Price Check: Elite Pilot Talents

[DagobahDave 1,621]

Continuing our series where we re-evaluate the points costs of cards in the current meta, one card category at a time. Just copy the list and insert your own point values.

 

If you find a card on the list that you have never been interested in taking in competition because it seems too inefficient or too situational, consider the point value that would convince you to try it in a competitive squad and write in that value.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

ELITE PILOT TALENTS

 

Adrenaline Rush 1

Calculation 1

Cool Hand 1

Crack Shot 1

Deadeye 1

Determination 1

Draw Their Fire 1

Lightning Reflexes 1

Veteran Instincts 1

Wired 1

 

Decoy 2

Elusiveness 2

Expert Handling 2

Intimidation 2

Juke 2

Lone Wolf 2

Squad Leader 2

Stay On Target 2

Swarm Tactics 2

Wingman 2

 

Daredevil 3

Marksmanship 3

Outmaneuver 3

Predator 3

Push The Limit 3

 

Expose 4

Opportunist 4

[spacelion 453]

I actually wonder if you could have a permanent Expose at a lowered point cost, maybe 2.

[Hexdot 1,340]

IMHO, the EPTs are priced OK. My main concern is that a 4 pts EPT fills one Slot. A 1 pt use and discard, the same.

Perhaps use and discard EPTs could be 0.5 slot. Per example Black Squadron with Adrenaline + Crack. You can use only one per round. Less PTL and Predator, more Lighting Reflex and Adrenaline. Just an idea.

[TheRealStarkiller 3,446]

Squad Leader 0

Daredevil 1

Marksmanship 2

Expose 2

Opportunist 2

Ruthlessness 2

 

I suppose to reduce cost of the underused cards.

 

Squad Leader to 0 because this gives a chance to have a SL in your squad as soon as you have an EPT slot unused, for thematic reasons. This card is unique and the benefits are situational either way.

Only a few pilots may use SL without putting themselves in trouble. With SL to 0 you would see it around without the ure to use ist - because you did not invest points.

If the action to give a free action would be a free action, this card would be completely worth it. So maybe better errata it this way.

[Firespray-32 5,424]

Woah, this is going to be a big one.

 

Crack Shot is insanely popular, so I'd consider bumping it to 2. Given what Adapability does Decoy gets dropped to 0 points, although I may reconsider that to 1.

 

Daredevil, Marksmanship and Outmaneuver get dropped into the 2 bracket. Marksmanship and Daredevil simply aren't used at 3 points, and Outmaneuver has an activation condition and is choked out by Predator. At 2 points its price reflects the difficulty of triggering it for most ships and for maneuverable ships it is now a competitively priced option. Expose is cut from 4 to 2 as it's already mechanically very expensive (an action and an agility die plus naturally worse than Focus) so it doesn't need a high point cost to boot.
 

The 3 bracket is much thinner now, and the two cards it now contains weren't there to start with. Veteran Instincts is now a 3 point EPT to make it much less autoincludely as it is now more expensive than its competitors. Opportunist is 3 points because it's underused, but could potentially return to 4.

 

At 4 points we have Predator and Push the Limit. PTL will definitely still be used at four points. Predator probably will too, but I wouldn't shed a tear if it died out in favour of more interesting EPTs.

 

ELITE PILOT TALENTS
 

Decoy 0 (-2)

 

Adrenaline Rush 1
Calculation 1
Cool Hand 1
Deadeye 1
Determination 1
Draw Their Fire 1
Lightning Reflexes 1
Wired 1
 

Crack Shot 2 (+1)

Daredevil 2 (-1)
Marksmanship 2 (-1)

Outmaneuver 2 (-1)

Expose 2 (-2)
Elusiveness 2
Expert Handling 2
Intimidation 2
Juke 2
Lone Wolf 2
Squad Leader 2
Stay On Target 2
Swarm Tactics 2
Wingman 2

 

Veteran Instincts 3 (+3)
Opportunist 3

 

Predator 4 (+1)
Push The Limit 4 (+1)

Edited February 26, 2016 by Blue Five

[Dagonet 7,246]

The impact of some staple EPT's is so big that, in order to make a diverse meta viable, something could really be done. Either by lowering some EPT's in price, or by increasing the price or errataing.

Veteran Instincts is so impactful, it needs to be increased at least one point, or limited to PS 6 and lower.

Push the Limits could be reworded to 'during your perform action step you may perform two actions, if you do gain a stress'. On the one hand, freeing it from the action bar limitation, on the other hand no more free action shenanigans.

Just those two would really change the EPT field.

[Lampyridae 651]

I actually wonder if you could have a permanent Expose at a lowered point cost, maybe 2.

 

Because then that would be an auto-equip on a Decimator. People playing with adjusted EPT costs were still prepared to pay 8 points for Expose on the Deci. Because they can go on almost anything, EPTs are costed so that you only really want to take them in a specific combo. I pretty much agree with Blue Five's list, albeit I think making Crack 1 point more would see it never used.

[Nyxen 1,605]

Who would pay 8 points for Expose on a Decimator? Sure, getting an extra die for an action is cool, but its no where near worth the same point cost as the emperor and my EPT slot.

[Ravncat 1,988]

Woah, this is going to be a big one.

 

Crack Shot is insanely popular, so I'd consider bumping it to 2. Given what Adapability does Decoy gets dropped to 0 points, although I may reconsider that to 1.

 

If crack shot were 2, I suspect I'd almost always take Juke instead (Crack shot on ships without evade)

[Okapi 1,463]

Who would pay 8 points for Expose on a Decimator? Sure, getting an extra die for an action is cool, but its no where near worth the same point cost as the emperor and my EPT slot.

 

By permanent I assume he meant actionless. So, 8 points and the slot to have four to five dice all the time, on top of target lock and Chiraneu flip.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Okapi

[Spaceman91 805]

the only change i have ever thought of for ept was maybe predator should have been 4pts, maybe?

[DraconPyrothayan 6,107]

The problem with these is that some of the stinkers are so niche, they're not good options even at 0.

Squad Leader and Expose (on anyone but Youngster or a Decimator), for instance.

[Jo Jo 4,663]

I'd go with:

 

0 points EPTs:

 

Deadeye

Squad Leader

Elusiveness

 

1 point EPTs:

 

 

Adrenaline Rush

Calculation

Cool Hand

Crack Shot (its really good but any 1 shot EPT should be 1 point)

Determination

Draw Their Fire

Lightning Reflexes

Wired

Decoy

Intimidation

Swarm Tactics

 

2 Point EPTs:

Expert Handling

Outmaneuver

Daredevil

Expose (Its still got niche uses)

Lone Wolf

Stay on Target

Wingman

Marksmanship

Veteran Instincts (I think 3 points would be too much)

Juke

Ruthlessness

 

3 Point EPTs:

Predator (tempted to go 4 points)

PTL

Opportunist (I think you would see this more at 3 points, right now its just way too much)

Edited February 26, 2016 by Jo Jo

[Panic 217 1,857]

Squad Leader 0

Daredevil 1

Marksmanship 2

Expose 2

Opportunist 2

Ruthlessness 2

 

I suppose to reduce cost of the underused cards.

 

Squad Leader to 0 because this gives a chance to have a SL in your squad as soon as you have an EPT slot unused, for thematic reasons. This card is unique and the benefits are situational either way.

Only a few pilots may use SL without putting themselves in trouble. With SL to 0 you would see it around without the ure to use ist - because you did not invest points.

If the action to give a free action would be a free action, this card would be completely worth it. So maybe better errata it this way.

with imp aces coming 2 point ruthlessness would be.... well ruthless on Vessery x2 Glaive /D lists.....

[Jo Jo 4,663]

 

Squad Leader 0

Daredevil 1

Marksmanship 2

Expose 2

Opportunist 2

Ruthlessness 2

 

I suppose to reduce cost of the underused cards.

 

Squad Leader to 0 because this gives a chance to have a SL in your squad as soon as you have an EPT slot unused, for thematic reasons. This card is unique and the benefits are situational either way.

Only a few pilots may use SL without putting themselves in trouble. With SL to 0 you would see it around without the ure to use ist - because you did not invest points.

If the action to give a free action would be a free action, this card would be completely worth it. So maybe better errata it this way.

with imp aces coming 2 point ruthlessness would be.... well ruthless on Vessery x2 Glaive /D lists.....

 

 

 

Ruthlessness has a big drawback though: You can hurt your own ships with it.

[Dagonet 7,246]

The problem with these is that some of the stinkers are so niche, they're not good options even at 0.

Squad Leader and Expose (on anyone but Youngster or a Decimator), for instance.

 

I dunno, 4 points is too much, but I might be tempted with Expose on Talonbane, if it were cheaper. That 6 die attack with TL and Glitterstim would be too tempting.

[CBMarkham 2,441]

Crack Shot is insanely popular, so I'd consider bumping it to 2.

 

Crackshot already costs 2, on generics. You think anybody is taking Black Squadrons over Obsidians for the PS bump?

[Panic 217 1,857]

 

 

Squad Leader 0

Daredevil 1

Marksmanship 2

Expose 2

Opportunist 2

Ruthlessness 2

 

I suppose to reduce cost of the underused cards.

 

Squad Leader to 0 because this gives a chance to have a SL in your squad as soon as you have an EPT slot unused, for thematic reasons. This card is unique and the benefits are situational either way.

Only a few pilots may use SL without putting themselves in trouble. With SL to 0 you would see it around without the ure to use ist - because you did not invest points.

If the action to give a free action would be a free action, this card would be completely worth it. So maybe better errata it this way.

with imp aces coming 2 point ruthlessness would be.... well ruthless on Vessery x2 Glaive /D lists.....

 

 

 

Ruthlessness has a big drawback though: You can hurt your own ships with it.

 

with tractor on Vess, you can either push it away from your own ships, or push it closer to its friendlies instance dependent.

[ficklegreendice 34,359]

the problem with epts isn't the price, but that most of them just plain suck

 

expose is still garbage even at 0 points. It really needs to be a beginning of combat decision, ala glitterstim, that doesn't stress or cost an action or anything as the -1agi is already a drawback, before it can be worth it at any point cost

[TheRealStarkiller 3,446]

 

 

 

Squad Leader 0

Daredevil 1

Marksmanship 2

Expose 2

Opportunist 2

Ruthlessness 2

 

I suppose to reduce cost of the underused cards.

 

Squad Leader to 0 because this gives a chance to have a SL in your squad as soon as you have an EPT slot unused, for thematic reasons. This card is unique and the benefits are situational either way.

Only a few pilots may use SL without putting themselves in trouble. With SL to 0 you would see it around without the ure to use ist - because you did not invest points.

If the action to give a free action would be a free action, this card would be completely worth it. So maybe better errata it this way.

with imp aces coming 2 point ruthlessness would be.... well ruthless on Vessery x2 Glaive /D lists.....

 

 

 

Ruthlessness has a big drawback though: You can hurt your own ships with it.

 

with tractor on Vess, you can either push it away from your own ships, or push it closer to its friendlies instance dependent.

 

 

And your point is? Ruthlessnes is right with 3 points because there will be a use for it after Imperial Veterans on a single unique pilot?

You could say the same about Daredevil then.

[Panic 217 1,857]

 

 

 

 

Squad Leader 0

Daredevil 1

Marksmanship 2

Expose 2

Opportunist 2

Ruthlessness 2

 

I suppose to reduce cost of the underused cards.

 

Squad Leader to 0 because this gives a chance to have a SL in your squad as soon as you have an EPT slot unused, for thematic reasons. This card is unique and the benefits are situational either way.

Only a few pilots may use SL without putting themselves in trouble. With SL to 0 you would see it around without the ure to use ist - because you did not invest points.

If the action to give a free action would be a free action, this card would be completely worth it. So maybe better errata it this way.

with imp aces coming 2 point ruthlessness would be.... well ruthless on Vessery x2 Glaive /D lists.....

 

 

 

Ruthlessness has a big drawback though: You can hurt your own ships with it.

 

with tractor on Vess, you can either push it away from your own ships, or push it closer to its friendlies instance dependent.

 

 

And your point is? Ruthlessnes is right with 3 points because there will be a use for it after Imperial Veterans on a single unique pilot?

You could say the same about Daredevil then.

 

for 2 points i'll put it on all my ships and do potentially 6 free damage to a ship i didnt attack. for 6 points.

[R2ShihTzu 1,867]

Overpriced: 1 point decrease

All of the 1-point discard EPTs other than Crackshot. The EPT slot opportunity cost is enough.

Elusiveness

Daredevil

Marksmanship

Exposed (possibly the only one that deserves a 2 point decrease)

Opportunist (limited application and penalty should offset bonus)

 

Underpriced: 1 point increase

Push the Limit

Veteran Instincts

 

Rest seem good enough.

Edited February 26, 2016 by R2ShihTzu

[Papamambo 339]

I don't understand the point decrease on Squad Leader. I use it a lot, especially on Vader. While I would welcome the decrease, I don't think it needs it.

I ran a list last night where the Squad Leader was absolutely the best points I spent. It saved my bacon a few times.

[Slipjoint 24]

I don't understand the point decrease on Squad Leader. I use it a lot, especially on Vader. While I would welcome the decrease, I don't think it needs it.

I ran a list last night where the Squad Leader was absolutely the best points I spent. It saved my bacon a few times.

Vader is known one of the few pilots that can actually use it effectively. It's rarely worth it on anybody else.

[Sir Orrin 1,906]

Price Checks incoming!!!!!!