Virtual Rarity

by Lucas Thompson, Designer

16th July 2024

In the very first Second Edition set we already had two versions of several main characters. There was a Jean-Luc Picard (Explorer) in every Second Edition The Next Generation Starter deck, so everyone who likes TNG can get and play a Picard easily. But there was also a Rare Picard (Argo Pilot), who also had a tournament promo foil version, that collectors could chase. That rare Picard had a more niche ability that relied on another rare card to function, the interrupt Escape. I liked that model, particularly as someone who mostly got by playing this game using common/uncommon sets I bought on ebay. I could still play versions of most main characters, and I wasn't spending extra cost to play personnel whose abilities referenced rare cards I didn't have.

Well, we don't have rarities anymore, but I think there's still a place for multiple versions of "main" characters, especially for an affiliation that doesn't really have that many characters to start out with (more on that next week). Early on in this set's development, Charlie had the great idea to take a few Vidiian "mains" and give them both "rare" and "starter" version. The starter versions would have simple abilities (like Jean-Luc Picard, Explorer), while the rare versions would be more complex (like Jean-Luc Picard, Argo Pilot). While we're not selling cards that collectors need to chase, there's still a variety of ability-types to suit your playstyle tastes.

Initially we had three characters with multiple versions: Danara Pel, Dereth, and Sulan. One of Sulan's versions was ultimately cut, but both Pels and Dereths made it in the end. (Not without changes of course. So many, many changes.) Actually, looking back, I don't think the second Sulan even made it to playtesting, I think his ability was too tied up in the Organ Counter system we were working with early on. However, while both Pel and Dereth also interfaced with that older system, the transition to their current versions was smoother.

Common Pel (Loving Life) has been bouncing around for a long time. Before we even had this expansion entered into the design software, and Marc Wagner had made the Vidiian template, there was a tentative plan to make a simple promo card of holographic Pel which could get people excited and would be playable in Hologram decks in the meantime. If I recall correctly, that plan ended up being just a preview in an article (but not playable as it had not been tested yet), though now I can't find that older article to confirm this recollection.

In any event, Common Pel didn't change a lot over time. She gained the ability to play to The Doctor (as a Non-Aligned personnel), but fundamentally she's just a fair collection of skills and attributes - which is sometimes exactly what you need. Common Pel has two skills that are different from Rare Pel, and that can make all the difference in deckbuilding. Also, with sixes across the board for her attributes, she can fit in with most potential Vidiian mission builds.

Rare Pel is different. She has an ability that you actually pay for in her cost of three, so you're not just getting skills and attributes. She's a Vidiian-species personnel, so she won't appear in Hologram decks. And, since the character was different than other Vidiians we met in the show, her ability is too. She looks at mission completions (like a lot of other Vidiians), but rather than being directly tied to solving power or aggression, she retrieves Vidiians from your discard pile. It's a useful ability to have around against certain types of decks, and the only Vidiian-specific way to get this sort of effect (they have no native kill prevention and no other way to get stuff from the discard pile). So while she's certainly not the most efficient discard pile retrieving card in the game, she may find her way into your Vidiian decks anyways (and the double sevens in Integrity and Strength don't hurt).

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