Well then, it's about time I started up my own topic about all this homebrew jazz. First I'll start with an updated recap of all the dudes I've dreamed up so far - don't assume you know them all, some of them have had some significant changes. After that, there's three completely new aliens. Massively long post ahead!
GIMMIE 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, when you must discard one each of certain types of cards, or when you must discard cards before getting 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.
As Any Player Mandatory
[start Turn] [Regroup] [Destiny] [Launch] [Alliance] [Planning] [Reveal] [Resolution]
Wild: You may prevent an opponent from drawing certain cards from your hand. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
Super: You need not discard cards if you must draw a new hand. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is a Novice and Resource power.
Comments: A card-hoarder. He’ll pretty much always have more cards than anyone else, and it’s difficult to take him down a peg. The best way to pare him down is the Plague.
METABOLISM 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.
Main Player Only Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning [Reveal] Resolution
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. [Offense Only] [Regroup]
Super: Of all the cards you much in one encounter, you may keep one of them. [Main Player Only] [Resolution]
This is an Advanced and Combat power.
Comments: Based on good ol’ Yoshi and his penchant for eating anything not nailed down. He goes through his hand quickly and always wins the close battles.
BALLISTA Attacks From Afar
You have the power of range . As the offense 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.
Main Player Or Ally Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny [Launch] [Alliance] Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: You may include all of your ships in the same system as the target planet in your total. [Main Player Only] [Reveal]
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. [As Any Player] [Planning]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: In essence, he can send ships from weak colonies and not worry too much about losing the colony. He can also launch four ships but keep three of them at home upon winning, which is good for defense and keeping his power.
FRACTURE 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.
Offense Only Optional
Start Turn [Regroup] Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: As the defense, you may change which planet the offense has chosen before encounter cards are selected. [Defense Only] [Planning]
Super: You may use your power at the start of any encounter, not just your own. [As Any Player] [Regroup]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: Fracture can gain foreign colonies easily, making it possible to get four colonies in one turn (two through power, two through encounters). However, bad planning will give other players free colonies, and he’ll lose his own home colonies in the process. Useful against guys like Parasite.
PROCRASTINATOR 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. During Reveal, 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.
Not Main Player Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch [Alliance] Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: You may play an artifact after its time would normally have expired. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
Super: When you delay your arrival, you may commit any number of ships you want (i.e. more than four). [Ally Only] [Reveal]
This is a Novice and Rules power.
Comments: He’s like Wild Fodder as a power; he just finds out who wins and jumps on the bandwagon. Or he can reverse a losing outcome, depending how close it is. He won’t draw a lot of invitations, but he’ll never be on the wrong side.
CLOAK Attacks Unknown Planet
You have the power of stealth . As the offense, use this power once the defense is determined. 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).
Offense Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny [Launch] Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: If you lose an encounter as the defense, 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. [Defense Only] [Resolution]
Super: You may wait until after encounter cards have been played to choose your target planet. [Offense Only] [Planning]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: Double-guessing is fun. You can ally with Cloak only to have him pick a planet you already own, or you can not ally and he chooses an unoccupied planet.
CONFORM 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. You may copy multiple powers at once, placing a Conform token beside each power you have copied. 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.
Main Player Only Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal [Resolution]
Wild: As a main player, if your opponent uses his power, you may use it as well. [Main Player Only] [Any Phase]
Super: You need not discard any copied power after one use. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is an Expert and Meta power.
Comments: Based of Kirby and his ability to copy what he eats. Once he copies you, he can use your power a single time whenever he wants, and he overrules you to boot. Conform should stock up on powers to use when he needs them.
STENCH 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.
Ally Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch [Alliance] Planning Reveal Resolution
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. [Not Main Player] [Alliance]
Super: If your side loses with a negotiate versus an attack, you may take compensation from the deck. [Ally Only] [Resolution]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: Basically, Stench picks a player and allies with him no matter what until he loses. Really useful when you stick to someone like Virus or Warpish.
SEVER Takes Planets Into Subspace
Game Setup: Move all but one of your planets off to the side. These planets start the game in subspace.
You have the power of subspace . When you win an encounter as the offense, use this power to take the target planet into subspace. (Your attacking ships and allies land on the planet as usual.) Move the planet off to the side, but keep it in the same player’s system. A planet in subspace cannot be attacked by any player other than you unless he or she has established a colony elsewhere in the same system.
In addition, as a main player, after encounter cards are revealed, use this power to add 1 to your total for each home planet in subspace, and 3 for each foreign planet in subspace.
History: For eons the Severs have resided between universes, waiting patiently for the time to strike. To that end, they have developed technology that can rip out parts of the cosmos and place them into subspace.
Main Player Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning [Reveal] [Resolution]
Wild: As the defense, you may declare one planet off-limits before the offense chooses the target planet. [Defense Only] [Launch]
Super: When you use your power, you may send any opposing ships to subspace (your alien sheet) instead of the warp. All effects that take ships out of the warp may instead take ships out of subspace and place them in the warp. [Offense Only] [Resolution]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: Dubbed “My Own Private Prawish” by everyone’s favourite ponderous ponderer, Sever essentially puts the planets he colonizes off-limits (temporarily, anyway). He also gets stronger the more he wins.
PIPE Redistributes Ships At Will
You have the power to relocate . During any player’s regroup phase, you may use this power to move your ships from one colony to another. There is no limit to how many ships you move, where they come from, or where they end up as long as your colonies do not change in number or location.
You may also use this power to move other players’ ships in the same manner, provided both you and the other player have colonies at each end of the move.
History: Everywhere the Pipes go, they form a comprehensive complex of transportation tubes. These superb silos use magic and technology as one to teleport anything to anywhere.
As Any Player Optional
Start Turn [Regroup] Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: If you win a colony as the offense or as an offensive ally, you may send some of your committed ships to other colonies. [Main Player Or Ally Only] [Resolution]
Super: You may use your power at any time. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: Worried about getting attacked? Shift your ships to your home colonies. Anti-Matter in the game? Nab a foreign colony and send most of your ships there. Scared of Shadow picking off that colony? Reinforce it before he can. Pipe has near-total flexibility.
RESENT Punishes For Not Inviting
You have the power of vengeance . If a main player does not invite you to be an ally, give him or her a Resent token.
When you are a main player, and you oppose a player with one or more Resent tokens, use this power to decrease the opponent’s score by 2 for each Resent token. If your opponent has allies, their Resent tokens are also figured into the total. The affected players’ Resent tokens are discarded after the encounter. If this power is zapped, Resent tokens are still discarded.
History: The Resent have always helped others, even when not asked to do so. But when they learned that other races were unwilling to accept unwanted help, they became determined to show everyone else what being “nice” is all about.
Main Player Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning [Reveal] Resolution
Wild: If you are not invited by a main player, you may decrease his or her total by 5. [Not Main Player] [Reveal]
Super: Your opponents may only discard half of their Resent tokens at once (rounding down). [Main Player Only] [Resolution]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: Don’t invite Resent and he’ll be harder to beat next time you face him. He’s tempered somewhat by the fact his vengeance rating is “reset” repeatedly, but it’s no less annoying.
MAGMA Erupts Volcanoes On Planets
You have the power to erupt . If you lose an encounter as the defense by 15 or more, use this power to cause a volcano to erupt on any planet of your choosing. All ships on the chosen planet other than yours go to the warp.
History: Formed of silicon-based superheated substances, the Magmas have the skills to turn the eruptions of volcanoes into an art form. Predictably, they also have a temper as hot as their bodies. Even a pointless loss may drive them to rage.
Defense Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal [Resolution]
Wild: If you lose an encounter, you may give this flare to a player to send all their involved ships to the warp. [Main Player Only] [Resolution]
Super: You may use your power if you lose as the defense by 10 or more. [Defense Only] [Resolution]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: A more rarely-used and dangerous Shadow. If Magma loses badly, then the colonies you gain will probably only replace the ones he’s about to destroy.
FROST Freezes Ships On Planets
You have the power to freeze . At the start of any player’s encounter, you may use this power to freeze a planet of your choosing. Push the frozen planet away from its system (or mark it with a token). When a planet is frozen, no ships other than yours can launch off of it (unless a player has no other choice, in which case one ship may be launched). Ships can be lost off frozen planets as usual. Three planets may be frozen at once; freezing another would require you to thaw one out.
History: Extreme axial tilt forced the Frosts to hibernate to survive their ghastly cold winters. Ironically, their hibernation techniques were based around self-freezing. Now, they have decided to bring their icy lockdown upon the rest of the universe.
As Any Player Optional
Start Turn [Regroup] Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: As the defense, if you lose an encounter, you may keep one of your ships on the defeated planet. [Defense Only] [Resolution]
Super: You may freeze up to six planets at once. You may not freeze all the planets in a single system. [As Any Player] [Regroup]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: While one frozen planet isn’t that much of a pain, when you’ve got eight or twelve of your ships locked into place, you don’t have a lot of options.
RAGNELL Ships Worth More As Allies
You have the power of friendship . As an ally, use this power for each of your ships to be worth 3. Your ships are worth 1 each for rewards (as usual).
In addition, as an ally, use this power for any Reinforcements you play to be worth 2 more than their original value.
History: The Ragnells are an extremely loyal race, and will give no sympathy to those they choose to be their enemies. All must prepare themselves if the Ragnells enter a battle to fight for their friends.
Ally Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning [Reveal] Resolution
Wild: As an ally, once encounter cards are revealed, you may send up to 4 extra ships. [Ally Only] [Reveal]
Super: You may ally with any number of ships you want (i.e. more than four). [Ally Only] [Alliance]
This is an Expert and Combat power.
Comments: Ragnell will be a very popular ally, especially when the game’s on the line. Also is an endless supply of Ike jokes.
DROVE Sacrifices Ships For Reinforcements
You have the power of expendability . As a main player or ally, after encounter cards are revealed, you may use this power to send some of your ships that are not in the encounter to the warp. Each sacrificed ship acts as a +2 Reinforcement and are subject to all factors which affect Reinforcements. (Ships may be placed on encounter cards during reveal to aid in calculations.) If you are zapped, you do not lose your sacrificed ships.
History: While they are average in almost every aspect, the Droves have one thing going for them: a massive population. While they have no battle strategy, few resources, and little intelligence, their overwhelming numbers have won them many a fight.
Main Player Or Ally Only Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning [Reveal] Resolution
Wild: You may send one of your ships not in the encounter to the warp to cancel a Reinforcement. [Main Player Or Ally Only] [Reveal]
Super: Half of the ships you use as Reinforcements are not lost to the warp (rounding down). [Main Player Or Ally Only] [Reveal]
This is an Advanced and Combat power.
Comments: Similar to previous incarnations of Kamikaze; kill some ships to raise your score. In this case, however, they act just like Reinforcements, so you can play then on either side if necessary.
NI Terrorizes Locals
You have the power to Ni . Whenever another player’s colour is drawn from the Destiny Deck, or a player is targeted by a Wild or Special Destiny, you may use this power to force the selected player to lose a number of ships (their owner’s choice) or cards (at random) equal to the number of ships you have in that player’s system. For example, if you have four ships in Red’s system, and a Red destiny card is drawn, Red must lose 4 ships, 4 cards, or a combination of both. If you have no ships in the targeted player’s system, they lose nothing.
History: Thou must be careful when thou explorest the cosmos, for the Ni hast within them a most potent power. In the most simplest of syllabic strokes, thy supplies shall dwindle to pitiful amounts. Verily, thou must beware!
As Any Player Optional
Start Turn Regroup [Destiny] Launch Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: Once you point the cone at a system where you already have a colony, you may take a random card from the system owner’s hand. [Offense Only] [Launch]
Super: You may use your power on any one player, not just the one whose destiny was drawn. [As Any Player] [Destiny]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: Ni gets to soften up the defense a bit, although he can choose not to if the offense is about to win. Also, Monty Python for the win.
BULL Takes Over Others’ Encounters
You have the power to butt in . When a destiny card is drawn, take the card and place it on your alien sheet.
When any player other than you flips a destiny card that matches your held destiny card, use this power to become the offensive player for the encounter. (All Special Destinies match each other.) The encounter proceeds as normal, except you are the offense as opposed to the player whose turn it is. The outcome of the encounter is still used to determine whether the player whose turn it is gets a second encounter. You do not take a ship from the warp when you butt in; if you have no ships with which to attack, you cannot use your power. If you have no encounter cards in your hand, draw a new hand. Once the encounter is over, discard your held destiny card. The turn order resumes where it left off. You then restart the process.
History: The Bulls have never been able to leave well enough alone, and have always (whether provoked or not) charged straight into a situation. Unable to resist the allure of combat, they must attack once the flag flutters - whether they like it or not.
Not Offense Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup [Destiny] Launch Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: You may choose to use the destiny card on the top of the discard pile, instead of drawing a new one. [Offense Only] [Destiny]
Super: Once you butt in, you may attack any player of your choice. [Offense Only] [Launch]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: You know the myth about how bulls charge red flags? Same deal here: whether he wants to or not, Bull takes over the encounter when a certain colour comes up.
NUDGE Makes Other Players’ Decisions
Game Setup: Place a number of tokens on this sheet equal to the number of players in the game.
You have the power to suggest . At any time, you may use this power to make another player’s decision for them. You must discard a token from your sheet to make a single decision; if you have no tokens, this power cannot be used. You can make decisions about (but not limited to): how many ships to launch, who to invite as an ally, who to ally with, what to take for defensive rewards, and use of a power. If there are multiple “parts” to a decision (such as allying with a side and then how many ships to send), they all count as a single decision. You cannot make a decision involving playing a card from one’s hand.
In addition, if you win an encounter as the defense, you may add one more token to your sheet.
History: Proficient psychics, the Nudges have always enjoyed working other “blind” races into a commotion. While they cannot expend their powers infinitely, they hope that they have just enough gas in the tank to force all others into ceding their territory.
As Any Player Optional
[start Turn] [Regroup] [Destiny] [Launch] [Alliance] [Planning] [Reveal] [Resolution]
Wild: Show this flare to a player about to use an artifact. He may change his mind and return the artifact to his hand; if he does not, he loses two ships to the warp. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
Super: Each use of your power allows you to make all decisions for a player for the rest of the encounter. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: While making other people’s decisions is very fun, it can also be unbalancing, so he can only do it so many times. Winning as the defense, therefore, becomes very important.
VOLTAGE Steals Value Of Opposing Ships
You have the power to drain . As a main player, after encounter cards are revealed, use this power for your opponent’s ships to count towards your total instead of his or her total. In other words, you count your opponent’s ships in your total as if they were yours, while your opponent calculates his or her total as if he or she has no ships in the encounter. Ships allied with your opponent are not affected.
History: A race with electricity running through their veins, the Voltages have always had the upper hand when it comes to technology. They can easily control even the most complicated electrical gadgets, making it difficult for others to get a handle in battle.
Main Player Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning [Reveal] Resolution
Wild: As a main player, after alliances are formed, you may force your opponents to return ships to colonies until there are an equal number of ships on both sides of the encounter. [Main Player Only] [Alliance]
Super: If you win an encounter, you may take one ship from the warp for each opposing ship you sent to the warp. [Main Player Only] [Resolution]
This is an Advanced and Combat power.
Comments: He uses your ships as if they’re his, and your ships become 0 to you. Works wonders against Macron and Virus (although they don’t invoke their effect as Voltage-stolen ships - Macron ships are worth 1 as Voltage ships).
ANTENNA Directs Other Players’ Ships
You have the power to scramble . Whenever another player launches ships, you may use this power to choose which colonies the ships come from. The ships’ owner decides how many ships to launch as usual. You may not vacate a colony unless there is no other choice.
Whenever another player returns ships to colonies, you may use this power to choose where the ships go.
History: Masters of interception, the Antennas have long ago perfected the art of editing a transmission en route to its target. Indeed, it brings them great joy to watch their enemies rush around in confusion, heeding orders never given.
As Any Player Optional
[start Turn] [Regroup] [Destiny] [Launch] [Alliance] [Planning] [Reveal] [Resolution]
Wild: As any player, before the offense retrieves a ship from the warp, you may force all players to mix their hands together. You then look through the pile and select an amount of cards equal to the number of cards you started with, minus this flare. All other players then retrieve cards at random, keeping their previous hand sizes. After using this flare, give it to Antenna. If Antenna is not playing, discard this flare to use it. [As Any Player] [Regroup]
Super: You may use your power to choose which of another player’s ships get sent to the warp. This flare supersedes powers. A conflict with another flare is resolved by discussion. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: Antenna loves to mess stuff up. He’ll make Virus take ships all off the same planet, while forcing Macron to put his regrouped ships on foreign colonies. Don’t expect to buff your defense with a Tubes when this guy’s in the game.
BULLSEYE Closest To Target Wins
You have the power of finesse . As a main player, before encounter cards are selected, you may use this power. Draw a card from the deck. If it is not an attack card, place it on the bottom of the deck and draw again until an attack card is drawn. Reveal the attack card. If the attack card is less than 10, you may choose to add 10 to it. This is the target number. Whoever’s total is closest to the target number wins the encounter. If both totals are the same distance away from the target number, the defense wins (as if the encounter were a tie).
History: Marksmen of the highest degree, even the least skilled of Bullseyes can pierce the center of a target from fifty meters away. With such accuracy, they are deadly sure they will strike the center of the cosmos.
Main Player Only Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance [Planning] Reveal Resolution
Wild: As a main player, if your attack card is two or less away from your opponent’s attack card, you win the encounter. [Main Player Only] [Reveal]
Super: Instead of drawing an attack card from the deck, you may state any target number you wish. [Main Player Only] [Planning]
This is an Advanced and Combat power.
Do Not Use With Anti-Matter
Comments: So, if Bullseye draws a 06, and decides to add 10, whoever’s total is closer to 16 is the winner. Really messes up powerhouses like Virus. (I didn’t want to put the Anti-Matter stipulation, but there’s a pretty definite rules conflict between them. Even using the timing rules, does the offense’s going first set the win condition, or does the defense’s going second overwrite the offense’s win condition?)
RAINBOW Wins With Others
You have the power of unity . If you are the defense or a defensive ally, the offense wins an encounter, and one or more players are about to win the game as a result, you may use this power. The offense must now decide whether to allow you to win the game along with the other offensive players. If the offense says “yes”, then the offensive players establish their colonies as normal, and you win the game along with them. If the offense says “no”, then all offensive ships return to other colonies, despite winning the encounter.
This power has no effect on alternate winning conditions.
History: Soaring through space as nothing more than cloronic energy, the benevolent Rainbows have long been a source of goodwill. While they certainly don’t abolish the chance the rule the cosmos, they wholeheartedly embrace the possibility of all races living together.
Main Player Or Ally Only Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal [Resolution]
Wild: As the defense, before cards are chosen, you may allow all offensive ships to land on your planet. You lose no ships and the encounter ends as a win for the offense. [Defense Only] [Planning]
Super: You may use your power as any player. [As Any Player] [Resolution]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: This definitely falls into the “wonky” category. Essentially, Rainbow cannot lose unless it is zapped or it loses power (or the defense doesn’t invite him). Save up those Zaps.
GLINT Peeks At Next Destiny Card
You have the power to peek . Before allies are invited, you may use this power to look at the next destiny card in the deck. If there is only one card left in the deck, it is reshuffled as usual. You may not reveal the destiny card you see with other players.
History: The Glints have long studied quintonic wave patterns ever since a metaphysical shockwave destroyed a planet in their system. By reading these superspacial signals, they can divine certain future events of high importance. With this advanced level of preparation, the Glints always know what to expect and how to react.
As Any Player Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch [Alliance] Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: Before a destiny card is drawn (and after any destiny-deck affecting powers have been used), you may guess what the card will be. If you are correct, take a ship from the warp or a card form the deck. [As Any Player] [Destiny]
Super: You may use your power to look at the entire destiny deck. You may not change the order of the cards. [As Any Player] [Alliance]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: Glint can plan ahead based on the match-up he knows will happen in the next encounter. For example, if he can see he’ll be defending against Anti-Matter, he’ll send a few extra ships as an ally to get them off home planets.
EMISSARY Switches Powers Every Turn
Game Setup: Place a number of tokens on this sheet equal to the number of players in the game.
You have the power of many . At the start of the game and the start of each player’s turn, use this power to take a random unused power. This power is used as normal for the rest of the turn. At the start of the next turn, discard the power before drawing a new one. If a player attempts to copy this power, they instead copy its current incarnation.
If you do not wish to change your power, you may instead use this power to discard a token in order keep your current power. If this aspect of your power is zapped, you must take a new power.
At the start of your turn, you may take one extra token.
History: The Emissaries are not a single race; but a band of beings from various universes, dimensions, and timelines. As they stand as one, some of them heroes, others mortal enemies, they recognize the power of teamwork to achieve the greater good.
As Any Player Mandatory
[start Turn] Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: As a main player, your allies may use their powers as if they were main players. Using these powers is not mandatory (for example, Anti-Matter may choose to not use his power as an ally). [Main Player Only] [Any Phase]
Super: You do not have to discard a token to keep your current power. [As Any Player] [start Turn]
This is an Advanced and Meta power.
Comments: He’s like Reincarnator, but with a different power-change criterion. Once he gets a power he likes he can keep it for a few turns before giving it up.
GLOOP Merges And Separates Planets
You have the power of coalescence . Once you have been designated the defense, before the offense points the cone, you may use this power to change the number of home planets you have. You may merge planets together by stacking them, combining all colonies on them into one. Or, you may separate a merged planet, dividing all ships on the resulting planets equally. You may merge multiple planets at once, or divide multiple planets at once, but you cannot do both at the same time.
When a merged planet is being attacked by another player, use this power to add 10 to your total for each extra planet in the stack. For example, a three-planet merge results in a +20 boost.
A colony on a merged planet counts as one colony on each planet in the stack.
History: The homeworld of the Gloops is composed mostly of water. By steaming parts of their planet into nearby orbit, the Gloops can create another planet at will, or combine all parts of their world together. With such defensive prowess, they are a formidable foe when faced all at once.
Defense Only Optional/Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny [Launch] Alliance Planning [Reveal] Resolution
Wild: As the defense, you may add 3 to your total for each home colony you have other than the one being attacked. [Defense Only] [Reveal]
Super: When you divide a planet, you may choose where the ships go instead of dividing them evenly. [Defense Only] [Launch]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: He can glom all his planets together for a +40 boost (not counting the ships), but if he loses then the offense gets 5 colonies and wins instanly. You also have to commit extra ships when attacking a merged planet, since if you only have one ships on a triple planet, you'll be dropped fom 3 to 1 colonies if he splits it up (since dividing 1 ship evenly produces 1-0-0).
HEADQUARTERS Has Central Planet
Game Setup: Mark or place your planets such that one of them is distinctive. This is your hub planet.
You have the power of centralization . As a main player, if your hub planet is not being attacked, use this power to add all your ships on your hub planet to your total.
As a main player, if your hub planet is being attacked, use this power to add all your ships in your home system to your total.
You lose your power only when you have no colony on your home planet. If playing a multi-power game, this applies to all your other powers as well.
History: The Headquarters have always known that it is best to have a solid defense. Following this methodology, they have created a planetary defense network that makes it very difficult for intruders to reach any critical areas. With many layers of protection, the HQs now only have to worry about beating the more vulnerable races out of their sights.
Main Player Only Mandatory
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning [Reveal] Resolution
Wild: If you are about to lose your power due to controlling too few home planets, discard this flare to retain it. You may now keep your power until you lose one more home colony than would normally be required. If you regain a home colony, or you lose and regain your power, the effect of this flare is nullified. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
Super: At the start of a player’s turn, you may change which planet is your hub. [As Any Player] [start Turn]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: This guy’s highly defensive. It’s easy for him to get his home planets back, and his central planet - the only way to rid him of his power - is a tough nut to crack.
POLARIZE Reverses Offense And Defense
You have the power to invert . As a main player or ally, before encounter cards are revealed, you may use this power to send two of your ships to the warp. (These ships must be in the encounter if possible.) In return, the offensive player becomes the defensive player and vice versa. The cone is re-pointed at any planet from which the original offense sent ships from (any home planet, if the only ship sent was sent from the warp). The original offensive player’s ships land on the planet. The original defense chooses how many ships from the originally targeted planet to send into the cone (one to four as usual). Allies remain allied with the same main player; so offensive allies become defensive and vice versa. The encounter is concluded as normal. If the defense (the original offense) wins, they are eligible for a second encounter as normal.
History: With an electromagnetic field that reverses itself multiple times a year, the Polarizes have learned how to control the electromagnetic force. While their skills don’t work too well in a battle situation, they can wreak havoc on a sensitive hyperspace gate, causing traversing ships to end up going the wrong way. This confusion will certainly be enough for the Polarizes to step up behind everyone and lead the universe.
Main Player Or Ally Only Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance [Planning] Reveal Resolution
Wild: You may take offensive rewards as a defensive ally, or defensive rewards as an offensive ally. You may not use this flare to win the game. [Ally Only] [Resolution]
Super: You may sacrifice ships not involved in the encounter to use your power. [Main Player Or Ally Only] [Planning]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: He’s very powerful, but he won’t be used too often, since he needs at least three ships in the encounter to both use his power and get anything out of it. Clunky in that a lot of gruntwork has to be done.
KLINGON Used Artifacts Increase Total
You have the power of honour . Whenever another player uses an artifact, use this power to add a token to this sheet. If you are the chosen target of the artifact, you gain two extra tokens (for a total of three gained at once).
When you are a main player, use this power to add all tokens on this sheet to your total.
History: For centuries, the Klingon Empire has been a race of honour-bound warriors, adept at fighting and remorseless in combat. Every breach of honour, including spying and sabotage, will only propel their anger to new heights.
As Any Player Mandatory
[start Turn] [Regroup] [Destiny] [Launch] [Alliance] [Planning] [Reveal] [Resolution]
Wild: If another player uses an artifact against you, you may send two of their ships (of their choice) to the warp. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
Super: You may use your power for every flare played as well as artifacts. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is a Beginner and Combat power.
Comments: He’s like a different flavour of Vulch - you have to think a little harder than usual if you plan to use an artifact, especially if he’s your target.
MOMENTUM Always Has Second Encounter
You have the power of inertia . If you have an unsuccessful first encounter, or you are otherwise ineligible for a second encounter, you may use this power to have a second encounter regardless. If you have no encounter cards in your hand, draw eight cards from the deck. If you have decided to draw a new Tech after your first encounter, you may draw a Tech and proceed with your second encounter.
In addition, when this power is used, add 10 to your total in the second encounter.
History: The last race in the cosmos to invent inertial dampeners, the massive Momentums are both an immovable object and an unstoppable force. While it may take a while to get moving, once they’re up to speed, they won’t - and can’t - quit until they’re done.
Offense Only Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal [Resolution]
Wild: You may have a second encounter if you are out of encounter cards. When it comes time to play an encounter card, draw a card from the deck and play it. (You may look at it before you place it facedown.) If it is not an encounter card, it is treated as an Attack 00. [Offense Only] [Resolution]
Super: You may use your power to have a third encounter. You add 20 to your total in your third encounter instead of 10. [Offense Only] [Resolution]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: He’s like Machine, but a bit more digestible. Stop him from winning his first encounter and he becomes tougher to beat in the second - chances are he’ll win at least one of them.
TRIGONOMETRY Becomes Third Main Player
You have the power to triangulate . If you are not a main player or ally, before encounter cards have been selected, you may use this power to enter the encounter as a third main player. Send one to four ships to a location beside the hyperspace gate and play an encounter card as usual. All three encounter cards are revealed at the same time. If you do not win the encounter (that is, you place second or third), your ships go to the warp and the two other main players are resolved as normal. If you win the encounter and the offense beat the defense, you establish a colony on the attacked planet instead of the offense (which goes to the warp). If you win and the defense beat the offense, the offense and defense go to the warp and you collect defensive rewards. If there is a tie between players, the defense wins it. If there is a tie between you and the offense, you win it. If any one player plays a negotiate card, he collects compensation twice (once from each opponent). If two players play negotiate cards and the third does not, the two losers each collect compensation from the winner. (The two losers are considered to be tied.) If all three players play negotiate cards, they have two minutes to reach a deal.
History: Obsessed to a ridiculous degree with the number three, the Trigonometries have done things in triples with religious devotion and mathematical precision. When they launched their first trio of explorers away from their trinary system, they were appalled to discover that cosmic affairs were conducted in pairs. Greatly offended, they now seek to order the universe to move to what they call a more agreeable system.
Not Main Player Or Ally Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance [Planning] Reveal Resolution
Wild: During your regroup phases, you may retrieve one, two, or three ships as necessary to bring your total ship count outside the warp to a multiple of three. [Offense Only] [Regroup]
Super: You may use your power after encounter cards have been revealed, immediately revealing your encounter card once you send your ships. [Not Main Player Or Ally] [Reveal]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments:
There are a few powers that can fire up a three-way deal, but this guy takes it a step further. Basically, he becomes a main player that fits between the offense and defense. Anything that affects "both" main players would affect him as well (such as Oracle, Mirror, and Calculator - which would cause the lower card to reduce both higher ones). And why the name Trigonometry? Well, just like Trig, everyone will hate him.
EJECT Ships Split Into Two
Game Setup: Take a second set of ships and use them to create twenty (or sixteen, in the four-planet variant) joined ships. Each ship is composed of a top ship (your system colour) and a bottom ship (the unused colour). These ships are placed on your home planets as usual.
You have the power to split up . Whenever a joined ship is about to be sent to the warp, removed from the game, or captured by a player, use this power to lose only the bottom of the joined ship. The top does not move and continues to act as one ship.
During any player’s regroup, once a ship is retrieved from the warp, you may use this power to join any or all of your half-ships. The joined ship must end up on either planet the half-ships were on.
In an encounter, both joined ships and half-ships count as one. However, before encounter cards are revealed, you may use this power to split up any or all of your joined ships. If your side wins the encounter, they rejoin during resolution.
History: A mammal-avian symbiote, the Ejects use their furry half to guard their possessions while their feathered half gathers food and information. This two-for-one philosophy has carried over into ship designs that can work as effectively when halved as when they are connected. With the skills to work both independently and together, they are sure that the paw and claw will rule the cosmos.
As Any Player Mandatory/Optional
[start Turn] [Regroup] [Destiny] [Launch] [Alliance] [Planning] [Reveal] [Resolution]
Wild: When you launch ships in an encounter, you may send twice the amount you are usually allowed. [Main Player Or Ally Only] [Launch/Alliance]
Super: You may choose which half-ship to lose instead of always losing the bottom half. If a joinable pair is formed in the warp or another player’s possession after using this flare, they immediately rejoin. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: He’s/They’re a bit hard to explain, but it makes more sense once you play with him/them. Basically, his/their ships have an extra life, or you can double their value in battle (at the expense of said extra life).
SCOTT Researching Ships Are Worth Two
You have the power of overestimation . When you are about to complete a Tech, use this power for each of your researching ships to be worth two ships. For example, you only need 3 ships to complete and use a Tech with a research cost of 6. If this power is zapped, you must still complete the Tech.
History: Proficient engineers, the Scotts seem to get things done in a fraction of the time it would take others. While sceptics insist that they merely overestimate their completion times, most simply agree that they are miracle workers.
As Any Player Mandatory
[start Turn] [Regroup] [Destiny] [Launch] [Alliance] [Planning] [Reveal] [Resolution]
Wild: You may place two ships on a Tech at once. [As Any Player] [Regroup]
Super: Your researching ships are worth three. [As Any Player] [Any Phase]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: Yeah, it’s based on everyone’s favourite engineer of the 23rd century. He can get Techs done in half the time, and he can really let fly on Techs that get better the more ships they stockpile.
WOOKIE Stops Impending Win
You have the power of bad sportsmanship . If one or more players are about to win the game, and you are not, you may use this power to try to stop the win. First, the defensive ships go to the warp as normal, but the offensive ships (the ones that about to establish their owners’ final foreign colonies) remain in the hyperspace gate. Launch any number of ships and place them around the attacked planet. You are considered the defense for this “mini-encounter”. You may invite allies, but the offense cannot, and players already allied with the offense must remain where they are. Encounter cards are played and revealed as normal. If you lose, the offensive players establish colonies and win the game as normal. If you win, the offensive players’ ships go to the warp, and your allies collect defensive rewards.
This power has no effect on alternate winning conditions.
History: While appearing to be a race of tall and furry computer masters, the Wookies are far more well-known for their short tempers and destructive abilities. More than a few woeful adversaries have made it a point that, to avoid loss of limb, “let the Wookies win”.
As Any Player Optional
Start Turn Regroup Destiny Launch Alliance Planning Reveal [Resolution]
Wild: When you lose an encounter as a main player, you may force your opponents to lose ships not involved in the encounter. The number of ships lost for each player is equal to how many ships they used in the encounter. [Main Player Only] [Resolution]
Super: If you use your power and win the ensuing mini-encounter, you may establish a colony on the targeted planet. [As Any Player] [Resolution]
Retro Wild: Play this flare once you lose the game. This flare is placed face up on top of the destiny deck when the game is disassembled as a reminder it has been played. In the next game played, once all players have chosen and revealed their alien powers, you may take an extra power of your choice. [As Any Player] [Resolution]
This is an Advanced and Rules power.
Comments: If you want to win the game without this guy, you better be ready to fight him for it. He can really extend the game when he’s not about to win.
Retro Wild Comments: When I was thinking of a flare for this one, I came up with this strange idea. I really liked it, but I thought it would be too weird for the average player. But then I thought about how Classic Wild Filch is kind of in the same boat - a bit too weird for the average player, but perfectly normal for veterans. So I decided to give Wookie a “Classic” treatment; giving him two Wilds. However, it’s pretty obvious that calling it a “Classic” would be a misnomer. So I went with “Retro”, since it fits the zaniness of Classic Wild Filch. Note that the Retro Wild shouldn’t be used for one-off games for obvious reasons; it’s more suited to series of games, regular games (such as once a week), or tournaments.
U-TURN Causes Self-Attack
You have the power to flummox . Whenever another player draws their own colour from the destiny deck, you may use this power to force that player to attack himself/herself. The flummoxed player points the hyperspace gate at one of his/her own planets and launches ships as normal. He/she may ask for allies, but may not specify which side he/she is inviting them to - allies may side on offense or defense, their choice. When it comes time to play encounter cards, the flummoxed player chooses one card and plays it to either side. You then look through his/her hand and select the encounter card for the other side. The encounter is concluded as normal. If both revealed cards are negotiates, the flummoxed player returns his/her offensive ships to colonies.
History: While there are certainly strange happenings in the cosmos, few can compare to the seemingly-random incidents where the hyperspace cone turns on its users, causing mass panic as civil war breaks out. Although most races attribute this to wandering knotted graviton strings, there are some who are starting to believe there’s an alien intelligence behind it all…
As Any Player Optional
Start Turn Regroup [Destiny] Launch Alliance Planning Reveal Resolution
Wild: Whenever a player draws their own colour from the destiny deck, you may take a card from the deck.
Super: Before cards are selected in a self-attack encounter, you may replace the flummoxed player’s offensive ships with your own from any of your colonies. The flummoxed player’s ships return to colonies.
This is an Expert and Rules power.
Comments: Inspired by the infamous self-attack bug on CE Online a while ago. U-Turn forces players to use up two cards at the same time, and they can only pick one of them. Flummoxed players probably won’t ever invite people because the allies have flexibility. The downside is that, while flummoxed players are guaranteed to lose ships, they’re also guaranteed to not lose a home colony (and may even gain one, if they attack a planet where they don’t have one).