Yay, more alternate win aliens!

About Extinction... Minor editing note: '5 planets in any planet in any system' doesn't make sense. More importantly, when you say no ships in the system, do you mean no ships at all, or no ships of that player? If no ships at all, that seems highly unlikely. It shouldn't be too hard for everyone to maintain one ship for the sake of staving off Extinction and no one else challenging it. I would think his only hope is to get a plague. At least if you meant "no ships of the player who owns the system" then when he is down to one last ship, Extinction can make sure to target it.

Adam:

Yes you’re right it’s a typo. It should be:

When there are 5 planets in any system stripped out of all ships (of all players).

I understand your point about Extinction, but according to my experience there are several situations where there are 5 planets stripped of all ships, specially in games with Void, Vacuum, Masochist, Shadow…
It can also occur by reckless ship commitment, unsuccessful deals, and plagues as you mentioned.

And there are other stratagems that Extinction can use: like stripping out of ships one or two of his home planets or voluntarily abandoning one foreign colony where he was alone.

However, I haven’t tried Extinction in a game yet, but I’ll do it as soon as I can. In the meanwhile all suggestions are welcome.

Thank you for your feedback again.


J ack:

Thanks for adding these powers to The Warp and for cleaning up the power descriptions. I think you forgot to add the Hitchhiker.

AEGIS – Protects allies from going to the warp, may receives colonies.

You have the power of sponsorship/shielding. When you lose an encounter as a main player your allies’ ships don’t go to warp, only yours. When this occurs give one aegis token to one of your allies who’s ships were saved. When a player gets two aegis tokens, the tokens are returned to you and you immediately make a foreign colony in any planet in this players system. Colonies won by aegis tokens coexist with other ships.

Wild: Your ships don’t go to warp when you lose as a defensive ally.

Super: When the conditions of your power are verified you can give one aegis token up to two different allies.

MAYHEM – Gets forced compensations and changes the turns sequence.

You have the power of havoc. When you lose an encounter as a main offensive alien and have one artifact, use this power. You must discard one artifact to able to use your power. Take two cards from the destiny pile, look at them and decide how to use them. Show one to a matching player and demand 2 random cards. Show the other card to the other matching player, this player will be the immediately entitled to his turn. The game then continues normally, with the turns starting clockwise from this player. The destiny cards are discarded. After taking the destiny cards there’s no turning back.

Wild: When you must pay compensation, use this flare to turn things around. This forces your opponent to pay you an equal compensation instead of receiving. After using give him this flare.

Super: Take three destiny cards, one of them is discarded, the other two are used like in the regular power.

Comments: This can be used, for example, to prevent that a player to your left with 4 colonies from getting his turn. This can also be used to make your next turn come faster. I added the “artifact payment” to prevent this power of becoming abusing.


ENERGY – Adds the total amount of ships in a system to his total.

You have the power to drain energy. Whenever you lose an encounter as a main player, you can give your energy token to any of the players in the winning side.
In your next encounter as a main player, the number of ships currently in the home system of the energy token holder is added to your side’s total. When you lose again as a main alien you can reassign your energy token.

Wild: Your ships value is multiplied by two for defensive purposes in your home system.

Super: When you are the main alien in an encounter, add the quantity of ships in the energy token holder’s system to your side’s total and take 1 random card from his/her hand.

Comment: Similar to Warpish, but using other player’s systems.


MARAUDER – Attacks the offensive side when not invited. Raids hands.

Game Setup: Make your custom lesser cone.

You have the power of interception. Whenever the offensive side can but does not invite you, before cards are chosen, load up to 4 ships in your lesser cone and attack the cone. You cannot call for allies. If you are victorious all ships in the cone go to warp and the encounter is considered unsuccessful, in addition you take one random card from each player with ships in the cone. Playing a forcefield impedes you from attacking the cone.
When performing these attacks you are vulnerable to your opponent’s powers.

Wild: Whenever you are attacked in your home system, receive a random card from the main offensive player before the attack takes place.

Super: You can now load up to 6 ships in your lesser cone. You take two random cards from each player with ships in the cone if you are victorious in an interception.




BARRAGE – Attacks planets when his colour is drawn.

You have the power of bombard. In the beginning of the game receive one extra attack card worth 10 and place it in your alien sheet.
When a destiny card with your colour is revealed. Before the encounter takes place, use your power to bombard any player in any system. You don’t send ships; you place your 10 card in front of the planet you wish to attack. If there is more than one colony in the planet you must declare which one you’re attacking. The targeted player must defend. There are no compensations involved and if the defence loses, all his ships in the planet go to the warp. After bombarding return your 10 card to your alien sheet.

Wild: Using this flare adds +3 to your side when defending a planet in your home system.

Super: Replace your 10 for an attack worth 12 to Bombard.

Alternate Super: Instead of bombarding when your destiny card is flipped, bombard one time in the beginning of any players turn.

HUB – Creates a hub that boosts his attacks.

You have the power of effectiveness. In the game setup place one special token in your central planet. This planet is your Hub; other players can only attack him if they already landed colonies in all other planets of your system. In any encounter as a main alien or an ally, add or subtract to your side’s total the quantity of ships you currently have in the Hub.

Wild: Add or subtract 3 to your side’s total whenever you are a main player.

Super: Add or subtract to your side’s total your number of ships currently in the Hub, plus the Hub himself that will count as 3 extra ships.


HYPNOSIS – Forces another player to ally with him

You have the power of persuasion. When you are a main player in an encounter you can force one player, excluding the other main player, to ally with you. Your power is used before the alliance phase. The player affected by this power must commit at least one ship to your side.

Wild: After alliance phase use this flare to force all players that allied with you to commit one more ship if they sent less than 4.

Super: The player you force to ally with you must send at least 2 ships.


SUMMIT – Copies the number of cards plus one of the player with most cards.

You have the power of resourcefulness. When you are a main player in an encounter, if there is one player with more cards than you, use this power to refill your hand from the deck to a number equal to the player with most cards plus one.

Wild: After the resolution phase of any encounter where you are a main player, use this flare to receive one card from the deck.

Super: In the beginning of any players turn you can discard one card from your hand.


CONTRACTION – When a main player equalizes the number of cards

You have the power to diminish resources. When you are a main player in an encounter, if the other main player has more cards than you, use this power to make him randomly discard until he has the same number of cards you do.

Wild: After the resolution phase of any encounter where you are a main player, use this flare to force any player to discard one random card.

Super: Make the other main player discard until he has one card less than you. This power cannot be used if it makes your opponent stay with zero cards.

MERCHANT – Offers extra ships to other players in exchange for perks.

Game Setup: This requires that extra ships for each player are included in a future expansion (I really hope so). Using the 4 planets variant allows you to have 4 ships to try out this power, but they will probably don’t be enough.
You can also make you own custom extra ships with each players colour.

You have the power of ship wholesale. In the beginning of a players turn you can propose him a deal. You can offer him up to two extra ships in exchange for cards, foreign colonies or alliance promises. You have one minute to make this deal and if it fails the player to which you proposed a deal loses one random card while you lose nothing.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn, use this flare to remove all your ships from the warp. Discard after use.

Super: You can now offer up to three extra ships to another player.

Comments: Zapping Merchant works differently depending on who is zapping him. If the player involved in the deal plays the zap, it prevents him from losing one card. If a player not involved in the deal plays the zap, the deal is off and the game proceeds as usual. Quashes can also be used for to nullify this deals.


FANATIC – Sacrifices ships for cards.

You have the power of sacrifice. In the beginning of any player’s turn use this power to sacrifice one of your ships. For every sacrificed ship receive one card from the deck.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn you can sacrifice one foreign colony, by doing so you can discard all your hand and draw a new 8 cards hand.

Super: You can sacrifice up to two ships in the beginning of a turn.

GOLIATH – Blocks further colonies in the foreign planets where he lands.

You have the power of colossal size. When you land a foreign colony, either by combat or by deal, flip the planet disc to the different side. This means that from this moment on, nobody else can land a colony in this planet. If you had offensive allies they are also entitled to a colony. However this planet cannot be the target of further regular attacks. If for any special reason, Massive loses his foreign colony, flip the planet again.

Wild: In the beginning of your encounter as main offensive players receive two ships from the warp.

Super: In end of your turn, you can place at least four ships in one foreign colony, by doing this all other ships in that planet are expel and returned to their owners.

Jon Gon said:

Hitchhiker is probably a little too close to Stowaway. The only difference is Hitchhiker blows up ships when he can't make a legitimate encounter, and Stowaway just stows away again. I'd like to see if we can't noodle something to differentiate them a little more.

Ok, I didn’t knew Stowaway, I’ll try to make some modifications.
What is it the same problem with Fanatic? If so, let me know, maybe there’s still hope for him.

Just an error i spotted in the Goliath power description - "If for any special reason, Massive loses his foreign colony, flip the planet again." - Where it's written Massive it should be Goliath. I changed his name from Massive to Goliath and forgot to do the same in the description.

A few more powers:

PROVOKER – Abuses of other player’s patience.

You have the power of abusing . In the beginning of your turn you can abuse. Start taking cards from the deck one at a time up to a maximum of five cards. If during this process, at any point, any of the other player’s protests you stop immediately. The player that protested loses 2 ships, his choice, to the warp and discards two random cards. You can also decide in the beginning of an abuse to take, one by one, up to five ships from the warp instead of cards. The consequences over the protester will be the same.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn receive one extra ship from the warp and draw one card from the deck.

Super: Using the same condition and timing, you can now abuse up to six cards/ships.

Comment: I can see Masochist screaming… I protest…

****** – May steal the opponent’s first selected card.

You have the power of thievery . When you are a main player in an encounter after cards are selected you can choose to ******. If you decide to ******, the cards are not revealed, you add your opponents card to your hand and your opponent adds your card to his hand. Both main players select cards again and the reveal phase is repeated. You can only ****** once per encounter.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn, use this flare to take one card from the discard pile. Discard the flare after use.

Super: Using the same timing and conditions, if you ****** take one random card from all your opponents’ allies.

Comments: This is an attempt for an easy to implement power, with the bluff component of Sorcerer. If you’re facing ****** will you play your good card right away or not? Will he ****** or not?

SUPREMACY – Receives one researched tech for foreign colony established.

You have the power of innovation . Whenever you land a foreign colony immediately draw a card form the technology deck. This technology is automatically researched and can be used from this moment on.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn, use this flare to immediately receive one extra technology card. Discard after use.

Super: In the beginning of your turn, use this flare to immediately receive one researched technology. Discard after use.

SPARKLE - Similar to Supremacy, but receives one flare card for foreign colony established. I'm still unsure about the wild and super...

MECHANISM – Researches technologies faster

You have the power of fast research . You can place two ships researching in any players regroup phase.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn you can add one extra ship researching.

Super: If you have two successful encounters as a main offensive player. Use this power to immediately receive a new tech card.

Fanatic is a little too close to Kamikaze... he gets 2 cards for each ship sent to the warp.

Mechanism is a little too close to Engineer.... he researches with more than 1 ship per turn (coming from the same colony).

New Hitchhiker version

HITCHHIKER – Gets “free rides” in the hyperspace gate.

You have the power of clenching. Whenever you are the main alien in an encounter after the resolution phase, place one of your ships in the hyperspace gate. 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, before cards are selected, send your hitchhiker ship to the warp. This gives you a “sabotage bonus” allowing you to play an additional attack card equal or lower than 6 in that encounter like if it was a reinforcement card. In this situation the hitchhiker goes to warp whether you have a card in this conditions or not.

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

Super: You can place up to two ships in the hyperspace gate using the same conditions. You can now send up to 6 ships if you are the offensive player or ally. Sending your hitchhiker ships to the warp, allows you to play up to two additional cards equal or lower than 6 in that encounter, using them like reinforcement cards.

KEEN – Receives tokens by allying. Use them as reinforcements.

You have the power of eagerness. In the end of every encounter where you participated as an ally add two tokens to your alien sheet if your side won and three if your side lost. These tokens are each worth +1 and can be used as reinforcement cards in future encounters. There’s no limit for the amount of tokens you can play as reinforcements in one encounter but you can only reinforce once per encounter through your power. The tokens are discarded after use.

Wild: Use this flare as a reinforcement card worth +8. Discard after use.

Super: Receive one token for every encounter as a main player whether you win or lose. The amount of tokens you receive for being an ally stands the same.

SPARKLE – Receives one flare for foreign colony established.

You have the power of flare control. Whenever you land a foreign colony immediately draw a card form the flare deck.

Wild: When a player uses a flare, use this power to card zap his flare. Afterwards discard this flare and add the flare you zapped to your hand.

Super: Use in regroup phase. When you are a main player in an encounter, nobody except you can use flares.

EMPEROR –Bonus attack and defence over provinces. Receives tributes.

Game Setup: Place one Empire token in one planet of every player’s home system except your own.

You have the power of the empire. Consider all planets where you have an Empire token as your provinces. You have a 8 bonus when attacking or defending provinces as a main player or an ally. In the beginning of your turn, if any player owns colonies in one or more provinces, he must tribute you with one random card. If he doesn’t have cards to pay tribute he loses one ship to the warp of his choice.

Wild: If the Emperor is in game, use this flare in the beginning of your turn to remove the token from one planet of your choice, therefore making that planet stop being a province. Discard after use.
If the Emperor is not in game, use this flare in the beginning of your turn to reclaim a random card from any other player of your choice.

Super: Players must now tribute you proportionally to the amount of provinces were they own colonies. If they lack cards the difference is paid in lost of ships to the warp.
Your bonus when operating in planets matching your colour is upgraded to 10.

METROPOLIS – Brings captured planets to his home system.

You have the power of increasing your system. When you land a foreign colony, use this power to bring the planet where you landed to your home system, all already existing ships are also relocated. Place the captured planets to the right of your system. This planet is now considered as part of your system. In future encounters other players, except Will, can only attack captured planets if they draw a destiny card that points you as the defensive main player.
When you make a colony by deal the planet is not captured.

Example: Metropolis is red and makes a colony in the green system. Metropolis picks the green planet and places it to the right of his home system (it still counts as foreign colony). If other players wish to attack the captured green planet they can only do it if they draw a red destiny card.

Wild: If Metropolis is in the game, use this flare in the beginning of your turn to force one captured planet to return to his original system (including all ships on it). Give this flare to Metropolis after using.
If Metropolis is not in game, use this flare in the beginning of your turn to automatically regain a home colony, coexisting with all ships in that planet. Discard after use.

Super: When you capture a planet, all players with ships in the captured planet must give you one random card. If they don’t have cards they lose one ship to the warp of their choice.

Quarker is an upgrade of the quark battery tech to an Alien Power:

QUARKER – Can replace his encounter card.

You have the power of quark batteries. In the beginning of any player’s turn, place one encounter card from your hand facedown over your alien sheet. This card is not considered part of your hand. When cards are revealed in an encounter in which you are a main player, you can discard your revealed card and replace them with the card on your sheet. The encounter totals are again calculated. In the beginning of any player’s turn you can place a new encounter card on your alien sheet if you don’t have none there. If you research quark batteries you can have two cards in your alien sheet.

Wild: Use this flare to clone one of your encounter cards after using it in an encounter. After cloning, discard this flare.

Super: Using the same conditions, instead of replacing cards, add the card on your alien sheet to your encounter card. Both cards are then discarded. You cannot use your super power if one of the two cards is a negotiate.

STRATEGIST – May change the planet where an attack takes place

You have the power of tactical manoeuvres. In the game setup place your ships in your home system as you like, but with at least one in each home planet.
When you are the main defensive player, after alliances phase use this power to replace the target planet, and all ships on it, for an adjacent home planet.
When you are the main offensive player, after alliance phase, use this power to redirect your attack to an adjacent planet in the same system.

Wild: When you are the defensive player, after the alliance phase use this flare to move up to two ships from or to the target planet. These ships can only come from or go to adjacent planets and only if such planets are still home colonies.

Super: Whenever you use your power as an offensive or defensive player, immediately draw one card from the deck


COLOSSAL – Forces a second go when losing as main offensive.

You have the power of resistance. When you lose as main offensive player, after resolution phase you can force the encounter to a second round. Encounter cards are discarded, all your allies go to the warp and half your ships too, rounding up. Another encounter takes place with your remaining ships and this time the outcome is final. If your opponent doesn’t have more encounter cards you win, if you don’t have more encounter cards you can’t use your power. Rewards for defensive allies are only given and considered, if eligible, in the end of the re-encounter.

Wild: Use this flare after resolution phase to prevent your ships, as main player or ally from going to the warp. After using if Colossal is on the game, give him this flare if it’s not discard it.

Super: When forcing a second round, all your allies’ ships still go to the warp, but all of your ships stand for the new encounter.

RANCOUR – Penalizes for not being invited ( My Alternate Grudge )

You have the power of resentment. When you can and are not invited to be an ally, give one rancour token to the players that have not invited you. After the encounter resolution if a player with a rancour token won the encounter he must discard three random cards, if a player with a rancour token lost he must discard you one random card.

Wild: Use this flare like you would use a plague. You can only use it on a player that can but doesn’t invite you as an ally. Play in the alliance phase.Discard after use.

Super: Players with rancour tokens give you three random cards in case of victory and one random card in case of defeat.

This is an attempt to make Terrorist FFG friendly, using only the components of the game. My idea will give a little more information to other players of where terrorist will attack, but it will also make him more flexible.

In the game setup take one cosmic token for each player in the game. Distribute the tokens at your will, placing them over the numbers in the warp colony marker, except the zero. For example you can place three tokens on top of number 1 and two tokens on top of number 4, or you can pile all tokens on top of number 5, you choose how to place them. The numbers 1-5 correspond to planets in a system, starting from the left.
In the beginning of any players turn use this power to activate one of the tokens, for example one token placed over number 1, then assign a player, for example red. This causes that the planet 1 (first from the left) of red’s home system is the target. All ships in such planet go to the warp. Give the used token to the owner of the attacked system, this will prove that an attack as already occurred in that system and cannot be repeated. If zapped the token is discarded.

Example 2:
In the beginning of any players turn, activate a token placed over the number 3 in the warp colony marker. Declare that the target player is yellow. All ships in yellow player’s central planet (in his home system) go to the warp. The token is then discarded.

I'm not sure if my text is clear enough, anyway, here's the "short" description...

SAPPER / BLASTER / DETONATION / SABOTEUR - Places hidden bombs

Game Setup: Receive a number of cosmic tokens equal to the number of players in game. Distribute them, as you like, between the numbers 1-5 of the warp colony marker. You can assign none or more than one token to any number. This is the map of where your explosive devices are hidden.

You have the power of blasting. In the beginning of any players turn, use this power to activate one token and declare one player as target of your attack. The token that you activate is placed over one number of the warp colony marker, this number corresponds to a home planet of the chosen player. For example, if the token is placed over number 1 it refers to the planet more the left.
When you activate a cosmic token, send to warp all ships in the matching planet. Give the token to the affected player as proof that an attack in that system has occurred. You are limited to only one attack per system. If you’re zapped you still have to give the token to the targeted player.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn use this flare to send to the warp, all ships of another player standing in one planet of your home system. Discard after use.

Super: Your ships survive your attacks.

Note: Only place tokens in the colony marker from numbers 1-4, in the four planets variant.

Which name do you like the most?

Saboteur, definitely.

When you run out of bombs, do you get to plant more, like Terrorist could?
Why limit it to one per system? If you can replant bombs like Terrorist, do they return their tokens to you?

I like Saboteur as well. I think replanting bombs is probably not a bad idea, but then again, since the original Terrorist was limited to setting off bombs only when tokens were added to specific planets, and they went off automatically, there should be some balancing mechanism to account for that. Perhaps not letting Saboteur replant is appropriate.

Maybe if he runs out he gets one at the start of his turn... or something along those lines.

I think it might be more fun to give Saboteur one "Sabotage" token for each player in the game, counting himself, and then six (or maybe quite a few more) "Decoys". And he just places them all face down on any specific planets he likes. Players don't know which ones are real and which ones are fake. And again, they are triggered when ships are added. On his turn, he can move them around.

Unfortunately most of these aliens you suggested are EXACT copies of already existing one's on The Warp or are way to close or are close but inferior, and therefore are pointless to add to The Warp since they already exist and would just clutter things up with spam. And unintentionally plagiarized spam at that.

I'll type the names of your version and the one's that have existed in the Warp or in Eon/Mayfair for years to clarify.

Hitchhiker = Jack Reda's Stowaway

Strategist = Eon's Worm

Quarker = Jack Reda's Ninja

Colossal = A worse version Cendric Chin's Terminator

Aegis = FFG's Observer

Mechanism = Jack Reda's Engineer

Fanatic = FFG's Kamikaze

This is from what I have seen so far. You have some rather unique one's here in there in the mix as well, focus on those.

Messianic said:

Which is the basic problem with all homebrews, if we're being honest about it. Between the official editions of the last 32 years and the rise of the internet, which has made it possible to corral literally hundreds of homebrews into living databases, there's not a lot of great ideas that haven't already been covered. Add the concept of flares, which essentially triples the number of "powers" available, and the problem gets even worse.

A problem that arises from that problem is that striving to be original often means creating far too complicated of an alien. But I think for every ten aliens created, a good or decent one slips through, generally. And creating bad aliens can lead to ideas for good ones, and duplicates are often subtly different -- and sometimes subtly better.

Duplicating other homebrews is an unavoidable problem, but I think anyone making up aliens should make it a priority to look through all the published aliens (Eon, Mayfair, Cosmic Online, FFG) before posting. Not only does it prevent duplicates, but these are classics that should give the creator a good idea of what makes a good power (though obviously there are quite a few controversial, published aliens, too).

As for flares, I think being familiar with all the flares is a hopeless case unless you own all previous editions and have played them a lot. That is a lot to remember.

I enjoy reading, or at least skimming, through everyone's home brews regardless of the stray duplicate or two.

Saboteur:

In this attempt to reintroduce Terrorist, I didn’t include the possibility of planting more bombs. But that can be done quite easily, in the beginning of his turn or when he runs out of bombs. I agree it would make him more interesting.
The limitation to one per system was just an idea to make him more balanced. However if he’s given the opportunity to plant more bombs, this stops making sense.
About the returning tokens, if there’s no limit of bombs per system, the tokens are only needed to mark the place where the bombs are planted.

I like your ideas for saboteur Jack, specially the decoy tokens and the chance of moving them around on his turn.

Messianic:

You must understand that I’m not familiar with the previous versions. I’m trying to get to know all the previously published powers and some homebrews, but that takes time.
I’m only posting my ideas and if some of these aliens are similar/equal to others already created I thank you all for pointing that out. I don’t wish to get credit for anyone’s creation or to copy.
Whenever I base one of my homebrew’s in something else, I always make sure I mention it (You can check):
Meteor (based on Jack Reda’s power Vanguard and his Planet Killer expansion)
Energy (Similar to Warpish)
Quarker (Inspired in the Quark Battery Tech)
Rancour (My alternative Grudge)

I think you’re right about all examples you gave, except Aegis:

Aegis is not Observer. His power only works when he’s a main player, he saves one ally from going to warp. He does this at a price, which is giving that player an Aegis token. When a player gets two of these, Aegis automatically lands a colony in their system.
Notice that Observer will tend to have allies very easily, but everybody will think twice before allying with Aegis, specially a second time. I think Observer is more similar to Zombie than to Aegis.

Thank you all for your comments.

TheDukester said:

Have all the good homebrews already been done? There's a good discussion of that very topic going on right here:

Homebrew debate

Please understand that I'm not slamming you or your ideas as intentional plagiarism or stupid ideas, its just not easy to come up with more unique type things.

About the homebrew debate, I highly doubt we've exhausted all our possibilities.

As some sort of weird proof of this, I challenge anyone to go into the Warp and look at my homebrews there, and if you can shoot down half of them or more as being too similar to older powers then I will agree with you. I say this because before each homebrew I post I look through that rediculous 1200 alien list, not thoroughly but enough so that I have a good feeling the idea isn't spam.

I started to reply to that, but I don't want to take over Jon Gon's thread. Maybe we should open our own debate thread.

I pretty much treat these threads as brainstorming anyway.... put the idea out there, and we can debate whether it's unique enough or where it could be better or whatever. Keep the ideas coming!

Adam if you are referring to my homebrews and the challenege I put out feel free to use my thread which has a listing of my homebrews (though some have been vastly edited on the Warp so use the warp as reference.)

SCOURGE – Uses cards to determine ships as an ally.

You have the power of Swarm. When you are an ally in an encounter, use this power to send one attack card instead of ships. The value of the attack card will determine the number of ships your committing. If the attack card you use for this effect is lower or equal than four the encounter occurs as usual. If you play an encounter card bigger than four: when you establish a colony you can send up to 4 ships from other colonies to establish the new colony. When you are entitled to defensive rewards the maximum reward will be 4. If your side wins the encounter, the card that determines ships returns to your hand, otherwise is discarded. You cannot use negative or the 00 attack cards.

Wild: Use this flare to ally with up to 6 ships.

Super: You can use your power as a main offensive player.

Note: As an ally Scourge is influent and flexible enough to take down Virus or Anti-Matter.

ARSENAL - Stores attack cards to win (Alternate Victory)

You have the power of armoury. In the beginning of any player turn use this power to take a card from your hand and place it faceup in your alien sheet. These cards are not considered as a part of your hand. When the sum of attack cards in your alien sheet is equal to number of player x 20 you automatically win. (80 with 4 players, 100 with 5 players). You can also win by the normal rules. If zapped the card you’re trying to store is discarded.

Wild: If Arsenal is in the game and you’re a main player not facing him, use this flare after reveal to transform your encounter card into the sum of Arsenal’s current stored cards. Give this flare to Arsenal after using.
If Arsenal is not in game, use this card as a reinforcement card +5.

Super: When you win an encounter as a main player use this power to draw one card from the deck. If it’s an attack (positive) add it to your alien sheet. If it’s an artifact add it to your hand. If it’s any other card give it to a player of your choice.

Note: I must test Arsenal to verify if the number of player x 20 is competitive. If it’s not I will post a revision.


REDEEMER – Benefits from high cards being played. (Alternative Victory)

History: Formerly know for their impressive weapon, the Redeemer. These creatures have undertaken a mission to study the most powerful weapons of the cosmos. Every time that one opponent uses these weapons, the Redeemers are closer to achieve the knowledge that will allow them to create the ultimate weapon.

Game setup: Add 12 tokens to your alien sheet:

You have the power of studying weapons. In any encounter when a player plays an encounter card equal to 20 or more, use this power to discard one of your tokens. Consider all effects that can change a card value for this purpose (Mirror, Tripler, …). When you discard your last token you win the game. You can also win using the regular rules.

Wild: Use this flare, after reveal, to transform all your attack cards 08 into attack cards 18.

Super: In the beginning of your turn, use this power to choose two cards from the discard pile and add them to your hand.

Alternate Super: When you are a main player and a player uses an attack equal or superior to 20 against you. Use this power to, after resolution, return the card to your opponent’s hand.

Note: Use only 10 tokens in the four-planet variant.

Comment: This power is a reference to Unreal Tournament’s Redeemer. Sorry for the bad history

BOUNTY HUNTER* – Captures ships to win (Alternative Victory)

You have the power to capture. When you win an encounter as a main player or an ally and the opposite side has ships involved, one ship from one of your opponents (you choose which one) goes to your alien sheet instead of the warp. Ships on your alien sheet are no longer considered part of the game, cannot be retrieved or released by artifacts. When you have at least two ships of all players, except yourself, in your alien sheet, you win the game. You can also win by the regular rules.

Wild: When you win an encounter as main player, retrieve one ship from the warp for every player on the losing side during that encounter.

Super: Whenever a player is plagued (by artifact) or a deal is unsuccessful, use this flare to capture one ship of one of the players who lost ships.

Note: shat can avoid going to warp (Zombie, Observer…), cannot avoid being captured.

Comments: *Not sure about the name yet

QUARANTINE – Puts systems under quarantine

You have the power of isolation. In the beginning of any players turn place your quarantine token in front of any player’s system. During the current player’s turn, the system with the quarantine token cannot be attacked (flip a new destiny card). In the beginning of another player’s turn you must move your quarantine token to another system (mandatory).

Wild: If you’re eligible for a second encounter, use this flare to attack any planet in any system. You don’t turn a destiny card. You cannot attack systems with quarantine tokens.

Super: If destiny indicates that the main offensive must attack a system under quarantine, the encounter is immediately considered unsuccessful and the offensive player loses 3 ships to the warp, his choice.

DECEIVER – Denies compensation to worthless allies

You have the power to negate. When you win as a main player if the ships committed by your allies don’t interfere in the encounter outcome, return them to their owners without the right to rewards or colonies. You can use your power over one or all of your allies. When zapped all allies receive their colonies or rewards.

Wild: Use this flare to prevent one player from receiving defensive rewards. After using give this flare to the player affected.

Super: When you use your power to prevent one or more of your allies from receiving defensive rewards you are entitled to collect them instead of them.

ACSTA – One power per home planet.

Game Setup: After powers are selected, pick the flare deck and choose 5 green unused powers (without game setup). Place one flare facedown underneath each one of your home planets.

You have the power of multiculturalism. Whenever the hyperspace gate is pointed to one of your planets, before alliance phase, reveal the flare and use this power during this encounter. You can reuse this power whenever you’re attacked in such planet.
The revealed flares stand faceup during the rest of the game. If zapped the flare card is not revealed or used. In addition you can use one of the powers of a revealed flare as a main offensive player, however you must remove it from game after use.

Wild: In the beginning of your turn use this flare to take a new random alien power (without game setup), you can then decide to keep the one you already have or the new one. Discard the flare if you decide to keep the new one.

Super: After using one of the powers of revealed flares as main offensive player, return them to underneath of your home planet instead of removing it from the game.

Note: Use the power indicated by the flare, not the wild or the super.

Acsta I believe is the same as Pentaform from Mayfair's Cosmic Encounter, except with the addition that the powers are hidden until attacked (which is a nice touch).

I think there is another homebrew on the FFG board with Quarantine's power.

Deceiver seems like an alien no one would ever want to ally with because of his power. I think it would backfire badly.

Bounty Hunter is cool though! I like the name, except that it defies the CE convention of the one-word name. I would just call him Bounty. This is my favorite alternate victory condition alien I've seen so far on these boards, I think, because it's really simple but should make alliance phase much more tense. I'm curious how you intend Bounty to interact with a power like Super Void (let's Void use power as an ally) though. Both affect ships that should go to Warp. I would assume timing conflict resolution rules would suffice, in which case Bounty would precede Super Void.

I think Pentaform stacks the powers and uses a new one every time he gets a new foreign colony.

Acsta uses one different hidden power to defend each home planet. When he attacks he can choose to use one of the powers attributed to his planets.

Quarantine: I will check that…

Deceiver: Maybe you’re right, but he can “deceive” the other players promising he won’t use his power... Perhaps it’s in his interest not to use his power until it hurts the most. There are also situations, especially with defence, where players may have to ally with him…

Sure, he could promise that. But would you really trust someone named Deceiver?

I have a power called Arnold that can screw over his allies, but I wanted to give players incentive to invite him- so his ships are worth more as allies. This has been mentioned elsewhere, but the powers that screw allies tend to get shut out from being invited.... you gotta tempt the players with something other than their desperation.