squad and what sort of support it needs and then I start building around it in a way that tries to make it competitive against what I see getting played at the time.

49 minutes ago, Jiron said:

I choose a ship or pilot I really like and start trying configurations and training how to fly it. Then I add some generics to the mix to support the main guy. It doesn't really work but I like it.

49 minutes ago, WWHSD said:

I usually start with a ship, upgrade, or combo that I'd like to use. Then I try to figure out what that thing I want to use does for a squad and what sort of support it needs and then I start building around it in a way that tries to make it competitive against what I see getting played at the time.

Pretty much these right here.

If it cant go full mods with some damage mitigation and anti green dice modifiers, or guaranteed damage or stress, i aint playing it

And that is how i build

I have a method so effective, so undeniably brilliant in the magnitude of it's awesomeness that it never fails.....

.....to make me happy even if it doesn't win.

My method?

What? Were you expecting some profound revelation or deeply complex mathematical equations?

1 minute ago, Eye of Thokem said:

I have a method so effective, so undeniably brilliant in the magnitude of it's awesomeness that it never fails.....

.....to make me happy even if it doesn't win.

My method?

What? Were you expecting some profound revelation or deeply complex mathematical equations?

i tried that when i first started (TIE/in + TIE Phantom + TIE/D (pre-title)) but then i realized that running Phantoms and defenders is very hard to upgrade as they are both very pricey and NEED upgrades, so i droped the TIE/D down to a TIE/x1 as it was a better Proton Delivery Boat, then i went full on action economy (Fel + Vader + Turr)

Generally I build my squads around a main ship or pilot whose ability I'm interested in and then build around that. Then I test it, tweak it, test it tweak it etc.

BUT if I'm no t having fun with it, I drop that list and go on to another one.

There are so many ships and so many pilots that the combinations of ships/pilots/upgrades etc. can be wholly entertaining and fulfilling on its own.

1. Will it blend?

2. Does it have Darth Vader in it?

3. Will it blend?

4. Profit!

I have a collections of squads going back several waves. I look them over and pick one that looks fun. The other side typically does the same.

I base about 1/2 my list on a tried and true ship (x7 Defender, for example), then the 1/2 half is fun/experimental.

1 hour ago, ficklegreendice said:

If it cant go full mods with some damage mitigation and anti green dice modifiers, or guaranteed damage or stress, i aint playing it

And that is how i build

Basically this, but will go into my thought process.

For a competitive list, if you are not running a netlist, you have to beat em if you aint joining them.

So you have to get through Defenders token stacks first and foremost since they are like 40% of the meta:

This means: strip tokens either by abilities (Wes, etc) or multiple attacks (Gunner, TLT, etc), do 3-4+ hits consistently, or deny them tokens (stress control, ion control, blocking).

So take a ship you want to fly and it needs to do one of those 3 things.

Take the Falcon:

Rey + Finn + Kanan in Arc with a focus token can do 3-4 hits consistently. Check.

Han + Gunner + Hot Shot Co-Pilot can strip tokens and attack multiple times. Check

Resistance Sympathizer + Bodhi Rook + Bistan cannot do any of those 3 things well. Fail.

Great, we now have a ship that passed the defender test. Now on to Paratanni.

We have a PS9 Fenn Rau that likes to get arc at range 1. So, we want to move after him. That means Rey needs VI. Han needs initiative or Adapt/VI. Check.

Asajj has a mobile arc, and moves before us. So we need a way to stay out of her mobile arc. That means reposition. Engine upgrade it is. Check.

Paratanni test passed

Rey + VI + Kanan + Finn + Engines + TFA Title

Han + Adapt/Expertise + HSCP + Gunner + Engines + Old title

Rest of your list now should support the Falcons weaknesses or deal with local meta problems. So if your meta flys a lot of Kwing Bombers, you may want like a Lothal with FCS and a Dorsel Turret (lots of HP that can hit slamming Kwings). Dealing with lots of Aces with Autothrusters? You may want a Kbomber yourself (also great against Defenders and Paratanni).

So on and So Forth until list is complete. Then test it, make slight changes, etc.

It's either a movie/comic/novel theme or a combination of pilot and upgrade card that I think may be interesting to play. Lately for instance, I've been trying to get Intimidation Arvel into a good squad, thinking of pairing him with an Outmaneveur Wedge for extra green dice shenanigans or just several Green Squadron pilots with PTL and Trick Shot that just dart all over the place.

When creating lists for others (eg, young nephews), it's usually built around Luke, Poe or Han if they want to play the rebels, or Vader if they want to be the Imperials.

First and foremost:

I follow the golden rule - If it's on the Internet, I won't fly it. When somebody slaps down Dengaroo across from me, I know they're not here for the fun of the game, but instead they're there for the fun of the win. It's cool, but I don't want to be one of those guys.

For Casual Games:

For casual it's normally Rebel or Scum, since early every imperial ace option is competitive in some way or another. I'll pick a linchpin for the list:
Rebels get Corran, Poe, Rey, Dash, etc.
Scum get Fenn, Asajj, etc.
Then I'll build the rest of the list around the weaknesses of the linchpin. For instance, if I'm running Corran, I need a PS 10+ heavy-hitter to get rid of PS9 super aces that Corran despises.

Competitively:

The general process is "How much janky shenanigans can I get into this list, and still be marginally competitive?"

For instance, for my upcoming regionals (Queensland, Australia) I was extremely tempted to fly:
4 x Scimitar Squadron Pilots (25) - Technically competitive - one round of bombs can take out Dengar, but totally ridiculous nonetheless.
Cluster Bombs
Plasma Torpedoes
Extra Munitions
Long Range Scanners

I view the key to winning large tournaments as not playing the meta better than everyone else (Palp+Aces, Dengaroo, Paratanni), but in countering the meta in an unexpected way. For this reason, at the upcoming regionals I'll be running some variation of this .

I look for inconsistencies and fix them,, anything that wastes efficiency is adjusted, then played and if I like it, adjusted to the rest of the list and local meta. I don't stick with one list for very long because I have a huge collection and want to be proficient with everything. I play in monthly events and rotate which faction I run, reb - imp - scum - repeat.

- inconsistency example = say I've got r5-p9 on ps8 Poe with sensor cluster, predator w black one. This is not usually a great build. You need a focus token for both sensor and r5-p9. Black one wants me to boost as well. But I can be more flexible - sensor cluster can solve a damage problem now, and r5-p9 can let me regen later out of combat, but can I usefully use it that way ?

in the context of a single ship - I should maybe switch to pattern analysers so that I can pull a red move and gain the necessary focus. I could also switch to Push the limit to have a focus and a boost. Or I could go another way and switch to r2d2 - now I can sensor cluster and regen. ...

which way to go?

Predator gives better damage and r2d2 sensor cluster is tanky, but ptl pattern is more flexible, and mobile.

In the context of the squad - I may need more damage output, so I can choose. I also may have a way to generate extra focus tokens to help the original idea function. There may be another piece of synergy that validates the cluster + r5p9 choice. It's important to not decide purely on a single build. However the less reliant a ship is on a squad, the better it will do in endgame, alone.

in the context of the local meta - ifa few players are using hotshot co-pilot, focus tokens are precarious, sensor + r2d2 is better, since I can doubly spend my focus on defense, or if its popular maybe I need to sacrifice Poe from the list entirely. If no one is using it, I'm not worried about having focus abilities

So, look at your interactions carefully, and don't worry about the meta if you are playing more casually. Play the squad and determine if you need more control, offense, defense, mobility, synergy or redundancy. I think list building is best done as an iterative process - not purely on the drawing board.

7 minutes ago, Astech said:

First and foremost:

I follow the golden rule - If it's on the Internet, I won't fly it. When somebody slaps down Dengaroo across from me, I know they're not here for the fun of the game, but instead they're there for the fun of the win. It's cool, but I don't want to be one of those guys.

Eh, being on the internet period wont make me avoid a list. The lists that are all over the place such as Dengaroo yeah i wont touch that.
My first Regionals i ran what i called a Dumpster list (cause Dash + old Chewie w/ Rigged Cargo Chutes). I didnt come up with that list, someone randomly spouted it out on these forums and i thought it was hilarious so i took it, tweaked it slightly, and went 3-3 with it lol. I hate flying fat turrets, but that list was fun!

"Oh, this looks fun."

I start with a list that's fun usually based on a pilot maybe a second. I pick something that is fun to fly based on how I'm feeling at the moment. Then I go to list juggler and start looking at what I'll be facing and the. I either adjust Part of the list or come up with a strategy. (Such as if I see an alpha strike list, I fly aggressive, if its palp I fly slower and let him be predictable.)

then em tinker and don't give up. If you get crushed try flying again before making changes. And then onto make small adjustments. Just keep flying it over and over.

This game has been"broken" since wave 3 at least (anyone else remember generic spam days and if you were flying a named pilot you were doing it wrong?). But right now the game is more balanced than ever. It's not the dice and it's not your list (usually). Good piloting of any list can make almost any list competitive at the moment.

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alternative theory for highly competitive events like worlds.

Effeciency efficiency efficiency efficecy consistancy. It needs to be the best value for the points and every point needs to have a purpose.

1. Think of a pilot or upgrade combination that could work
2. lose miserably
3. Default back to a netlist from the top of last regional/premier tournament
4. Get bored with winning with the selected net list (or continuously playing against mirror matches)
5. Repeat Step #1

5 hours ago, Vineheart01 said:

1 of 3 things come into mind when i make a list

1. I wanna fly this ship. Need to make a list involving it
2. Found a hilarious gimick, who can abuse it the best?
3. Would this be fun to fly?

Usually #1 is the primary thing in my head. I tend to just go "I wanna fly the X" and make a list lol

This is me, too. Unless there's a large tournament on, in which case we add Step 4: How do I horrifically murder [insert popular list here]?

Off-hand for squad building I go for the general guidelines: