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If you’re looking to play as the character Shyla Varad in Star Wars: Imperial Assault, then there are a few things you should keep in mind. Shyla is a melee-focused character who excels at controlling the battlefield and dealing damage to enemies. Her key ability is the Mandalorian Whip, which is a powerful option for battlefield control and only costs one strain. It’s important to note that enemies don’t have to be directly adjacent to Shyla to use this ability, which gives her some flexibility in how she approaches combat.
One thing to keep in mind when playing as Shyla is that her Respite ability doesn’t mesh well with Mandalorian Whip unless you manage to kill whatever you whip. So, it may be best to avoid using Respite altogether, or at least be aware of its limitations when using it in conjunction with Mandalorian Whip.
Shyla’s starting weapon is the elegant Duelist’s Blade, which is a solid choice for her. However, keep in mind that the “special action” arrow means that you can’t use the GR attack option off something that only grants an attack, like a mission rule or Gideon’s Command.
When it comes to spending experience points, there are a few abilities that stand out for Shyla. All-Out Attack is a solid choice, especially if you’re using the Duelist’s Blade special-action attack feature or you’ve switched out for a more damage-focused weapon like the Force Pike. Responsiveness is also an option, but its benefits are fairly marginal. If you do choose Responsiveness, combining it with Respite can give Shyla some considerable self-recovery.
For 2XP, Proximity Strike is a good pick, but Smoke Bombs have a lot of potential utility, serving as both a buff and a debuff. You can even choose yourself as a target, which is useful if you need to hunker down for a round.
When it comes to spending 3XP, Remote Detonator is probably not worth it, as it’s too expensive for what it grants. Swords Dance, on the other hand, is a much nicer option, especially if you’ve upgraded your weapon or have some other bonuses to stack onto it. The interaction with Focus is tricky, though, so keep that in mind.
For 4XP, Deadly Grace and Full Sweep are both excellent choices. Cleave 3 is very powerful, and it stacks with any other source of damage, making it a great option. Deadly Grace is also a great choice, as it improves Shyla’s Endurance, defence, and movement speed, making her one of the fastest heroes in the game.
One special ability to consider for Shyla is Mandalorian Heritage, which is a powerful card that can really improve her viability. If you have Extended Haft and pick Reach, the weapon gains Pierce 1, which can be useful if you’re unlikely to surge off it.
When it comes to gear, Shyla benefits from pure-damage weapons rather than yellow-die surges, as they synergize better with All-Out Attack. The Force Pike is always a good choice, but you might also want to consider the Double Vibrosword, especially if you can slap a Vibrogenerator on it or a Weighted Head. A surgy melee weapon becomes a solid choice if you’ve unlocked Mandalorian Heritage.
Overall, Shyla is a great character to play if you enjoy melee combat and controlling the battlefield. With the right abilities and gear, she can deal massive amounts of damage and be a real force to be reckoned with.