Design Log: Stardate 07.31.2003

Q Who?

In yesterday's Design Log, I mentioned that among the "new stuff" in Call to Arms were new keywords. Well, one of them is more like a keyletter, unless you consider "Q" a word. Yes, one of the new keywords identifies what we would formerly have called "Q-related" cards. Once again, no need to define what we mean by that awkward phrase; just give it the "Q" keyword. That opens it up to future use by game text that, for example, might download a Q card, or retrieve one from a discard pile, or for that matter exclude it from some other action (e.g., retrieve a non-Q event...).

These should not be confused with "Q-icon cards" like those used in a First Edition Q-Continuum side deck. A Second Chance at Life is not something dilemma-like that you throw at your opponent; rather, it's an event card that you play to manipulate your own hand and discard pile (discard a hand card to get a card from your discard pile) – but with a Q-like twist that allows your opponent to choose what card you have to discard. Obviously you'll want to be really careful not to have anything in your hand that's so important you can't afford to lose it. But if that card in your discard pile is important enough (i.e., will give you that "second chance at life" when you need it), you may well be willing to give up anything in your hand to get it. And if you time your card plays right, you may be able to weed out anything important in your hand by playing it before you use your two counters to play this event.

Kathy McCracken
Major Rakal
Star Trek Intelligence Officer

July 31, 2003

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