The meta of this game is becoming ridiculously stagnant, we all know this. It makes the game unfun to play at times, and often when paired with an opponent using a meta list like Spectre Cell or hunter/smuggler while using creative/original army, one loses a lot of potential fun.

Every turn based strategy game has at least a few insanely good cards and a massive amount of mid level and low usage ones as well. Low level figures never stand a chance against the meta, but who are the figures in low level? Not to mention the command card spread we have. It can get confusing trying to remember the placement of every IA figure and command card, so that is why I propose we create an semi-official Imperial Assault Tier database.

In the popular game Pokemon, there exist a wide variety of monsters, right? A group of devoted players got together and created the Smogon University database , essentially a tier list of every creature. I want to do something similar to that but with IA. Obviously it will be a somewhat small project, but I had this idea and wanted to share it with all of you for input and whatnot.

I am aware that @theaficionado has already composed his grand tier list here , but I want a for real deal Tier List with named tiers, stats, strategies and everything else. Eventually, I want to see tournaments themed around tiers or banning high tier figures. @werdnaegni , I think it would be really cool if Tabletop Admiral had a devoted strategy section where users could find a kind of basic strategy for each deployment card and a list of some figures that synergize well with it.

As for names, I think an A-tier or a numbered tier system would not suit IA. In Smogon, Pokemon are either Ubers, which are generally banned in competitive play, Over Used, Under Used, Rarely Used, Never Used, or PU. They also have another tier called Anything Goes with only one Pokemon. For IA, maybe it could be like the levels of the Jedi Order: Master, Knight, Padawan, and Youngling. I want the names to be Star Wars themed. Suggestions please.

Obviously, some cards fall into the Master category and there are others that are just horrible, but with a lot of guidance these Younglings can help out a bit. There will be multiple versions of cards as well for those with upgrades. For instance, I'd put most of the Spectres in Knight tier on their own, but with Spectre Cell they easily become Master.

I want your input.

I hope next worlds winner won't propose one more useless card like the ones we've seen so far. Although ideas were all good the outcome was already out of the meta before release date. I believe we might benefit from simple upgrades like these (wording is very rough but you'll get the idea):

• Neutral. Skirmish Upgrade. Cost: 1. Reduce deployment cost of this group by 1. You may attach one more Skirmish Upgrade to this group.
  In example: This can be attached to Terro so that he can use Strength in Numbers with Thrawn, or a DT can use Tactical Comm to activate Terro. You can still add an attachment to Terro, if you want.
• Neutral. Skirmish Upgrade. Cost: -1. Increase deployment cost of this group by 1. You may attach one more Skirmish Upgrade to this group.
  In example: This can be attached to Shyla so that you can have an Unshakable Shyla build using 2xParting Shot.
• Neutral. Skirmish Upgrade. Cost: 0. Attach to this upgrade up to 3 different Non-Massive and Non-Unique deployment cards with group size greater than 1. Choose up to 3 figures each one from a different attached group, these figures count as a single group. Deployment cost of this group is equal to the sum of the figure cost of all chosen figures.
  In example: This can be attached to Elite ISB Infiltrator and Regular Imperial Officer. This group has Deployment Cost 6 (figure costs are 4 for the eISB and 2 for rOfficer). These 2 guys activates together and you may move and attack with rOfficer (in example he gets focused) then activate eISB to use Coordinated Raid to let focused rOfficer attack again.

Just saying... we need stuff to bring old figures back into the meta and open to new OP combos that can fight Spectre Cell.

Hi!

I have big plans for after Worlds.

Big. Plans.

2 hours ago, cnemmick said:

Hi!

I have big plans for after Worlds.

Big. Plans.

Meanwhile:

11 hours ago, Trevize84 said:

I hope next worlds winner won't propose one more useless card like the ones we've seen so far.

REBALANCING: 0 point neutral upgrade.

-Nullifies the effect of Spectre Cell.

-Ezra is immediately defeated.

Also, I'd like to submit "Jar Jar" tier. Reserved for the most unplayable of deployment cards.

2 hours ago, Jaric256 said:

Also, I'd like to submit "Jar Jar" tier. Reserved for the most unplayable of deployment cards.

Wouldn't Jar Jar tier be uselessly useful cards? Random effects that just so happen to help you win?

2 hours ago, Jaric256 said:

Reserved for the most unplayable of deployment cards. 

Only from a certain point of view and I blame the increasingly power curve: the ability to shell out massive amount of damage in one shot

I mean when a 13HP Terro or a 12HP Drokkatta could be removed in 1 activation there's really not much to go on, what happened to the Rebel troopers or Stormtroopers and dealing 2-3 damage per shot was the norm?

6 minutes ago, ricope said:

Only from a certain point of view and I blame the increasingly power curve: the ability to shell out massive amount of damage in one shot

I mean when a 13HP Terro or a 12HP Drokkatta could be removed in 1 activation there's really not much to go on, what happened to the Rebel troopers or Stormtroopers and dealing 2-3 damage per shot was the norm?

There's a few deployment cards that I can't see bringing under any meta.

Sadly, Boba Fett springs immediately to mind. I'd also include the Repulsor tank, Biv and Saska.

I suppose Saska might get play if you REALLY wanted to bring a single scum figure into a rebel list, but most scum lists are half rebel anyway so it's not like there aren't way better options to combine the two factions. Certainly not a 6 cost card with no health, a grenade that's more likely to damage you than your opponents and a terrible attack.

14 minutes ago, King_Balrog said:

Wouldn't Jar Jar tier be uselessly useful cards? Random effects that just so happen to help you win?

I was thinking more along the line of "an unfortunate mistake that should have been tested more before being released".

5 minutes ago, Jaric256 said:

There's a few deployment cards that I can't see bringing under any meta.

Sadly, Boba Fett springs immediately to mind. I'd also include the Repulsor tank, Biv and Saska.

I suppose Saska might get play if you REALLY wanted to bring a single scum figure into a rebel list, but most scum lists are half rebel anyway so it's not like there aren't way better options to combine the two factions. Certainly not a 6 cost card with no health, a grenade that's more likely to damage you than your opponents and a terrible attack.

True, that's why I mentioned it's not for competitive tournament play, but for casual skirmish games I make up my own meta all the time

For example, "ban all figures and skirmish upgrades that are >= wave 8", or "wave 1 figures only", or "troopers < wave 8 only"

2 hours ago, Jaric256 said:

Also, I'd like to submit "Jar Jar" tier. Reserved for the most unplayable of deployment cards.

Jar Jar tier figs would be higher than master. We all know Jar Jar is the true Lord of the Sith after all.

In honesty, though, that’s actually a great idea. Like cards that have like one niche army that actually works for them, albeit barely.

6 minutes ago, ricope said:

True, that's why I mentioned it's not for competitive tournament play, but for casual skirmish games I make up my own meta all the time

For example, "ban all figures and skirmish upgrades that are >= wave 8", or "wave 1 figures only", or "troopers < wave 8 only"

Even still, you can go core box only and there are way better options than Boba Fett (Elite trandos for example). The only meta I can think of that involves Fett is the meta where I paid $15 for this thing so I might well use it once or twice, before I go back to hoping for a fix card.

Biv is another one. You've got a 9 cost melee (essentially) figure with 8 health. If his damage was off the charts, maybe but its's really not.

I suppose a really specific meta could be created where you do bring a few of these cards, but they're clearly bottom tier when it comes to viability regardless of power creep.

3 minutes ago, GuillotineTE said:

Jar Jar tier figs would be higher than master. We all know Jar Jar is the true Lord of the Sith after all

Lol. Like somehow the secret to cracking Spectre is to use Saksa to bring Boba Fett in to your rebel list.

Just now, Jaric256 said:

Lol. Like somehow the secret to cracking Spectre is to use Saksa to bring Boba Fett in to your rebel list.

The devs probably made sure that Spectre could be defeated, but you just have to use literally the most obscure list ever that totally fails against all others but annihilates Spectre.

1 minute ago, GuillotineTE said:

The devs probably made sure that Spectre could be defeated, but you just have to use literally the most obscure list ever that totally fails against all others but annihilates Spectre.

Meanwhile, they're just lurking here laughing at our struggles.

So another possible tier option would be DC that once you bring, your list becomes a _______list.

The Bantha for example. If you're bringing a Bantha, you're now making a Bantha list. I don't think people just throw a Bantha in just cause they have points left over. You bring a Bantha because you want a list built around doing Bantha things.

18 minutes ago, Jaric256 said:

So another possible tier option would be DC that once you bring, your list becomes a _______list.

The Bantha for example. If you're bringing a Bantha, you're now making a Bantha list. I don't think people just throw a Bantha in just cause they have points left over. You bring a Bantha because you want a list built around doing Bantha things.

This would be more of a strategy note. Like if you looked at the Bantha it would say like Padawan tier, but then in its strategy it would give good DC’s to pair it with, elevating it a bit.

Most likely there’d be a note saying something like, “Although the Bantha Rider is a low Padawan tier card, centralizing strategy around it allows the Bantha to rise to the brink of Knight tier.”

4 hours ago, Jaric256 said:

I suppose Saska might get play if you REALLY wanted to bring a single scum figure into a rebel list

Hondo with smuggler's run!

18 hours ago, Jaric256 said:

Even still, you can go core box only and there are way better options than Boba Fett (Elite trandos for example). The only meta I can think of that involves Fett is the meta where I paid $15 for this thing so I might well use it once or twice, before I go back to hoping for a fix card.

I've played a handful of skirmish games with only core + Boba + a few other things. He seems to me to have a niche, partly because it's so hard to fill a scum list, but also because he's an exceptional combination of tanky + mobile. In the modern meta I'm sure he needs a buff, but if the game was broken into tiers like OP describes he could see use.

On 3/16/2019 at 5:08 AM, Gerontius said:

I've played a handful of skirmish games with only core + Boba + a few other things. He seems to me to have a niche, partly because it's so hard to fill a scum list, but also because he's an exceptional combination of tanky + mobile. In the modern meta I'm sure he needs a buff, but if the game was broken into tiers like OP describes he could see use.

I’d definitely have to agree. Boba’s not bad, but he’s not cost effective, at all. I think that there is a general consensus that there needs to be a mass game update. 2.0?

3 minutes ago, GuillotineTE said:

I’d definitely have to agree. Boba’s not bad, but he’s not cost effective, at all. I think that there is a general consensus that there needs to be a mass game update. 2.0?

🤔 👍

11 hours ago, GuillotineTE said:

I think that there is a general consensus that there needs to be a mass game update. 2.0?

There are two possibilities for smaller scale adjustments on case-by-case basis, like Bobba:

1) attachment for him could be made, like one for Vader or IG

2) new version of Bobba could appear (like it was with Farmer boy Luke and Jedi Luke), even without new figurine

6 hours ago, Jarema said:

1) attachment for him could be made, like one for Vader or IG

2) new version of Bobba could appear (like it was with Farmer boy Luke and Jedi Luke), even without new figurine

Ehh, although I’d love to see more dual card characters like Luke, I think that was a one-off thing that we’re not likely to see again, at least not in the current game state. An upgrade card like Han, Vader, Chewie, and IG have is much more likely.

I think Han could use a second deployment card, one where he’s more of a leader and affects friendly troopers more. I don’t think we’re likely to see it, though.

Fett needs a complete rework. Battle Presence makes no sense. I'd replace it with something like:

Rocket- 1 action. Choose a target within 6 spaces with line of sight. Roll 2 red dies. The target takes the total damage rolled. All adjacent figures take half the damage rounded up.

Pierce one is unacceptable. Up it to pierce two. Also instead of choosing surges, Fett just gets a plus 2 damage surge.

Mandalorian Armor: You cannot receive harmful conditions.

Professional: While attacking you may reroll one attack die.

I'd also up his health to 15.