Can Threat Tracker be used with a Target Lock acquired from Targeting Synchronizer? To me it reads like it would fit the "game effect" example.

Some people have suggested, that the game effect is dependent on the first condition, i. e. attacking the ship at that point.

When a friendly ship at Range 1-2 is attacking a ship you have locked, the friendly ship treats the 'ATTACK (TARGET LOCK):' header as 'ATTACK:'. If a game effect instructs that ship to spend a target lock, it may spend your target lock instead.

FAQ:

If an enemy ship is locked by a friendly ship equipped with Targeting Synchronizer, the friendly ship grants friendly ships that are attacking the enemy ship the ability to treat the "Attack (Target Lock):" as "Attack:" but does not alter any costs (such as spending a target lock). (X-Wing FAQ, Version 4.4.0, Updated 10/25/2017)

If an enemy ship is locked by a friendly ship equipped with Targeting Synchronizer, although a friendly ship may not actually have the target lock, it can spend the target lock from the ship with Targeting Synchronizer as though it did. (X-Wing FAQ, Version 4.4.0, Updated 10/25/2017)

Q: What are examples of game effects that instruct a player to spend a target lock? A: The cost for a secondary weapon such as Proton Torpedoes, using pilot abilities like Lieutenant Colzet, or spending a target lock during the "Modify Attack Dice" step to reroll attack dice are all examples of spending a target lock. Removing a target lock or assigning a blue target lock token to another ship are not examples of spending a target lock.

No.

Targetting Synchroniser's trigger is 'when attacking'. Threat Tracker's is not. The two upgrades have no synergy.

Threat Tracker is a game effect that spends a TL, but it's not one you can use TS on.

3 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

No.

Targetting Synchroniser's trigger is 'when attacking'. Threat Tracker's is not. The two upgrades have no synergy.

Threat Tracker is a game effect that spends a TL, but it's not one you can use TS on.

How does that fit with this passage then?

Q: What are examples of game effects that instruct a player to spend a target lock? A: The cost for a secondary weapon such as Proton Torpedoes, using pilot abilities like Lieutenant Colzet , or spending a target lock during the "Modify Attack Dice" step to reroll attack dice are all examples of spending a target lock. Removing a target lock or assigning a blue target lock token to another ship are not examples of spending a target lock.

That question answers 'what are game effects that spend a lock' not 'what are game effects that spend a lock and work with TS.

It's not actually an answer to the question it was intended to address, and it's frigging infuriating.

Just now, thespaceinvader said:

That question answers 'what are game effects that spend a lock' not 'what are game effects that spend a lock and work with TS.

It's not actually an answer to the question it was intended to address, and it's frigging infuriating.

It's confusing to say the least. Why would they mention examples that do not work with the card they are addressing in the FAQ?

I agree, however, that according to the way the rule is written, attacking should remain a condition for using the effect.

Who can really comprehend the mind of FFG's FAQ writer?

They frequently use the most obtuse language possible when far simpler language would suffice, answer questions that weren't actually asked, fail to actually address the issues they're intending to address, and generally miss major things.

9 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

That question answers 'what are game effects that spend a lock' not 'what are game effects that spend a lock and work with TS.

It's not actually an answer to the question it was intended to address, and it's frigging infuriating.

Indeed.

If there was a carriage return before "if a game effect...", I'd be prepared to consider it an independent rule (like Maul being able to remove a stress after an attack that hits, regardless of whether you used him for rerolls).

As it is (part of the same paragraph), I'd say it needs to fulfil the trigger, so can't be used.

The problem is that the ship wanting to spend your lock is "that ship".

"That ship" is earlier on the card defined as "a friendly ship at range 1-2 which is attacking a ship you have locked".

It's possible that there might be some mangled combination of effects via Dengar/Quickdraw 'return fire' attacks where this might work, but I doubt it - especially since the trigger is "when the target becomes the active ship" not "when the target attacks you".

1 hour ago, Magnus Grendel said:

The problem is that the ship wanting to spend your lock is "that ship".

"That ship" is earlier on the card defined as "a friendly ship at range 1-2 which is attacking a ship you have locked".

It's possible that there might be some mangled combination of effects via Dengar/Quickdraw 'return fire' attacks where this might work, but I doubt it - especially since the trigger is "when the target becomes the active ship" not "when the target attacks you".

Yup, that should be clear enough. Thanks for elaborating!