Darth Vader in a TIE Defender

By Phelan Boots, in X-Wing

I was messing around with @J1mBob 's quick build card creator, and thought to myself, "Everyone always speculates about Vader in a TIE Defender and how broke it would be. Let's make it!" Turns out it's not possible with his current selection of web apps over at http://infinitearenas.com/ . However, when I contacted him about the possibility, he was kind enough to let me beta test a new app for custom cards. Thus, I give you the eight threat, Super Vader for all your quickbuild fun times. The art is something I blatantly ripped off google, and everything else was done using Jim's app. I'd never used his stuff before, but it was very easy to figure out.

Vader-Threat-Build.jpg

@Darth Meanie , you're going to love this site...

To be clear, I'm not advocating TIE D Vader as a good idea for competitive gameplay. It does look super fun to try though.

Edited by Phelan Boots

Might be a 7 threat with FCS. Swap that out for Advanced Sensors (SNR triggers before reveal so Vader can do 2 actions there and Advanced Sensors his third to leave him a force charge still after 3 actions into a 2k) and I think he's 8.

39 minutes ago, Hiemfire said:

Might be a 7 threat with FCS. Swap that out for Advanced Sensors (SNR triggers before reveal so Vader can do 2 actions there and Advanced Sensors his third to leave him a force charge still after 3 actions into a 2k) and I think he's 8.

FCS makes a lot less sense out of the X1 anyways...

For 8 threat I think you need both SNR AND Hate...

Now thats a monster! I wanna try him out,

Vader's ability with this sweet action bar. A one man army for sure.

Edited by Ximatique

Add Hate, Sense and AdvSensors and we're talking!

Plus some Ions and Missiles just because!

I think if Vader is in a Defender, Quickbuild is the only way to go. I think a lot of cool edge cases from movies and stories would also be great as Quickbuilds. A series of such things on tarot-sized cards would be super fun.

//

There's two ways to go with a QB Vader Defender. One is to give him all the best upgrades. I'm sure it'd be fun to fly, but it also has to cost a TONNE of points. The other is to give him all the WORST upgrades. I feel like there's no way a Vader Defender could exist in Extended or Hyperspace, because there'd be too much potential for stuff like Hate or SNR to go wild. A Vader Defender locked into weaker upgrades could be priced at an affordable level, and so it'd be semi-viable to build a lost with it.

  • If Defender Vader had only Instinctive Aim and Ion Pulse Missiles, that can be a whole lot of threat lower than a SNR build. Maybe 5... but would it be too crazy to push it down to 4 threat? I figure half the point of these quickbuilds is to have a lot of really cool, slightly under-threat ships for an event, with each faction getting a few cool options.
    • For example, I'd hope that a Han Solo-piloted Shuttle Tyderium (I know it should be Chewie, but Han's ability looks more fun) with like R2-D2, Chewie, Leia, Luke, and Sense would push the limits of what's a fair price.
    • Poe with Heroic, Finn, and Afterburners in a TIE/sf would be so much fun. Maybe can even get a few extras for 3 threat.
  • A build of just Sense and Advanced Sensors would be wicked interesting. Sense doesn't matter too much on top-initiative ships, since they're probably moving last anyhow, and can just react to actual final position. Advanced Sensors shuts off both Vader's ability and Full Throttle. The weaknesses of some upgrades and anti-synergies might allow it to get away at 6 threat, allowing some filler TIEs or such.
  • How about a *support* Vader? Tractor Beam, Targeting Synchronizer (maybe Sense?). That'd be really interesting at 5 threat. Support something like a decent Gunboat and a TIE, three TIEs, or the 2-for-3-threat Scimitar Bombers, with Ion Missiles and Proton Bombs.
  • Maybe a Battle Meditation Vader. Not a lot you could coordinate with only 2 or 3 threat left over. With 2 threat, left over, the only things he could coordinate more than one of are basic TIE Fighters (Obsidian or Academy). With 3 left over, 2x Black Squadron Aces (Juke/Stealth Device), 2x Planetary Sentinel Strikers (with Conner Nets!), 2x Alpha Squadron Pilot Interceptors (Ablative Plating) seem like the coolest options.

Darth Vader in the stolen Tie Fighter from Star Wars Rebels. Just stolen back. ****! That would be insane!

giphy.gif

Toss Afterburners on him, and then we're talking.

Just...I mean...

Image result for gundam ready player one gif

Weapons are useless against it!

I hope FFG is listening, because this would be a fantastic idea to make quickbuild events interesting.
"Lets release pilots in quickbuild cards that ARE NOT already pilots of the ship they are in!"
Wedge in an A-Wing!
Corran in an X-Wing!
Soontir in a Tie Fighter!

The possibilities for fun are endless!

2 hours ago, theBitterFig said:

I think if Vader is in a Defender, Quickbuild is the only way to go. I think a lot of cool edge cases from movies and stories would also be great as Quickbuilds. A series of such things on tarot-sized cards would be super fun.

7 minutes ago, AngryAlbatross said:

The possibilities for fun are endless!

I agree +1 = 3.

QB tourneys are kind of interesting. Had the chance to go to a couple but didn't fancy rescheduling. They're just not hugely tempting atm, since it's basically flying worse things than you would normally, with a slight twist here and there.

Having the kind of options listed above would make it a genuinely fun alternative format.

I may suggest it to our group when they return from the SO this week, all burnt out.

Sadly the rules say, you have to bring 2 ships...

29 minutes ago, Ryuneke said:

Sadly the rules say, you have to bring 2 ships...

Not for Quick Build Games. It does however, say that threat values are between 1-5, not 8.

But for instance, if you and the opponent agree on a 4 Threat game, you can bring just Vader in a TIE/x1.

Edited by kris40k
19 minutes ago, kris40k said:

Not for Quick Build Games. It does however, say that threat values are between 1-5, not 8.

But for instance, if you and the opponent agree on a 4 Threat game, you can bring just Vader in a TIE/x1.

Interesting since the official Quick Builds for Iggys (admittedly as a pair on a single entry) are 6...

Besides, at the point where you’re making up ships for fun games, does it really matter?

You could play a game where the Empire get Vader and the Rebels spawn in one Phoenix Squadron Pilot every turn. Then see how many Vader can kill before he goes down.

2 minutes ago, Hiemfire said:

Interesting since the official Quick Builds for Iggys (admittedly as a pair on a single entry) are 6...

Hmmm... indeed 🤔

On one hand, its a single QB entry going over the limit, but its two ships, so they would count as 3 each?

Yeah, I think QB Games are a little quick and loose so that not even FFG minds bending things.

Is there a points/quick build formula somewhere someone can figure out? If yes then I would be on board for creating some balanced quickbuild cards to use for fun.

1 threat is around 25 points but it's very inaccurate and seems sometimes to be based on pricing from earlier in playtesting. Like, qb Anakin is 3 threat but over 100 points.

The 177 point ace we've been waiting for.

17 hours ago, AngryAlbatross said:

I hope FFG is listening, because this would be a fantastic idea to make quickbuild events interesting.
"Lets release pilots in quickbuild cards that ARE NOT already pilots of the ship they are in!"
Wedge in an A-Wing!
Corran in an X-Wing!
Soontir in a Tie Fighter!

The possibilities for fun are endless!

OHHHH Comander Malarus in a T-70 just like in the poe comic! That would bee soo cool! A First order T-70

23 hours ago, AngryAlbatross said:

I hope FFG is listening, because this would be a fantastic idea to make quickbuild events interesting.
"Lets release pilots in quickbuild cards that ARE NOT already pilots of the ship they are in!"
Wedge in an A-Wing!
Corran in an X-Wing!
Soontir in a Tie Fighter!

The possibilities for fun are endless!

This would make QB interesting for me. Because otherwise, I'm pretty meh on the concept.

On 4/12/2019 at 4:42 AM, Ximatique said:

Vader's ability with this sweet action bar. A one man army for sure.

To be fair, he should be.