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From: Marcus Porter <NVMKP01@NT.COM>
All this talk about the stratagic challenge of playing with just one power
has inspired me to dust off my interpretation of bad powers. If you think
it's a challenge to play with only one power, try playing with one that
sucks! I once saw reference on this group to BAD powers. I believe they
may have been suggested in an issue of encounter but I never saw the
article or any of the rules other people have made up. Likeing the idea
and being ignorent of the existing bad powers I made up my own!
Here are BAD powers as I invisioned them. What follows (in sections) are:
1) rules
2) The powers themselve in CE-Convert format
3) Modification to CE-Font to change B into a Frowny Face
4) 5 BAD Power Edicts in poscript format.
If anyone goes to the effort of trying these (or any of the other varients
Jack Reda and I have posted recently) we would appreciate any feedback
you may care to offer.
I also wouldn't mind seeing a description of bad powers as originally
proposed.
******************************BAD Powers Rules *****************************
Copyright (C) 1994 by Marcus Porter. Distributed as Freeware. Permission is
given to copy, modify, and distribute this material freely provided this
notice is retained.
These are powers that no one in their right mind would want to
play. They are distinguished from normal powers by a sad faced Icon
and the restriction: =84This is a BAD power=BE. The simplest way to
use them is just to assign each player a bad power to play in addition
to (or in a very sadistic game instead of) their normal complement of
powers. Like any other power each bad power has a Flare. Unlike other
powers, the wild and super are handled differently. Wild flares are
played once and thrown away (like Mayfair flares.) The Super flares
for the bad powers are designed to be kept. Each one (usually)
cancels out the effect of the bad power it is associated with and once
it is played, it remains face up in front of the player (like an EON
flare). It is subject to consolation (it is mixed in with the
player's hand before consolation is drawn) and other effects on a
player=BCs cards. The super remain in effect until it is lost. If a
player is cosmic zapped they have the option of using the wild (thus
losing it) or keeping the flare in their hand. There are a few Bad
Power effects (the Jinx power, a couple edicts, hazards etc...) which
can force a player to use a Bad Power. These may be used in a game
that doesn=BCt start with all player=BCs playing a Bad Power. All
players should agree before the game starts whether or not bad powers
may be brought into the game. Bad Powers (and their flares) should be
kept separate so they can=BCt be randomly drawn instead of a real
power (i.e. you can=BCt reincarnate and find that your Virus has been
replaced by a bad power). Bad Power powers (like the Jinx) may be
mixed with the regular powers.
*********************************BAD Powers themselves ************************
; These powers are in CE-Convert format. Use Ken Cox's program to convert them
; to power cards and Flares. The CE-Font.ps modifications that follow should be
; used to get the proper restriction symbol (a frowning face) when printing this.
; The B restriction obviously stands for BAD powers.
#MKP Marcus Porter's Set
JINX [M:MKP:B] Forces opponents to play bad powers.
You have the power to jinx. Whenever you are a main player in a
challenge, your opponent must choose a random power from the BAD
power list and play it for the duration of the challenge. This is in
addition to any bad powers he or she currently is playing.
History: No history available.
Restriction: Use only in a game that allows BAD powers. This is not a
bad power.
Wild: You may zap any or all bad powers in the game for this
challenge.
Super: Your opponent must keep the bad power you have given
them.
MICRON [M:MKP:B] Tokens are at 1/4 strength.
You have the power to be small. All your tokens count as one fourth
of a token (rounding down). You may still only bring 4 tokens into
the cone.
History: The little know micron are the inhabitants of a small planet
far out in the Macron system. Determined to outshine their more
famous neighbors, they have recently acquired space flight and are out
to take the cosmos.
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: The total of everyone\251s tokens in a challenge are divided by 4
(allies as well as main players).
Super: Your tokens count as normal.
MAYFLY [M:MKP:B] Ages rapidly.
You have the power to age. Every time you win a challenge you gain
one point. Every time you lose a challenge you gain two points. For
every 5 points you have, (rounding down) you subtract 1 from your
total in a challenge.
History: Living a fraction of the lifetime of their neighbors, the
mayfly have recently made an attempt to subjugate the other races
of the cosmos in an attempt to "Learn their secret"!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Allies have 15 seconds to choose sides.
Super: You may subtract 10 points from your total. Negative points can
ADD to your total in a challenge
MAGOO [M:MKP:B] Can\251t see.
You have the power of blindness. In a challenge your challenge card
is selected randomly by your opponent.
History: From the same planet as the Laser, the Magoo have adapted
to constantly being blinded by their neighbors by never opening
their eyes.
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Both players in a challenge have their challenge cards selected
randomly by their opponent.
Super: You may choose your challenge card.
GULLIBILITY [M:MKP:B] Gives plan away.
You have the power of innocence. Your opponent selects his
challenge card only after you have revealed yours.
History: The gullibility do not believe in hiding anything and still
have not caught onto the fact that other races do. The current debate
in the halls of the Gullible Grand-Fallozal center about whether the
consistent string of loses and pyric victories stem from amazing bad
luck, or a bad batch of Krunfle sauce biscuits distributed to the troops.
This debate is further complicated by the furor caused the
revelation by a foreign diplomat that in an effort to deny their very
existence, dictionary manufacturers across the cosmos have removed
their very name from the dictionary.
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Allies need not commit until after cards are revealed. Use the
timing rules to determine who must commit first.
Super: After your opponent has played his card, but before she has
revealed it you may change your card.
KARMA [M:MKP:B] Pays for actions.
You have the power of Karma. Whenever you send an opponents
tokens to the warp, you must set aside a like number of tokens. Two
thirds of these tokens go to the warp and the others must return to a
home base to meditate on their misdeeds.
History: A race of cosmic cowboys, the KARMA are so afraid of the
universe\251s reaction to their actions that they punish themselves
before fate can do it for them.
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: When someone loses tokens to the warp, all players must lose
an equal number.
Super: No tokens from the set aside token go to the warp, and you
may place them on any one base you wish, including an unoccupied
home base.
BROADCAST [M:MKP:B] Tips hand.
You have the power to show. You must keep your hand face up on
the table at all times, picking it up only when involved as a main
player after allies have committed.
History: A race send only telepaths, the broadcast were under the
mistaken impression that they were reading each others minds and
set about to conquer the galaxy. They are still trying to come to
grips with the apparent fact that the cosmos is entirely made up of
beings that can read their minds and have powerful mind shields
that resist the efforts of their most gifted listeners!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Both main players must reveal their hands before soliciting
allies.
Super: You need not reveal your hand.
SLUG [M:MKP:B] Never moves.
You have the power of lethargy. You may never move your own
tokens except onto the cone or into the warp. Whenever you must
place tokens on bases (returning from a challenge as an ally,
retrieving tokens from the warp, etc...) another player may place
them for you wherever they like (as long as it is a legal spot for you).
This other player will be either (in order of preference):\r\r\b The
other main player.\r\b The offensive main player.\r\b (in the
Interphase) The player whose turn it is next (other than the slug)
History: Long ago the slug decided that laying on the ground and not
moving were their best defense. They have been doing it so long
that they are incapable of moving unless strongly motivated by the
thought of more land to lay over.
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Everyone must place their tokens on ONE base only when
returning them to bases or retrieving them from the warp.
Super: You may place your own tokens.
OOKOOC [M:MKP:B] Stays in the warp
You have the power of confusion. Whenever you retrieve tokens
from the warp, you must do so randomly. Any tokens belonging to
other players drawn are returned to them. You do NOT get to draw
again.
History: Originally servants genetically engineered from a species of
bird that lays it\251s eggs in other birds nests after pushing out the
original eggs, the OOKOOC are the result of a terrible mistake. A
backwards instruction in their genetic code causes them to replace
their eggs with the eggs of their neighbors.
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Every player, when they retrieve tokens from the warp, must
do so randomly and return any tokens belonging to other players to
their owners.
Super: You may take your tokens out normally.
VAGRANT [M:MKP:B] Only commits one token
You have the power wander. You may only commit one token in any
challenge you are involved in.
History: Loners at heart the vagrants wander the cosmos in groups of
one because not only can they not stand the sight of other races, they
can\251t even stand each other.
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: No player may enter the cone with more than two tokens.
Super: You may enter the cone with more than one token (no more
than 4)
ZEALOT [M:MKP:B] Always commits four tokens
You have the power of zeal. Whenever you enter the cone, you must
commit with 4 tokens.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: This challenge, everyone must enter with 4 tokens. If a player
is invited to ally they must accept at least one invitation.
Super: You may enter the cone with less than four tokens.
CHARITY [M:MKP:B] Gives consolation cards to other players
You have the power to give. Whenever you are entitled to
consolation, your opponent draws from you instead.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You may change the sign on a kicker you play with a
compromise.
Super: You may draw consolation normally.
CHICKEN [M:MKP:B] Never allies with other players
You have the power to bwaak. You may never ally with any other
player (though they may still invite your and you are subject to any
consequences of refusing invitations.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You remove any tokens you have in a challenge after cards are
played but before they are revealed.
Super: You may join a challenge as an ally.
NERD [M:MKP:B] Never asks for allies
You have the power to be a dork. You may never invite allies.
Players who can ally without being invited may still do so.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You may prevent anyone from allying with your opponent in a
challenge.
Super: You may invite allies. (no one is obliged to join you however.)
DYSLEXIC [M:MKP:B] Opponents attack card is inverted
You have the power to reverse. The value of your opponent\251s attack
card is reversed (5 becomes 50, 40 becomes 4 and -1 becomes -10).
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: After challenge cards are played but before they are revealed,
you may switch challenge cards AND reverse their values. You do not
have to be involved in the challenge. i.e. If player A played a 5 and
player B played a 40 the new totals are A=3D4 and B=3D50
Super: You may also reverse your own card.
BRAGGART [M:MKP:B] Announces his highest attack card
You have the power to brag. At the start of the game, you must
show all players your highest valued attack card. Every time this
changes (you get a new card or lose your highest card) you must
announce the new highest. You must also answer (truthfully) anyone
who asks you what that card is.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You may show any or all of your cards to any or all other
players.
Super: You may lie about your highest card. You do not need to
reveal this card until you play a challenge card higher than the value
you claimed was your highest. If you lose this flare you must
immediately announce your highest card (truthfully).
ADDICT [M:MKP:B] Must ally if invited
You have the power to ally. If you are invited to join a challenge you
must accept.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Everyone must ally with one side or the other this challenge. If
you are a main player you must invite everyone. Otherwise, there is
a general call for allies on both sides.
Super: You may decline an invitation.
BULL [M:MKP:B] Never makes deals
You have the power to be pig headed. You may never make a deal. If
involved in a deal, it automatically fails.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: If you are in a deal that fails, you may immediately enter
negotiations for a new deal with the same player.
Super: You may deal.
DRUNKARD [M:MKP:B] Opponent may point the cone
You have the power to sway. When challenging a system your
opponent points the cone for you. If you are attacking a planet he or
she may point it at any planet in the system. If you are attacking a
moon, he or she may point it at any moon or ANY OTHER stellar body
in the system (Fleet ships, worm holes, macroscopes, etc...)
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: When making a challenge you need not decide where the cone
is pointing until cards are played. If you decide to attack a moon,
you opponent takes back his or her card(s) and your allies go home.
Super: You may point to cone yourself.
HYPOCHONDRIAC [M:MKP:B] Starts turn by placing token in the warp
You have the power to worry. At the start of each challenge, instead
of taking a token from the warp, you must put one in.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Each other player must either put two tokens in the warp or allow
you to withdraw one. Each player, starting from your left makes this decision
in turn. If you have no tokens in the warp, they must put in two.
Super: You may draw a token from the warp at the start of each challenge
instead of sending one to the warp.
LAMB [M:MKP:B] Opponent chooses which tokens go to the warp
You have the power to follow the herd. Whenever you lose tokens to the warp
your opponent in a challenge chooses where they come from. If not involved
in a challenge, the player who initiated the effect that causes the loss chooses.
If this is not clear, the player who's color last came up in the destiny pile (other
then the Lamb) chooses.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Force one player to withdraw all their tokens from a challenge.
Super: You may choose which tokens are lost.
MCMAHON [M:MKP:B] Gives a lucre to each destiny flip player
You have the power to give money away. Each time a destiny card it revealed,
you must give that player 2 Lucre if you have it.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power! Use only with Lucre.
Wild: Choose any player (including yourself) to receive 15 Lucre from the bank.
Super: You do not have to award any lucre to the player indicated by the destiny
card.
LOBBYIST [M:MKP:B] Must bribe allies (cards or lucre)
You have the power to pay for everything. Before anyone can ally with you, you
must pay them a bribe of cards or lucre.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You may show a potential ally any number of cards and offer them as a
condition for their joining.
Super: Other players may ally with you for free.
TEETOTALER [M:MKP:B] May not play edicts or flares
You have the power to be moderate. You may NEVER play edits or flares other
then cards which nullify this power.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: This card may be played like the sanity edict.
Super: You may use Flares and Edicts normally.
PEACENIK [M:MKP:B] Must play compromise if he has one
You have the power to not fight. When called upon to play a challenge
card you MUST play a compromise if you have one.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You opponents played challenge card is treated as if it were a
compromise.
Super: You may choose your challenge cards normally.
PRODIGAL [M:MKP:B] Cannot play a card unless he spends a lucre
You have the power to pay for everything. You cannot play a card unless
you first spend 1 lucre. If you MUST play a card (i.e. in a challenge) and
you have no lucre you may contract a debt with the bank but no optional
cards may be played until this debt is repaid.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You may buy any amount of cards or flares for half the normal price.
Super: You need not pay anything to play a card.
LOON [M:MKP:B] Never challenges moons
You have the power to avoid moons. You may NEVER challenge a moon.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Force any player to vacate a moon base. Tokens return to other bases.
Super: You may challenge moons normally.
HEMOPHILIAC [M:MKP:B] Loses double amount of tokens
You have the power to bleed. Whenever you lose tokens to the warp an equal
number of your tokens from elsewhere must also go to the warp.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: When another players puts her tokens in the warp force her to lose as
many tokens again. She may not lose more then 6 extra tokens in this manner.
Super: You need not loose any extra tokens.
OVERACHIEVER [M:MKP:B] Must get an extra bases to win
You have the power to overachieve. To win you must occupy an additional base
over and above the normal win conditions. For example, in a 'normal' game you
must occupy 6 external bases.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You need one less then usual to win.
Super: You may play with the same win conditions you would have without this
power.
QUIETUS [M:MKP:B] Tokens lost are permanently removed
You have the power to lose tokens forever. All tokens you lose are treated as if
you had lost them to the void.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: You may restore any or all tokens lost to the void or void like effects
in this game.
Super: Your tokens go to the warp normally.
FEWER [M:MKP:B] Plays game with only ten tokens
You have the power to be less. You start the game with 10 tokens instead
of 20. If you lose this power permanently, you may place the missing
10 tokens into the warp.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Up to 4 tokens of each color in the warp are VOIDed.
Super: You may place you missing 10 tokens in the warp. If you loose this
card you must remove 10 of your tokens from anywhere (including the
warp) on the board.
TRANSIT [M:MKP:B] Must vacate a base whenever he gains one
You have the power to move. Whenever you gain a base you must vacate
another one if you have move then 5.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Force another player to vacate a home base.
Super: You may have more bases then 5.
MOBIUS BOOBS [M:MKP:B] Frees other tokens when he goes to warp
You have the power to free others. Each time one of your tokens goes to
warp free any other players tokens in the warp.
History: This power sucks!
Restriction: This is a BAD power!
Wild: Free half (rounding up) of each players tokens from the warp.
Super: Your tokens do not free other tokens from the warp.
% ****************Modification to CE-Font.ps ************************
% The following line should be inserted after
% "dup (A) 0 get /asteroid put" in the encoding section at the
% beginning of Ken Cox's 'CE-Font.PS'
dup (B) 0 get /bad put
%
% The following lines should be inserted just befor
% "/twoplayer {" in the 'CharProcs' section of 'CE-Font.PS'
%
/bad {
iconcache
gsave -15 10 translate 2 setlinewidth 2 {
0 0 8 0 360 arc stroke
30 0 translate
} repeat grestore
0 -10 translate
0 0 4 0 360 arc fill
0 0 42 0 360 arc stroke
0 -35 translate
0 0 20 20 160 arc stroke
} def
% ****************** end of CE-Font.ps Modification *****************
% **********************Poscript to print Bad Edicts******************
% The following are 5 edicts to use with BAD powers. It should be appended to
% Ken Cox's 'CE-font.ps' and 'Cards.ps'
% Without the addition of Ken's EDICT ART files, this code will crash.
% If you don't have it or you just want to dispence with the goofy art I added to
% these (just BAD ZAP actually) delete the stuff between the two brackets befor
% the word Edict. i.e. make it say '{} Edict'
/IShow {moveto /IND /CosmicFont findfont 18 scalefont def
IND setfont show} def
%
% Bad Power Edicts
%
Setup
1 [(Misery) (Shared)] (We are all in this together) (Force all players to play with
any bad powers you have for the duration of the challenge. Your bad power still
applies to you.\r\rPlay at the start of a challenge.) {(B) -9 -9 IShow} Edict
1 [(Bad) (Zap)] (Zap ALL) (BAD powers in the game for the duration of the
challenge.\r\rPlay at any time.) {(B) -9 -9 IShow EdictArtDict begin 0.4 setgray
ZapIt end} Edict
1 [(More) (Dubious) (Gift)] (Force all players) (except yourself to draw a bad
power.\r\rPlay between challenges.) {(B) -9 -9 IShow} Edict
2 [(Dubious) (Gift)] (Force one player) (to draw a BAD power.\r\rPlay at the start
of your turn.) {(B) -9 -9 IShow} Edict
2 [(Exorcism)] (Remove forever) (one bad power of any player.\r\rPlay at any
time.) {(B) -9 -9 IShow} Edict
Finished
% ****************end of Poscript to print Bad Edicts******************
From news.bu.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!gatech!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!news.tamu.edu!news.utdallas.edu!corpgate!bcarh189.bnr.ca!bcarh8ab.bnr.ca!news Mon Jul 3 10:27:25 1995
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From: Marcus Porter <NVMKP01@NT.COM>
Newsgroups: rec.games.board.ce
Subject: Bad Powers (long)
Date: 30 Jun 1995 21:51:47 GMT
Organization: Bell Northern Research
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