So here is a list idea.

Dengar (33)
Attanni Mindlink (1)
Inspiring Recruit (1)
Overclocked R4 (1)

Fenn Rau (28)
Attanni Mindlink (1)
Autothrusters (2)
Concord Dawn Protector (1)

Talonbane Cobra (28)
Attanni Mindlink (1)
XX-23 S-Thread Tracers (1)
Inertial Dampeners (1)
Engine Upgrade (4)
Guidance Chips (0)
Autothrusters (2)
Vaksai (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

I wanted to try Dengar as a stand in for Manaroo. Both Fenn and Cobra can target lock. Dengar Focuses. Fenn and Cobra then shoots first, and freely spend their focus tokens. Dengar then spends his focus when firing, and regains it with overclocked. All three ships then sits on focus tokens after having thorwn a lot of fully modded dice in the enemies face. Inspiring can help Dengar if he needs to use bot for defense as well, and is just a good anti stress meta thing. 2 dice Dengar, at least at range 1, should still be a pretty potent attacker.

What do you think?

I tried something very similar recently, except it was pre-vaksai T-Cobes. He just had mindlink and vectored thrusters. Dengar had the pain-bot and fearlessness, as I was testing out my own personal nerf of only using Mindlink in pairs.

It all worked....okay. I mean...he is still a jumpmaster that can be in range one double tapping with at least an extra guaranteed hit each time.

It was just a little casual match and I had very little experience flying jumpmasters or Krufhrhdgxxx, so I don't know its ultimate potential, but I definitely won.

The fact that Scum can fit its three native PS9s at least marginally.kitted out in one list is kind.of.troubling really.

Drop some of the goodies off Talonbane, upgrade Dengar to EM and Plasma, and I'm pretty sure you've got a decent list.

It shouldn't be possible (Talonbane with Vaksai is about right, you have to sacrifice a bunch of stuff to get there, but Fenn is at least a point undercosted, and Dengar is probably at least two points undercosted), but it's probably not awful.

11 hours ago, Elrodthealbino said:

The fact that Scum can fit its three native PS9s at least marginally.kitted out in one list is kind.of.troubling really.

I mean, the Imperials can do that as well. It's not cutting edge good, but it's a reasonably decent list and even has a bid or room for swapping a few options around...

Darth Vader (29)
Predator (3)
Advanced Targeting Computer (1)
TIE/x1 (0)

"Quickdraw" (29)
A Score to Settle (0)
Fire-Control System (2)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)

Soontir Fel (27)
Push the Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)

Total: 98

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

8 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

Drop some of the goodies off Talonbane, upgrade Dengar to EM and Plasma, and I'm pretty sure you've got a decent list.

It shouldn't be possible (Talonbane with Vaksai is about right, you have to sacrifice a bunch of stuff to get there, but Fenn is at least a point undercosted, and Dengar is probably at least two points undercosted), but it's probably not awful.

I don't think that is possible. If I drop Engine and Autothrusters I only save 4 points. The rest are freebies on Talonbane.

I tried Dengar without the title a few times; I found his revenge shot lacking. YMMV.

I think you definitely still need something on Dengar. Plasma torps at the very least. Otherwise, there isn't much of a boost to using Dengar. A 2 dice revenge shot does little unless your up against a ghost or the Deci. Your odds of damaging a defender are pretty slim.

Talonbane Cobra (28)
Attanni Mindlink (1)
XX-23 S-Thread Tracers (1)
Black Market Slicer Tools (1)
Munitions Failsafe (1)
Guidance Chips (0)
Pulsed Ray Shield (2)
Vaksai (0)

Fenn Rau (28)
Attanni Mindlink (1)
Autothrusters (2)
Concord Dawn Protector (1)

Dengar (33)
Attanni Mindlink (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Plasma Torpedoes (3)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

That's my version FWIW. TBane is built almost entirely free to allow space for two torps on Dengar. Spend them wisely...

My personal answer to the titular question:

Dengar is rarely worth playing without Punishing One. Punishing One is never worth playing without Dengar.

On reflection though I'd probably use VT rather than PRS on Talonbane.