Subject: Wesley's STCCG card of the day #397

Wesley's STCCG card of the day #397

Hi, folks,

a little hint: I see those nasty remarks about delays even if you don't
think I would see them (Hi Copernicus ;-) )

Anyway, here's one for the afterlife:

PICARD'S ARTIFICIAL HEART
Q-Artifact, ultra-rare FJ.
Immediately seed under this mission (even if a space mission). When
mission completed (or scouted), owner places in hand until played as an
Interrupt card, once per game, on any one personnel in play. That
personnel dies whenever that personnel's STRENGTH is used. (May be
nullified only by Katherine Pulaski, if present.)
"You'd might have lived if you'd had a real one instead of this
unreliable piece of technology"

First a funny tidbit about this card: This heart (from Tapestry) is the
one Pulaski implanted in Picard and which then failed, but Pulaski can
nullify it (i.e. prevent the failure). Hmmm, isn't that quality control
backwards ?
Gamewise, this card is weird as well. On the one hand it is an Artifact,
acquired only when the mission is completed, but it does not necessarily
go to the person who did the mission but usually to his opponent
(assuming the player who first attempted the mission can also complete
it sooner or later). As soon as this happens, the heart gets into the
hand of its owner who can target a vital personnel with it. Usually,
this will be someone who is vital to some mission attempt or Dilemma
solving crew. But be careful. Don't play it right away on someone you
consider vital - the heart is an interrupt which means you can play it
right after a mission attempt was declared and make sure the new user of
the heart will very soon get to test his STRENGTH. A quick Rogue Borg or
five will do that trick best.
However, the classic way to get someone to use his STRENGTH is a
Dilemma. Nagilum, Chalnoth, Nausicaans (thematically fitting), Rebel
Encounter, Ferengi Attack, Malfunctioning Door, Q's Vicious Animal
Things and Outpost
Raid are all good at getting someone to show a little muscle, but only
the Raid is Planet and Space, so doing it with Dilemmas requires a
little guesswork on which type of mission your opponent prefers.
However, with
a little set-up, Outpost Raid can be turned into a big-time killer.
Remember, you get to pick out the one personnel you like. The personnel
will die, leaving the way wide open for something like a Barclay's
Disease. And it practically can't be nullified. Now those people who
rely on STAs for Barclay protection considering Vekor too problematic
because of the Brain Drain risk are in for a surprise as their MEDICAL
droid exchanges its already mechanical heart for another mechanical one
and promptly dies due to a construction error.
Like most Fajo cards, this is one that requires some major setup, but
then if it doesn't stick, what do you lose ? A Q-card. Great deal, if
you're playing with a Flash in the first place you usually have room for
one more of these. Just don't forget that it's not fast. Your opponent
will get that one mission (or shy away from it if he's really afraid to
lose a key character) before the heart has any effect. But against the
right deck or with the right support combos, this card can be
devastating. Just don't rely on it. More often it will do nothing, but
that's the nature of Q-cards...

Favorite combo(s):

- Picard's Artificial Heart + Outpost Raid (+ Yuta) + Barclay's Disease
So much for this Away Team or crew.
- Picard's Artificial Heart + Rogue Borg. *BIG* bullseye. Either he does
not retaliate (which means the RB will stay and stop him forever) or he
loses the targeted character.

Ratings for : PICARD'S ARTIFICIAL HEART

Wesley's rating:                9.0
Allen's rating:                 6.7
Cpt. Stasis' rating:            9.0
Cpt. Targ's rating:             6.5
Data's rating:                  6.7
Dr. R'Mor's rating:             9.6
EHCCGPP's rating:               6.5
Hal's rating:                   6.1
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a's rtg.   7.3
Nanite's rating:                9.5637
Picarde's rating:               6.0
Ranger's rating:                8.6
Rothspar's rating:              8.0
Sirol's rating:                 5.5
Tebok's rating:                 7.5
Tony's rating:                  8.0
Vox's rating:                   5.4
----------------------
AVERAGE RATING:                 7.4

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

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LLAP,

Wesley Crusher
Temporarily immortal STCCG Lord

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