January 2025 First Edition Game Changes

by Charlie Plaine, Director of First Edition

6th January 2025

Happy New Year! I can't believe that it's 2025, but here we are! Today's regularly scheduled First Edition game changes update is a smaller one that returns 2 cards from the Modern Ban List to the game. 2 additional cards also receive errata today: a promised update for Alternate Universe: Twilight and a power level adjustment to a popular card. 2 additional cards are also being removed from the Watch List. That means that today's update contains 3 errata, 2 removals from the Modern Ban List, 2 additions to the Watch List as well as 2 removals from said list.

Please note that this update does not include any of the changes from the upcoming Premiere Remastered expansion coming later this month. An additional game changes update focused entirely on that expansion's change will be released along with the expansion later in January 2025.

So, with that in mind, let's get into the game changes:

Modern Ban List
With today's errata, Cybernetics Expertise is being removed from the Modern Ban List. Details of the errata appear below, but we are comfortable returning the card to the game with the additional restrictions added to its use. Additionally, with the errata to Obsession (outlined below), Planet Killer is being removed from the ban list without changes returning it to the game as well.

There are no additions to the Modern Ban List in this update.

Corrections
Corrections are tweaks that have, at most, a minimal impact on how the card works, such as rewording a card for greater clarity, adding a canonical region to a card that was printed before the region existed, or clarifying a personnel's species or romantic relationship. This is a new type of update that was introduced with the 30th Anniversary.

There are no corrections in this update.

Errata
Errata substantially change how the card works. This is often (but not always) because the card was too powerful and had to be balanced. We are issuing errata to 3 cards in today's update, as follows:

Cybernetics
Today's update now requires any Cybernetics skill that enables the gametext to be printed on the personnel, removing the trick of using Reflection Therapy to enable free androids. In addition, the free report requires the android to report to a matching outpost - unless you're using the Cybernetics x2 clause of the card. Here is the updated text:

Seeds or plays on table. Once each turn, your android may report for free to your matching outpost (if your personnel with printed Cybernetics is aboard) OR to your personnel with printed Cybernetics x2. Also, once each turn, you may exchange a card from hand for an android in your discard pile.

Reactor Overload
The text punishing the use of Process Ore has been removed from this card. The additional changes on the card are clarifying and don't affect how the card works. It just no longer hammers the use of Ore Processing Unit. Here is the updated text:

Seeds or plays on table. Place on your ship or facility. Erases all aboard, disables all androids aboard (until Cybernetics present), kills all aboard (unless their controller controls a drone at this location), and nullifies all Rogue Borg aboard. Return incident to hand.

Obsession
Two major changes have been made to this popular card. Firstly, the protection against Writ of Accountability has been removed - so beware the FCA in your games. More generally, the bonus points available to be scored have been reduced from WEAPONS + RANGE to just double RANGE. More importantly, dilemmas that already have a point box are not eligible for these bonus points. Here is the updated text:

Seeds on table; you must download a dilemma (except Borg Ship), choose a spaceline, then put it into play at either end (opponent's choice). Once each turn, your that plays on your ship may play for free. When you destroy a dilemma without a point box, score points equal to double its printed RANGE. (Unique.)

Watch List
Today's update sees 2 cards added to the Watch List while 2 others are removed. Our standard policy is that any card that is removed from the Modern Ban List will be automatically added to the Watch List for no less than 6 months. As we're removing Cybernetics Expertise and Planet Killer from the ban list, both will go on the watch list until at least July 6th, 2025.

At the same time, both Space Amoeba and Process Ore: Mining have remained on the Watch List for far too long of a time. We have not found any cause for action against either card, and are thus removing both from the Watch List due to no findings.

A card is added to the Watch List when there are concerns about the card's impact to the health of the play environment. Watching a card allows the Department to keep a close eye on it's use and call up data on the card to make more informed decisions. Watching a card does not necessarily mean that something will happen to the card. While some cards on the Watch List to get added to the Modern Ban List or are issued errata, those changes aren't automatic because a card was being watched.

And that's all for the First Edition Game Changes update for January 2025. I want to take a few moments to thank are hard working volunteers, from Johnny Holeva (jjh) and his Art Team to James Heaney (BCSWowbagger) and his Rules Team, and everyone in between. Our artists, balance experts, writers, testers, and rules masters work very hard to keep the game state happy and healthy. Please give them a shout out on the forums to let them know they are appreciated!

Our next regularly scheduled update will be Monday, February 3rd, 2025.. However, there will be a special First Edition game changes article coming out later this month along with the release of Premiere Remastered. This special update will feature game changes directly related to that release and not the usual wide scope of the regular change windows.

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