EDIT: Oooh, somebody in our group (and I'm sure on the WOTC boards by now) asked how Tarkin's CE is going to be affected because of the 'activate 1 in the first phase' change.
, but Tarkin's is trickier. Has NickName or anybody ruled on that yet?

NickName_
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Re: Quick question about the new initiative rule

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Dodonna can't change it. Dodonna does not give you the option of 1 or 2--he gives you the option between whatever you have and 1. (See Dodonna's card.) And Veed would be the same.

Tarkin I believe should work, and in (early) discussions about it with Rob it seemed he agreed, but Dean has mentioned the final decision was otherwise even though the final wording doesn't support it. I'll get that confirmed, but no reason to think it's not true. (And Mundi has the same issue.)

HELLO!?

I totally agree and understand what you are saying Bill, but it seems to me that is counter productive for WOTC. To me, these floor rules changes announce the second big shift in gameplay with Gambit being the first. I think of it like MTG. Wizards comes out with a set of cards and there are cards that tourney players like that casual players think suck and vice versa, but at the end of the day there are plenty of pieces for both sides. If wizards rules that Tarkin is an exception than that opens the door to them for future mechanics they can put on pieces. They can move closer to having pieces that appeal to only the competetive side and pieces that appeal to the casual player. For awhile though it will be like it is and the pieces will greatly appeal to both. At 3 sets a year this kind of thinking opens the door to Wizards being able to fill sets with 2 types and the more the rules are seperated the easier it will be for them to do this. Just a thought.

Could I have a direct link? Thanks in advance.

I can't link directly because I'm at work, but the website you want is: http://www.thedci.com

Then you go about half-way, 2/3 of the way down the page and click on the link that says Floor Rules or something like that. Then click on the SWM specific part of the rules.

‹Fool› #9) Rob: What was the thinking behind not changing the initiative rule at this time? Are we likely to see it in the future, and if so when and how?
‹WotC_Rob› What made you think I was thinking about changing or not changing initiative?
‹Fool› I read on a post on the WotC by a user there (I think Ulic Qel-Droma) about a "new initiative rule". Basically, it outlined that at the start of every phase the person going first was to activate one rather then 2.
‹WotC_Rob› Sweet, a question based on a rumor that someone posted on the internet!
‹Fool› Rumors abound! Sorry about that guys
‹WotC_Rob› Now... that being said...
‹WotC_Rob› My desire is to make the best game play experience possible.
‹WotC_Rob› The Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures game has certainly borrowed many ideas from Star Wars Miniatures, and vice versa.
‹WotC_Rob› We've been testing it internally, but are not prepared to go one way or another at this time.
‹Fool› Right, to my understanding that rule applies there (D & D). Understood, that we'll move along away from that topic for now.
‹WotC_Rob› The first place you are likely to see a change in the initiative rules would be during an update of the DCI floor rules for SWM.

So, I realize I am just a scrub and don't have NDC syndrome like some here do, so I will never know what really happened. When the rule book came out and Rob said -who said we where thinking of changing init?- (no quotes cause I am paraphrasing) was that a shot at the guys in the know???

I am confused cause based on Rob's comments it seems this was a 100% player driven change? and therefore it would seem the floor rules and the rule book being different was the only logical conclusion. Am I missing something?

EDIT: found the discussion. I guess since you guys didn't say anything about it then not much as changed.

‹Fool› #9) Rob: What was the thinking behind not changing the initiative rule at this time? Are we likely to see it in the future, and if so when and how?
‹WotC_Rob› What made you think I was thinking about changing or not changing initiative?
‹Fool› I read on a post on the WotC by a user there (I think Ulic Qel-Droma) about a "new initiative rule". Basically, it outlined that at the start of every phase the person going first was to activate one rather then 2.
‹WotC_Rob› Sweet, a question based on a rumor that someone posted on the internet!
‹Fool› Rumors abound! Sorry about that guys
‹WotC_Rob› Now... that being said...
‹WotC_Rob› My desire is to make the best game play experience possible.
‹WotC_Rob› The Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures game has certainly borrowed many ideas from Star Wars Miniatures, and vice versa.
‹WotC_Rob› We've been testing it internally, but are not prepared to go one way or another at this time.
‹Fool› Right, to my understanding that rule applies there (D & D). Understood, that we'll move along away from that topic for now.
‹WotC_Rob› The first place you are likely to see a change in the initiative rules would be during an update of the DCI floor rules for SWM.

It certainly makes things a tad confusing for anyone who wants to play both casual and DCI games, but at least there's a clear distinction between the two.

Point of clarification:

Yes, you can activate up to 3 characters if you go first and Grand Moff Tarkin has line of sight to an enemy at the start of the phase.

Rob

So to me, this opens the door to my earlier example where Wizos could theoretically make a piece with an effect that states you can activate 2 characters at the start of initiative and have the competitive players say woohoo that has value to me and the casual ones go what who cares that has no benefit to me. The fork in the road just got wider IMHO.

Commander Effect:
You may activate as many or as few characters in each phase as you wish!