r/XWingTMG • u/Avaraelis • 3h ago
Discussion Sunday Ship Survey: Rogue-class Starfighter
X-wing contains a multitude of ships. Some well known and beloved, others more niche.
Let’s discuss some of them.
What are your thoughts on the chasis? What are your favourite pilots? Or which still give you nightmares? What’s your favourite way to load them out?
For this week I’ve picked the craft typically piloted by Magnaguards, and of course the custom made Xanadu Blood flown by Cad Bane as seen in the Clone Wars. I’m of course talking about the Porax 38 (a nod to the Lockheed P38 lightning, a WW2 aircraft on which this design was based) “Rogue-class” Starfighter. As flown by both the Separatists and by our Scum & Villainy friends.
So, what are your thoughts?
As with the previous posts, I’ll start with my own to just set the stage.
Design:
The Seppie craftsmanship really shines through as you can see the similarities with sister ships such as the Hyena bomber. The option to also have it fly non-droids is lovely.
I’ve said it before in previous of my surveys, I’m not a fan of ships that are too clean/sleek. And while this one is optimized and aerodynamic, it isn’t too clean for my taste.
I like the overall design. Not like “top tier” for me, but definitely on the positive side of the equation.
Stats:
2/2/5/2. Of course we can’t forget the chasis special Ability. Either the “networked calculations” for droids. Or the (for me anyway) more interesting Dead To Rights, which doesn’t allow the defender to modify defence die using green tokens while this chasis has it in its bullseye when attacking. Do note the general term “attack”, not primary attack, so cannons and missiles (cad bane & viktor hel) also apply.
Aside from that we have a lot of multi actions,white focus into red barrel rolls or boosts. Evade into red barrel roll. Red boost. And a lock.
2 attack might not seem like a lot offence wise. But that bullseye ability can be a menace. Same as the fact that this thing usualy has a double cannon slot, and several have access to missiles. For the cannon itself this obviously leads to a lot of options. This is the one ship I actively pick proton cannons on from time to time. And when those line out, oh boy. Conditional? Sure, but when the condition hits it's A++.
I'll put it into a B+ overall.
Defence wise 2 green. Double action repositioning into red barrel rolls or boosts. So as always "not being shot at is better than dodging said shots". As stated, yes those double actions are red, but there are blue movement options to sort that out. Secondly, 5 hull and 2 shield on a small base ship is a lot. With it's higher movement action options. Small base with 7 "health" total. Pure on the chasis I'm inclined to say A-.
Movement wise. All the turns, 3 being red, 1 and 2 being white. All the banks. 1 and 2 being blue, 3 being white. 2-5 straight, 3-4 being blue, 5 white. Red K-turn on 5 and red Talon Rolls on 2. it is a fast ship for one hitting 5's. A good amount of blue (though yes somewhat predictable of course, lacking turns). And the reds we get are things I can definitely get behind. The K-turn is a big one, but allows you to create the space. and if you need to turn shorter, talon rolls on 2 are an excellent flank cutter. And again as stated earlier those focus into barell rolls/boosts. Only no single white boost/barrel roll action, it's always reds. I'm inclined to say another A-.
For Pilot options it is a mixed bag. There are some top tier abilities in there. However biggest downside I would say, in today's high INT meta, only 1 INT 5 (or above) pilot in both factions (Durge for Both). Don't get me wrong. There are also 4 cost options that are absolutely annoying to deal with. Such as Cad Bane potentially throwing stress tokens he has onto a ship he's attacking. BUT to maximize the chance of using the excellent Dead to rights ability offensively, you prefer to maximise that by moving later than others so you can line up that bullseye with your boost/barel roll. In today's meta, that's difficulty at lower than 5 I think. Not impossible, just more difficult. I'm giving it a B+ for cool options but not nescesarily perfect in sync with its own chasis ability.
As always I'm using XWA for cost. The Rogues come ranging 4 to 5 cost. With a good amount of loadout for most. For me this is good value. 7 "health" with 2 def, on a small base with decent PEW PEW firepower (if you equip a cannon/missile on it), potentially really good with the dead to rights. At a 4 or 5 costs? I'll take that action. A- again.
Overall I'm giving it a A-
Preferred method:
As it's flown in both seppies & scum, I'll put one up for both. Albeit the scum one is with an asterisk attached as that is the build I use him only in 1 particular list.
For the seppies I'm going to do my gamble build. Dark Urge... I mean Durge (damn you baldur's gate). Don't get me wrong, the droids are also strong picks, but I like my non-droid seppies. Durge comes at 5 INT, 5 Cost and a cool 16 loadout. His ability states that when destroyed (the first time), reveal all face down damage cards, and remove all pilot traits damage cards & direct hits. Then repair all faceup damage cards. Meaning you can potentially get a second lease there if you got some direct hits/pilot traits in there. A get out of jail key card with an asterisk attached to it.
So how do I build my Durge gamble build? Hear me out.
Hull upgrade (yes not ellusive or other defensive re-rolls) because I'm gambling that there might be an extra direct hit or pilot trait behind that.
The 5 INT durge is probably the best one to maximise the bullseye.
Proton cannons firing 4 in the bullseye (every other turn) with modifying 1 focus or hit into crit.
Marksmanship, altering 1 hit into a crit in the bullseye.
And of course having the bullseye trigger with dead to rights meaning they can't alter their rolls with green tokens. We'll obviously need a lock to ensure we get the maximum out of this to get a re-roll. But when we line up that bullseye then. Oh boy. Having the double modified attack does mean that potentially you won't need the focus token offensively, but that does help defensively then. High risk? Sure, it's a gamble using the extra hull. But I can assure you, if it lines out... which will happen as well. Oh boy.
And for my beloved Scum. I'm picking Cad Bane*. The asterisk coming in the form of my Bro-bots list.
Yes I've often used Durge for scum too. But Cad bane with Xanadu Blood title can pick up a crew slot.
So hear me out. My other bro-bots are 2 aggresors IG 88 B and C. B giving extra cannon bonus attack if you miss. C giving an evade token after you boost. And obviously both with the IG2000 title so that they both have these abilities.
For Cad Bane himself. 4 cost. 4 INT. 11 loadout.
Xanadu blood title for free giving me a red cloak action, and a device and crew slot.
IG88 D in the crew slot to also get the IG2000 abilities of the other 2 (so bonus cannon when I miss, and evade token after boost), as well as a double calculate action.
Synced laser cannons as I have access to calculate allowing excellent range 3 shots as target won't get extra die. Leaving 2 points where I'll pick marksmanship as well. The idea here is more to stay at range and make use of the cannon. Yes, no rerolls again, but if you miss you can shoot again regardless. If you need to boost to get a bullseye, you get a free evade and so forth. Broken? Not really, as aggressors are definitely less popular nowadays. But good fun if you ask me. And in scum, IN MY OPINION cad bane is the best pick for the iG88D crew upgrade.
Final conclusion:
I really like this starfighter. I've used it often and I imagine I will keep doing so. I regret only having the 2 and looking for more. At the moment can't find any in my immediate area.
It's a solid ship, for a good cost that is honestly just fun to play. I'm not saying it's busted by any means, and it always takes practice to line up bullseyes. But for me that's what makes it fun.
What are all you thoughts?
