The new FAQ for Star Wars X-Wing has just hit the streets and there are awesome big new changes to the game. Read on to find out more.
According to the current X-Wing FAQ , Contracted Scout Jumpmasters will no longer be the list to fear. Due to the recent changes to the “timing window” of choosing a ship to attack and when said ship becomes the defender, the loophole that the Deadeye/ R4 Agromech combo exploited has now closed.
X-Wing developer Frank Brooks had this to say about declaring targets:
“With the introduction of a formalized timing chart, we have finally clarified the order of substeps within the ‘Declare Target’ step. In the original rules, the ‘Declare Target’ step explained everything that occurs during that step, but didn’t give a specific order. We got a little closer with the Rules Reference, but didn’t go all the way to give it bullet points. After reading and rereading the rules, we have now established a definitive order of events that makes this sequence perfectly clear.
After revisiting all of the previous card-by-card FAQ rulings, we realized that R4 Agromech did not actually follow this order. Since the cost to perform a secondary weapon attack occurs before the target becomes the defender, if the attacker spends a focus token to perform the attack, there is not yet a defender to acquire a target lock on. This has a few side effects as R4 Agromech no longer interacts with Blaster Turret or Deadeye. It still provides the effect of a focus and target lock for an attack, just in a less efficient order.
Now that the timing structure of an attack has been formalized, we as developers can feel much more comfortable designing new abilities that play within this structure. We know that if any confusion arises over the timing, we can point players to the exact step in which these abilities occur.”
You heard it! Straight from the game developers. How will your games play out now that certain abilities might be drastically changed? The key is to stay flexible and to always practice and learn about each ship in the game. Happy flying out there!
I’ve altered the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.
About the Author: Barclay Montgomery
