Ideas for Wes Janson

By Corellian Luck, in X-Wing

As he is a Rebel Ace and a crack shot I figured this would be neat.

"When firing a secondary weapon, you may assign 1 focus token to your ship."

It would only work once a game as the X-wing can only carry 1 torpedo, but I think he should also be at least pilot skill 7 and carry an elite upgrade slot. I figure 27 points for old Wes would be fair. As Wedge said "Good shot Janson!"

Thoughts?

For every Ewok pilot on the board....

At least morale was high.

Sounds good, with one point of concern:

Advanced Proton Torpedoes.

These are, if not exactly dependent on pulling off a Focus/Target Lock pairing to use them at all, massively, massively devastating if you do, since it becomes almost garuanteed hits across the board. I'm not sure I'm enamoured of a pilot who can use that 'on spec' because all he needs to do is Target Lock the turn he wants to fire them.

It's not impossible to Target Lock, Focus and fire them in one turn, but at the moment it usually either involves gaining stress tokens or another pilot aiding you in some way...

Edited by Magnus Grendel

I wouldn't be too worried about APT. Being R1 anyways, a high PS character would have the opportunity to TL the first turn at R2-3, and then come in for the kill + F the second turn. It's very difficult as a high PS ship to come from out of range to R1 in one movement. From 27 points, he costs 1 less than Luke and short of the one shot, which mind you brings his cost up to 33 now, he's no different than a high PS Red Squadron. 3 additional points for 3 additional PS. Which is inline with the rookie -> red, or blue -> dagger or prototype -> green or gold -> gray. So perhaps put him down at PS6 and charge 27. That way he's discouraged to being taken just as a high PS X wing. And his ability would encourage him to take a PT or APT, which would increase their usefulness.

And if he has (which I would assume he would) and EPT, it would discourage PTL as he wouldn't need two actions to maximize his alpha strike. Discouraging PTL is always a good thing imo since it's become the go-to EPT for most of the ships, and I like having options and variety.

Khyros you speak as if having him as a high pilot skill is a bad thing, and canonically it would make sense for him to be relatively high given his level of skill and experience. Honestly, I think this works really well, even if it only works for one attack per game.

Personally I thought that he might be able to treat range 3 attacks as range 2, given that he's an expert of shooting small targets like TIEs and the like, keeping him at either pilot skill 7 or 8 for about the same cost as Luke.

Khyros you speak as if having him as a high pilot skill is a bad thing, and canonically it would make sense for him to be relatively high given his level of skill and experience. Honestly, I think this works really well, even if it only works for one attack per game.

Personally I thought that he might be able to treat range 3 attacks as range 2, given that he's an expert of shooting small targets like TIEs and the like, keeping him at either pilot skill 7 or 8 for about the same cost as Luke.

Not at all. I have nothing against him being a high PS. I was just saying that if we follow the formula for the current X wing pilots, PS7 is the break point where the ability becomes "free." Rookie = PS2 and 21 points. Red = PS4 and 23 points (+2 PS, +2 points). Biggs = PS5 and 25 points (+3PS, +4 points, has ability). Garvin = PS6 and 26 points (+4 PS, +5 points, has ability). Luke = PS8 and 28 points (+7PS, +7pts, has ability, EPT). Wedge = PS9 and 29pts (+8PS, +8pts, has ability, EPT)

So, if we're calling him an Ace, I would think that he would be more likely to follow the Luke/Wedge model, which would be PS7 @ 27 points. I was just making the case for him to follow the Gavin/Biggs model and be PS6 @ 27points, especially if people are complaining about the ability proposed would be too powerful... and the fact that he should have an EPT, which should be worth something as well.

If he's 27 points at PS7 with EPT and an ability (regardless of what that ability is), then what would a rogue squadron pilot be? I'm assuming that if there is to be a generic pilot like the IRG for X wing, it would be PS6 @ 26pt w/ EPT. Therefore, Wes at PS7 w/ EPT and Ability would be "too cheap." Though dropping him to PS6 might crowd that a bit, with Garvin, Rogue Squadron, and Wes all at 6, not to mention, Porkins could also come out as a 6 (though I doubt they'd be the same).

I actually would like to see a Rogue Squad pilot cost like 24 with a pilot skill of 5, so one cheaper then Biggs. Or maybe cost 25, same as Biggs but, give that Rogue pilot a skill of 6. Doesn't strike me as unreasonable. As for Porkins, I can't imagine a PS higher than 5.

Cheap rebel ace pilots, eh?

..

What the rebels could use is another X-Wing pilot with access to elite upgrade.

Wes ability could be like 'elite upreade costs 1 point less'

Starkiller that's silly: all they'd have to do is lower the cost of the pilot himself by 1 point instead of making a non ability.

Starkiller that's silly: all they'd have to do is lower the cost of the pilot himself by 1 point instead of making a non ability.

I don't think so. If the ship is 1 point cheaper, most ppl don't care about upgrades to maximize the quantity.

If the upbrades are cheaper, ppl care about upgrades. Look you can have PTL for only 2 points! Or Determination, Adrenaline Rush for 0 points! Wow, of course you get it. Increase your pilot skill to 9 (given that Wes had PS7) for no points!

This isnt a non ability - its unique and its awesome!

I actually would like to see a Rogue Squad pilot cost like 24 with a pilot skill of 5, so one cheaper then Biggs. Or maybe cost 25, same as Biggs but, give that Rogue pilot a skill of 6. Doesn't strike me as unreasonable. As for Porkins, I can't imagine a PS higher than 5.

I'd agree. If you want a 'relatively low skill' Rogue Squadron Type, it should be Porkins - his main contribution to the saga being getting blown out of the stars live on camera.

I don't think so. If the ship is 1 point cheaper, most ppl don't care about upgrades to maximize the quantity.

If the upbrades are cheaper, ppl care about upgrades. Look you can have PTL for only 2 points! Or Determination, Adrenaline Rush for 0 points! Wow, of course you get it. Increase your pilot skill to 9 (given that Wes had PS7) for no points!

This isnt a non ability - its unique and its awesome!

Whoever writes the Attack Wing cards certainly agrees with you; I can think of two captains off the top of my head who use some variation on this ability. That said, I'm not sure - it just feels...I dunno. Not a fan. Not sure why. Not very well argued there at all (sorry), but I can't say I like it.

If you want an awesome skill-related ability to plagiarise, though, I must say I'm a fan of Kirk's - you get to pick skills at a flat cost, face down , at deployment. Until you choose to flip a pilot skill face-up (i.e. to use it), your opponent doesn't know what you've got...

I don't know about the attack wing's pilot abilities ... Kirks' sounds funny. It doesn't really fit into the rest of the game.

I thought giving Wes the -1 cost ability is better then creating another useless pilot that nobody want to use because he sucks. Like Fel's Wrath or Maarek ... or ... yeah I think you got me. Wes on the other hand would have a guarantee to be used - even if his ability is not very creative. So Vaders' isnt. But its effective.

Well, Vader's ability shouldn't be creative to my mind. The more 'creative' abilities tend to apply in specific circumstances (Like the ability to fire after crashing into someone), whereas Vader is supposed to be all-round multipurpose badass, and as such his ability should make him badass in pretty much any situation. Hence, extra action, which you can use for whatever you like.

And I agree. The 'classic' roster of the 'Rogue Squadron' books and comics will get play time, simply because of who they are. But that's no reason to make them bad .

Edited by Magnus Grendel

When I say Vaders ability isn't creative I refer to the possibilities the designers could choose from. Vader is a strong Sith and force user. He was the greatest starfighter pilot. There is such a vast range of possible abilities the designers could have given to him. And he got? 2 actions. Aha. Very creative.

But as a player you actually could do creative things with Vader. Of course. And thus reflects Vader as a very potent and dangerous pilot.

And no matter what you say or not. I don't think that an ability to lower costs for an elite upgrade would make Wes bad .

No, I wasn't saying lower costs was bad; I was agreeing that you don't want to give them a useless pilot ability.

Well, Vader's ability shouldn't be creative to my mind. The more 'creative' abilities tend to apply in specific circumstances (Like the ability to fire after crashing into someone), whereas Vader is supposed to be all-round multipurpose badass, and as such his ability should make him badass in pretty much any situation. Hence, extra action, which you can use for whatever you like.

I very much agree... Put squad leader on him and he's passing an action. That's pretty powerful. Put Expose on him and he can focus AND expose the same turn. Engine upgrade? Boost AND barrel roll...

Yeah - he's powerful - and he's powerful in SEVERAL ways at the same time.

*hugs Wes Janson*

He's so fluffy!!! Can I keep him? :3