With 2, 3, and 4 attack dice, is it better to TL or Focus?

http://xwingcalculator.x10host.com/diceuilm.html

In general, they're broadly similar (indeed, for 3 dice IIRC they're identical)but they have differing other advantages - focus can be used for defence, but disappears at the end of the round, whereas TLs can't be used for defence, but persist if you don't use them.

If you want crits then you are better of with a Target Lock but otherwise they both give each die a 75% chance of being a hit or a crit after modification.

I usually go with the focus action because it is more flexible. You aren't locked into a particular target and you can use it defensively if you need to.

Your attack die is 1 crit, 3 hits, 2 focus, and 2 blanks. A focus token can only turn a focus result into hit a result. A target lock would allow rerolling a die which gives you the exact same possibilities.

Normally when you use TL you will NOT reroll crit or hit results so you are rerolling 50% of the possible results and get "good" results back 50% of the time. If you have Focus you are only getting a chance to use it 25% of the time but when you do it will get you a "good" result 100% of the time. Now a Focus "good" is always a hit while a TL "good" is a hit 75% of the time and a crit 25% of the time so the TL has a bit of an advantage there. A Focus can also modify Defense Results and you know if using it will do you any good or not but with a TL there are no guarantees so while you may do better you could do the same or even worse.

I was always told when in doubt, focus. If you know you can't be shot at for the round, TL in preparation for the next one.

8 hours ago, WWHSD said:

If you want crits then you are better of with a Target Lock but otherwise they both give each die a 75% chance of being a hit or a crit after modification.

I usually go with the focus action because it is more flexible. You aren't locked into a particular target and you can use it defensively if you need to.

For all dice numbers?

14 minutes ago, Epixca said:

For all dice numbers?

It doesn't really matter as you get to make your decisions after seeing how the dice land the first time. More dice means more chances of getting a Focus result instead of a good result yet that also means more dice you're likely to reroll with a Target Lock.

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but Focus has the advantage that it doesn't "lock" you into a specific target. If your ship has two targets it could shoot at and you choose to TL one but it is destroyed before you get to shoot that TL was pretty much a waste although if you had taken Focus you would still have that token when you shoot at the other target. This is why the ordnance that only requires a Focus to use is sometime prefered vs. ones you must have a TL on the target.

3 hours ago, Epixca said:

For all dice numbers?

It doesn't matter how many dice you roll. The odds per die stay the same.

The odds may be similar on attack dice, but I prefer to focus.

On many occasions I've seen people take a target lock, roll all hits or focuses and then not have anything to mod their offensive and defensive dice.

Now if you can do both...

Invader pretty much nailed it at the start. Focus is better if you might need the defence boost, target lock is better if you'll make use of it in later turns. If I'm at range 3, for example, I will often take a target lock – knowing that I probably won't use it – and set up for a fully modded shot when the enemy has less defence dice.

Yup, it's often worth taking a TL in the full expectation of not spending it even if you blank out, because it's better to get a closer range double modified shot.

3 hours ago, USCGrad90 said:

On many occasions I've seen people take a target lock, roll all hits or focuses and then not have anything to mod their offensive and defensive dice.

Um, you do know you can spend a target lock to reroll eyeballs, right?

but if you roll all focusses you're way better with a focus token since it's guaranteed.

If you roll all hits it's BETTER to have a TL, because you can save it for later if you're not being shot at.

1 hour ago, EdgeOfDreams said:

Um, you do know you can spend a target lock to reroll eyeballs, right?

Absolutely, but what I mean is roll all hits on your attack - not needing a TL - or roll blanks and focuses and reroll with the TL to not really get anything much better.

I just feel like the focus gives you more options on both sides, depending on how it comes out with the rolling of dice.