The more I think about it, the more I'm sure that it would be very healthy for the game as a whole.

Change VI by adding:

You can use this upgrade only if your pilot skill is 7 or lower.

First of all: the real aces could be aces again. Only special abilities could bump ps to eg. 12.

Second of all- many more EPT could be used instead of that. Aren't you tired of all those PS 11 Poes and PS 10 Nyms?

The thing that is the most hard to fix simultaneously, is adaptability. I imagine, that it simply would replace VI, if only VI was changed. It isn't that bad though, as all squads using VI now would become cheaper.

I think that adaptability should be changed as well. Or VI should be allowed to ships up to ps8. But that wouldn't solve the problem of PS wars in its entirety.

I'm aware of the fact that this problem has been already mentioned here and there, but I'm convinced that it should be discussed and taken care of more thoroughly. PS wars are here and they are unhealthy, causing distortions in the Force.

And we all seek balance, aren't we?

A hard cap of PS 9 has been suggested before. It would probably prompt a lot of (big) initiative bids, but that might bean acceptable alternative - if you're opponent's giving up double figures in points, they're giving up double figures in ships/upgrades.

I'd be fine with this personally.

Make Aces Aces again!

Seriously though, I think it could help.

I have thought about this as well. And would agree, but the execution should be different. If you are going to do VI, you should also do Adaptability as well.

VI should read "Increase your pilot skill value by 2 (to a maximum of 9)".

Adaptability (Increase) should read "Increase your pilot skill value by 1 (to a maximum of 9)".

1 minute ago, FrozenPhyro said:

I have thought about this as well. And would agree, but the execution should be different. If you are going to do VI, you should also do Adaptability as well.

VI should read "Increase your pilot skill value by 2 (to a maximum of 9)".

Adaptability (Increase) should read "Increase your pilot skill value by 1 (to a maximum of 9)".

Makes sense. The only way to go above PS9 should be special abilities at that point.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: make VI and Adaptability both generics only.

9 should be the limit for them. Makes perfect sense to me.

3 minutes ago, SDCC said:

Makes sense. The only way to go above PS9 should be special abilities at that point.

I for one welcome our new Roark Garnet / Swarm Tactics Fenn Rau meta.

Fine with me.

Simplest is best. I agree completely with @thespaceinvader

What will this help? I'm not against it; but what I see happening is that people will just have more options to get to max PS, and instead of pushing someone up to PS11, they'll just take a different EPT that makes their ship more useful. Just wondering what the results of this would be.

This seems like it would make things worse not better. If this was done you would have even more ships at max PS.

1 minute ago, faceyfood said:

This seems like it would make things worse not better. If this was done you would have even more ships at max PS.

Not if

16 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: make VI and Adaptability both generics only.

Veteran Instincts should be 'During the combat phase, increase your pilot skill value by 2'

As I mention in every monthly iteration of this thread, Whisper isn't hurt that badly, as ACD can still trigger early. The card is still usable in each set it comes in, and still useful for its point cost (especially in alpha-strike lists), but no longer mandatory on certain builds, which eases the pressure on the PS race, allowing Vader and co to take real epts.

Edit: Also, no more PS11 coordinate

1 minute ago, JohnWE said:

What will this help? I'm not against it; but what I see happening is that people will just have more options to get to max PS, and instead of pushing someone up to PS11, they'll just take a different EPT that makes their ship more useful. Just wondering what the results of this would be.

it might make the lists a bit more interesting with pilots like Poe/Nym/Fenn/Vader/Wedge/QD...etc. etc. taking more interesting EPT options. it allows PS7's designed for use of VI, like Whisper/Ashoka make a bit of a comeback into the meta. Overall I think it could actually help introduce a wider variance of lists in the "casual" meta because the "competitive" meta will still find the broken crap and fly it.

The changes in initiative bid's will be dangerous.. do you go for a 7-10 point bid, or do you use those points for more upgrades.

I think one of the draw backs is that we would see a rise in hyper action efficient builds with even more defensive stacking. Not that this isn't already becoming a problem.

1 minute ago, player2072913 said:

Veteran Instincts should be 'During the combat phase, increase your pilot skill value by 2'

As I mention in every monthly iteration of this thread, Whisper isn't hurt that badly, as ACD can still trigger early. The card is still usable in each set it comes in, and still useful for its point cost (especially in alpha-strike lists), but no longer mandatory on certain builds, which eases the pressure on the PS race, allowing Vader and co to take real epts.

I think I like this idea

Complete Rework:

Adaptability becomes (do nothing) (reduce your pilot skill by 1). It still allows tricks whereby you can match pilot skills of unequal pilots, but it just can't increase your pilot skill. Eh, it's zero points.

Veteran Instincts becomes: "At the start of the activation phase, you may discard this card to set your pilot skill to 8 (12 if you are a unique pilot) for the rest of the turn."

//

Basically, it's like a single-use Roark Garnet. Isn't Roark Garnet a single-use Roark Garnet? HWKs are soft! Ba-Dum-Pum-Ching! So any pilot who really needs to get PS for a round can do it. But for one round. Flying Whisper and need to be sure you can get that agility up? Better make sure you can neutralize the threat this round. I guess it doesn't do too much to an alpha strike list (and someone like Double Edge becomes quite cost-effective). Maybe that's too much of a buff for unique pilot alpha strikes. Hrm.

It also fails in being a complicated rather than a modest change, like generic-only or putting a cap on VI with whatever wording or level chosen (my preferred modest change would be "to a maximum of 9" on the cards, but I bet most of the similar adjustments would be fine).

Well, at least there's food for thought in it, and scope for the imagination.

11 minutes ago, JohnWE said:

What will this help? I'm not against it; but what I see happening is that people will just have more options to get to max PS, and instead of pushing someone up to PS11, they'll just take a different EPT that makes their ship more useful. Just wondering what the results of this would be.

It helps fun, it nerfs boring.

The issue with VI is less a power-creep one, but a near-endless bidding war for highest PS, with a dull, do-nothing Elite upgrade. With VI gone, perhaps Poe goes to Predator for long-term damage (makes sense on Regen), or PTL for crazy BB-8 tricks, or maybe something cheap and effective like Crack Shot, or adds defense with Elusiveness (R2-D2 Poe pulls greens anyhow...).

But whatever choice, things are more interesting. Folks will get Elite upgrades which do something other than just a stat increase. There will still be best builds. Almost every [ABC ship] will take [XYZ upgrade], but I think that'd still be more interesting than trying to leapfrog in pilot skill.

Capping at 9 doesn’t hurt the current top aces. As pointed out, it only allows them other choices for EPT. What it really accomplishes is bringing loads of mid-range pilots into viability, thus broadening the meta.

I don’t see how that could be a bad thing.

Edit: Yeah, ”Helps fun, nerfs boring” about sums it up.

I disagree with this on so many levels...not sure I can even put it into words.

7 minutes ago, Boom Owl said:

I disagree with this on so many levels...not sure I can even put it into words.

Me too.
There are several reasons, one of them is that VI currently costs you not only the point but also the opportunity cost. That is, you really pay for having highest PS. A cap at PS9 removes that cost. Suddenly your Quickdraw wants to take ASTS or DTF or Crackshot because you have the points AND the slot.
Another reason are bid wars instead of PS wars, which are even less fun.

1 hour ago, FrozenPhyro said:

VI should read "Increase your pilot skill value by 2 (to a maximum of 8)".

Adaptability (Increase) should read "Increase your pilot skill value by 1 (to a maximum of 8)".

Let's let cannon Aces be just that....I fixed it for you, haha.

1 hour ago, thespaceinvader said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: make VI and Adaptability both generics only.

Or this, kinda the same thing....

44 minutes ago, player2072913 said:

Edit: Also, no more PS11 coordinate

This would be a very good after-effect for the change.

The change to PS would greatly shake up the meta, for the better I'll certainly wager.

21 minutes ago, Boom Owl said:

I disagree with this on so many levels...not sure I can even put it into words.

I am very curious what your words come out to be, you're very sharp IMO.

11 minutes ago, GreenDragoon said:

Me too.
There are several reasons, one of them is that VI currently costs you not only the point but also the opportunity cost. That is, you really pay for having highest PS. A cap at PS9 removes that cost. Suddenly your Quickdraw wants to take ASTS or DTF or Crackshot because you have the points AND the slot.
Another reason are bid wars instead of PS wars, which are even less fun.

Uh, I disagree that bid wars are "even less fun" ....especially when you describe the "costs" of VI to your squad building being points and opportunity, so?....I don't track with your analysis of whet would transpire despite the fact I follow your line of thinking. Interesting....

Bid Wars might be less fun, but you don’t have to compete in them. The issue with this PS meta is that it’s something you cannot ignore. It’s one variable that pulls way too much weight considering how many things you should have to consider while list building.

Oh look, another Laser Brained Nerf Herder making a cry thread about __pilot skill________________.