The pieces I have chosen are based on my own opinion and experience with this game. It is not about which pieces were made "intentionally bad" or which ones are simply outdated or obsoleted.

This, for me, is about the pieces that were "almost competitive" but just missing that one key special ability, force power, or commander effect option that would have brought them into the competitive venue without breaking them.

When considering the choices, I looked over all of the uniques and settled on the ones that I most would have played more frequently had they just had a slightly better option. Then I went through the ones I do consider playable for "fun" games and asked, "What would make these tournament-worthy?"

I also decided to adjust the stats without making changes to the cost.

Finally, I steered away from slapping some future ability on a piece. So, sorry, but you won't see a Luke, Jedi Knight with Lightsaber Deflect, or Princess Leia, Captive with Pheremones.

Those are great ideas for another concept, such as the RS Redux attempts currently underway for other players. But it's not the purpose of this thread.

First I will present the revised stats and then go through the why I made the changes I did to make them competitive. The changes are in bold. So, without further ado:

1. Boba Fett, Young Mercenary 17 pts. Fringe
40 HP
15 Defense
+9 Attack
10 Damage

Special Abilities
Unique; Accurate Shot; Bounty Hunter +4; Double Attack; Deadeye; Stealth

This "Boba the Kid" figure has seen a lot of play in my fun games at the kitchen table and at the LGS, but I rarely, if ever, touted him into a tournament setting. He just doesn't have what it takes to win tournament games. The few times I did play him in tournaments, he tended to die quickly and without being of much real benefit. HAL was about the only place where he really shined (for those of you who have been around long enough to remember that squad).I increased his attack value by 1, and gave him Deadeye and Stealth. The additional damage output and increased chances of hitting really don't influence his overall cost enough to matter, but Stealth is where it's at for this character. Seriously, who's going to be looking for a child when they're trying to figure out who's shooting at them?

2. HK-47 32 pts. Fringe
60 HP
18 Defense
+10 Attack
30 Damage

Special Abilities
Unique; Droid; Cunning Attack; Flamethrower 20; Ambush; Charging Fire

Droids have it tough in this game as long as they cannot benefit from Commander Effects, and HK-47 is one of the victims of this. His stats and abilities would be awesome if he really counted as a follower. But since he doesn't he is completely reliant upon himself to be great. Sometimes I think that Droid was a worse ability than Melee Attack, but that it just didn't get the recognition because there are no Droid Jedi. This isn't true of every Droid, obviously, but the shooters like IG-88 and HK-47, absolutely.
Ambush and Charging Fire would make for a tough combo with this piece, even if it's still only 1 attack.

3. Darth Vader Empire 47 pts.
140 HP
21 Defense
+14 Attack
20 Damage

Special Abilities
Unique; Melee; Double Attack; Jedi Hunter +4

Force Powers
Force 4; Force Burst; Sith Grip (which I guess is now called Force Grip 2); Sith Rage; Lightsaber Riposte

Jedi Hunter and Lightsaber Riposte are the abilities added here. I never understood why this character nor Anakin, Sith Apprentice had that ability. Isn't that what they were doing?

4. Mara Jade, Emperor's Hand 20 pts. Empire
60 HP
18 Defense
+8 Attack
10 Damage

Special Abilities
Unique; Hand of the Emperor; Cunning Attack; Accurate Shot

Force Powers
Force 1; Blaster Barrage

Now, hear me out on this. When this game came out, most people were playing Mara as though she had accurate shot while we were learning the rules anyway, and it would have helped, I think, if she had had the ability to begin with. Noticing it on the card might have helped people (including me) pick up on the ability quicker, and would have avoided the need for a full page dedicated to her on the FAQ. It also would have kept her playable a bit longer.

I reduced her force points to compensate. It's not something she should be able to do more than once, without Palpatine's help. (She usually didn't get more than one shot off anyway.)

5. Chewbacca with C-3P0 31 pts. Rebel
110 HP
17 Defense
+9 Attack
20 Damage

Special Abilities - Unique; Cyborg; Double Attack; Cleave; Disruptive; Draw Fire; Charging Assault +10; Momentum;

I never understood why this character isn't a cyborg, since its a wookiee carrying a Droid. I added Disruptive (Talon was in the same set and he had it), and Charging Assault just seems to make sense... to me. I increased the attack by 1 as well.

6. Han Solo 28 pts. Rebel
80 HP
17 Defense
+8 Attack
20 Damage

Special Abilities - Unique; Cunning Attack; Accurate Shot
Force Powers - Force 1; Blaster Barrage

The Rebel counterpart to Mara Jade, but a bit more limited in capacity, since he doesn't have access to the Emperor, or to initiative control (not the way Mara did when it was just RS). (This, of course, before Furious Assault was introduced.)

7. Luke Skywalker of Dagobah Rebel 28 pts.
70 HP
18 Defense
+9 Attack
20 Damage

Special Abilities - Unique; Twin Attack

Force Powers - Force 3; Lightsaber Assault; Blaster Barrage

This character is slightly different from the RS Han version, and the first one on this list where I removed abilities rather than just add to what was there. Lightsaber Sweep AND Blaster Barrage on the same card is ridiculous. They do basically the exact same thing. So I gave him something that might be considerably more useful. Choose whether to make 2 + 2 attacks (when adjacent), or to attack each legal target twice. Twin seemed more fitting for Luke than Double Attack.

On the home stretch...

8. Luke's Snowspeeder 45 pts. Rebel
90 HP
20 Defense
+12 Attack
20 Damage

Special Abilities - Unique; DR 10; Harpoon Gun; Mobile Attack; Mounted Weapon; Twin Attack; Flight; Speed 16

Force Powers - Force 4; Use the Force

Rather than a glorified Snowspeeder, adding this gives it a unique feel of being Luke's Snowspeeder. It could stand to have a Commander Effect, but I simply don't have a good suggestion for that right now.

9. Boba Fett Mercenary Commander 57 pts. Fringe
120 HP
20 Defense
+13 Attack
20 Damage

Special Abilities - Unique; Flight; Accurate Shot; Cunning Attack; Double Attack; Mobile Attack; Missiles 30; Penetration 10

Commander Effect - Mandalorian followers within 6 squares gain Accurate Shot.

Did you note the big difference? Imagine if Boba had been Fringe, but still best with Mandos. Cutting Greater Mobile down to just regular Mobile is the way to balance the faction change.

At last, the biggest beef on my list...

10. Darth Talon 56 pts. Sith
110 HP
20 Defense
+11 Attack
20 Damage

Special Abilities - Unique; Melee Attack. Twin Attack; Loner +4

Force Powers - Force 1; Force Renewal 1; Force Bubble; Force Lightning 1; Sith Rage

That's it. Just 1 simple ability that would have made her competitive with the new set. She can't combat YV, and too many characters these days deal 30 damage or have some sort of damage evasion tactic, even close up.

Well, that's my list and I'm sticking to it. I have given all of these changes a lot of thought, and they went through quite a bit of revision before ending up in this thread. (I even playtested most of them as part of my consideration for changes to the particular characters.)

Thanks for reading all the way through this list. I would love to hear some constructive feedback, as always.

Most of these make a lot of sense in retrospect of all the other pieces we've gotten, but this slight adjustment to Talon is current and right on the money. Older pieces were a process of trial and error, but her and Boba were in the latest set and should have been figured out completely before release.

This Talon is awesome and actually worth her points.

Great observations and recommendations.

Stealth or Evade would have benefited Boba YM definitely.
I like the change of GMA to MA for Boba, Merc Cmmdr also.
Talon and Vader's changes seem to make sense as well.

I like the changes on most of the pieces except Boba Merc Commander and HK. IMO Boba Merc Commander is already a great piece and doesn't need to be changed. He can do a lot for 57 points. I don't see the point of Hk having both ambush and charging fire, I thought ambush just let you move and take all of your attack against one piece. But I like the changes on Boba Young Mercenary, deadeye and stealth makes the piece one of the best mid cost fringe pieces in the game. The errata with mara jade and Chewy3PO were also excellent.

Komari Vosa 47 points
Fringe
HP: 120
Def: 19
Atk: +12
Dam: 20

Special Abilities
Unique; Melee Attack; Double Attack; Twin Attack;

Force Powers
Force 3
LS Assault
LS Deflect
Control Minds

Simple upgrade of the stats to make her useful. Added in deflect to give her some meager survivability. Now you don't need to add 55 or 65 points in Commanders to give her an attack and def bonus so she can hit something.

Luke Skywalker COTF 49 pts
Rebel
HP: 110
Def: 20
Atk: +13
Dam: 20

SA: Unique; Melee Attack; Double; Flurry;
FP: F2 FR1
Force Leap
Force Alter
Lightsaber Block
Lightsaber Deflect
Knight Speed
Use the Force

Traded in LS Block for the nigh useless JMT.

These are two changes I'd make.

Not bad at all for Komari; I'd play this piece in a heartbeat.

For Luke I have to say that JMT is a great ability on a figure with renewal though. It doesn't replace your attacks and you can freeze the opponent beat. That's worth a couple of points every time.

Except that he doesn't have MotF 2, meaning it's a choice between JMT or Use the Force.

I think you hit the nail on the head with these two.

Have we all forgotten Luke JM?

Faction: New Republic
Cost: 74
Set(s): Universe (53/60)

Hit Points: 130
Defense: 22
Attack: +16
Damage: 20

Special Abilities
Unique
Melee Attack (Can attack only adjacent enemies)
Triple Attack (On it's turn, this character can make 2 extra attacks instead of moving)

Force Powers
Force: 2
Force Leap (Force 1: This turn, this character can move through enemy characters without provoking attacks of opportunity)
Force Renewal 1 (This character gets Force 1 each time it activates)
Lightsaber Assault
Lightsaber Block (Force 1: When hit by a melee attack, this character takes no damage on a save of 11)
Lightsaber Deflect (Force 1: When hit by a non-melee attack, this character takes no damage with a save of 11)
Lightsaber Sweep (Force 1, replaces attacks: This character can attack every adjacent enemy once)
Lightsaber Throw (Force 1, replaces attacks: Attack 1 enemy within 6 squares)
Master Speed (Force 1: This character can move 6 extra squares on itsturn as part of its move)
Master of the Force 2
Use the Force

Commander Effect
Each ally with a Force rating starts with +1 Force.

Added MOTF2, Lightsaber Assault, and Use The force. With a commander effect that weak, he needs some of these abilities. Assault and Use the Force is a Cool combination, and MOTF2 giving him the capibilities to re-roll failed saves, use Assault and UTF, or Block/Deflect twice.

Like your Luke though.

Best thing you can do to that Luke is trade his CE in for Master of the Force 2. I dont think he needs Lightsaber assault.

Agreed on the lack luster of the piece. I recall being excited when I open mine thinking 'I can't wait to use this'...and then i read the stat card and wondered 'when would I use this?' I believe an appropriate CE for this would be something to benefit characters with Mounted Weapon/Gunner. Something along the lines: Attack Pattern Delta <add something to increase attack or grant a damage bonus>.

Not sure I agree with the Mara Jade accurate shot upgrade. Seems a bit unbalancing.