Let's create some home brew powers, or pre-existing home brews that you want to share.

Power: Child

You have the ability to imagine

At the start of the game you place your five planets but reserve your tokens(ships) off-world. You still have an eight card hand. As an offense, you do NOT place tokens(ships) into the gateway, but "imagine" them there. Stating how many ships you've brought, up to four. for example: "I imagine three ships." You have to be honest. Continue encounter as usual.

As defense, after cards have been revealed, you have the right to invoke your "invisible friend" once per game only. Your invisible friend always counts as four extra ships. If you invoke "invisible friend" you CANNOT use reinforcements.

wild flare- Run to mother- when not invited as an ally, you may take a token of your color from the warp

Super flare- Run to father- whenever you are not an ally, you may send one token of any color involved in an encounter to the warp.

Feel free to change up or give suggestions on this. It sounds foolish enough to be fun, without being too Sniveler like.

Add some of your own.

forgot to add under offense: if you lose the offensive, your ships still go to the warp.

Also, in defense, your ships have to be physically seen to count against offense.

you can still lose your power as usual.

I don't get it. What's the point of imagining the ships if they still go to warp after? It seems like it just behaves exactly as normal except you are saved the physical effort of moving the ships; plus, if read literally, the Child doesn't get a colony if he wins since he has no real ships in the encounter. And the "imaginary friend's" +4 once a game is just Human's power but not nearly as good. What am I missing here?

If people have no objection, I will be interested in adding new aliens to The Warp database as they are introduced:

redamedia.com/warp/anypower.php3

Some things I need to make the entry:

POWER NAME

Short Description (this is the upside one-line summary of what it does)

You have the power of blank. (Describe power in detail here...)

History:

Wild Flare

Super Flare

Restriction: Other aliens it shouldn't play with, or "Use only in games with Lucre", etc.

Author: Who came up with it... your name, names of collaborators, or gaming group that dreamt it up.

The Origin for the alien will appear as "FFGfo", meaning it first appeared on this forum (otherwise let me know where it was first printed/posted)

It's relatively easy for me to make edits to the alien after it gets added.

Well, seeing as you apparently haven't found what I've sent yet, I'll post it here. You can credit me as "Toomai" or "Toomai Glittershine". Note that there are seven dudes here, so long post alert.

GIMMIE [M:TG] Takes More And Gives Up Fewer Cards

You have the power of greed . Whenever you take cards from the deck or another player, including when you draw a new hand and at the start of the game, use this power to take one more card than you are normally entitled to.

In addition, whenever you must lose cards, use this power to give up one less card. You cannot use this power to reduce a “debt” of 1 card to 0 cards, or when you must get a new hand

History: Originating on a planet with tremendous amounts of resources, the Gimmies have always taken more than what they’re allowed. With their techniques of feigning helplessness and playing hardball, the Gimmies will use what they’ve got just to get more

Wild: You may prevent an opponent from drawing certain cards from your hand

Super: You need not discard cards if you must draw a new hand

This is a Novice and Resource power.

Comments: Gimmie falls into the category of aliens that like having a ton of cards. He'll always have more cards than everybody else (even at the very start of the game), and it's hard to get rid of them since N'ing with 4 ships can only take 3 cards. Even Mite's power would be less effective. The best way to clean Gimmie's hand is the Plague, since he has to get rid of a card of each type - different from losing 3 cards in general.

METABOLISM [O:TG] Munches Cards For Reinforcements

You have the power to munch . As a main player, once cards are revealed, you may use this power to discard any number of cards from your hand. Each munched card acts as a Reinforcement. Attacks are worth a third of their value (rounding up), while Negotiates are worth +2 and all other cards are worth +5. You cannot munch Reinforcements.

History: Food has long been a scare commodity on the Metabolisms’ homeworld, as they must eat lots and often. With the ability to convert whatever they eat (regardless of its edibility) into instant energy, the Metabolisms are a force to be reckoned with.

Wild: Before you take a ship from the Warp at the start of your turn, you may discard a card from your hand. You may then take two ships out of the Warp.

Super: You need not discard any cards that you munch. You may pick-and-choose which ones to keep.

This is an Advanced and Combat power.

Comments: He's kind of like Reserve, but he can chew up whatever he wants. I thought that artifacts and flares would be worth +5 since they're usually too valuable to chuck out. Plus, the strength of the reinforcement depends on the power of the attack munched, and it's easy to throw out any crappy cards you may have.

BALLISTA [M:TG] Attacks From Afar

You have the power of range . As the offence or as an ally, use this power after you commit your ships. Your ships do not leave their colonies. Instead, they enter orbit of their current planets. They count as being in the encounter for all intents and purposes; however they cannot be lost to the Warp unless your side loses by 10 or more. If you gain a colony during the encounter, you may choose how many of your committed ships will form the colony. Once the encounter is concluded, all ships remain where they are and land on their planets.

History: Evolving on a planet of massive elevation differences and impassable terrains, the Ballistas have grown keen in the art of long-range warfare. While unimpressive when nearby, a distant Ballista army is not a looming threat, but an immediate one.

Wild: You may include all of your ships in the same system as the target planet in your total as a main player.

Super: Once cards are played, but before they are revealed, you may commit extra ships to the encounter (possibly bringing your total ship count to more than four). These extra ships count towards the total but are not at risk and do not count for rewards or compensation.

This is an Advanced and Combat power.

Comments: I had some trouble getting the idea for this one to work properly, but I think it's pretty good. Ballista can throw spears (as it were) from behind the battle and lose no ships if he loses a close one. Plus, you can commit ships but keep them at home, which really helps if you're down to your last few and want to avoid losing your power from sending ships away.

FRACTURE [O:TG] Reorganizes Planets

You have the power to shunt . At the start of each of your encounters, you may use this power to switch one planet with any other planet. If playing a set with planets that cannot be individually placed, this is done by moving all ships from one planet to the other (and vice versa). You may not shunt to produce an instant win.

In addition, you may use this power once as part of a deal.

History: The Fractures discovered a hyperspatial gap in the space-time continuum just outside of their home system. By peering into it, they have learned to teleport entire planets across space in an instant. They wish to use this power to reorganize the Universe to their own whims.

Wild: As the defence, you may change which planet the offence has chosen before encounter cards are selected.

Super: You may use your power at the start of any encounter, not just your own.

This is an Expert and Rules power.

Comments: I think this is the best one in this list. Fracture can easily nab two foreign colonies on his turn, but bad planning will give free colonies to other players, as well as losing his own home colonies. If one player is close to winning (say Parasite), Fracture can trade a planet with one of Parasite's foreign colonies for one of his already-invaded home planets, bumping him down a notch (although potentially giving those other players foreign colonies). And Fracture can even do this as part of a deal, say "I'll give you my attack that's over 15 if you swap these two planets around."

PROCRASTINATOR [M:TG] Delays Alliance Choice

You have the power to delay . When it is your turn to decide who to ally with, use this power to delay your choice. You do not send any ships to either side and encounter cards are chosen and played as normal. Once the outcome has been determined, you may ally with 1 to 4 ships as usual. Your committed ships are then figured into the total. You may only ally if originally invited. You may not be zapped when you chose your side; only when you delay your choice can this power be zapped.

History: Possibly the oldest of all races, the Procrastinators could have been ruling the Cosmos already if they felt like it. They are adept at taking as long as possible to act and show up at the last minute, taking the glory with no real effort. The phrase “Hurry up!” simply has no meaning to them.

Wild: You may play an artifact after its time would normally have expired.

This is a Novice and Rules power.

Comments: Eh, nothing special. Procrastinator just finds out who wins and jumps on the bandwagon, unless he sees it's close and wants the current loser to win. His ships are pretty much not at risk, so it's either a free colony or free rewards - assuming anyone will ask him to ally.

CLOAK [M:TG] Attacks Unknown Planet

You have the power of stealth . As the offence, use this power once you have drawn from the destiny deck. You do not choose a planet to attack; the cone is pointed at the defender’s system in general. After allies have committed, you then choose which planet you are attacking. The encounter is concluded as normal.

History: Skilled at hiding from all manners of detection, the Cloaks wait until the most opportune moment to attack. These sneak attacks are difficult to defend against and make other races very worried when Cloaks are discovered nearby (which they rarely are).

Wild: If you lose an encounter as the defence, you may discard an Attack from your hand. Divide the Attack’s value by 5 (rounding down). This many ships of your home colony hide from the attack and remain on the planet instead of being lost.

Super: You may wait until after encounter cards have been played to choose your target planet.

This is an Advanced and Rules power.

Comments: Doing things out of order is somewhat fun, since it creates guessing and double-guessing situations. Allies can join yet reinforce a colony they already have or not join (thinking that the above will happen) yet Cloak chooses an untouched planet just for kicks.

CONFORM [O:TG] Copies Defeated Opponent’s Power

You have the power to copy . When you win an encounter, you may use this power to copy your opponent’s power. Your opponent does not lose his power. You can use the copied power once. If you get a chance to copy another power and you have not yet used the one you already have, you may replace it. If there is a conflict with a use or non-use of the power (such as a Conform with Dictator and the original Dictator trying to send a player to two different systems), you get precedence. If both players use a “switch” power of some sort (Mirror, Sorcerer, Trader, Loser, etc.), the two uses cancel each other out to equal no use (either can be zapped to force a use, however).

History: The DNA of the Conforms is highly flexible and customizable, allowing them to pick up the abilities of other life-forms. It’s just as easy to reject any newfound abilities, although this leads to unwanted losses at times.

Wild: As a main player, if your opponent uses his power, you may use it as well.

Super: You need not discard your copied power after one use.

This is an Expert and Meta power.

Comments: Meta powers are pretty fun. I don't like the standard timing rules for identical powers clashing though, so I tweaked it to give Conform the advantage, yet only let him use the power once.

Huzzah! Those aliens are now sucked into the Warp. Aliens number 1101-1107

I like Conform the best. I can picture Conform tokens that you hand a player when you beat him... letting you know you can use his power any time you like down the road... Conform could stock up on these aliens to use later in the game. That would be awesome.

Here's my entry at 1100:

GRUB [M:Warp] Wins by Having Cards

You have the power to Amass . At the start of any player’s regroup phase, before the offense retrieves a ship from the warp, use this power to win the game if you have 25 cards in your hand. You may still win the game via the normal method.

History: The sluggish and grotesque Grubs lead a laborious, groveling life consuming every resource they can reach. The Grubs care little for conquest or expansion, content to undergo metamorphosis until they emerge the most dominating life form in the Cosmos.

Notes: The recommended experience level for this power is Advanced . This is a Rules type power.

Wild: As a winning defensive ally, you may draw a card at random from the defensive main player for each ship you allied with.

Super: As a winning main player, you may collect a reward of cards for each ship you had in the encounter.

and another planet-based alien- my 200th alien!

SINGULARITY [M:Warp] Moves Planets to Other Systems Jack Reda (Planet)

Game Setup: Place 5 ships on 4 of your planets. The empty planet is then placed in any other player's system.

You have the power of Movability . Whenever the Destiny deck shows the color of a system where you have an empty planet, use this power to move all of your ships from a planet in your home system to the empty external planet. This planet now counts as a foreign colony as well as a home colony for maintaining your power. Players may use a wild or special destiny to make an encounter against your empty planet, which you must defend. You may not use your power to occupy one of your external planets if there are other players' ships there already. When you do use your power, the planet your ships vacated may be placed in another player's system.

History: Formed from organic matter found in the event horizon of a black hole, the Singularity exist within the concepts of mathematical equations. When one equation behaves in a nonlinear fashion, the Singularity take advantage of the holomorphic function that results, moving to a seemingly unpredictable location to establish a presence there.

Notes: The recommended experience level for this power is Advanced . This is a Rules type power.

Wild: When your color comes up in the Destiny deck, you may move one of your ships in the warp to one of your colonies in your system.

Super: During any player's Regroup phase, you may move one of your empty planets to another player's system.

I like Conform also, and I hope to see some copy powers in the expansions.

Grub is cool too. Alternate win aliens are a great feature of the new set.

Here are two new ones that I wrote a while back. I have updated them to FFG vocabulary. I don't think I have posted them anywhere before, but I'm not 100% sure.

Sword

The Warp said:

Anyway, I just thought up another alien:

STENCH [M:TG] Always Allies With A Certain Player

You have the power to trail . When someone allies with you or you ally with someone else for the first time, use this power to select any player on your side (including other allies when you are an ally) as your “target” player. Place a Stench token on the target player’s alien sheet.

When you are not a main player, and a main player or ally has a Stench token, use this power to ally on his or her side regardless of invitation. You may not decline allying or ally with the other side. If your side loses, your target player discards his or her Stench token. You may then repeat the process of selecting another target.

History: While not as disgustingly putrid as the Filth, the Stench nevertheless smell really bad. Any contact with the Stench will provide the target with months of anti-social behaviour.

Wild: If you share a colony with other players, those players either must invite you as an ally or give you a random card from their hand.

Super: If your side loses with a negotiate versus an attack, you may take compensation from the deck.

This is an Expert and Rules power.

Comments: Basically, Stench picks a player and follows him around no matter what. For example, if Green is Stench's (Yellow) target, Yellow must ally with Red if Green decided to ally with Red, even if Red didn't invite Yellow. Stench doesn't get to choose to not ally, though, so some strategy is required.

Alright, some custom powers... I am all for uniqueness.

As a warning, I don't know all 1000+ of the alien powers in TheWarp's database so if any of these copy something else then notify me but please don't call me a plagiarizer.

POWER: PREDATOR

You have the power to Isolate.

Whenever you are the main player in an encounter no one may ally with your opponent, but you are free to have allies.

Wild: Basically is used like a Force Field, after alliances have been made you have the option to send all your opponents allies away.

Super: As an allied player, all allies of the opposing side must be sent away. (Basically Force Fields the opposing team when you ally.)

Messianic said:

Great! As simple as it is, I've never seen it before. I haven't read all 1000+ powers on the Warp either, but I have read many, many of them over the years.

I might tweak the Wild flare a little bit. A reusable Force Field is basically what the main power does. This would let another player copy your power exactly. Maybe limit it to sending off one ship from each player or something (or all ships from one player). Or what about negate rewards for the allies. So, they can still ally, but they don't get anything. Then again, that would be a bit harsh to play on your own ally, especially if he thinks he is getting a 5th colony at the same time as you.

I agree, the Wild shouldn't replicate the power exactly.

There already is a Wild that prevents allies from getting rewards though. I forget which alien, but it was used against me the other night.

k, change the Predator wild to this:

Enemy allied players can only give one ship to their allied main player, and may not use reinforcements.

History: The Predators are a wild and savage race from a swampy homeworld who delight in killing for sport, but take the hunt extremely seriously. Incredibly adept at singling out targets and going after them while the target is bereft of help, the predators see the whole universe as prey in a cosmic sport, for which the hunting of the most powerful races in the cosmos is preeminent.

More powers:

POWER: Archon

You have the power of Mercilessness.

You must discard all negotiate cards you draw and immediately draw another card in its place. You cannot negotiate. If you are forced to make a deal it fails automatically, but only your opponent loses ships. Your enemies collect no compensation from you if they attempt to negotiate.

Wild: You may use this to force a deal to fail that you are involved in while only your opponent loses ships.

Super: When all allies have committed, but before enoucnter cards are played, you may force your opponent to give you all his negotiate cards. (Which you will then discard for new cards for yourself.)

History: The Archon are large beings of violent energy housed in large humanoid frames. These beings do not know the meaning of surrender. It is against their very nature to concede defeat, for fighting to the death and being completely heartless are second nature to these ones. They desire their pride and name to be known far and wide, but this pride may be their own undoing...

POWER: Tendril

You have the power to Spread.

Whenever you are an offensive main player, before cards are played, you must take all your ships and circle them around the outside of the planet you are targeting. If you win the battle establish a base as usual, if you lose the ships stay in orbit around the planet and cannot be moved until a succesful attack is made on that planet by you. If you are the defensive main player on an encounter, before cards are played, you must take all your ships and circle them around the outside of the planet you are defending. If you win the battle place them back on the planet, if you lose they stay in orbit around the planet and cannot be moved until a succesful attack is made on that planet by you. Successful attacks may be made as an ally, and previously orbiting ships will add to your total both as a main player and an allied player.

Wild: When you lose a defensive encounter as a main player you may take your losing ships and circle them around the outside of the planet you failed to defend instead of sending them to the Warp. They cannot be moved until a succesful attack is made by you on that planet.

Super: You may move as many orbiting ships you want that reside in the same player's system to any planet within that system after alliances have been made, but before encounter cards are played, whether or not you are a main player.

History: A highly cunning race of insectoids who are technologically advanced to the point of cybernetics enhancement, the Tendril have no problem running away to fight another day. True to the swarm mentality, these patient insectoids will let their ships aimlessly orbit around target worlds until the time to launch the assault is right. Biding their time, they are willing to wait millenia to conquer new colonies.

Messianic, I'd love to add these to the Warp. Let me know how you want to be credited for them.

Jack

You can just put my name under it. My name is Christopher Oliveira.

I have a bunch more ideas I just forgot where I put them all on paper.

POWER: Vice

You have the power to clamp down.

At the end of every encounter, enemy players must discard cards from their hand at random until their hands have the same amount of cards as yours. If they ever receive more cards, they must immediately discard them. If they draw a new hand they must draw up until they have as many card as you. If at the end of encounter you have more cards then your opponents, nothing happens.

Wild: Force one player to have his hand reduced to the amount of cards that any other player of your choice has. He must discard at random.

Super: Your opponents must never have a hand of more than 4 cards, even if you have more than 4 cards.

History: A group of aliens obsessed with control and micromanagement, the Vice cannot live without their own opressive rules. With a truly twisted sense of equality, these beings bring "order" to the cosmos by opressing every other being they can. The Vice are paranoid, but this paranoia just may be enough to secure universal dominance.

POWER: Pure

You have the power of conviction.

Whenever you lose an encounter as a main player, give your main opponent a Conviction token, he must now ally with you everytime you become a defensive main player in an encounter with atleast 4 ships, if you desire his help. He must also give you his highest attack card after alliances have been made but before cards are played. You may have every other player as a forced ally like this, yet when another player is a main player against you they cannot ally against themselves. When you become the main offensive player at your next turn, all forced alliances are broken, return all your conviction tokens to yourself.

Wild: After destiny is determined but before alliances are made, if you are a main player in an encounter, you may force any one player of your choice besides your main opponent to ally with you and to give you an attack card. They chose how many ships to commit.

Super: Forced allies receive nothing for helping you on either offense or defense.

History: A race of ethereal beings from an unknown galaxy, the Pure have no desire to conquer the universe, yet have been caught up in the warfare against their will. Eminating peace and righteousness from their very beings, once their enemies get close enough to strike them down they are suddenly overcome with conviction and do what they can to help their former enemies. The Pure desire to end the warfare by winning the Cosmic Encounter, and spreading their ways throughout the universe.

GENIE [M:Warp] Gives Cards to Main Players

You have the power of Wishes. As an ally in an encounter, before cards are played, use this power to draw three cards from the deck. You must give a card to each main player, and may keep the third card for yourself (or discard it).

History: Trapped in the confines of a smaller, parallel universe, the Genies were grateful to be released. In appreciation for being involved in the affairs of their new masters, they eagerly bestowed gifts on them. As they matured, the Genies' gifts became less useful, as they began to secret away their more valuable belongings against the day when they could be used for conquest.

Wild: As a main player, after cards are revealed in an encounter, you may name any Attack card, and if another player has it, it is played down in place of yours. Afterward, give this flare to the Genie. If the Genie is not playing, discard this flare to use it.

Super: You may use your power as a main player, giving one card to your opponent, and keeping the other two for yourself.

Notes: This is an alien that would be more powerful if it accessed the Rewards deck as opposed to the main Encounter deck. Likewise, there are other powers that would also be amped up with access to the Rewards deck: DREDGE, MERC, 00, and GHOUL.

PARADOX

[O:Warp] Nullifes Power or else Players are Re-Attacked

You have the power of Time Dilation. Whenever a color comes up in the Destiny deck, you collect the discard. At the start of any player's regroup, you may use this power to hand a player his or her color Destiny card. They may not use their power during this encounter unless they place the Destiny card on the top of the Destiny deck. If they do not use their power, the card is discarded normally. You may use this power to place your own Destiny card on top of the Destiny deck to cancel the effects of a Cosmic Zap played against you.

History: The Paradox are reckless time travelers, forcing civilizations to relive their worst disasters, and manipulating the timeline of powerless individuals so that they repeat their mistakes. The Paradox are reckless time travelers, forcing civilizations to relive their worst disasters, and manipulating the timeline of powerless individuals so that they repeat their mistakes.

Notes: The recommended experience level for this power is Expert. This is a Rules type power.

Wild: After revealing encounter cards, you may play a different card from your hand, replacing the one you previously played. Both are discarded.

Super: You may pick up Wild and Special Destiny cards and use them as any color you choose.

So the effect of this one is you can force other players to 1) be powerless or 2) be the target, for the next encounter?

Curious to see how this interacts with Will, Dictator, and defensive powerhouses who don't mind (or benefit from) being attacked regularly...

The Warp said:

Trying to figure out the usefulness of this aspect...in a multi-power game, it's pretty obvious that Paradox helps cover your other power's use (provided you are ok with being the target of the next encounter).

But if you're using this to prevent Paradox itself from being zapped, you would put your Destiny card on top to stop the Zap, and then either 1) proceed with taking the current Destiny card draw (if they were Zapping that portion) or 2) proceed with placing the originally intended victim's Destiny card on top of that (or disabling their power). Sound correct?

I also note that this disables an alien power entirely, and does NOT Zap it - so Humans can get hosed by it.

Players can't zap the "taking of the Destiny" card portion of Paradox's power. All they can do is zap him when he hands someone their own Destiny card (asking them to in essence "choose between having no power for this encounter and being attacked in the next one). If Paradox is zapped, the card goes away, which I do need to add to the description. If they do zap him, he can choose to use his own Destiny card (making himself the defensive player either in the next encounter, of the one after if the opponent refuses to relinquish his own power).

Like any paradox, there's some trippy thinking about the future when it's used- no doubt. But I don't think it will be overly confusing.

And, of course, there will always be at least one power that isn't too worried about Paradox... though Dictator will have more to think about, and Will doesn't care too much, except for how often others are attacking him (and I doubt Will would be the target of Paradox overly much).

I have really been enjoying all of the home-brew Aliens, so I thought I'd try to see if I could put one together myself. I am open to suggestions and feedback, and I apologize if this is a duplicate in some way, I can't say that I've gotten to know all 1100+ aliens out there. So here it goes:

LEPER (Restricts Opponent's Ship Movement)

You have the power to Quarantine . Any time you have a ship, or ships, that coexist on a planet with an opponent(s) ships, use this power to prevent your opponent(s) ships from leaving that planet. As the Offense or as an Offensive Ally, if you win the encounter, the Defense does not lose their ships to the Warp, but instead coexist on the planet with you, however, Defensive Allies do go to the Warp as normal. This power supercedes other Alien powers such as Shadow, Hate, Vacuum, etc.

Having been banished for centuries due to their toxic nature, the Lepers have become an extremely close-knit society. Over time, this society has been able to develop many skils that they promised would one day take them to the far reaches of the galaxy to put others into the same isolation that they were forced to endure.

Wild Flare

As the Defense, before ships are launched, you may quarantine any 1 system (Red, for example) that your opponent has ships in, including your opponent's system. Your opponent may not bring any ships from that system into the encounter and his or her allies may not bring any ships from that system into the encounter. If your opponent is unable, or unwilling, to send any ships into the encounter because of this Flare, he or she loses the encounter.

Super Flare

During the Regroup Phase, when any other player(s) retrieve a ship, or ships, from the Warp, you may, instead, take 1 ship from each player who is retrieving ships and quarantine them on a planet where you have at least 1 ship, and they have at least 1 ship. If they have no ships that coexist with any of your ships, they may keep the ship they retrieve to place at any of their colonies.

That's a neat idea. Not the most PC of names though.

The power and the flares seem potentially problematic though as it could cause a player eventually to have no available ships, which the game clearly is trying to avoid, based on the Void's power.

That Leper power is just the Gorgon renamed. Nothing new really.

Adam said:

As I was looking at it afterward, I did notice that too, just didn't have enough time to figure out how to adjust it. I'll probably play around with it to see what evolves.