21 January 2009 ----

Hello all,

I know there’s a dedicated thread, by I have some many powers that I decided to make my own.

First of all, sorry for any mistakes and bad phrase construction, but English is not my native language. I will not add a history to my aliens, because I don’t feel comfortable enough for that type of creative writing (I’m sure that many of you can do a better job than me), so feel free to contribute with a nice history.

------------------------------
06 May 2010

I rewrote and altered many powers from this thread. I abandoned many of these ideas because they were too similar to previously created aliens and/or not good enough. I did an effort to rewrite them according to the FFG’s style. If you’re interested in reading these powers, use the following link:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/516486/my-homebrews-improved-versions

GAIA – You always attack with + 40

You have the power of forty . When you are a main alien in an encounter your side is worth the value of your ships plus 40. However after cards are revealed you must subtract to your total the values of yours and your opponent’s cards.
For example you are attacking with 4 ships with 2 allied ships, your side is worth 46, you play an attack 8 and your opponent plays an attack 20. Your total will be 46 less 8 and less 20, so it will be 18.
Note: Using the example above, if you play a -4 card, your attack will be 46 plus 4 less 20, to a total 30. The use of negotiate cards works accordingly to the game rules.

Wild: Add 5 to your side’s total.

Super: Your power is upgraded to + 45

Comments: Here’s another alien who hates high cards.


BASTION – Places surprising defences

You have the power to place traps . In the beginning of the game you receive 10 cards, two more than the other players. You can place one card facedown below or parallel to each one of your home planets. You can place attack cards, negotiate cards or artifacts. When an opponent attacks one of your home systems, after alliances are formed and before cards are revealed, you reveal the card you placed in the targeted planet. If it’s a negotiate, you lose the encounter (none of the main aliens plays encounter cards). If it’s an attack, the encounter takes place by adding that value to your side. If it’s an artifact you win (none of the aliens plays encounter cards). After being revealed this cards are discarded. In the beginning of your turn you can place new cards if you have planets without designated cards, but you can’t switch or replace cards already designated.
The zap can be used before the planet’s designated card is revealed, discarding it immediately or by zapping the value of a designated attack card after the revealing phase.

Wild: You can place one attack card, parallel to one of your home planets, the card will add to your total if you’re attacked in chosen planet.

Super: In the beginning of his turn he can now designate one card to a planet in a foreign system where he owns a colony.

ALTRON – Uses two hands, one to attack and one to defend.

You have the power of resources . In the beginning of the game you receive two 8 cards hands. Without seeing them you place one to your right and the other to your left. The one on the right side is your attack hand; the one on the left is your defence hand. You must use each hand for each function. You keep in your hand the hand you last used, and you can only play reinforcement cards or artifacts from that hand. Whenever you run out of encounter cards in one hand you deal a new one, always keeping them separate. If you are zapped, the zapper chooses which deck you will use for that encounter only.

Wild: Receive one new card from the deck.

Super: Take one card from the deck to each one of your hands.

Comments: I'm open for new suggestions for the wild

MAGNET – Chooses the planet where the attack takes place

You have the power of magnet . When you are the defensive player, you can force the offensive player, after alliances are done, to attack in the planet that you desire. However you cannot force him to attack a planet where he already owns a colony. When you are a defensive or offensive ally you can also force the attack to take place in a planet of your choice, as long as the offensive player doesn’t own a colony in the chosen planet.

Wild: When you are a main alien, you can remove two ships from your opponent’s cone or defensive planet. The ships are given to his owner, who places them wherever he wants.

Super: The power works in the same way and with the same restrictions. However, if the attack you wish to deflect is taking place in one planet on the edge of a system, you can force the attack into the adjacent system’s edge planet. This must be done before alliances. Note: This never causes the attacking main player to attack himself, because he can’t be forced to attack a planet where he owns a colony (in this case home colony), but he can use this chance to drive off an enemy colony in his home system.

OBLIVION – Makes home planets fall into oblivion

You have the power of hiding . Oblivion cannot be zapped and doesn’t even lose his power by having less than 3 home colonies. Your home planets are numbered from 1 to 5, from your left to right. Whenever you obtain a colony in a foreign system you remove one of your planets, starting by planet 1. You keep eliminating one of your home planets from left to right every time you establish a foreign colony. All ships in the eliminated planets go to warp, including your own.

Wild: (still trying to figure out something…)

Super: When winning a foreign colony you can eliminate any planet you choose in your home system, you are not restricted to the left to right sequence.

Note: Imagine the sadism of having 4 colonies (therefore only one home planet left) and allying with another alien also with 4 colonies, for an apparent joint-victory, and then remembering your dear ally that one of his colonies was on your planet and that it must be destroyed, so you’ll have to win alone.

Comment : Don’t use in games with less than 4 players.

TERRAFORM – Creates planets

You have the power of terraforming . Terraform can be zapped but doesn’t lose his power by having less than 3 home colonies. Place zero planets in the setup phase, but distribute your ships like if you had planets. Whenever you obtain a colony in a foreign system, you terraform by placing one planet in your system. If Terraform is attacked before having a planet in his system the encounter takes place but even if he loses no colony is established, and the attacking ships return to the owner. If Terraform has, for example only one planet and is being attacked by a player who already owns a colony in that planet, his opponent must attack that same planet, even though he wins nothing.
Whenever Terraform receives ships and doesn’t have planets/colonies to place them he distributes them like if he had five invisible planets. The power is mandatory, but if zapped Terraform doesn’t place a new planet when he gains a new foreign base.

Wild: (still trying to figure out something…)

Super: Get 3 cards from the deck, whenever you terraform a new planet.

Comments: Terraform is Oblivion’s nemesis. Don’t use in games with less than four players

LOGISTICA – Can send up to 8 ships

You have the power of logistics . Whenever you are the main offensive alien or an ally you can send up to 8 ships to an encounter. However the maximum compensations you can receive are 6. You can only be zapped after effectively sending more than 4 ships. In this situation all exceeding ships will be automatically destroyed.

Wild: You can send, as an offensive player or ally up to 6 ships for an encounter.

Super: You can send up to 10 ships but 6 compensations are still the maximum you can receive.

LONESTAR – Plays two cards when alone

You have the power of working alone . Whenever you are a main alien in an encounter, and nobody is allied with your side, you can play two attack cards. If you play two negotiate cards or an attack and a negotiate, they’re worth one negotiate. Zapping Lonestar occurs after revealing cards, and the zapper may choose what card will be considered, both cards are discarded anyway.

Wild: You can play two attack cards, but one of them must be lower than ten.

Super: Lonestar can play up to 3 cards, if one of them is a negotiate their total value is one negotiate.

That's it for now, see you soon

I added these aliens to The Warp, cleaning up the wording here and there.

-Jack

Whoa... lots of aliens! And lots of good ones at that. Nice stuff! Originally I just wanted to say something about Banish, but I got carried away, so here are comments on all of your aliens!

Apotheosis: Very cool!

Banish: It'd be more accurate to say he bans a "digit," not a "number." If number "one" were banned, only the 01 card would be banned; it's the digit that is banned in your example. Also, the wild flare is problematic because it can leave the defense with no playable cards, potentially. I'd reword it to be more like the main power (if your opponent plays a card ending with the digit 0, he loses). Also, what is the timing for the flare? Seems like a fun "after reveal" card, but would that be too powerful? Always hard to say in Cosmic!

Industry: This is essentially Mesmer from the original Eon set, except instead of playing any artifact as any other artifact, you play a Negotiate, which of course makes him stronger. I like it.

Armada: When you say "four player variant" do you mean "four planet variant"? In context, that would seem to make more sense. Also, when you say it is worth 1 for tech purposes, what about compensation, rewards, etc? Is its special value only in play for calculating the encounter total like Macron (well, like old Macron)? Although this is a long shot to ever happen, it's possible that if you play with Void, Armada could lose all his ships and be eliminated from the game, which the Void text clearly indicates FFG is trying to avoid. If you consider this an issue worth addressing for such an unlikely scenario, you could change it so that when a special ship goes to the warp, it becomes a normal ship, though I personally don't see the need for the loss of special ships at all. It seems like a pretty weak power in general unless I'm missing something. If you can only have a max of 8 strong in an encounter, he's no more powerful than Human, except that he can lose his special ships and he doesn't have the zap power, so he's just a weaker version of Human, who is already kind of weak.

Gaia and Bastion: Pretty neat...

Altron: Weaker Miser? Both have two hands, except Altron can only use his in special scenarios and he doesn't have the benefit of the second hand being immune to alien powers (though the offensive hand would obviously be immune to compensation like Miser's hoard).

Magnet: This is an odd one because Magnet is the name of an Eon alien (can force one player to ally with his side or not to ally at all... something like that), and yet the power described is very similar to Worm, another Eon alien, who can redirect attacks when he is main player (offense or defense) after encounter cards are revealed. Being able to do it as a defensive ally makes your guy a bit different and equally viable, though. I like Worm, though I don't think many do, and "Magnet" seems fun as well, though he could use a new name to stand apart from the original Magnet.

Oblivion: Wow, evil! It raises a question I had for The Warp's "Pygmy" alien though: What if your destiny is drawn and the attacking player has no viable attack? Can he redraw destiny, or does he just have to say, "Shucks" and submit himself to a worthless encounter? I'm also not sure why he can't be zapped. I guess it would be particularly more powerful against him than normal aliens, but there are still only so many zaps, and I personally don't like unzapability... but that's just me! Here's a Wild flare suggestion: Choose a planet you have ships on and remove all other ships on the planet to the warp. Afterwards, give this card to Oblivion. If Oblivion is not in the game, discard this card after use.

Terraform: Another cool concept. But why would anyone zap him? It is to his opponents' benefit that Terraform gain planets so they can make viable attacks in his system. I would think a Zap should have the opposite effect, causing all his planets to be attackable for one encounter, with a Resolution timing phase, leaving the planet in the system after. Just a thought. Here's a Wild flare suggestion: When you lose an encounter as the defensive player, send one additional ship to warp. You may take all ships about to land on your planet and place them on an adjacent planet instead.

Logistica: Weaker Amoeba?

Lonestar: Slightly weaker Deuce? (Eon alien)

A few aliens seemed iffy, either because they were so close to old aliens or just wording, but the good ones sound really good! My favorites are the first three, Apotheosis, Banish, and Industry. I also quite like Oblivion, and Terraform seems neat but maybe problematic. Thanks for sharing!

Some nice ideas here.

Apotheosis: Interesting, but might be too much text for one power. It sounds really powerful, but realistically it's balanced by the fact that you won't get to use it that often since it requires that you have three cards. Regarding the Wild Flare, it's not necessary to say "This is not mandatory", since you can just choose not to play the flare.

Banish and Industry are probably my favorite ones in the group. Both require a bit more skill or experience than the average alien. Banish will have a tough decision of whether to ban 0 (getting rid of 20, 30, 40), or ban 1 (getting rid of all the teens).

Altron and Magnet are my least favorite. Altron is practically a disadvantage, since you have twice as many cards to get rid of before you get a new hand. I think it would be confusing to remember which hand to use, and frustrating when the card you want is in your other hand. Of course, Miser is already one of my least favorite Aliens, and this is basically just a variation of that.

Magnet is just too trivial -- most of the time the choice of planets only makes a difference of 1 ship.

I don't quite understand Oblivion. I think it's basically taking away somebody's colony if they have previously defeated you. It sounds like it might work. I just wouldn't do it by removing the whole planet. Why not just say that when you gain a colony, you may remove an opposing colony from your home system? That way, you don't need the statement that he can't lose his power.

Lonestar is just Deuce, as somebody else said.

In general, for all the aliens, I don't think you need to explain when the power can be zapped. The timing strip is supposed to take care of that information.

I cleared up a lot of the stuff Ken mentions above when I added them to The Warp.

Jack:

Thank you for adding my powers to The Warp, and for making the necessary changes. It’s an honour for me.
I don’t know if you did it on purpose but I think you forgot to add Oblivion.
I will post revisions of Terraform and Oblivion.

Adam:

Thank you for your comments and wild flare ideas, I really loved them.

Banish: Yes you are right, a “digit” is more accurate. About the wild flare timing, after reveal would be fun but probably too unfair. The timing for the flare should be after the alliance phase.

Armada: The reason I pointed out that the special ships are only worth 1 for tech purposes is because they are worth 5 for all the other aspects of the game: defensive rewards, compensation… This gives Armada the ability to take up to 8 cards from another player in a compensation situation. I decided that the special ships should be destroyed when defeated to prevent Armada of abusing of such behaviour.

And about Armada you’re right it’s a mistake. You should read 4 special ships in the four planets variation.

Magnet: Thanks for pointing that out, I’ll have to do some thinking about this alien. Perhaps he should be dropped out, if there are already similar aliens. I’ll leave him on hold, but I’m changing his name to Gravity or Telekinetic.

Oblivion and Terraform: Yes, when Terraform doesn’t have home planets, the attacks are supposed to be pointless. That’s the core of Terraform’s power idea, making other players waste their turns (even though they can go for card stealing). Terraform must display his ships in the beginning of the game like if he had his home planets. The other offensive players will attack him, like if he had home planets. I’ll using some of the special tokens to make this clearer. Check the revision I’m going to post of these two powers that will include your flares and zap changes.

Rubric:

Thank you for your comments.

Apotheosis: Yes, the power description is a bit long. I tried to cover all the details I could remember so that there were no confusions/conflicts with the game mechanics and other powers. However I think this power is quite comprehensible and easy to implement.

Banish: It is also fun to prevent Clone from playing that same card again, or to forbid Trader from playing that card he just took you. Ban the zero when you’re facing Anti-Matter or Loser.

Oblivion: He destroys his home planets after establishing a foreign colony. I will post a revision of this power.

Oblivion and Terraform revisions. Consider yourself co-author Adam. I hope theiy're clearer now.

OBLIVION – Destroys his home planets.

You have the power to disintegrate . Whenever you establish a foreign colony remove from game one of your home planets, always eliminating the planet on your left. All ships, including your own, in an eliminated planet go to the warp.
This power is mandatory. You don’t lose power by lack of home bases.

Wild: Choose a planet you have ships on and remove all other ships on the planet to the warp. Afterwards, give this card to Oblivion. If Oblivion is not in the game, discard this card after use.

Super: Whenever you can eliminate one planet from your system you are free to choose any planet.

Comment: Don’t use in games with less than four players.

Note: Oblivion can now be zapped, preventing him from destroying one of his planets.

TERRAFORM – Creates planets in his system.

You have the power to terraform . In the game setup instead of placing your home planets place one token marking the spot where the planets will terraform. Place your ships normally.
Whenever you establish a foreign colony place one of your home planets in your system and remove one token.
When you are the main defensive alien and still don't have a planet in your system, the offensive player must aim his attack to one of the tokens. If your opponent wins the encounter he doesn’t win a colony and his ships are returned.
Whenever you already have one or more home planets, all main offensive players must target a planet (even if they already own a colony in such planet) and can no longer target the tokens.
This power is mandatory. You don’t lose power by lack of home bases.

Wild: When you lose an encounter as the defensive player, send one additional ship to warp. You may take all ships about to land on your planet and place them on an adjacent planet instead.

Super: Get 3 cards from the deck, whenever you terraform a new planet.

Comment: Don’t use in games with less than four players.

Note: I decided to use the tokens to mark the places where the planets will be terraformed, I think it’s less confusing this way.
Like Adam mentioned, the zap effect was not intuitive, so I changed it. Zapping Terraform now causes him to immediately place one of his home planets.

A few more powers from the dephts of the cosmos.

AMMUNITION (Ammo for his friends) – Salvages reinforcement cards

You have the power to reprocess . It’s similar to Vulch. Whether you’re a main alien or not, you can keep reinforcement cards, no matter how many, that would otherwise be discarded. You cannot keep any reinforcement cards you play. If zapped you can’t take none of the reinforcement cards, and they are discarded.

Wild: Use the flare card like if it was a reinforcement card worth +10. The flare is then discarded and it can’t be salvaged by Ammunition.

Super: Reinforcement cards played by Ammunition are multiplied by 2.

INTRUSION – Uses tokens like reinforcement cards

You have the power of intervention . You start with 25 tokens in your power card (20 in the 4 planet variant). Whether you’re the main alien or not, and even if you’re not involved in an encounter, you can use your tokens in the same way you use reinforcement cards. Every token is worth +1. You can play from 1 to 5 tokens to change the outcome of an encounter, the tokens are then removed from the game. You can only place your chosen number of tokens once per encounter, you can’t keep adding them up if other reinforcement cards are added by other players (but you can play additional reinforcement cards).
If zapped your tokens are removed back to your alien card, they are not destroyed.

Wild: You receive 2 tokens that can be used accordingly to Intrusion’s power.

Super: You receive 3 extra tokens.

Alternative Super: Your remaining tokens are now worth +2

MORPHER – All negotiates are M’s to the Morpher.

You have the power to alter . This power is mandatory. You must use your negotiate cards as if they were morph cards. If zapped your cards are worth N again. In order to make morphist compatible with the FFG rulebook if an opponent plays the morph against one of your negotiate cards (if you are not zapped), both players lose the encounter.

Wild: All your negotiate cards can be morphed into a +10 attack.

Super: When Morpher is a main alien in an encounter, he can use (during that encounter only) the power of any other alien in game except the other main player’s power. If using another power, his ability to turn negotiates into morphs in disabled during this encounter.

FUTURO - Gives mandatory cards to players involved in an encounter.

You have the power to influence the future .
Whenever you establish a foreign colony as a main player or an ally. You can give one encounter card to 1 or 2 players involved in that encounter. These cards are placed facedown (separately from other cards) by each player near their home systems. These cards will have to be used in these players first opportunity and are then discarded.
The zap only prevents one player from receiving a mandatory encounter card.
If a player already has a mandatory card and you want/can give him a second one, he discards the first one.

Wild: If you lose an encounter as a main alien, give one mandatory card to the winning player. After giving him the mandatory card, give him the flare too.

Super: With the super, you can give a second mandatory card to a player, in this case the first one is not discarded, the cards are stacked by the order that player received them.

Jon Gon said:

Since there are so few Reinforcements in the game, I would consider altering Ammunition to being able to reuse his own reinforcements as well, but possibly restricting him to being able to only play one per encounter... or something to pump him up a little.

I changed the Wild to read "If you are involved in an encounter, and another player plays a reinforcement card, you may add +2 to either side of the encounter." Letting a player get 2 tokens every encounter could get too unwieldy... this way, it has the flavor of the power. And I entered the Alternate Super.

I wonder if maybe Morpher isn't just a somewhat weaker Pacifist, but perhaps not. I'd have to think on that. Ignoring other powers for now, Pacifist automatically wins with the N if your opponent doesn't play an N or M. Morpher only wins in the same case if he has more ships. Could be missing something though. I'd love to see an alien that does something with the Morph card because it is a cool addition. Even if it is just a weaker Pac, still cool.

I like both your ideas for Ammunition.
Reusing cards will make him more powerful and active, restricting him to only one reinforcement card per encounter prevents him from having excessive influence.
I like him much more with this way, he is an hybrid of Vulch and Clone for reinforcement cards.

Thank you for the help, and consider yourself co-author if you like.

Jon Gon said:

I modified it yet again... rather than restricting him to playing only one Reinforcement- he instead only retrieves one per encounter... so, he can pick up his own and always play it... or pick up a better one from someone else.

Reinforcements, in my games at least, tend to all come out at once in a frantic back-and-forth, everyone attempting to come out on top. This would mean Ammo not being as useful with the revision. Retaining a reinforcement a la Clone may be powerful enough as is, though. It'll certainly get him a lot of invites if he nabs the +5.

I like INTRUSION a lot... simple and straightforward... and another fine use for those tokens.

The mechanics/concept for both these powers are similar.
For this powers use one special token, a custom one, or the lunar cannon/ Prometheus in a game without tech.

PROBE / CRUSADER – Charges rewards or destroys ships to allow entrance in Systems he’s patrolling

You have the power of o uter space domination .
In the game setup place one special token in front of your home system. In the beginning of any players turn, move this token to a new system in clockwise order. Whenever a player points the cone to a system where you have your special token, he must deal with you before he can perform the attack. To allow his passage he must offer you one of three things that you must accept: An artefact, a colony in his home system or an attack 10 or bigger. If the attacking player is unable or doesn’t want to offer you nothing he loses three ships to the warp, taking them from wherever he wants. If this results in a situation that leaves the attacking player without ships to perform the attack, his turn is over.

Wild : When you are the main player in an encounter, draw a random card from the other main alien after the alliance phase. If this causes him to be out of encounter cards his turn is over and all ships are returned. (When facing trader you remove the card after he traded hands)

Super : In order to allow the cone’s passage you now require two rewards. (Not necessarily different, for example you must accept two artefacts). The penalty is upgraded to 4 ships.

Comment: I’m not sure about the name, I’ll think about it.

DEATHSTAR – Can instantly revenge when opponents land on his home planets.

You have the power of deathstar .
In the game setup place one special token in front of your home system. In the beginning of any players turn, move this token to a new system in clockwise order.
Whenever a player (main or ally) lands a colony in your home system or drives you off a foreign one, if your deathstar is currently orbiting any of these players home system, use this power to send to the warp all ships in one of that system’s planet.

Wild : Place a minor deathstar orbiting your system; this token never leaves your own system. From this moment on, whenever someone lands a colony in your home planets, with more than one ship, you can destroy all your opponents extra ships (always leaving them with at least one)

Super : You can use you power even if you pretend to target a player planet in a system adjacent to where your deathstar currently stands.

I vote for Probe! That's definitely a cool power. I like Deathstar as well.

These are pretty cool aliens, i am definetly gonna give these guys a try!

I'll add these in too... the first one under Probe (at least for now). It reminds me a little of my power Vanguard. Deathstar also reminds me of the Planet Killer variant I created: http://redamedia.com/warp/planetkiller.php

Hi everyone. Thank you for all your comments. I loved your Planet Killer expansion Jack.

Here are some new powers. I have a few more but not sure about wild flares and names so i'll post them later.

HITCHHIKER – Gets “free rides” in the cone.

You have the power of hitchhiking . Whenever you are the main alien in an encounter after the resolution phase, place one of your ships in the cone. The offensive player that will use the cone next will have to carry your ship in his attack. If you are the offensive player or allied, this means that you can attack or ally with up to five ships.
Whenever this results in a situation where you are attacking yourself, after alliance phase, detonate your hitchhiker ship destroying up to two of other aliens ships in the cone. If this causes the main player to stay with zero ships in the cone, he automatically loses the encounter.

Wild: You can ally with any player you desire if not invited, but only to the offensive side. After using this flare, give the card to the player with whom you allied.

Super: Place up to two ships in the cone. You can now send up to 6 ships if you are the offensive player or ally. Detonating your ships now, allows you to destroy up to 4 other ships in the cone, but only to a maximum of 3 ships per player.

Comments: This is a mix of a lesser parasite (and restricted to the offensive side only), with the extra joy of sabotage.

FROSTNOVA – Puts encounters on hold.

You have the power to freeze . When you are a main alien in an encounter, before cards are chosen, use this power to freeze the encounter. All attacking and defending ships from main players and allies are kept in the encounter position and the cone is removed. The game proceeds like if the offensive player won. In the beginning of any player’s turn, before destiny phase, use this power to unfreeze the encounter you had on hold, both players reveal cards and the encounter is resolved normally. You can’t have two frozen encounters simultaneously, one must be resolved in order to freeze again.

Wild: Use the flare to freeze one encounter, discard the flare after using.

Super: You can have two frozen encounters and unfroze them in any order you like.

GENETIS - Genetically changes opponents

You have the power to genetically modify . In the beginning of the game choose one extra power not in game. Whenever you land a colony in a foreign system give the extra power to the system’s owner and take his in return. You can repeat this process every time you land a foreign colony except in colonies won by a successful deal.

Wild: If there are players with more colonies than you, in the beginning of your turn use this flare to discard your alien power and choose another one not in game. Discard the flare after use.

Super: When you receive an alien power from another player, you can remove it from game trading him with another not in game.

SWITCH* – When loses for more than 20 trades power cards.

You have the power to absorb powers.
When you lose an encounter for a value equal or bigger than 20, trade power cards with the main winning alien. All benefits like Warrior’s experience points and Tick Tock’s remaining tokens, are kept.

Wild: When you have allies in an encounter, you can use one of your allies power during that encounter only. You must declare it before cards are chosen.

Super: When you lose for a value equal or bigger than 20, switch places with your opponent. You become him and he becomes you.

Comment: I accept suggestions for this naming this alien

COUNTER* – Receives 5 cosmic zaps in the beginning of the game.

You have the power to nullify powers . Place 5 special tokens in your alien sheet. Use them throughout the game like if they were zap cards, removing them from game after use. A zap played against counter must be considered like an unzap, in this situation the token is removed from the game

Wild: Place one special token in your alien sheet; use it like a cosmic zap. Discard the flare after use.

Super: In the beginning of your turn, remove one of your special tokens from game; in return receive all your ships currently in the warp.

Comments: I’m not sure if you should join this one to a game with the Human, if they cooperate they’re almost unstoppable. This name is not final.

POWERHOUSE* / WARLORD – Uses negotiate cards like +10 attacks

You have the power of warfare . All negotiate cards played by you are worth +10. You can play multiple negotiate cards in an encounter revealing them simultaneously. However you cannot play attack cards combined with negotiate cards.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn you can discard a negotiate card and take a new one from the deck.

Super: All your negotiate cards are worth +12

Comments: Another name i’m not sure about.

TYRO – Earns experience tokens when powers are used against him.

You have the power of consciousness . You can use your power whenever you lose an encounter as a main player and at least one player on your opponent’s side has used one power. Add two tokens to alien sheet, these count as experience points and are cumulative. When you are a main player add or subtract the quantity of tokens to your side’s total.

Wild: Use Tyro’s regular power but you only add 1 token to your alien sheet.

Super: Using the same conditions, receive 3 tokens instead of 2.

Comment: Tyro is similar to Warrior. However he only earns two tokens at a time. He is also more flexible because unlike warrior he can subtract his tokens quantity to his side’s total.

Note: In order to earn his tokens, one of his opponents (main or ally) must use his power. For example if Sorcerer doesn’t trade the cards against him, he’s not entitled to receive tokens.

STRONGHOLD –All ships in your home system are added/subtracted when defending.

You have the power of f ortification . When you are the main defensive player and the attack occurs in your home system, add or subtract all your ships currently in your home system to your side’s total.
If you lose only the ships in the targeted planet go to warp.

Wild: When you are the main defensive player and the attack occurs in your home system, add or subtract to your total all of your ships currently in one of your adjacent home systems.

Super: Add or subtract all ships (yours and other players) in your home system to your total except the ones from the attacking main player.

And yet...

BOLSTER – Boosts cards by 50 percent.

You have the power to augment . When you are a main player in an encounter use this power to bolster an attack card by 50 percent. This power can be used to boost your or your opponent’s card, rounding up. Bear in mind that boosting the -4 turns it into a -6.

Wild: Use this flare to add +2 to any of the sides when you’re the main alien in an encounter.

Super: You can use your power as an ally.

PANDEMY – Plagues opponents when colonies are landed in his home system

You have the power to p lague . When other players establish a colony in your system use this power to plague them. Your plagues only make your opponents lose one ship and two random cards, however if several players land colonies in your home system you can plague them all. If you are plagued receive 2 cards from the deck and 2 ships from the warp.

Wild: This flare shields you against one plague. Discard after use.

Super: Your plagues are upgraded to 2 ships and 2 random cards

METEOR – Generates meteors that destroy half of all attacking ships.

You have the power of generating meteors. When the sum of both sides in an encounter is equal or bigger than 35, whether you we’re involved or not, use this power to generate one meteor in any planet of any system. This is done by placing one special token in front of any planet you want. Whenever someone targets a planet with a meteor assigned half of all ships in the cone are automatically destroyed and that meteor is removed from the game. If this results in the main offensive players having no ships to continue the attack his turn is over. You cannot place more than one meteor in front of a planet.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn, use this flare to create one meteor. Discard the flare after use.

Super: You can now place 2 meteors every time the power conditions are verified.


Comments: This power was inspired in Jack Reda’s Planet Killer expansion and Vanguard power.

IONIC – Gives ionic tokens who prevent compensation and defensive rewards.

You have the power of ionic gas . You have 3 Ionic tokens. When you lose as a main player, give one ionic token to the victorious player. When a player who received an ionic token is entitled to compensation or to defensive rewards, he receives no cards/ships and the token is returned to you. You can’t give more than one Ionic token to a player. If already gave your three ionic tokens you must wait until they are returned in order to be able to give them again.

Wild: Use this flare to cancel the effect of an Ionic Gas artifact. Discard after use.

Super: When a player with an ionic token assigned is entitled to compensation or defensive rewards, these benefits pass on to you and you receive your Ionic token back.

See you soon...

I really like Frostnova and Stronghold. Freezing seems to be quite strategically flexible and interesting. Stronghold may be simple and quite Amoeba-like, but it makes the player think differently about ship movement.

Question about Genetis: After the first switch, is he much different from Changeling? He just switches his current power, or does he choose a new one again from out of game for the defeated player? If the latter, that's quite a cool power. It'll be fun to try to think of the worst possible alien in certain games.

Question about Pandemy: When he is plagued, does he receive this stuff after the normal effects of plague or instead of these effects? This is a fun power, too.

Ionic seems neat, a bit weak perhaps (maybe not), but who cares... that's how the Cosmos are meant to be!

By the way, Powerhouse is the name of the only original alien Avalon Hill had, though they only released it at one game convention to promote the game. So I'd go with Warlord for that alien.

Cool stuff as always.

Hello Adam.


About Genetis, he starts the game with two alien sheets; the Genetis sheet and another alien sheet that he chooses after all players have selected their powers. He keeps the Genetis during all the game. When he lands a foreign colony he can decide to give the power he chose in the beginning of the game to that system’s owner. I’ll give you an example:

Genetis chooses Loser in the beginning of the game. The other players are Oracle, Parasite and Macron. Genetis lands a colony in Oracle’s system, he can decide to give the Loser power to Oracle and take his power in return. If he decided to switch, later in the game, Genetis lands a colony in Macron’s system, he can decide to give Macron the Oracle power and take his in return.

With the super, when he trades a power, he can discard the power he receives from the other player and choose a new one not in game.

Genetis power is only the ability to change other player’s powers, he doesn’t get to use the second alien power that he keeps near his Genetis alien sheet.


I sought that if Pandemy has the power of plague, then plaguing him should strengthen him. He receives two ships and two cards instead of suffering the effects from a plague. This way, if possible, he will plague himself and other players will only plague him when is in their interest to strengthen him.


Here are the final names for the aliens:

Powerhouse/Warlord – Warlord , thank you for the observation Adam.
Counter stands as Counter and Switch as been changed to Transmute .

These are all alternative victory aliens…


STASHER – Wins after collecting 10 negotiates

You have the power of collecting. When negotiate cards are played in an encounter, before they are discarded, salvage them to your alien sheet. You can salvage the negotiate cards you play too. Place them in a visible and countable way. When you have collected 10 negotiate cards you win the game.
You have no precedence over Filch. Stasher can also win by the regular rules.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn, if you have a negotiate card, you can give one to any player and receive in return a random card from the same player.

Super: When you lose an encounter as a main player, take two cards from the deck, if any of them or both are negotiate cards show them to the other players and add the to your alien sheet. Cards that are not negotiates are not shown to other players and are returned to the deck.

Note: The victory condition is 8 negotiate cards for the 4 planet variant.


OPPRESSOR - Wins by having 3 foreign colonies in the same system.

You have the power of subjugation. The Oppressor wins by obtaining three foreign colonies in the same system. He can also win the game by the regular rules.

Wild: If you have two colonies in one foreign system, in the beginning of your turn, trade cards with that system’s owner. You must give him this flare too.

Super: When you make a colony in a foreign system, receive one random card from the system owner if he has any.

Note: Don’t use in games with less than 4 players.


POLLEN – Wins by making at least one colony in every system. (Alternate)

You have the power of colonizing. You win the game when you establish at least one foreign colony in all existing systems. You can also win by the regular rules.

Wild: When you draw a destiny card, use this flare to discard it and take a new destiny card. Discard this flare after use.

Super: Whenever destiny determines that you must attack a system where you already have a colony, draw one card from the encounter deck.

Note: Use only in games with 4 or 5 players.


ERADICATOR – Wins by sending all of one opponent’s ships to the warp

You have the power of slaying. You win when any of your opponents has all of his ships in the warp. You can also win by the regular rules.
If the Masochist is in game and he manages to have all his ships are in the warp, it’s considered a shared victory between you and Masochist.

Wild: When you win an encounter as a main alien send one extra ship from any player in the losing side to the warp. The affected player chooses where the extra ship is lost.

Super: When you lose an encounter as a main player, the winning main player must send two ship of his choice to the warp.

PROGRESSIS – Wins by researching four technologies (Tech Games Only)

You have the power of technology. In the beginning of the game you keep two technologies instead of one. If you complete four technologies you win the game. You can also win by the regular rules.

Wild: If you have completed one technology, you can get a new tech card without abdicating of your second encounter. Discard the flare after use.

Super: In the beginning of your turn you can place two ships researching.

HOMOGENEOUS – Wins if all players, including him have 4 colonies

You have the power of homogeneity. If at any point during the game, all players including you have 4 foreign colonies, you immediately win.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn, if a player has more cards than you, use this flare to refill your hand from the deck to an equal number of cards to the player with most cards. Discard after use.

Super: In the beginning of your turn take 3 cards from the deck and give them to any player you want except yourself. You can distribute them for several players of give them all to one.

Note: Don’t use in games with less than 4 players. The alternative victory condition is 3 colonies in the four planets variant.

DEITY – Wins by winning 4 consecutive successful encounters as a main player.

You have the power of godlikeness. When you win an encounter as main players add one cosmic token to your alien sheet. Keep adding tokens to your alien sheet as long as you win as a main player. If you lose an encounter as a main player remove all tokens from your alien sheet. If at any point you have 4 tokens in your alien sheet you win. You can also win by the regular rules.

Wild: When you win an encounter as a main alien, retrieve one of your ships from the warp.

Super: When you win an encounter as a main alien take one card from the deck, you can then decide to keep it or discard it immediately.

Note: Zapping Deity impedes him from adding a token to his sheet.


TRIFLING – Wins by losing 4 consecutive encounters as a main player

You have the power of insignificance. When you lose an encounter as main players add one cosmic token to your alien sheet. Keep adding tokens to your alien sheet as long as you lose as a main player. If you win an encounter as a main player remove all tokens from your alien sheet. If at any point you have 4 tokens in your alien sheet you win. You can also win by the regular rules.

Wild: Use this flare in the beginning of your turn to discard your entire hand and receive a new one. Discard the flare after use.

Super: When you lose an encounter as a main alien take one card from the deck, you can then decide to keep it or discard it immediately.

Note: This is the counterweight of Deity. Zapping Trifling impedes him from adding a token to his sheet.

EXTINCTION – Wins when there are five planets stripped of ships.

You have the power of lifeless. When there are 5 planets in any planet in any system stripped out of all ships you win the game. Note that these can’t all be the planets of your home system because if you have less than three home colonies you will lose power. You can also win by the regular rules.

Wild: Use this card in the same way and with the same effects of a plague. Discard after use.

Super: When you win an encounter as a main player you can eliminate one extra ship of one of the players in the losing side. You choose which ship is destroyed.

Note: Use only in games with at least 4 players.