Season 4 Community Vote Results

From October 19th through November 1st 2020, we opened the Season 4 community vote and the IACP steering committee asked for all of you to make your voices heard by sharing with us which Season 4 changes should be kept by the IACP and which needed to more work in a future season. Voters could either choose to approve a change or not approve a change. We also asked you all to share with us your thoughts about the current state of IACP and what you want to see from us in the future, both in the card changes we introduce but also in our core philosophies and how we do business, and we will be sharing that feedback as well in an accompanying article.

The preset bar for a card to be approved by the community has been and remains a 70% approval vote. This season we had 30 community members who chose to cast their vote, which means that a card needed a minimum of 21 votes to be approved into long-term IACP play. Additionally, we tried to make it clear this season that an approved vote meant that players were okay with a card becoming a permanent addition to the IACP official changes document, with no further changes being made to the card unless the card became exceptionally unbalanced in the future and required an update.

Proposed Change	Approval Percentage
Built on Hope (New Command Card)	96.67%
Deploy the Garrison (New Command Card)	63.33%
Guild Programming (New Command Card)	90%
Whistling Birds (New Command Card)	93.33%
Lando Calrisian (New Elite Deployment Card)	93.33%
Rebel Saboteur (Updated Elite Deployment Card)	83.33%
Loku Kanoloa (Updated Elite Deployment Card)	96.67%
Verena Talos (Updated Elite Deployment Card)	83.33%
AT-RT (New Elite Deployment Card)	93.33%
Rebel Pathfinder (New Elite Deployment Card)	86.67%
Jyn Erso (New Elite Deployment Card)	100%
E-Web Engineer (Updated Elite Deployment Card)	83.33%
Overwatch (New Elite Skirmish Upgrade Attachment Card)	100%
ISB Infiltrators (Updated Elite Deployment Card)	96.67%
Agent Blaise (Recosted Elite Deployment Card)	70%
General Sorin (Recosted Elite Deployment Card)	93.33%
Director Krennic (New Elite Deployment Card)	90%
Shoretrooper (New Elite Deployment Card)	96.67%
Mortar Trooper (New Elite Squad Upgrade Card)	90%
Bossk (Updated Elite Deployment Card)	76.67%
Trandoshan Hunter (Updated Elite Deployment Card)	90%
IG-11 (New Elite Deployment Card)	90%
The Mandalorian (New Elite Deployment Card)	83.33%
Clan of Two & The Child (New Elite Skirmish Upgrade and Companion Card)	90%
The Darksaber (New Unique Skirmish Upgrade Attachment)	100%

There were no Season 4 cards withheld from the vote this time around. Out of the 25 cards on the ballot for Season 4, one card did not reach the required threshold of 70% approval, which was the Deploy the Garrison Command card for Director Krennic, though the Director himself did get a 90% approval from the community. Deploy the Garrison will be removed from the official changes document for the remainder of Season 4, but will likely be reintroduced in a future season.

The Official Changes document has been updated to reflect the results of the community vote.

2 cards were changed just prior to the release of Season 4, which were the elite Royal Guards from Season 3 and Knowledge and Defense command card from Season 2. These cards were changed after the conclusion of Season 3 Approved play to correct widespread reports of negative play experiences by players against these cards while minimizing the impact on their competitive playability. While the committee did debate how to include the community in this correction process, because this was a correction to two cards that had already been approved by the community through the voting process, we felt that this fell outside of our normal process of design, playtest, approve, and we also don’t have a process for what happens if a balance correction does not meet the approval threshold. Do the cards revert to their broken state for another season? Do we just ban them for a season and then try again? We didn’t find any of these potential outcomes to be satisfactory for these cards and the people that enjoy playing with them, and thus we did not include these changes in the community vote.

Here are some of the feedback and comments we got on the card that wasn’t approved this Season.

Deploy the Garrison

• “Krennics card is tricky. Movement or dmg token are great but having a large list of troopers or guardians makes you suffer lots of dmg or card losses. I do like the card though.”
• “Krennic’s command card would be better if the player can select the troopers and guardians. The cost is too onerous otherwise.”
• “Deploy the Garrison! costs too much for a card with such a strong drawback.”
• “Voted down Deploy the Garrison because it seems like there is too much downside (the strain) to include it as a 2-pt card.”
• “Deploy the Garrison! feels a bit situational and its power changes a lot depending on the round you draw the card. Considering Imperial has no access to R2/RHC/Jabba/BM, it’s very difficult to rely on Krennic’s card in a consistent manner.”
• “The negative on Deploy the Garrison far outweighs the positive in my experience.”
• “Deploy the Garrison is solid. Really strong in combo with call the vanguard.”
• “Krennic is great because he gives a bunch of tokens, especially with his command card.”

The majority of comments were that Deploy the Garrison’s strain cost in addition to it’s relatively high 2 point cost was too much downside on a card with an otherwise powerful ability. However not everyone felt that way and there were a number of folks that commented that the card felt quite powerful. In design, the card started without any strain cost and felt too powerful with Krennic’s token doubling ability, so we added the strain cost to temper the card and give it some extra flavor. We also felt that the card made good use of trooper swarms higher total health pool than other archetypes by converting it into extra damage. But it seems the strain cost was enough to warrant a lower points cost or perhaps needed a stronger ability. We had also leaned into the idea that all figures were forced to take strain from Krennic’s intimidating scream, but perhaps like the changes we made to the Child’s Force Heal, there was an argument here for putting gameplay above flavor in this case.

Conclusion

I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote on all of these cards. Community participation and investment is integral to the long-term success of the IACP project. All of you that want to see Imperial Assault continue to grow and evolve as a fun and competitive game are the reason that we do this.

Again I will state that though ideally an approved status on a card means no future changes are needed, the committee can and will pull approved cards for adjustment IF there is a substantial need to do so in order to get a card to a desired level of playability, but we will do so after giving the community time to play with the card that they approved unless the overall health of the format is being threatened.

We will also be posting a part 2 of the community vote results, which will have the results from all of the other questions you answered about what you want to see for the future of IACP and how you want us to go about getting there, so stay tuned for that article.

I leave you with the communities comments, both from the community vote and our playtesting feedback surveys, on the rest of the cards that did get approved in Season 4

Community Comments on Season 4 Cards

Built on Hope

• “Built on hope is actually usable now that it is draw and not reveal. Solid card now.”
• “I found that the original built on hope was actually better for the opponent (reveal) but with the change it is better.”
• “Built on Hope now works very well. Maybe to much.”
• “Unsure about Jyn’s card, I haven’t seen a situation really where it is worth it yet, but it may just be me (also I’ve only played her once)”

Guild Programming

• “Guild programming is important and useful for IG11 and if I have him in my list, I would definitely take this card.”
• “Guild programming is too powerful on 3 dice rapid fire.”
• “Guild programming: I think this card is strong with its two four-dice attacks, now that IG got a better attack pool.”

Whistling Birds

• “I didn’t get to use whistling birds Or play anyone that used it but it seems like a cheaper more specific grenadier card.”
• “I still feel like whistling birds isn’t really usable. It’s too expensive for a unique without enough effect.”
• “Whistling Bird has the right cost, but for 2 points mercenary have stuff like Blaze of Glory.”

Lando

• “Lando is completely crazy and fun, balance is not a word which should be used to describe him.”
• “I love Lando’s Shrewd Scoundrel ability, it’s a ton of fun to use. However, Lando’s ability to hide over and over again for a built in Pierce 1 seems a little to powerful but I don’t think it’s game breaking or anything like that.”
• “Lando is good where he is. Strong but still vulnerable enough at 8 health if his gambles don’t pay off.”
• “Lando can really pack a punch and is strong defensively if you guess correct. He is quiet an influential figure but not OP because he can be countered using tough luck.”
• “I believe Lando is too overpowered for a point cost of 6. He should be at 8 or 7.”

Rebel Saboteur

• “I feel that Saboteurs should have more limited range (max 3 Acc)”
• “Saboteurs work well. I played both with them and against. I actually tried them with Targeting Computer. I surprisingly found they don’t use the re-roll too often even when focused. That ability to draw LoS paired very well with AT-RT.”
• “Saboteurs are kind of ineffective, if they manage to blast 2 fine, otherwise they never leave the mark in a game.”
• “Sabs: Still seemed pretty underpowered when I played them.”
• “I’d have to check the log, but I’m not sure I got to use Overload more than once (when I doubled Pierce 2 to get past Zillo). I was running the Sabs without Targeting Computer, which my opponent recommended improves their performance. Without it, I found their damage unreliable, and they did a lot more blowing up than their enemies did.”
• “Saboteurs: Sabs are fun in theory. The reality is, they don’t surge that much, so you’re not actually going to land that beautiful blast 6 to kill R2 without even attacking him.”
• “Sabs feel like they still need so much support (focus, token, attachment) to be worth bringing. Maybe if heavy weapon was a better trait, idk. They don’t seem competitive at all.”

Loku

• “Loku is strong and popular and just a really good addition to the season. Good job guys.”
• “Loku is great! Like his card a lot for the pierce 1 and free focus. He seem a little squishy but for a 5 point figure, it is ok. Just have to play cautiously with him.”
• “Loku seems legit.”
• “As a sniper, he’s thematic since he needs to stay away. Also, the addition of the recon token has been a great idea brought from the campaign.”
• “Loku is a solid card that can fit many Rebel lists. It’s really important for Spy trait to have an efficient unit at low price. He’s also very handy in Scum lists.”
• “I have played all season Loku, and he is really good. not overpowered but strong.”

Verena

• “Verena felt like the standout of my list, which, with Drok in the same list, is a good thing. This was before the 4.1 update, which I think will help her out when she’s not high-rolling.”
• “Verena, is very tanky if you get her in the right spot. In some missions this is very simple to achieve and that makes her insane. She’s not OP, but if you combine the right mission and also the adjacency to the right figure she feels a bit like that. I think this is situational enough to make her a sort of hate or love character. I personally hate her only when I have to play against :)”
• “Verena should have 1 more HP.”
• “Verena is still too expensive”
• “Verena: I like seeing figures built for niches you don’t really see. Along with Loku, Verena is one of the two Hoth Queen-Killers, and I love the different ways that concept has been executed between the two characters. The 4.1 update only pushes this angle even further.”

AT-RT

• “The ATRT was fun to play and fun movement shenanigans can happen with Hera and Gideon in a list with 2ATRTs. It’s a good figure.”
• “I find AT-RT rock solid. Very balanced unit, not common for a massive. Strong also when played in couple, very long lasting if they have Extra Armor. Nice to play if paired with units like Loku, Mak and Saboteurs because they can shoot from behind.”
• “ATRT is strong but too expensive”
• “AT-RT: Able to run in quick and do a lot of damage, but had to rely heavily on fuel upgrade/EA to not die immediately. Though it was a kind of reckless playstyle and put them right in the middle of the other team.”
• “AT-RT: Really fun to be able to play vehicles in a rebel list. I enjoy that it is super mobile and doesn’t want to stay in the same spot for long. I see it as hard to fit in if you’re not building the list around it though (which to be fair is true for imp vehicles).”

Rebel Pathfinder

• “Rebel Pathfinders: Great theming, although very situational. Good for missions requiring a dash to objectives.”
• “Only one I was somewhat hesitant on was the pathfinders, but I like their ability enough that I’m still willing to play around with them now that they’ve got an updated cost”
• “Rebel Pathfinder is too complicated, I think either buffing it’s light it up or dropping that ability and buffing distracting fire is better”
• “Everything seems fine for these, as long as pathfinders don’t end up totally broken in a specific mission, but that is more map dependent”

Jyn Erso

• “Jyn is probably my favourite deployment this season. So fun and has a lot of sneaky utility.”
• “Jyn erso seemed decent, she can under roll and be kind of useless but is hard to kill.”
• “Love the new rebel brawlers- jyn so great and feels thematic with her white die and ability to make others better”
• “Jyn: The character I’ve play tested the most, I love her Trust Goes Both Ways, but I still would like to see her reduced in cost. I also would like to see Tonfa Strike to allow you to use the attacks in either order.”
• “Jyn: I really enjoyed her interactions with self-strain in this list. Diala in particular is hungry for Surges anyways, so she’s happy to take strain damage for Force Throw or Channel the Force, and turn it into Jyn Surges.”

E-Web & Overwatch

• “I love the direction the eweb design is going, I just don’t think they are scary enough to overcome all of their shortfalls. I love overwatch, but it takes some practice to use effectively.”
• “Eweb: Needs a reroll badly.”
• “The e-web definitely needed the change and overwatch is kind of cool. It is tough to play properly and difficult to make range and get to a favorable location to use.”
• “eweb I think is still not powerful enough to warrant taking. Neither is the mortar. But I haven’t had enough playtime with either of these either to really give a valid opinion.”
• “The Overwatch upgrade for E-web is rather fun to play but the total deployment cost of 6 is still a tad too high for the damage output.”
• “e webs are much to niche and wont see much if any play as is.”

ISB Infiltrators

• “ISBs are cool and great to play.”
• “ISBs: ISBs still seem strong, with their 4-range ability allowing them to reach around corners like Palp.”
• “ISBs: They’re great. They have a lot of neat stuff going on. Being on the other side of them this time, I never had a situation come up where Comms Jammer mattered, but it’s still nice to know it’s there.”
• “Isbs are in a really good place at last. It makes me happy as they are one of my favourite deployments.”

Agent Blaise

• “Underwhelmed by Blaise. Interrogate doesn’t feel helpful.”
• “I just can not justify bringing Blaise into my group over any other figure. Maybe there’s a good spot but I find his abilities lackluster (most other figures have abilities that add positive bonuses and Blaise’s Interrogate not only takes one surge but it also has a negative effect on him). If his Interrogate ability would be an action instead of a surge spend, or included in the attack without the need to spend a surge, that might be a bit better imo.”
• “Blaise: He’s still pretty mediocre, and the card cost in Interrogate really hurts.”
• “Blaise is a big no, it feels like original and it suffers all his issues as its original version. The 1 VP less is a mitigation but probably I’d like to see him a more appealing 5 VP figure like Jyn and Loku are for rebel faction.”
• “Blaise: From a list-building standpoint, Adapt frustrates me, as it doesn’t work with the premier spy figure for Imperials (eISBs), who pretty much stay Hidden on their own.”
• “I don’t like Blaise being able to see all of an opponent’s command cards. “
• “Blaise feels like an overcosted murne. Okay/ situational support abilities with a lackluster attack. Not enough value compared to other figures at his price point.”
• “blaise isnt worth his points. bad attack and one good ability.”

General Sorin

• “Seeing Sorin in action made me want to make a Sorin list. So that checks my fun box.”
• “Sorin is great. Love him. Also love how he makes sentries a lot better.”
• “My opponent played Sorin (w/ ACS) with AT-DP and a pair of eProbes. He made a lot of use of lending those figures “:surge:: Focus”, and Bombardment seemed solid.”

Director Krennic

• “Krennic is a good example of the value id expect from a midcost support figure. He can shoot, he can make others better.”
• “i feel like krennics abilities come at too high a cost. over the course of a game you can easily take 10 or more strain.”
• “Krennic’s ability, if invested in, represents a threat. Unfortunately, he is just far too fragile compared to the threat he presents and the VP his death will give, especially considering how close he has to get to the action, even with Advanced Com Systems.”
• “His abilities really are a lot of fun, and if he were toughened up, I think he could be the centerpiece of some fun lists.”
• “Krennic himself is fun, but his command card seems incredibly costly for what you get from it.”

Shoretrooper & Mortartrooper

• “Shores and mortar at last make a consistent enough threat. Great stuff.”
• “The only caveat that I have is that mortars don’t seem to add quite enough considering the amount of new rules they introduce at this stage. I think its OK if there are more attachment cards coming, but otherwise I just have this sense of poor value for complexity/accessibility”
• “Mortar and e-web with overwatch makes [the game] more fun.”

Bossk

• “Bossk: I like the role he plays. I feel like it is still slightly hard to justify bringing him in instead of Trandoshan hunters unless you want Indiscriminate Fire to take out mobs. He is definitely still fun to use.”
• “Bossk i find needs to have his special action be only when close/melee which would justify his Brawler trait, the way it is currently does not in any way relate to it which is bad and counter-intuitive.”
• “his main power is his survivability. The attack is not the best due to the lack of surges, but I think is strong enough to justify the cost. I think it’s a balanced unit, although he may benefit from a slight improvement to his attack.”
• “Bossk and Trandos are a bit awkward, I feel they’re too good in empire, and not good enough in scum. Something should probably still be done about that.”
• “it’s just hard to ever justify taking Bossk over a set of Trandos.”
• “He’s hard to kill, which makes him thematic. Additionally, his attack pool makes him scary (although the final results are not that brutal), which is perfect for this bounty hunter.”

Trandoshan Hunter

• “The trando hunters are great to use lie in ambush with. They were OP when they could heal 2 and discard harmful conditions but now they are just right.”
• “Trandos feel a bit less abusable.”
• “Trandoshan hunters: they are fun, since you have to struggle to get them close without exposing them, as if they were actually hunting.”
• “Trandoshan Hunter: I’ve always enjoyed TH’s but hated that I couldn’t justify adding them. I like still having Hardy to have the connection to Bossk while not being overpowered. I feel like they have their niche now, but I would need to try them again since they died pretty quickly here.”

IG-11

• “IG-11 is very good but I think too good with double three-die attack.”
• “IG-11: He’s a good attacker, and his 4.1 self-destruction ability is more menacing for the opponent than the 4.0 version. In my case, I was playing against him, and had to position my attacker next to enemy figures to avoid the self-destruction.”
• “IG-11: I played against him. It was the first unit I killed, knowing he’s a strong attacker, but also afraid of his self-destruction. It makes him a balanced unit.”
• “Perhaps IG-11 is still missing a little something to be a full 9 pts figure.”
• “IG-11: As I said before, he is a decent attacker which would become the priority target if it weren’t for his self-destruction. It’s a good unit.”

The Mandalorian

• “New Mando and IG-11 now are much better than before. I think they found their spot.”
• “The Mandalorian: not the best attacker, but flamethrower and rifle are good abilities.”
• “Mandalorian: he was thematic, dealing small amounts of damage to finish what IG had started. He works better in a team.”
• “Mandalorian: He looks like a finisher, with the flamethrower doing 1 or 2 damage and the disruptor rifle. I think adding movement to the flamethrower has been a good idea.”
• “I think the Mandalorian flamethrower’s ability to move, damage for 1+, and not count as an attack surprised me at least twice. It’s a reasonable action, it just means you have to be aware of it.”
• “Mando is one of the figures what I have faced most. good and fun design.”

Clan of Two & The Child

• “Clan of two: It’s fun to see the Child going around healing and avoiding damage. Also, the possibility to “steal” him once the original carrier is dead makes him look like a prize everyone wants.”
• “I think Clan of Two might give Gaarkhan the offensive push he needed to be competitive and fun.”
• “I don’t think the Child is ever really worth taking and is only there for flavour.”
• “Clan of two is a great mechanic and wonderful design, although i think situational.”
• “I love the clan of 2 and The Child cards.”

The Darksaber