Good morning gamers,
When Legion 2.6 dropped, Padme became one of the most changed profile in the game - perhaps THE most changed profile in the game (Anakin might have a word with you on it, as might Commander Luke), since she went from a sit-in-the-back-and-generate-
In what many might consider ill timing, I picked up a Padme model about a month before AMG's Ministravaganza, when the changes to the profiles were announced. I looked at the adjusted profile and was like, "Well, that's different . . . and also intriguing." So join me today as I attempt to hash through what Padme's new role in the Republic faction is and what considerations you need to make when thinking about taking her.
Padme Amidala: The Profile
Padme's only ability to help her teammates out is with Bolster 2, which eats up a valuable action, but provides friendly units within range 2 with 2 surge tokens. Many Republic Clone units are surge-hungry (and generally don't have offensive or defensive surge conversion innate in their profile), so surge tokens are always useful - both for blocking hits that would be costly to regrow and for dealing that slightly higher damage total to clear out enemy units. If you can afford to spend the action, Bolster 2 is great.
Padme retained both Nimble for helping to keep at least one dodge token on her each time she's shot and Sharpshooter 2 for getting all of her damage past cover (which is less reliable now, but with a limited die pool and the loss of tons of extra dice from Fire Support, it's really good to have). Nimble got improved with the addition of Agile 1, which encourages you to perform moves with her so she can get dodge tokens - and also provides an interesting decision tree about when to activate Padme, since moving her early will get dodge tokens on her, but will also telegraph where she is for the rest of the round.
Finally, Padme picked up Inspire 2, which gives her some support abilities for friendly units besides Bolster, but the loss of Authoritative (to give her order token to someone else), Quick Thinking (to get an aim token and a dodge token for a single action), and Exemplar (to allow her aim, dodge, and surge tokens to be used by friendly units) are big hits to her profile. Still, I think we have enough to work with here even with the loss of three really good rules.
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| All legitimate builds - 60-82pts Photo Credit: Tabletop Admiral |
Her survivability stats are decent - 6 Wounds is pretty good, Courage 3 is pretty good, Speed 2 is fine, a surging white dice is fine but not great, and surging for crit (previously surge for hit) is always nice to have. Her combat pools are also fine - 3 black dice by default in melee and 3 red dice at range 1-2 on her Blaster. All told, she's likely to get a hit or two into her opponents, which means actually dealing damage is very much determined by the saves of the unit.
Padme used to be a great support piece - but now that role has shifted to the Clone Commander. The Commander can issue an order for free to a Corps Clone Trooper unit within range 1-2 of him with Direct. This free order token is really useful, especially if you have someone like Fives around to turn that into two order tokens with Coordinate. The Clone Commander also has Bolster 2, so he's doing at least some of what Padme does.
While it's certainly possible - and could be quite powerful - to have both of these units in the same list, the fact that full ARC Trooper units with a Clone Commander cost 94pts and most Clone Trooper Infantry squads can come in between 80-130pts means that you can get a LOT more firepower and comparable/better survivability with a Corps or Special Forces pick, so the heroes have to be doing non-lethal things that are worth taking over "more teeth" from the grunts of the army.
Okay, let's get into the recommendations for her upgrades and command cards!
Padme Amidala: Recommended Upgrades and Command Cards
Padme has four upgrade types, each with one slot option. For two of these, there's really only one option that you have available (or that makes sense for her), but ALL of these are optional if you're tight for points.
Command
Padme is going to be up in the enemy's grill if she's trying to get Secret Mission to work OR tucked safely behind terrain to manage suppression if you chose to lean into Inspire. Depending on your choice, you'll want to consider Strict Orders, Improvised Orders, Esteemed Leader, and Vigilance. If you've got a lot of ways to get orders onto your units, Strict Orders is a great way to make sure that a Clone unit that's been shot at several times (or shot at by a unit with Suppressive) avoids being suppressed - or that a unit that could panic just gets suppressed instead. Whatever the reason, having Strict Orders around is quite useful - and if you don't have a Command slot for it on anyone else, you can always put it on Padme. If you have a lot of order token diversity in your list and not a lot of ways to get order tokens, Improvised Orders is a useful upgrade so that you can get the order token you want more reliably. Both of these are great options if your goal is to have Padme hiding behind the lines and taking pot-shots at units that get too close (or stripping suppression off units that are dive-bombing into enemy territory).
But Padme has the trifecta of Nimble, Agile 1, and a Command slot, which means Vigilance could see her keeping a dodge token for her own use all game long. If you want to run Padme as an objective runner with Secret Mission (more on this in a minute), you might want to consider taking it. Alternatively, you could save some points and get Esteemed Leader on Padme, which can give all those Clone Trooper Infantry that she's escorting (or who are escorting her?) Guardian 1 so that instead of rolling surging white saves, you're rolling non-surging red saves (perhaps with a surge token or three to get the defensive surge conversion you want). In my opinion, getting Secret Mission is most likely to happen when Padme is surrounded by a body of Clone Trooper Infantry instead of running off on her own.
Training
Padme used to get good use out of Duck and Cover (which ensured that she has at least Cover 1 when she's shot at - and with Courage 3, she's unlikely to be suppressed when she gets to go) but now that you don't increase your cover until you're suppressed, Padme has to be shot at twice before she can improve her cover - and as a general rule, that's not worth it. She can get good use out of Situational Awareness, but unless there are mostly crits in the mix, you're far more likely to get the same value from blocking a hit that made it past cover than by blocking a crit.
If you want to control when she goes, Seize the Initiative is a good option, but it very much depends on how much you can issue orders to all of your other units (if you have 3 Clone Commandos with HQ Uplinks who are going to recover/shoot or recover/move, a Clone Commander, and Fives, you're getting 5 order tokens each turn BEFORE using a command card).
By far and away, the most used Training upgrade I've been putting on Padme since the new edition dropped is Up Close and Personal. Padme needs dodges and she can get them when she moves with the addition of Agile 1, but you really want two dodges if you can (because blocking as much damage as possible is awesome). As a result, getting two dodges by moving twice while the enemy is far away and getting two dodges by moving once and shooting once is a great way to help keep her alive. Speaking of that . . .
Gear
This slot is entirely optional, but your go-to option for this slot is Prepared Supplies. You may not be able to guarantee that Padme gets to move (and/or shoot) before she gets shot at, so having a dodge token banked away (and two command cards that can give her a dodge token at the start of the round - more on that later) is awesome. It's a 5-point upgrade that isn't exactly necessary, but if you have the points for it, it's quite nice to have. There's probably a case for Recon Intel (which just got bumped up to 8pts!) if you don't take Infiltrate so you can start a little further up the board AND pick up a dodge token when you arrive - note: you can use Recon Intel to get some extra movement after Infiltrating, but since you're already starting further up the board, having a banked dodge token might be better for you (especially if you're moving late in the first round and are unlikely to be shot at).
Armament
Padme's armament choice is the Looted E-5 blaster - this weapon only has 1 red/1 white in its attack pool (which is an estimated 1.25 damage/shot - or about half of the expected damage from her pistol) but it increases its max range to range 3 and picks up Pierce 1, so the hit/crit that goes through is going to do damage - especially with Sharpshooter 2 removing any chance of cover affecting your outcome. With surge for crit, you're also quite likely with this blaster of getting a crit past Armor X, which is always nice.
If you plan to have Padme participate in a shot here or there, you can take the armament - but if you plan to have her moving around a lot, leave this upgrade at home.
Command Cards
Two of Padme's command cards are good - her 3-pip Diplomatic Cover isn't what it used to be, but it can be played in one of two ways: either as an Inspire battery for your gunline by not divulging it (Inspire 3 is good, but I'm not sure that it's THAT much better than Inspire 2), or as a means of getting an extra VP with Secret Mission (and the Infiltrate keyword). If you plan to use Padme for Inspire, I'm thinking you leave this command card at home or have it as your reserved sixth command card if you're playing against a suppression-heavy list. If you want Secret Mission to go off, I recommend having lots of ways of getting order tokens on your units, since your only order token for the first turn will be on Padme.
However, in a world where Clone Commandos exist (who have Infiltrate as well), it's possible now that Padme could try to perform a Secret Mission maneuver, knowing that there will be someone (or several squads) nearby to help get her out of trouble. Regardless of the deployment zone configuration, Padme probably wants to go last - and if your Clone Commandos have taken HQ Uplinks, you can guarantee that they arrive after a Jedi who will keep them alive (specifically a defensively-built Obi-Wan or Yoda). With these guys in tow, Padme's threat level on the table should be pretty low - even if she's got Secret Mission.
Her 1-pip command card (Our Fate is in Your Hands) gives Padme Danger Sense 2 for the round (probably not enough of a reason to take Duck and Cover, but that would help here) and allows Padme to transfer any number of suppression tokens from troopers within range 1-2 to herself. She'll gain dodge tokens for each suppression she takes (up to 2 - you can't get, like, 14 dodge tokens from ONE command card without something being broken), which makes this a pretty good command card to play if Padme is trying to do the Secret Mission dash (not only because she'll pick up dodge tokens, but because she can leave at least 2 suppression on herself and make it harder to kill her). This card can also be used to transfer mass amounts of suppression to herself, which can then be cleared by a Recover action - more on this in a minute.
Finally, her 2-pip (Aggressive Negotiations) is okay but not stellar - Padme and one Trooper can either perform a speed-1 move or gain 1 aim/dodge/surge token. Because Padme now has Agile 1, she should always take the move, since that gives her the dodge token anyway. With surge for crit on offense and surge for block on defense (and the loss of Exemplar), Padme never benefits from the surge token, so it's really between taking the move and getting a dodge or standing still and getting an aim token. If this card is played on the second turn of the game after declaring a Secret Mission, it can be used to pull any Infiltrating units you have (more on that in a minute) closer to her OR give them tokens to help them tear up the enemy or stay alive. This is a more situational card, but it's still good.
Padme is often seen accompanying Yoda (and Anakin), but Yoda can level up Padme in ways that Anakin just can't. Yoda's 1-pip (Size Matters Not) allows Yoda to use his actions/free actions twice, which means Yoda can allow Padme to perform a move action twice during his activation if he doesn't want to use any of his actions himself (which is fine), which will trigger Agile 1 twice, giving Padme two dodge tokens. There Is No Try will give Padme Outmaneuver, Relentless (which she can only benefit from on her turn, but will allow her to gain a dodge token after moving, and then shoot for free), and a dodge token if Padme keeps the order, all of which are quite useful for her. Finally, Luminous Beings Are We gives Padme (and all other friendly units) an order token and gives them access to Yoda's green tokens. Since he can't attack, he can use Guidance on his turn to give Padme a move to generate a dodge token and give her that needed movement to pull off Secret Mission. All in all, these cards are pretty good for Padme . . . though the strategy for using these two heroes together has changed a LOT.
While not as extensively good as Yoda, Obi-Wan has some nice synergies with Padme as well. His 2-pip (Knowledge and Defense) gives Obi-Wan tons of dodge tokens if he's surrounded by friends (which should include Padme), which means he can Guardian shots all round and keep Padme safe (even if she gets charged by someone in melee). While it doesn't help Padme specifically, Obi-Wan's 1-pip (Hello There!) allows Obi-Wan to generate a ton of dodge tokens which can be used to protect Padme should she be running for her life with a Secret Mission VP and Obi-Wan has dive-bombed in after her on the previous turn. The ability to pull 3 hits off of her each time she's attacked is pretty incredible and does wonders for keeping her alive (and the dodge tokens on Kenobi will allow him a full reroll of his defense dice when using Guardian, thanks to Soresu Mastery).
If you're interested in a double-Secret-Mission team, R2-D2's 3-pip (Smoke Screen) can be used to lay down some cover for both himself and Padme at the start of the Activation Phase, as well as provide them with a speed-1 move after the orders are issued (triggering Agile 1 again). If you're trying to rush past each other (one getting out with a Secret Mission token, one running in to get a Secret Mission token), this could be really useful. R2's other command cards are far more self-focused and I wouldn't bother with them.
Finally, Commander Cody has one very useful synergy command card if you're trying to keep Padme alive (though most players use it with Boil). His 2-pip (Have I Ever Let You Down?) allows Cody to make a retributive attack against anyone who attacks the unit that was issued an order with his card. If you issue the order to Padme as she's running for her life, you're inviting an attack from Cody . . . back off, bounty hunters, back off . . .
Okay, with all this in mind, let's look at some lists!
Padme Amidala: Sample Lists and Strategy
Our first stop for helping Padme get Secret Mission to work is an Obi-Wan list. You can view the 9-act list on Tabletop Admiral here, but here's the summary:
- Obi-Wan Kenobi with Force Barrier, Aggressive Tactics, and Defensive Stance
- Padme Amidala with Up Close and Personal
- Clone Trooper Infantry with Fives, DP-23
- Clone Trooper Infantry with Clone Captain, Z-6 Trooper, and Clone Medic x2
- ARC Troopers with Clone Commander
- 3x Clone Commandos with Katarn Pattern Armor, HQ Uplinks, and configs
The list relies on Obi-Wan and the Clone Commandos being able to deploy near Padme to provide more devastating targets than herself. Padme and Obi-Wan can then make their way to enemy territory (perhaps with a Fives/ARC Trooper escort) to score Secret Mission and hopefully get some scenario VPs along the way.
Our second list forsakes Secret Mission and uses Padme to counter suppression-heavy list elements and pick up a few models a turn who are hiding behind fat rocks. Once again, you can view the list here:
- Yoda with Force Barrier, Burst of Speed, Jedi Mind Trick, and Esteemed Leader
- Padme Amidala
- Clone Trooper Infantry with Fives, DP-23, and Clone Medic
- Clone Trooper Infantry with Clone Captain, Z-6 Trooper, and Clone Medic
- Clone Trooper Infantry with Boil, Z-6 Trooper, and Clone Medic
- ARC Troopers with Clone Commander
- 3x Clone Commandos with Katarn Pattern Armor, and configs
Yoda gives you excellent order control and lots of tokens for Padme to use on the Luminous turns, but he's also more expensive than Obi-Wan. To compensate, we've downgraded the big squad of Clones into a Medic and modified a few squads. This list could still go for Secret Mission, but is likely to just play Yoda cards instead. Padme can start a round by playing her 1-pip command card and dumping all the suppression on herself, then wait to activate until Yoda has used Guidance on her to perform a Recover action. She can also give someone a late-game move if needed.
Padme Amidala: Final Review
Padme has changed, but she's not bad - just different. I can certainly see the appeal of picking up a Clone Commander or even a Clone Trooper Infantry squad with nothing on it in her place, but I like her.
Overall profile review: 3/5 stars. Padme would be a lot better if she had retained the option for Quick Thinking so she could get an aim token and a dodge token on a turn in which she's trying to stand still and shoot - and I think the loss of Authoritative was big (Exemplar leaving is kind of okay), so if she had retained those, I think I would have rated her much higher.
Next time, we're pivoting away from the Republic and turning to the Rebel Alliance (which I've also been playing with a lot this year). Republic lists are pretty good at sitting back and shooting, relying on token sharing and good armor saves to keep them alive. Rebels . . . well, they're a different kettle of fish. We'll be focusing on the units available in the Galactic Civil War core set and first up is a guy we've briefly touched on already this year (and had a HUGE character revamp). Find out what's up with Commander Luke next time - and until then, happy hobbying!
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