Bare Bones 1e X Wing makes some game effects and mechanics more powerful by it’s very nature of reducing or removing other options. Take away Mods, EPT’s and Titles and suddenly base Pilot Abilities, Systems, Droids and Illicit upgrades have to do/be more, so they tend to become relatively more powerful.
A Wing Pilots
Arvel Crynyd has an ability less prone to big ship counter measures (Anti Pursuit Lasers), so the idea of bumping is not so risky and most ships are lacking the manoeuvre options to avoid that (stronger).
Gemmer Sojan. Again in a less manoeuvrable game Gemmer has a better chance of staying in range 1 and the effect of +1 agility in BB is exponentially more useful (stronger).
Jake Farrell. Jake’s ability makes him one of the few non Interceptor pilots who can Boost, Evade or Roll, but has Lock as well (stronger).
Green Squadron Pilot looses their EPT option, making them potentially less effective (weaker).
Tycho Chelchu. Tycho is a tough one. There are fewer ways to get stressed for A Wingers in BB, but also fewer ways to mitigate stress. In effect Tycho has the Defender’s white K turn ability with some extra uses (even).
The loss of Test Pilot, takes away the A Wing multi EPT action stacking, so Darth Vader and co have little competition, but the individual Aces are still strong.
X Wing Pilots
Luke Skywalker. The passive “Use the Force Luke” Focus to Evade is a little better, and many attacks are less potent, making this one pretty well balanced, probably closer to the developers intent (even).
Wedge Antilles. Fewer tokens and bonuses means taking away one agility is brutal by any measure (stronger).
Hobbie Klivian. Hobbie is also balanced by the sparser environment. Less stress, but fewer ways of reducing it (even).
Jek Porkins. Worth the risk more in BB? (even-stronger).
Tarn Mison. Tarn is pretty capable still and TL’s are still or even more important (even).
Wes Janson is like Wedge, stealing those ever more precious tokens (stronger).
Garven Dreis. Garvin is the true wingman/mentor, made rarer by BB (stronger).
Biggs Darklighter. Biggs has a tough time here. His ability is still strong, but ways of mitigating his risk are fewer. A good Droid and wingman are his only real friends (even).
Droids and Pilot Abilities are soo important to X Wing players. Without these, the X Wing is back to day one (minus Expert Handling etc), but so are most of it’s opponents.
B Wing Pilots
Ten Numb loses nothing in BB. The System slot gives B Wings a huge edge in BB, offering several benefits unavailable through missing Mods or EPT’s (stronger).
Ibtisam, unlike the X and A Wing pilots, B Wing jockeys can easily find stress in their dial, so manoeuvres with benefits are golden (stronger).
Keyan Farlander is much the same as Ibtisam, making the most of his dial’s strengths (stronger).
Nera Dantles. Nera has a strong ability and as Systems allows some of the very few Ordnance boosts in BB, she is less prone to wasting it (stronger).
The eternal optimist.
Y Wing Pilots
Dutch Vander. Dutch is similar to Garvin, but more Ordnance minded helping others with those twitchy Torpedoes. (even to stronger)
Horton Salm. Horton gets a re-roll in a landscape of few re-rolls, especially for Ordnance (stronger)
Neither Y Wing has an EPT slot naturally, but no Mods hurts some. Droids tend to give the main boosts to the point of being defining, so relatively stronger.
E Wing Pilots
Coran Horn. Coran has the benefit of his Droid and Systems slot, so much of his advantage is intact. This gives him a real edge over EPT or Mod reliant “Push The Limit” style pilots (stronger).
Etahn A’baht. Etahn still has his role to play, helping his boss and others land the killing blow. Again, with Droids and Systems included, there are plenty of options (even).
The System and Droid slots together, make the E Wing strong in contrast to other ships, which helps balance out their higher cost.
Z 95 Pilots
Airen Cracken. Airen’s wingman like ability makes his Z95 ideal as an escort…….or wingman. The Z95 is a bit of a brick without a Mod or Droid to help out, but is cheap enough on an even playing field (even).
Lieutenant Blount. Blount’s ability is often tied to “effects” based Ordnance, which helps a great deal in a less reliable delivery framework (stronger).
The Z95 like the X Wing is well nerfed without mods or EPT’s for re-positioning (the Scum Z95 has Illicit upgrades, making it more unpredictable), but the Rebels do have good pilots and should fly in teams. In Rebel hands, the Z95 tends towards cheap Ordnance delivery.
Sabine’s Tie and The Attack Shuttle
Sabine Wren (Shuttle and Tie) adds a Boost or Roll option before moving. This is useful two ways. Boost is now limited to Pilots only on Tie Fighters and she has it effectively as an Advanced Sensor slot (stronger).
Ashoka Tano (Tie). Tano is like many of the “wingman” pilot’s very useful in a reduced meta (stronger).
Captain Rex (Tie). Rex brings his own ability, "Suppressive Fire”. The lack of Mods, Crew, and Illicit reduces this ship’s other build options, but these were often not taken (even).
Zeb Orrilios (Shuttle and Tie). With no EPT slot to lose, Zeb is about as useful as before, maybe more so on the Tie with 1 more hull (even).
Ezra Bridger (Shuttle). Ezra gains some utility in this cleaner environment. Two Focus are hard to come by, but not so stress with a dial like the shuttle’s. Overall Ezra is relatively better (stronger).
Hera Syndulla (shuttle). Hera is always good. Deciding where to use her is the biggest issue. On the VCX she makes a difference, but the shuttle does allow her a change of scenery (even).
Sabine’s Masterpiece Title is one of those that is hard to ignore. One house rule is to allow the EMP Emitter (Illicit) in her build, but not other Illicit’s or the Crew option (pre-Masterpiece?).