Random thought popped into my head: Push The Limit lets you take free action bar actions, Experimental Interface lets you take free upgrade card action, but we haven't yet seen any cards designed to let you take free damage card actions.

The R5 astromech lets you handle most ship criticals for free, but as an astromech, most of the ships which can equip it don't have enough hull to matter - this would probably be far more relevant to agility 1/0 big ships like the YV-666, VT-49 or VCX-100

How much would a card letting you take multiple 'damage control' actions be worth?

Mostly not much, but it owuld be absolutely crucial when it was useful at all.

I could see it costing as little as 0 or 1, and just saying 'once per round after executing a manouevre if you didn't bump or hit a rock (using the x7 wording) you may perform an action on one of your damage cards as a free action'. Mostly useless, not that astonishing an effect if you have lots of face up damage, costed the same as Breach Specialist, but for a differently-good effect.

It probably would be pretty fine.

Hmm, interesting idea, and I agree that astromechs seem to be the right place for it.

However most of the time it wouldn't crop up as being useful, so I'd probably put it at 1 point.

Or perhaps, maybe... just MAYBE... it could fit into the role of the illusory 0pt asteomech upgrade that many people have been wanting and waiting for.

EDIT: @thespaceinvader ninja'd!

I'm trying to imagine the strongest possible way to word such a card without getting silly. Let's say the card text is "At the end of the round, you may perform an action from a damage card on this ship as a free action." It doesn't depend on being triggered by an action or maneuver. The timing will let you try to fix a crit the same round you got it. And there's no other restrictions.

Even then, I'd still price it at 0 or 1 depending on the slot (1 for a low value slot, 0 for a high value slot).

It's worth noting that only 12 cards out of the damage deck have an action to try to flip them down. So this effect will only benefit you against about 1/3rd of crits.

It wouldn't set the meta on fire, but paired up with Greedo on a YV or now the C-ROC, that could be pretty good. I can see it working on a YT-2400 build too. Fun idea.

2 minutes ago, EdgeOfDreams said:

I'm trying to imagine the strongest possible way to word such a card without getting silly. Let's say the card text is "At the end of the round, you may perform an action from a damage card on this ship as a free action." It doesn't depend on being triggered by an action or maneuver. The timing will let you try to fix a crit the same round you got it. And there's no other restrictions.

Even then, I'd still price it at 0 or 1 depending on the slot (1 for a low value slot, 0 for a high value slot).

It's worth noting that only 12 cards out of the damage deck have an action to try to flip them down. So this effect will only benefit you against about 1/3rd of crits.

An interesting variation would be 'Action: flip one of your face up damage cards face down'. Significantly better, but probably still only worth one point as a crew slot. It costs your actionf ro the round, only saves you randomisation on some cards, and only adds I think 4 cards that can be changed with it in most cases (Direct Hit, Blinded Pilot maybe, Injured Pilot, Damaged Cockpit, Damaged Engine, Shaken Pilot if you manage to get it and then not set a dial before your next action opportunity)

FFG would make it Scum only. I does sound interesting though.

1 hour ago, thespaceinvader said:

An interesting variation would be 'Action: flip one of your face up damage cards face down'. Significantly better, but probably still only worth one point as a crew slot. It costs your actionf ro the round, only saves you randomisation on some cards, and only adds I think 4 cards that can be changed with it in most cases (Direct Hit, Blinded Pilot maybe, Injured Pilot, Damaged Cockpit, Damaged Engine, Shaken Pilot if you manage to get it and then not set a dial before your next action opportunity)

I like that variation. There are some crits that you can't flip down that are devastating to certain builds (damaged engine, injured pilot come to mind), and others that just won't ever roll to flip (Damaged Sensor Array and Weapons Failure) that a crew allowing you to auto flip these crits would be great. With the crew slot in such demand though, I don't know if you'd ever see it in play, even at 0 cost. Perhaps though you would see the free action variant in play, even at 2 points... Something like:

"After performing an action, you may flip over a face up damage card. Crew, 2 points."

I don't think it needs a stress or a once per turn clause as it's such a fringe thing anyways and is consuming the crew slot (which is arguably the more important opportunity cost than the 2 points).

1 hour ago, thespaceinvader said:

An interesting variation would be 'Action: flip one of your face up damage cards face down'. Significantly better, but probably still only worth one point as a crew slot. It costs your actionf ro the round, only saves you randomisation on some cards, and only adds I think 4 cards that can be changed with it in most cases (Direct Hit, Blinded Pilot maybe, Injured Pilot, Damaged Cockpit, Damaged Engine, Shaken Pilot if you manage to get it and then not set a dial before your next action opportunity)

No coffee yet so I might be missing something but with the wording above, wouldn't that mech allow you to flip any face up damage card face down? Except the crits that get turned face down automatically.

33 minutes ago, Fuzzywookie said:

FFG would make it Scum only. I does sound interesting though.

and it would 0 points

Poor R5 Astro is beeping sadly to himself in the corner guys. All action critical hit cards are Ship crits.

1 hour ago, Stoneface said:

No coffee yet so I might be missing something but with the wording above, wouldn't that mech allow you to flip any face up damage card face down? Except the crits that get turned face down automatically.

Yes, that is the intention.

It doesn't have to be an astromech.

Flight Mechanic: 0 point crew. After performing a maneuver, you may perform an action listed on a damage card as a free action.

8 hours ago, Rinzler in a Tie said:

and it would 0 points

And it would add another of the same slot.

1 hour ago, gryffindorhouse said:

And it would add another of the same slot.

Hmmm... that would be a nasty synergy with Greedo and Determination! Now I really wish this were real so I could put it on my Jumpmaster!

6 minutes ago, Kieransi said:

Hmmm... that would be a nasty synergy with Greedo and Determination! Now I really wish this were real so I could put it on my Jumpmaster!

Oh, goody, more jumpmasters.

Just now, gryffindorhouse said:

Oh, goody, more jumpmasters.

Yeah! Now I just have to buy a fourth one. Four jumps has got to be the best way to fly those things!

Just now, Kieransi said:

Yeah! Now I just have to buy a fourth one. Four jumps has got to be the best way to fly those things!

I'm actually quite surprised that 4 jumps with adapdability (either way actually) is not a thing.

Just now, gryffindorhouse said:

I'm actually quite surprised that 4 jumps with adapdability (either way actually) is not a thing.

They're the most radically underpriced ship in the whole game, and unbelievably easy to fly with the turreted weapon and white s-loops, so, yeah, I'd expect four to be good.

I like flying all four named A-Wing pilots in one fleet, but the one thing they struggle with is a lack of firepower. Dice creep has made 2 dice attacks epically weak sauce. I think that's why jumps are more likely to show up in everybody's favorite flavors of torpboats and Dengaroo (really any flavor of Dengar and/or Manaroo is acceptable). Even Tel Trevura is pretty good. But the basic unarmed Jumpmaster is still just a lousy 2-dice attack. I'd take 4 U-Wings over 4 U-Boats any day!

1 minute ago, Kieransi said:

They're the most radically underpriced ship in the whole game, and unbelievably easy to fly with the turreted weapon and white s-loops, so, yeah, I'd expect four to be good.

I like flying all four named A-Wing pilots in one fleet, but the one thing they struggle with is a lack of firepower. Dice creep has made 2 dice attacks epically weak sauce. I think that's why jumps are more likely to show up in everybody's favorite flavors of torpboats and Dengaroo (really any flavor of Dengar and/or Manaroo is acceptable). Even Tel Trevura is pretty good. But the basic unarmed Jumpmaster is still just a lousy 2-dice attack. I'd take 4 U-Wings over 4 U-Boats any day!

That's true, but just imagine it against a decimator, it would slaughter it.

Just now, gryffindorhouse said:

That's true, but just imagine it against a decimator, it would slaughter it.

Maybe so. I might have to try four jumps... I just feel dirty even touching the things. It doesn't seem right that all four pilots are so strong in the meta and Dengar, Manaroo, and the basic Scout are in about 2/3 of the best 10 lists in the game...

Yes, well, were going to get a nerf sometime or rather.

Quote

Poor R5 Astro is beeping sadly to himself in the corner guys. All action critical hit cards are Ship crits.

Agreed. But the problem with R5 astromech is that - nothing you can attach it to has enough hit points to really justify it.

• The E-wing literally only ever sees one damage card before dying
• The X-wing only sees two and could blow one of them off with integrated astromech with any astromech, which means it could have a second, more valuable use (even if just the dial improvement of a generic R2)
• The ARC-170 does have a lot of hit points, but with no generic pilots, you're generally wanting to reach for an astromech with a specific ability (M9-G8 for Thane or Shara, R3-A2 for Braylen and R2-D2 or BB-8 for Norra) so the slot's already spoken for.

I guess it could be worth it on a generic Y-wing, but that's the only use I can think of.

Unfortunately, "deal with face-up criticals" is far more an issue for big ships with >6 hull, that can reliably expect multiple crits in the course of being killed.

6 hours ago, gryffindorhouse said:

I'm actually quite surprised that 4 jumps with adapdability (either way actually) is not a thing.

Trick Shot would probably be better except in the matchup against triple scouts.

The reason it's not a thing is pure and simply that 2 die turrets aren't effective enough.

5 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Agreed. But the problem with R5 astromech is that - nothing you can attach it to has enough hit points to really justify it.

• The E-wing literally only ever sees one damage card before dying
• The X-wing only sees two and could blow one of them off with integrated astromech with any astromech, which means it could have a second, more valuable use (even if just the dial improvement of a generic R2)
• The ARC-170 does have a lot of hit points, but with no generic pilots, you're generally wanting to reach for an astromech with a specific ability (M9-G8 for Thane or Shara, R3-A2 for Braylen and R2-D2 or BB-8 for Norra) so the slot's already spoken for.

I guess it could be worth it on a generic Y-wing, but that's the only use I can think of.

Unfortunately, "deal with face-up criticals" is far more an issue for big ships with >6 hull, that can reliably expect multiple crits in the course of being killed.

Oh, I 100% agree with all of this. And Y-wings arguably benefit more from R2. R5 is waiting for just the right generic with a large amount of hull. Just brought it up because people mentioned astros and it's useful for comparison.