I wasn't aware that Daala (post errata) was still in the running. Interesting. So are Dalaa and Klats the two "Gate Keepers"?

It is true that any squad could win Gencon, and I certainly won't make bold predictions as to what will or what won't win Gencon.

As a Gencon championship player it is much more important to play a squad that can make T8, because once you get to the T8 all bets are off. However looking at an estimated field of 24-28 players for the champs, the question is how many Daala squads will there actually be? I assume that if TJ plays in the champs, that he will be sporting some sort of Daala build, but beyond that, I look at many of the players who I expect to participate in the champs, and I honestly don't see more than maybe one or two other Daala squads in the field. So if only two or three people are playing Daala, it could be very difficult for Daala to even make T8.

However, it is a catch 22 because if Daala doesn't win it certainly doesn't mean that the squad isn't good, and even if she does win, it doesn't mean that she is still a problem.

And the real idea about the whole thing is diversity. If only a few people are playing Daala (or any squad), then isn't that the goal of our endeavors? I mean we certainly don't want to revert back to the end of the WOTC era where like 40% of the field all ran the same squad.

10 tickets are already pre-sold, so we will see.

I think we had 26 last year, so low-mid 20s is not out of the question.

Plus, the traditional biggest regional (Wisconsin) is still on the horizon, as are WNY and Chicago, so it's certainly possible we will see some bigger turnouts.

I think those 2 are going to be the squads to beat IMO

They won the PA/MD Regional last year.



Is that merely using them, but not abusing them?

I think a lot of players quickly picked up that they were an incredibly strong option for 12 points.

Don't you think that's jumping the gun a little? I assume when we're referring to the Klats, we're talking about scruffyhan's build? It's no doubt very good, but it won ONE regional. The regional season is only halfway over--who knows what other squads will show up? As I said before, just because you have to consider how you'll handle something in your preparation, that doesn't mean that it's a gatekeeper or "the squad to beat." They're very good squads in a field of a LOT of very good squads.

The Klat assassins are very strong, and scruffyhan's build takes great advantage of them. I could be wrong and that squad could win all the remaining regionals and Gen Con, I suppose. But I doubt it. I won't go far as to say neither Daala nor a squad built around Klats will win Gen Con--both have a great chance, depending on who's there and what they play. I get that only Daala and Talon Karrde squads have won major tournaments so far this year, but nothing in the results from those events makes me think that other squads couldn't have won if rolls and match-ups were different. I think that's the best we can ask for--lots of different squads with a chance.

I think TheHutts' Regional thread (sorry, can't get hyperlink to work) bears this out, as it shows that numerous factions are doing very well this season, even though only Imperial and Fringe have actually won events.