Last year I went to Yavin as a new player with a Vader/Inquisitor/Sabacc list. I was super green, the list was not optimal (juke Quiz and swarm leader Sabacc!?) and I got 1 win. Part of me wants to roll with the same ships and see if I can do better 1 year later. How do you like the load out here?

Yavin Mk II (99)

•The Inquisitor (34) - TIE Adv. Prototype

Push The Limit (3), Proton Rockets (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

•Darth Vader (38) - TIE Advanced

Veteran Instincts (1), Cruise Missiles (3), TIE/x1 (0), Engine Upgrade (4), Advanced Targeting Computer (5)

•"Pure Sabacc" (27) - TIE Striker

Predator (3), Adaptive Ailerons (0), Lightweight Frame (2)

Vader is standard. Harpoons are possible, but Cruise are probably about as good.

Inquisitor could also be Harpoons, but it's not as easy a tradeoff. With Vader, he's weakest at R3, where he doesn't have Autothrusters. However, Inquisitor love R3. It's just open whether or not he'd rather be part of a long-range alpha, or have a Proton Rocket to fill in his relatively weaker R1.

Pure Sabacc... I'm never sure the right way to fly this fellow. I kinda like something cheaper like Crack Shot, Rage, or VI as his Elite upgrade. PS 8 would match the Inquisitor, which is convenient, but not necessarily high-value. I kind of think Predator is too expensive; it adds about 0.5 hits on a 4-dice attack, but is Pure Sabacc going to get that many 4-dice attacks? Predator adds 0.3 hits on a 3-dice attack. You'd need to get at least two attacks with Predator in order to equal the value from Crack Shot, maybe even three attacks. Meanwhile, Crack Shot does a better job at front-loading the damage, which combines well with the Cruise Missiles on Vader, and potentially a Harpoon on the Inquisitor (I'd rather have Cruise Vader/Harpoon Inquisitor, since the 'Quiz often has to pull 1-speed green moves, while Vader's dial is more open).

On the other hand, maybe Predator is right on Pure Sabacc because it makes him more of a threat and point-target. If your opponent devotes their biggest early attacks to killing a striker, that keeps your higher-value arc dodgers safe. If they ignore Pure Sabacc, Predator will get serious value.

Sound advice. With Sabacc, he is absolutely the bait, who of ignored can punch through some damage. Switching to crack shot and putting harpoons on Quiz seems to be a very sensible adjustment though.

In today's meta that's a brave list to fly. It can have some good matchups, but bombs are coming back in a big way with Nym launching shenanigans and Miranda. Inquisitor eats one Proton Bomb and it could be over.

I agree that the builds themselves are solid. I love those ships. In terms of EPT for Sabacc, now, it is a challenge. But I like Expertise. It really makes him a clear first target, which is good, because it leaves Inky and Vader for the later game. However, it is true that aces like these are vulnerable to bombs. Its not like a one hit kill, but they are uniquely dangerous. Ultimately, this list is valid, but challenging. It won't win for you, but if you win with it, you can be particularly proud.