EMP Device Question

[kempokid 868]

With the upcoming Sabine's TIE expansion, the most intriguing card to me is the EMP device illicit upgrade.

I do have a question about the wording of this card, however. It states: "During the Combat phase, instead of performing any attacks, you may discard this card to assign 2 ion tokens to each ship at Range 1."

Does this mean you have to be able to perform an attack in order to assign the ion tokens? Or could you technically "perform an attack" on nobody if there isn't a ship in your firing arc?

[thespaceinvader 17,538]

You have to be able to perform attacks (not on an asteroid, not cloaked, not Blind), but you don't have to have a target.

[InquisitorM 632]

New-blind, that is. You can have the old Blinded Pilot and still EMP, since that does not disallow attacks.

[costi 1,142]

You can use Feedback Array when new-blinded (but you don't flip the crit), so why not EMP?

[thespaceinvader 17,538]

Then yeah, you probably can.

Ugh, I really with they were consistent.  You can't feedback on a rock, but you can with new blind, but they both do the same thing...

[ObiWonka 7,040]

3 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

Then yeah, you probably can.

Ugh, I really with they were consistent.  You can't feedback on a rock, but you can with new blind, but they both do the same thing...

Definitely inconsistent.

[kempokid 868]

Thanks, everyone. So we're all in ageeement? You don't have to have a ship in your firing arc/range of your turret? But, if you're on a rock or otherwise unable to perform an attack, it can't be used.

[InquisitorM 632]

Concur. Inconsistent.

[thespaceinvader 17,538]

2 hours ago, jwilliamson12 said:

Thanks, everyone. So we're all in ageeement? You don't have to have a ship in your firing arc/range of your turret? But, if you're on a rock or otherwise unable to perform an attack, it can't be used.

As noted, the precedent is not consistent, so we don't really know.

Most likely it will be ruled the same way as Feedback Array, so not on a rock, yes if you've no target, yes if you're blind.

[JediRush24 369]

And you are at range one of yourself, so you would be ioned as well... 

[ThisIsDavin 59]

1 hour ago, JediRush24 said:

And you are at range one of yourself, so you would be ioned as well... 

Being that sabine doesn't have a 1 straight, you could use this as a tactic

 

[Jehan Menasis 1,562]

17 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

Then yeah, you probably can.

Ugh, I really with they were consistent.  You can't feedback on a rock, but you can with new blind, but they both do the same thing...

Well, it is consistent, despite appearances. It is just a bit of poor wording in the critical damage card.

'New blind' in fact acknowledges that you still have the opportunity to attack (which you don't have if you are on a rock).

for a funny exercise, try to follow literally Blinded pilot's text:

I cannot perform attacks... Ok... Now... After my next opportunity to attack, I can fli... But wait! I cannot longer perform any attacks!!!  I'm blinded forever!!!

See? That's why you mostly have to 'ignore' the first part of the card (You cannot perform attacks, therefore you'll never have any opportunity to attack) to make the critical hit even remotely playable.

 

Edited January 30, 2017 by Jehan Menasis