Just played an interesting few games with my FLGS where we restricted Veteran Instincts to native PS <8 and Adaptability to <9, effectively capping the PS you can achieve on any pilot to 9. Actually made it really interesting- bid mattered a lot more and actually freed up some EPT slots on PS 9 pilots to do actually interesting things with. Seems to fit with this meta where PS is king again. I dunno, just trying to mix things up and make this meta a bit more palatable.

Anyone else care to test?- I had a lot of fun!

Veteran instincts should have always capped at 9, glad your expeiment went well. I would endorce this change whole heartedly.

I like this idea. Definitely want to try it.

But if you dont get buy in you have an alternative.

Just tell every Imperial Player it is completely acceptable for them to use and proxy RAC/Kylo + Palp in any setting if others are playing Nym or stuff at PS10-11 to counter Nym (where this PS war started).

Kylo will naturally push ships higher than PS9 away from the table as your local meta adjusts to regularly flying their "best" ships blind at PS0.

Before you know it everyone will be flying 4-5 ship generic lists and you will have to stop flying RAC who dies to multiple targets.

As soon as someone starts creeping higher PS back in slam Kylo back on the board and rinse and repeat the cycle as necessary.

#KyloIsTheAnswerToAllOurProblems

You can also do some interesting shenanigans with PS 7 pilots. I had good luck with VI Backdraft and a decent initiative bid. Also, a friend tried PS 9 Juno Eclipse with Cruise missiles and a bid- really interesting.

I'd love some one else to try it and let me know what they think.

Sounds like a fun 1 off to play, but I don't think raising the importance of bidding is a good design choice.

9 should have been the max PS from the beginning. You still have PS races, but no game effect should raise pilot skill above the highest printed value.

@Scumwing Apologist What does your community do with Roark and Epsilon Ace?

58 minutes ago, Joe Censored said:

Sounds like a fun 1 off to play, but I don't think raising the importance of bidding is a good design choice.

I disagree. It makes pulling off an Alpha Strike more difficult because you have to consider bid more heavily. The higher the bid the overall less efficient the list due to points restrictions. PS 9 Nym and Dengar would REALLY want initiative, probably enough to try for a 4-5 point bid- but that leaves them much less efficient in the long run, if they wiff the alpha. Mostly I want to see Alphas tuned down a bit, it's not fun to have a game end on Turn 2- for anyone.

55 minutes ago, jmswood said:

9 should have been the max PS from the beginning. You still have PS races, but no game effect should raise pilot skill above the highest printed value.

@Scumwing Apologist What does your community do with Roark and Epsilon Ace?

Roark and Epsilon didn't come up. I think I'd just max them at 9 and keep their abilities the same otherwise.