SERLING Set-Up, Phase 2
Players Choose Defensive Player
You have the power of the twilight zone. At game set-up, the destiny
pile consists of four colors of each player, the two wilds, one comet
for each player plus one, and one special destiny for each player plus
one. Shuffle the destiny cards and deal 6 to each player. You get the
extra four. These destiny cards are not part of anyone's regular hand
in any way. Now, when the offensive player would normally flip the
destiny pile, he instead plays one of his destiny cards, with a comet
is optional, to determine whom he will attack. A player may play a
destiny card of his own color only if he would be making a challenge
in his own system. Destiny based powers proceed as if that destiny
color was normally flipped. If for some reason the offensive player
does not have a destiny card that allows him to make a challenge he
does not get one, though he may still take a token out of the warp and
collect Lucre if applicable. His turn then ends. When you do not
have a destiny card that allows you to make a challenge or you are the
only player who has such a destiny card after finishing your turn,
choose new special destiny/comet cards, shuffle all destiny cards, and
redeal six destiny cards to each player, again keeping the extra
four. You may cancel any destiny card played by another player by
playing one of your own. That player would then have to proceed as if
the destiny card you played is the one the player had played. You may
also play a comet on someone else's challenge or even to override a
comet another player has played. A Cosmic Zap can stop you from
canceling another player's destiny card, your play of a comet on
another player's turn, or reshuffling the destiny cards when you're
out of them on your turn provided at least one other player has
playable destiny cards. The destiny pile only returns to normal when
this power is permanently removed from play or you don't have it for
lack of home bases. However, when you get your home bases back,
reshuffle and deal the destiny cards as before.
HISTORY: There's a fifth dimension between an Alien's mind and his
imagination. You never know just when you cross over, but when you
do, expect the unexpected.
Do Not Use With Dictator, Fate, Hex, Pod, Or Reverse System Hexes
FLARE
Phase 2
Wild: You may take a Special Destiny Card from the unused destiny
cards to replace the destiny card drawn.
Phase 2
Super: When the destiny cards are reshuffled and dealt, you decide who
gets what cards.
PULSAR
Phase 2
Con: As offensive player, if you have no legal challenge to make,
Serling reshuffles all the destiny cards as per his power. You then
take your challenge.
Phase 2
Pro: When you deal out the destiny cards, only give 4 to each player
and keep the rest.
Eon/Avalon:
No Changes
Experience Rating: Expert
Cosmic Monopoly
Long version only. This power replaces cosmic effect. When another
player challenges your property, select any one of his properties. If
you win the challenge, you also gain ownership of that selected
property. His tokens there return to other of his properties or
cosmic pool, and you place one to four of your tokens onto that
property. If the player had custody of the title deed card, you get
it.
Commentary: This is a rules power created by me. After I created the
Hex power, I wanted to make each reverse system hex a power. I was
only successful with Worldships which evolved into Serling. I used
algebra to determine the number of destiny cards. No matter how many
players are in the game, you will always be able to deal 6 cards to
each player, and there will always be 4 cards left over which the
Serling player keeps.
Where as Clown had destiny determine the offensive player, Serling
allows players to choose the defensive player on their turn. Clown
and Serling can be in the same game. In such a case, when a player
plays a destiny card on his turn, except for Clown, he determines the
offensive player who attacks him. Serling/Clown, though not a super
combo, is a fun combo to have (speaking from experience :-).
Anyway, I don't find Serling to be complicated. The only real change
in the destiny pile is that all players choose their own defensive
player. Everything else about the destiny pile is normal. The
strength of Serling is the Worldships aspect of it for the player. If
a player is stuck with comets and/or his own destiny color, that's
gravy. I originally intended the destiny cards to be an actual part
of a player's regular hand, but a playtester didn't like that.
However, I finally made it separate because if it was part of your
regular hand, the extra four cards could be taken away from Serling by
consolation, for example, negating some of Serling's advantage.
Players are permitted to trade destiny cards in deals, including
Serling.
Gerald Katz
Don't forget to tip the Butler!
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