6 hours ago, Kdubb said:

But what is the value in this? I can learn this without Saboteur existing. Things I have learned about the game simply by playing it- Actions are important and must be really strong to warrant use over the others, randomness devalues a card, prerequisites to trigger an ability devalue a card. Knowing this, all I know is that Saboteur was priced incorrectly. Maybe it’s fine as is, but the designers simply failed to price it correctly. At 0 points, it probably doesn’t see a ton of play, but it could find a niche spot on say, Ashoka or the like.

And yet, how would you know these things if you hadn't tried some of the cards that perform poorly in these areas. I've got a very heavy mathematical background, which gives me a lot of insight but mos players don't, so they need to learn what's bad through experience.

6 hours ago, Kdubb said:

Who says they universally have no other use? Targeting Astro pairs really well with stay on target . It also combos great with advanced sensors + munitions for a sneaky fully modded ordnance shot on a red. Are these game busting combos? No, but it isn’t with Hobbie either.

Just because they synergize really well in one spot doesn’t mean they are devoid of other synergies. I guess my intention with saying upgrades should have niche spots is more so directed at the point I’m trying to make that they shouldn’t be good EVERYWHERE, as opposed to what you think I’m intending as them being good in only a single place (which I prefer to being good everywhere still though). I did initially say they should have "little outside of that" in their niche use, but I should probably redact that statement as that makes it sound like I want the upgrades use to be a little too inclusive.

The current chassis selection for astromechs has me think they are more the issue for a lot of these droids, although there are for sure a couple of stinkers. Even most of those could just see a cost adjustment to be playable though. The more I think about it the more I believe a lot of poor cards in general just need a point adjustment to be playable.

I'm fairly certain that none of the PS 8 + pilots with an astromech slot want to take a Targeting Astromech - they all want either BB-8 or R2-D2. So you're looking at middling PS ships taking Targeting Astro, at which point the to clear choices are Nien Numb and Hobbie. Nien combos excelently with Stay on Target too. If you take Targeting Astro on any other ships you're missing the obvious niche combo that simply gives you more bang for your buck.

In essence, by being creative with Targeting Astromech (say, by putting it on a Y-wing) you're actively handicapping yourself by not taking the obvious, safe choice. Again, the low-power card with a niche use doesn't encourage creativity at all - it stifles it at a competitive level.

In regards to a Targeting Astromech, Stay on Target and Advanced Sensors combo - it's 7 points - plus probably 4 for munitions just to get a single fully modded shot, when you could take PTL and save 4 points and have greater flexibility on your E-wing (the only ship that can do the combo).

I don't want every astromech to be good with every pilot, but I do want there to be enough choices for where to put a given astromech (say, 5 or so) to give players interesting list building decisions at the competitive level.

On ‎10‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 5:36 PM, Astech said:

R3 + Comm Relay on a Blue Squadron pilot is already at 29 points Sure, you're occasionally getting what is essentially more health, but is it worth 5 points of a list? You're sacrificing offensive power of a little bit of extra defense, for 5 points per ship. In the current state of the game attacks with just a TL don't do very much I'd say you could expect, at most, 3 extra health out of the setup, and probably only 2, given your opponent will see the need to focus fire and burn down your single defensive token, AGI 2 ships one by one.

How are you sacrificing offensive power on a ship by taking a target lock over a focus. It has no access to PTL for a double mod shot. Taking a target lock is literally the most important step for maximizing primary weapon damage output on a Blue, the byproduct being that, occasionally, you get some extra health back. You don't sacrifice anything.

Now, whether a single target lock is enough damage in this day and age is a different story. And whether you should take a different ship over a Blue?--we all know the answer to that is probably yes--but I don't think that's the point of this thread.

6 hours ago, Gibbilo said:

How are you sacrificing offensive power on a ship by taking a target lock over a focus. It has no access to PTL for a double mod shot. Taking a target lock is literally the most important step for maximizing primary weapon damage output on a Blue, the byproduct being that, occasionally, you get some extra health back. You don't sacrifice anything.

Now, whether a single target lock is enough damage in this day and age is a different story. And whether you should take a different ship over a Blue?--we all know the answer to that is probably yes--but I don't think that's the point of this thread.

For starters, you could equip M9-G8 to one of then, and R2-D6 and predator on another. They'd actually be cheaper built like that, and then they could actually use their focus defensively if they needed. Again, it's not just the cost of the cards, it's the opportunity cost.

Just a target lock would be fine against the likes of Nym, if you get an arc. But against Lone Wolf + Rey Dash you'd have pretty much no hope of killing him.