As we have seen since DoTF, each new v-set shows that the design team are doing their job. No question that the v-sets keep the game fresh and alive and let's not forget that we the players do have a say in the process, through our ability to PT the new pieces. A prime example is (insert spoiler alert) the new Rodian Assassin, who in his final form is way better then the initial PT version.

To address some of the concerns about too much too soon; I tend to agree that 60 new pieces are too much, I would recommend a downshift to a forty piece set model be adopted. This way new pieces still make there way into the world, while at the same time we are not over saturating.

I've definitely made some squads that are almost entirely just V-set pieces. Do people consider that a bad thing, though? I really don't think it is. I think if we get to a point where ALL top tier squads are made up of only V-set pieces (or only V-set pieces plus Mouse Droids and/or Ugnaughts), then there is a problem. But right now you can make a squad with NO V-set pieces and compete, or you could make a squad with ALL V-set pieces and compete. That's one of the main goals for the V-sets; variety in what can be played. We don't want to completely supplant the WotC stats so that none are being played, but you should be able to play without the WotC pieces if you want to, just like you should be able to play without the V-sets if you want to.

I think eventually we will get to a point where you can't make a really competitive (and by that I mean tier 1; Skybuck might always be good, but there will probably eventually be a better version of it) squad without ANY V-set pieces, but that's just part of the game advancing; we got to a point where you couldn't make a competitive squad without ANY post-Rebel Storm pieces, and we got to the same point where you couldn't make a squad without ANY post-CotF pieces, I'm sure we'll eventually get to a point where you can't make a really competitive squad without ANY post-MotF pieces. But we want to be sure that you can still play a squad with pre-MotF pieces in it; you just might have to have a couple of V-set pieces boosting them.


Reducing the number of pieces per set is interesting. It's really hard for us designers to see if people are getting inundated with stats too quickly, because we're getting inundated with them even MORE quickly. While you guys are seeing spoilers and figuring out combos for set 4 pieces, I'm looking at and figuring out combos for set 5 pieces! It definitely is a lot, and sometimes I do think it would be nice to just take a breather from new stats and focus on what is already out. Are less pieces per set something people would really want? I obviously can't speak for everyone on the design team, but I think that's something we need to explore if that's what people want to see happen. We are actually releasing stats faster than WotC (they usually did 120 new characters per year, we're doing 144+ per year with the 120 base set pieces, 24 microset pieces, and then Epic pieces and other various things like the new Bounty Hunter Challenge characters coming out at GenCon), so maybe we should slow down to something more like their release schedule.

We print 72 at a time because the sheets they come on are sheets of 18 cards each. We wanted to do 60 cards, but 3 full sheets is 54 cards, meaning we had to have 4 sheets printed per set. For DotF (which didn't have a microset) that 4th sheet just had the same 6 cards printed 3 times, and the other sheets that each had 18 different cards were printed 3 times as often. The key, though, is that one of the big costs of printing is the number of DIFFERENT sheets that have to be printed, so the cost of printing 4 sheets with 60 cards is not much cheaper than 4 sheets with 72 cards (that is, 18 different cards on each sheet).

If we DID reduce the amount we printed, we would most likely reduce it to 3 sheets, which is 54 different cards. I imagine we would make that a 40 piece main set with a 14 piece subset instead of 60/12.


Here's a little more to think about, though. What would the current V-sets look like if they were just 40 pieces? I worked most closely with the set list on Vengeance since I was a designer on that one (as opposed to a playtester, lead playtester, or project manager for sets 1, 2, and 4, respectively), so here's what I think the set list would have been with just 40 pieces:



Honestly, I really don't like that. 40 pieces just doesn't give us enough to build something good for many factions. I maintained the YV Hunter pair, Mandos kept both the Death Watch stuff and the Torture stuff, but that's it, Fringe kept the Zann Consortium characters and kept some set flavor pieces, plus Malakili who was a long-term design plan, NR and Imperials got cut down a lot, Rebel only got a single SpecForce character instead of 2, meaning it will take much longer for us to finish fleshing them out, Seps didn't change too much. I actually left only uniques for Republic, because each of those 4 were important pieces for the set. Sith had to have a piece cut, and OR lost the Shadow, so the Covenant presence was weakened, and also got no shooter since the Trooper had to be dropped, as did Mical.

It seems to me that the best way to do 40 piece sets would be to focus on just a couple of factions instead of something for everybody. That would give us sets more like IE, GaW, and CW. If we did that and kept up with two releases per year, it could be a while before some factions get any love. I guess we could make sure that the microsets gave stuff to factions that weren't being represented in the main set, but that still leaves either just one or two pieces per faction or leaves some factions out. We've got 10 factions to design for; that's hard to do well with just 108 pieces per year. And what would people think about having to wait a full year for a new piece for a certain faction? Say you're a big Vong player; how would you feel about there being NO Vong pieces released for a year? Seems like it would suck to me.

I think what the designers are doing is spot on!

They are giving us full sets, plus minis. If they focused on 1 40 piece set dedicated to '1' faction, era, set of books/comics, then they could be accused of not balancing the sets.

40 piece sets focused on every faction. Perfect.
Mini sets focused on key faction, era, set of books/comics. Perfect.

I certainly wouldnt say no to a few more specific mini sets

Keep it up!

Also, I could see not having as many Unique figs if designers and Community members were running out of ideas. From what I've seen, There are so many ideas out there. I don't think creativity is going to dry up. Keep it up guys. I think it's going great. I still need to play with these last 2 v-sets.

I am definitely in favour of the present amount of new characters being on the bi-annual basis. The only reason I would ever want to see that amount go down is if resources were scarce and it was to maintain quality. Like Daniel said, the more that is released the more is available to play.

As will I. Then I'll hunt Kez down to enforce my new Rule of One.

The point is there are pieces in any set that most (myself included) have no interest in ever playing. The more new that comes out the more interesting combinations emerge and options players have to build squads in their favourite factions, which is the real crux of it. People have favourite factions/characters, it isn't the most competitive mindset, but it is true.

Republic's my favorite faction, and I've still never played the Gray Jedi or the Republic Jedi. I think that I waste too many practice games trying to make Vader Agent of Evil work.

i guarantee that i have played at least half of each of the sets. And nearly all of the mini sets. I playtest alot though so finding unique squads is my thing. I try to make something fun and competitive. Pluss alot of them are great in tile warsw. The only faction i will say that gets wasted on me is Vong. Just cant get into it.