Home of the third annual You Make The Card contest, where the community designs a card for an upcoming Virtual Expansion!

Which direction should we choose for Harry Mudd (2E)?

A) The Slippery Weasel
15
22%
B) The Commodities Trader
26
38%
C) The Lady Killer
15
22%
D) The Jack-of-all-Trades Rogue
11
16%
E) None of the Above (Please post why!)
1
1%
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Director of First Edition
By MidnightLich (Charlie Plaine)
 - Director of First Edition
 -  
Prophet
#179161
Hello folks!

It's been far too long since we've talked about this, but it's time to take another look at Mr. Mudd, and at getting him into the game. His First Edition variant should be appearing very soon, as there was very little problem with that version.

But it's time to revisit 2E's Harry. In spite of our best efforts, we weren't able to get his chosen game text through testing. Let's take a look at his original version:
[NA] 2 •Harcourt Fenton Mudd (Honest Businessman)
[Stf] [Pa] Human
•Acquisition •Treachery
Commander: Hard Bargain. Smuggler. Thief. When any number of your Smuggler personnel or Thief personnel present are about to be stopped or killed by a dilemma, you may place this personnel on the bottom of his owner's deck to prevent that.
[INTEGRITY 4] [CUNNING 6] [STRENGTH 5]
In spite of all of our efforts (increasing cost, limiting the effect, etc.) he constantly came back from testing as too powerful. So we're back to the drawing board, but we wanted to give you some suggestions for how he might go. Here are the options that we want to present you, and then collect your votes!

Option 1: The Slippery Weasel
Harry Mudd is a selfish, devious, weasel that will always do his best to find a way out of trouble. He will plot and scheme with the best of them, betray his comrades, or dump his cargo if he things it will keep him out of trouble.

This version of Harry Mudd would have game text that would allow him to escape bad fates (capture, death, etc.)

Option 2: The Commodities Trader
Harry Mudd is always looking to make a quick buck, either through legitimate sale (unlikely), a double-cross, or just a simple scam. Either way, he's always got something to show off.

Since the original proposal of Harry, we've added the new Commodity keyword and mechanic. This version of Harry would interact with Commodities in some way.

Option 3: The Lady Killer
In his first appearance, Mr. Mudd was escorting a trio of ladies he intended to sell to lonely miners.

The card, Mudd's Women is not often used. This version of Harry Mudd would interact with or emulate this card in some way.

Option 4: The Jack-of-all-Trades Rogue
This version of Harry Mudd would have lots of diverse skills, and the option to get even more when it would get him out of a jam.

Option 5: None of the Above
None of these options are appealing or acceptable.

We'd love to hear your thoughts and discussions about which option you think is a good fit for getting Mr. Mudd into print. Cast your votes and post your thoughts, and we'll do our best to answer your questions!

It's time to dust off Mr. Mudd and get him back into play. Let's see what you think!
User avatar
 
By GooeyChewie (Nathan Miracle)
 - Gamma Quadrant
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
Architect
#179163
I'm undecided, but open to hearing arguments for any option.
User avatar
 
By Chewie (Adam Hegarty)
 - Beta Quadrant
 -  
#179167
I've voted for the commodity trader, for following reasons:

1) I like the Commodities mechanic and look forward to seeing it develop.
B) A [NA] personnel that deals with Commodities can benefit both [Fer] and [Dom] both of whom the CC has stated it wants to get to Tier 1.
iii) I think Commodities could be a cool thing to have Thieves interact with both mechanically and story-wise.
d) From a future design point of view, if we open Commodities to Thieves we can start thinking about new things in the show that could be considered for the Commodity keyword.

Just my :twocents:
User avatar
Second Edition Playtest Manager
By Faithful Reader (Ross Fertel)
 - Second Edition Playtest Manager
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
#179170
MidnightLich wrote:His First Edition variant should be appearing very soon, as there was very little problem with that version.
I'm not really sure where Mudd fits in thematiclly for Umbridge or Snape. Now in the DS9 block, he'll fit right in!

To be fair, I know very little of Umbridge or Snape.

Also, will we be getting a Muddy Tribbles card?

Glad to see that something is being done with this.
GooeyChewie wrote:I'm undecided, but open to hearing arguments for any option.
Me, too, although a treacherous skill helper would go a logn way in balancing out the problems with that grouping.
Ambassador
 - Ambassador
 -  
#179173
Faithful Reader wrote:
MidnightLich wrote:His First Edition variant should be appearing very soon, as there was very little problem with that version.
I'm not really sure where Mudd fits in thematiclly for Umbridge or Snape. Now in the DS9 block, he'll fit right in!

To be fair, I know very little of Umbridge or Snape.
He could be in Homefront III. It seems like the most logical place for it coming out soon.

Was a final version revealed for the 1E version?
Second Edition Creative Manager
By Triumph (Jonathan)
 - Second Edition Creative Manager
 -  
Adventurer
#179181
In terms of what fits Mudd the character, I like option 1 the best - Harry is a schemer who is always trying to save his own skin. This option sounds most like what I originally hoped Mudd would be back when the first effort was made to design him. I like the Trek Sense I see in this one, and I also think it has the potential to be a very fun ability to play with. Oho, Mudd escapes again!

In terms of what sounds like good gameplay, I think option 2 is appealing. Commodities are interesting, and there is some for rationale for getting Mudd involved in them.

I must note that I don't want to help Thieves because Thieves means the Orions, and the Orions are stupid cards.

I'm not a fan of option 3 because Mudd's Women just seems like such a complicated card to use.

Finally, option 4 reminds me of option 1, but with a slightly different emphasis. The thing is, it makes Harry sound like one of those crazy 8-skill personnel...and that really doesn't fit Harcourt Fenton Mudd.

I'll be open to changing my vote, but for now, I'm casting it for option 1.
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Achievement Master
By SirRogue
 - Achievement Master
 -  
#179187
I vote for Jack-of-all-Trades Rogue because it has "Rogue" in it. :shifty:

Also, I like the idea of it. :cheersL: :)
User avatar
 
By chompers (Steve Hartmann)
 - Delta Quadrant
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
1E Australian Continental Runner-Up 2019
2E Australian Continental Semi-Finalist 2019
#179189
I feel that option one and two could be combined

Eg

Give command of a commodity eventin your core to opponent to avoid capture / death, etc

I voted two but one seems more thematic
User avatar
 
By bhosp
 - Gamma Quadrant
 -  
#179191
I don't know about Commodities, but he should definitely sell your opponent stuff. Like Berlinghoff Rasmussen or something.
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By nobthehobbit (Daniel Pareja)
 - The Center of the Galaxy
 -  
Moderator
#179194
I went for Commodities. I could see the Venus Drug as one.
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By Danny (Daniel Giddings)
 - Gamma Quadrant
 -  
2E British National Runner-Up 2021
#179195
I've been swayed by people's 'commodities' arguments (more so by chompers' argument of blending commodoties trading with saving himself) so my vote's gone to Option 2.

I'm not a big fan of Option 4 - more [NA] skill-gaining sounds unnecessary (even if that were to be blended with the commodities option too).
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Second Edition Playtest Manager
By Faithful Reader (Ross Fertel)
 - Second Edition Playtest Manager
 -  
Continuing Committee Member - Retired
#179202
jjh wrote:Let's make Commodities playable.
Not that I disagree with this statement at all, but they've already had two expansions to get off the ground. THat in and of itself is fairly standard (commanders took a couple of expansions to get off the ground, holograms really didn't get traction until the Children of Light, Necessary Evil had a spiritual sucessor as will Fractured Time, etc.), but a lot of this stuff is self contained (teams are rarely followed up on, non-aligned are usually one-offs, etc.) and now we are going for a third, and presumably more because there is even more to do with commodity traders in all five series, not to mention a decent chunk of movies. To have him and then more in a later product would stick out to me like a sore thumb.

Mudd has women, but he needs friends.

I expect more out of the designers. I expect more out of us.
Second Edition Creative Manager
By Triumph (Jonathan)
 - Second Edition Creative Manager
 -  
Adventurer
#179208
I think it's great that people want to see more love for commodities (woooooh, big business in Trek!!! LOL.), I'm just not sure why we should use Mudd to do it. How much business with commodities did the chap actually engage in? In one of his appearances, none at all. In another, he spent a lot more time trying to weasel out of trouble than trying to sell anything. And what was his business? Mail-order brides, not anything resembling existing commodities. I know, I know, 2E isn't as Trek-Sensitive as 1E, but I still feel people are shoehorning commodities on Mudd because they want more Commodity love, rather than because it makes sense to put such on Harcourt Fenton Mudd.

Vote option 1!!! :shifty:
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Ambassador
By Linkan (Torbjörn Lindquist)
 - Ambassador
 -  
Architect
#179219
chompers wrote:I feel that option one and two could be combined

Eg

Give command of a commodity eventin your core to opponent to avoid capture / death
:thumbsup:

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