Wesley's STCCG card of the day #252

Hi, folks,

here's my contribution to

Internet Expansion II

Author: Wesley (natch)
Score: outside contest

SPARK OF INSIGHT

Interrupt, uncommon
Play on one personnel card. Until end of turn, that personnel gains one classification or skill of your choice.
"In moments of grandeur, human beings can transcend their own limits by huge amounts, often with a simple idea, as the Traveler once taught Wesley Crusher."

Giant Growth translated into STCCG. It even has both facets of that Magic card, the offensive aspect (being able to solve a mission) and the defensive part (not being affected by a nasty Dilemma.)

The use of this card for missions is quite straightforward: You lack a skill, so you play Spark of Insight on one of your crewmembers and go in there. Right? Nope. Wrong timing. You go in there, hit those pesky Love Interests that can snatch away that vital crewmember and then, right before the last Dilemma (usually a killer and nothing like Love Interests), you play the Spark. This way, you cannot find your key card in the Delta Quadrant, forgetting the idea she just had.

Now, other way round. You have a serious problem, because that Female Love Interest just got your only doctor heated up and run away and you already imagine yourself Barclay-Protomorphosed and crushed under a Crystalline Entity. Exactly in this moment, one crewmember will probably have an idea that saves him an entire Medical education. That is, if you hold a Spark of Insight in your hand. But again, wait for what you lose before trying the Spark. If you get stopped, the card is wasted and you'll have that much more trouble next time around.

And you might even play that Spark on your opponent's personnel! If you seeded a Zaldan somewhere and your opponent has no Diplomats, well, why not cause Wesley or Beverly to be really diplomatic to that Zaldan guy for this turn? Or that oh-so-brutal Roga Danar getting a diplomatic side? Just too bad it doesn't work on Data (he has Exobiology).

And if your opponent tries to snatch the last 5 needed points from Worshiper and you cannot find a trace of a Brain Drain in your hand? Better give somebody Honor and grin.

Oh, and last: You can even discourage your opponent from attacking that Enterprise you left under supervision of Mot. Just give that guy Leadership and you can fire back.

A card that practically cannot not be useful should find a place in every deck. So should this one.

BTW: Some people said that they made stronger versions of this card, but IMHO a card this versatile need not and should not be stronger. Just put 4 of these in a deck and see how easy mission-solving becomes!

Favorite combo(s):

- Spark of Insight + Full Planet Scan. Be prepared.

- Picard + Spark of Insight + Explore Black Cluster. Easy 35.

Ratings for : SPARK OF INSIGHT

Wesley's rating:                9.95
Cole's rating:                  8.5
Data's rating:                  9.5
Gowron's rating:                3.6
Hal's rating:                   9.1
Nouwa's rating:                 6.0
Q's rating:                     5.0
Ranger's rating:                7.0
Tania's rating:                 9.5
Tony's rating:                  8.0
Ray's rating:                   9.0
- ----------------------          
AVERAGE RATING:                 7.7

Please direct all email concerning card of the day to: crusher@kiss.de

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http://www.worldonline.nl/~ldp/COTD.html
(for best indexing - all cards crosslinked)

http://wizlink.iserver.com/conner/stccg/COTD.html (great Graphics, plus the strategy webboard)

With all back issues from #1 up to today !

LLAP,

Wesley Crusher, the new STCCG Lord

"A couple of lightyears can't keep good friends apart"