So I am heading to my first regionals. I have no expectation of winning it all or even making the cut. I would like to go, have fun and learn from the experience. I have only played local tournaments at my FLGS with most only lasting 3 rounds, maybe a playoff round for 1st/2nd. So again, really just want to have fun playing and get a regional under my belt and last the 6 rounds.

I would like to fly a list that has room for minor mistakes, competitive against the meta lists out the (Dengaroo, Parattanni, k-wing bomber, Palp defenders.) I don't have to have a true meta list.

I am not limited to these, but here are the ones that are in the running right now:

• Parattanni - I have played it a few times and like flying Fenn - seems least forgiving
• Palp Defenders - Palp Shuttle, Col V., Ryad - what I have been flying the most - had 50/50 results with. Seems most people are figuring this out
• RAC Gunner/Hot Shot/Vader with Ace
• RAC Palp with Ace
• Dash and Miranda/Norra - Seems most forgiving and the heck with obstacles

Any advice, list tweaks, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My fear would have a list that round one I realize that I don't have fun flying and I am stuck with 5 more rounds of pain.

My advice is this:

take the list that you've had the most fun flying, because (as you say) you don't want to spend 6 games not having fun.

Have a plan to deal with Parattani, 2-3 Defenders, and Miranda. These keep filtering to the top, which means more people will run them, which means, even if you're not at the top tables, you'll be facing them enough that you don't want to feel flustered. If your opponent starts pulling out Defenders (or whatever), you don't want to start feeling like you've already lost before the first rock is on the board.

Any of the lists you put up there can get the job done, so it's really down to what you want to do.

+1 on flying a list you like.
Its hard to grind through a tournament as is. Take something that's easy to think about and FUN!

Also be a good sport. Its easy to get mad when your last opponent kills your chance of getting top 16 even when he had no chance, but that is the path to the dark side...

Of your options there, I'd recommend ye olde faithful Commonwealth based on it being your most practiced, and Dash + Miri/Norra for the relative ease of use. You could also go for the Maarek/Predator variant of Commonwealth, which is a bit less reliant on both Defenders lining up on the one target and gives you someone above PS6, which is surprisingly important these days. Parattani is also a good choice, but be sure to get some practice first as in my experience it takes a few games for the list to "click" with most players.

I'd completely rule out RAC, though: with the amount of firepower thrown around by modern lists, a Deci doesn't have the same room for error he used too, and one wrong move can see a massive chunk of its health evaporate.

2 dice don't cut it anymore unless you have some way to force the damage through or ALOT of attacks.

I learned this the hard way at my Regionals.

I disagree, I just won a tournament using RAC with VI, Gunner, Hotshot, Rebel Captive, and EU. Its tricky, but with engine upgrade you can avoid defenders as long as you know when to disengage and use Hotshot Copilot to strip their focuses so they cant use them against you.

I flew it with Juke X7 Maarek who draws fire heavily. Heck, Maarek was triple stressed and had to run around the board while RAC singlehandedly tore up a ghost and TLT y-wing.

22 minutes ago, JonasBenz said:

I disagree, I just won a tournament using RAC with VI, Gunner, Hotshot, Rebel Captive, and EU. Its tricky, but with engine upgrade you can avoid defenders as long as you know when to disengage and use Hotshot Copilot to strip their focuses so they cant use them against you.

Of course RAC is still good. A friend of mine mains RAC + Defender and routinely wrecks face. But it is, as you say, tricky, and the OP was looking for lists with a bit of room for error, and I don't believe RAC counts anymore.

3 minutes ago, DR4CO said:

Of course RAC is still good. A friend of mine mains RAC + Defender and routinely wrecks face. But it is, as you say, tricky, and the OP was looking for lists with a bit of room for error, and I don't believe RAC counts anymore.

Ahh definitely. It is like walking a tripwire the whole time, but very fun when RAC rushes into range 1.

Triple crackshot Defenders is tons of fun. My 7 yo ran those Glaives to a #2 position at a summer kit. You can season in Ryad and Vessery, but the Glaives keep it simple. They're also useful at hunting other Defenders, if it comes to that.

Paratanni is amazingly fun to fly, but it's not as straightforward. Get an early damaged engine on Asajj if you want an interesting puzzle to solve. Proton bombs are OP (not really, but I got careless against Miranda, it's all on me )

3 hours ago, MItthraw said:

So I am heading to my first regionals. I have no expectation of winning it all or even making the cut. I would like to go, have fun and learn from the experience. I have only played local tournaments at my FLGS with most only lasting 3 rounds, maybe a playoff round for 1st/2nd. So again, really just want to have fun playing and get a regional under my belt and last the 6 rounds.

I would like to fly a list that has room for minor mistakes, competitive against the meta lists out the (Dengaroo, Parattanni, k-wing bomber, Palp defenders.) I don't have to have a true meta list.

I am not limited to these, but here are the ones that are in the running right now:

• Parattanni - I have played it a few times and like flying Fenn - seems least forgiving
• Palp Defenders - Palp Shuttle, Col V., Ryad - what I have been flying the most - had 50/50 results with. Seems most people are figuring this out
• RAC Gunner/Hot Shot/Vader with Ace
• RAC Palp with Ace
• Dash and Miranda/Norra - Seems most forgiving and the heck with obstacles

Any advice, list tweaks, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My fear would have a list that round one I realize that I don't have fun flying and I am stuck with 5 more rounds of pain.

Fly what you have experience with if you want to win. With RAC+Ace, you will almost have to go 5-1 to make the cut because you will bleed MOV, so I would not go with that unless you are very experienced with the list. It's possible to make the cut at 4-2 but it will take some luck (someone dropping out, good matchups, etc.).

You could try Ian O'Connell's list from Dublins Regionals final:

Quickdraw + Adaptability, FCS, title, Frame

Vessery + x/D, Ion Cannon, Expertise

Pure Sabacc + VI, title, Frame

Mustafar System Open Series runner-up (sorry can't find his name) this weekend had very similar list:

Quickdraw + Expertise, FCS, title, Frame

Vessery + x/D, Tractor Beam, Expertise

Pure Sabacc + Trick Shot, title

I find Ian's list little more powerful, but both are similar and made a finals in good events proving capabilities.

Both lost to Parattanni tho

I don't know that there is an answer to Paratanni yet so if you have the cards go that rout and practice it. The list is pretty forgiving with all the action economy and tankiness

THe calculus for what list to take IMO should always be:

1: Do you enjoy running it? If not, don't take it regardless of the rest, you'll be miserable.

2: Are you good with it? Have you practiced a lot? If not, it's probably not worth bringing. Even the nettest of netlists need practice to be good enough with.

3: Do you know how you counter the meta bugbears with it? Ideally, have you practiced against them? If you're not able to say how you propose to win against them, you probably lose against them.

4: If you're into that kind of thing, have you painted and converted it in cool ways?

There's probably also a point 0: Do you actually care about winning or do you want to just play 6 games of x-wing and have fun? If not, points 2 onwards are immaterial, just take account of point 1 (and maybe point 4) and nuts to the rest.

17 hours ago, JonasBenz said:

I disagree, I just won a tournament using RAC with VI, Gunner, Hotshot, Rebel Captive, and EU. Its tricky, but with engine upgrade you can avoid defenders as long as you know when to disengage and use Hotshot Copilot to strip their focuses so they cant use them against you.

I flew it with Juke X7 Maarek who draws fire heavily. Heck, Maarek was triple stressed and had to run around the board while RAC singlehandedly tore up a ghost and TLT y-wing.

I was the opponent, trying to focus down the defender and switched targets after he evaded a double crit autoblaster.

Tlt was undamaged by deci, but took more than half its health. Ghost took a beating. Hotcop didnt bother my list much since ghost was fcs hera stress pile.

1 hour ago, Kijaucey said:

I was the opponent, trying to focus down the defender and switched targets after he evaded a double crit autoblaster.

Tlt was undamaged by deci, but took more than half its health. Ghost took a beating. Hotcop didnt bother my list much since ghost was fcs hera stress pile.

Oh yeah, that double crit autoblaster was unlucky as hell. Did RAC kill the stresshog or was that Maarek who dealy the last blow? BTW that game was very fun and nerve-racking

14 minutes ago, JonasBenz said:

Oh yeah, that double crit autoblaster was unlucky as hell. Did RAC kill the stresshog or was that Maarek who dealy the last blow? BTW that game was very fun and nerve-racking

Rac finished hog but I offered that up to spare health on ghost. Tlt y couldnt beat defender end game. Defender got exactly 3 hits it needed to take down ghost before getting shot back.

Closest and most fun game I have played! Hope we battle again.

On notes unrelated to the list:

Bring protein snacks and at least two bottles of water. Six rounds is a long time to play X-Wing, especially if you're not used to it, and you'll need to keep your body fueled up if you want to stay sharp.

Also, sit down every chance you have. Your knees will thank you.

25 minutes ago, PhantomFO said:

Also, sit down every chance you have. Your knees will thank you

Truth. I get antsy, and often forget to sit even between rounds. When I force myself to remember, it's a much, much better day. (OTOH, I personally stay sharper if I don't eat anything. But do stay hydrated.)

I think I am going with Dash, trying to find the best Wing person for him. Seems to be Miranda or Norra. Are those the best? One preferred?

I prefer Ballet Norra. Second choice would be Pudgy Miranda. (I don't like the regen-Norra build, especially with Dash, where most people will figure "I can't catch Dash easily, so nuke Norra and then get him." And regen-Norra falls fast to focused fire.)

Sorry what are Ballet Norra and Pudgy Miranda?

Ballet Norra is Norra + BB-8 + Kyle + Engine. She can dance into an incredible number of positions and ends up taking a total of four actions. (Barrel roll, PTL to another action to get stress, clear stress with green move and get a Focus from Kyle, then take her actual action.)

Pudgy Miranda is something like Miranda + Homing + Extra Munitions + TLT + Guidance Chips.

(And don't apologize for being new and needing some context. That's my fault for being opaque.)