So I have a couple of Poe build I think are currently viable. It seems Poe is everywhere and I wonder if it is because of the new movie, the Black One title being so effective against munitions, or advanced optics. Either way I am ok because I like flying Poe. I know what the answer to the next question is before I ask it "it's up to you and your flying style" but I'll I ask anyway. What's the best Poe?

Exhibit A:

Poe Dameron (PS9) (33)
Intensity (2)
BB-8 (2)
Primed Thrusters (1)
Autothrusters (2)
Black One (1)

Total: 41

Cons:

PS9 is a draw back on the high PS alphas out there

no regen

Pros:

BB-8/Primed Thrusters/Intensity allows for a larger range of movement and repositioning

its more fun (?)

Exhibit B:

Poe Dameron (PS9) (33)
Intensity (2)
Flight-Assist Astromech (1)
Advanced Optics (2)
Autothrusters (2)
Black One (1)

Total: 41

Cons:

Still only PS9

No crazy repositioning shenanigans

Pros:

Advanced Optics was seemingly made for Poe and his ability

FAA gives you a better "avenue of escape" to mitigate lack of regen and still works well with intensity

Exhbit C:

Poe Dameron (PS9) (33)
Veteran Instincts (1)
R2-D2 (4)
Advanced Optics (2)
Autothrusters (2)
Black One (1)

Total: 43

Cons:

no regen

more predictable with the greens

Pros:

PS11 with an init bid is string currently, especially with the title

regen is good

Conclusion:

My current thinking is PS11 may bee too important to pass up, despite the fun/thematics of intensity. That's probably the way to go right now. Thoughts?

I would go with Regen and PS11.

pair him up with Fenn or AP-5 and another ship that can use the support.

If Fenn has VI too, you can boost as a Coordinate action or if you go AP-5 or PS9 Fenn, you can do something else as coordinate action and boost as his action.

This makes him very survivable against most threats and you have enough points to play another big ship...

Regen, Title , Fenns support and His ability makes him a very undesirable target even if he is less maneuvrable than other versions.

With Poe, I feel there are three important decisions to make (that will ultimately determine how to build him):

1. What is your desired squad template, and Poe's role in that squad?
2. How high you want to go with PS?
3. How many points you can afford to spend?

Regarding the squad template and Poe's role, there are two main templates to choose from:

• Poe + 1 more "fat" ship (Dash/Rey/Han/Miranda/Corran are some of the options), or
• Poe + 2 more ships (for example: "Triple T-70s" or "Poe Wedge Wes" or "Poe Miranda Ezra"... )

Poe's role in the squad is typically centered around one of these roles:

• End-game 1-1 finisher and a point-fortress (which implies a tanky/regen build)
• Arc-dodging ace and squad support via TL removal (which usually means high PS with a bid, BB-8 and Black One title)

It is possible to try and go for a compromise between the two roles, but that gets very expensive and involves some trade-offs.

PS wars are very real in the current metagame, and there are many lists that will go to PS9 or above, including the very popular (and very deadly) PS11 imperial alpha strike lists. Once you have an idea of where you want to be with PS, that will help inform the rest of the build.

There are some "best practices" around Poe:

• Being an expensive ship, Poe usually wants Autothrusters (AT) since they only need to proc once per game to be worth the 2 points, and they are a great help vs turrets. Budget builds may opt for Integrated Astromech (IA) instead (which is cheaper, and also provides one-time protection vs nasty crits and Kylo)
• Most of the time Advanced Optics (AO) are the best tech choice (helps with both offense and defense), but Primed Thrusters can be an option for budget builds with BB-8 and Flight-Assist Astromech (FAA)
• If you have the spare point, it's always good to bring Black One (B1), though it works much better with BB-8 builds than the regen builds
• If you can afford to take an EPT that is not VI or Adaptability (AD), best picks are probably Intensity (combos best with BB-8), Lone Wolf (works best in 2-ship lists), Push The Limit (needs BB-8, but suffers vs stress control lists) and Predator (powerful but expensive)

So with all this in mind, let's do some example builds:

"Unlimited cost" builds (usually seen in 2-ship lists)

• PS11 Tanky build: Poe (PS9) / VI, R2-D2, AO, AT, B1 (43 points)
• PS11 Arc-dodger build: Poe (PS9) / VI, BB-8, AO, AT, B1 (41 points)
• PS 9 Super-tanky build: Poe (PS9) / Lone Wolf, R2-D2, AO, AT, B1 (44 points)

Budget builds (usually seen in 3-ship lists)

• PS10 Tanky build: Poe (PS8) / VI, R2-D2, AO, IA (38 points)
• PS10 Arc-dodger build: Poe (PS8) / VI, BB-8, AO, IA, B1 (37 points)
• PS9 Ultra-budget build: Poe (PS8) / AD, FAA, PT, IA (33 points)

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list -> there are many more options and fine-grained tweaks that can be made, which is why Poe is such a great (and frequently used) choice. Feel free to consult the internet wisdom at ListJuggler and at MetaWing as well

Hope this helps

BB8 or go home. PS 11 w/ AO > PS9 Intensity all dang day.

From personal experience flying with Intensity and Advanced Optics: it sounds good on paper, but you get into a bind mid game. You’re stuck with Intensity flipped down and your focus token. Do you spend it to flip Intensity and be forced to focus next turn instead of boost, or keep the token and leave it flipped? I just didn’t like the choices mid game using the two. It can put you in some really bad situations.

On 12/26/2017 at 8:54 AM, vladamex said:

• PS11 Arc-dodger build: Poe (PS9) / VI, BB-8, AO, AT, B1 (41 points)

This is my default Poe. Everything I'm flying right now is built around this version.

3 hours ago, gigglyomnioronicon said:

From personal experience flying with Intensity and Advanced Optics: it sounds good on paper, but you get into a bind mid game. You’re stuck with Intensity flipped down and your focus token. Do you spend it to flip Intensity and be forced to focus next turn instead of boost, or keep the token and leave it flipped? I just didn’t like the choices mid game using the two. It can put you in some really bad situations.

Skip AO for Intensity. I’ve found that Primed Thrusters is way better for Poetensity (unless you’re a regen sucker, then use R2-D2 and Comms Relay).

Then there's Debris Gambit Regen Poe, for when you want to get right in the middle of things and say "I can hold it!"

I will never stop fighting for Poe (either PS) with VI, FAA, AT, Black One. Maneuverable, adaptable, reliable. If you have more points and are willing to sacrifice some flexibility, R2-D2 provides tankiness.

Situationally how does FAA benefit more than BB8?

On 12/26/2017 at 6:32 AM, ForceM said:

I would go with Regen and PS11.

pair him up with Fenn or AP-5 and another ship that can use the support.

If Fenn has VI too, you can boost as a Coordinate action or if you go AP-5 or PS9 Fenn, you can do something else as coordinate action and boost as his action.

This makes him very survivable against most threats and you have enough points to play another big ship...

Regen, Title , Fenns support and His ability makes him a very undesirable target even if he is less maneuvrable than other versions.

The beauty of matching PS with Fenn is his coordination can be delivered before or after Poe activates. There's a lot of power in that. Boosting before a T-roll or after an inevitable bump gives a really nice level of flexibility.

I would also to add to the conversation in general that Poe w/ VI, R5-P9, Autothrusters, Pattern Analyzer is still has merit. I know that advanced optics provide the reliability of the coveted focus token and are superior in many cases, but there are things you can do with a pattern analyzer that make Poe a little more unpredictable. AP-5, in particular can keep Poe stress free and provides a consistent external source of the coveted focus token.

I'm also in the R2/AO/PS11 camp. Poe + Fenn is definitely a "thing."

On 1/1/2018 at 10:55 PM, ccjacks3 said:

Situationally how does FAA benefit more than BB8?

You're not reliant on greens.

10 hours ago, Greebwahn said:

You're not reliant on greens.

And it aids in the escape. 4 straight then boost covers some ground to help the hit and run.