From: jl8e+@andrew.cmu.edu (Julian D Lighton)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board.ce
Subject: Re: Lots of questions...
Date: 29 Sep 92 02:11:57 GMT
	<1992Sep28.144321.6550@jade.tufts.edu>
Organization: Sophomore, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Excerpts from netnews.rec.games.board.ce: 28-Sep-92 Re: Lots of
questions... George W. Harris@jade.tu (3225)

> In article <selYo2m00awOM7vbxy@andrew.cmu.edu> jb8n+@andrew.cmu.edu
> (Joseph E. Beck) writes:
> >
> >>The Pacifist isn't that bad. We even had a game where the Pacifist never had
> >>a compromise card. If you think the Pacifist is too dangerous in a
> game, don't
> >>ask them to be an ally when they would get a base out of it. That should
> >>more than equalize things.
> >
> >The way we feel around here is that sorceror should be about as
> >powerful as a combat power gets.  And pacifist thrashes sorceror (in
> >general).  

Actually, that's only the way some of us around here feel. I happen to
like pacifist. It's strong, but not sickeningly so.

> 	But Sorceror just isn't that powerful.  It's comparable to Gambler,
> but not as powerful as Oracle.  Plus, just because Pacifist thrashes Sorceror
> one on one doesn't mean Pacifist is more poweful *in general* than Sorceror.

True.  Every power has at least one that normally beats it. Loser beats
Pacifist, Oracle can beat Loser, Virus beats Oracle, Antimatter beats
Virus, and so on.

> >>Really not a problem. To be safe from losing bases when they make an
> >>incorrect prediction, they need 3 tokens per base.
> >It's usually not that difficult to tell who's going to win (certainly
> >much better than 50%).

> 	Well, generally, but often a sure thing can be taken away, and if
> you don't have that cushion on those occasions, you're screwed.

> >>Magnet can neutralize them by forcing them along on attacks.
> >So if Magnet or Silencer is in the game, prophetess can be stopped
> >easily, otherwise she just wins the game.  If she guesses right 2/3 of
> >the time (2/3 seems about right)  that's an average loss of 1 token
> >for each external base.

> 	Yes, but long term average isn't useful in predicting performance.
> She could still easily miss three in a row at the start, and then she's
> in a horrible position.  Plus, if Loser's in the game, or any of a number
> of powers, it becomes *very* difficult to predict wh will win.

If it's too difficult to predict, Prophet can always sit out or ally normally.

> >>>Sting
> >>I don't know this one.
> >It's kind of like zombie except you designate someone else to lose the
> >tokens for you (I'm fairly certain they pick where from).  In return
> >they get 1 card from your hand for each token lost (if you don't have
> >enough cards they get as many as are in your hand).
> >
> >>>Pacifist (this is in the original but still reall gross)
> >>Also pretty good, but a long way from unbeatable. You can run out of
> >>compromises, people can out guess you and play a compromise when you do...
> >So if they're lucky they get to make a deal.  Compare this power to
> >empath...

> 	So what?  Empath is the worst power in the game...compare *anything*
> to Empath.

Chosen

> >>>Machine (it gets really nasty in multi power games)
> >>No problem as long as they don't have a decent attack power too, or
> >>worse Wrack/Zombie...
> >You only need Machine/Wrack to be almost unstoppable.  Put 1 token in
> >the cone, and make the deal "base for a base".  If they accept, great.
> >If they refuse put your token (and one of theirs) in the warp.  Take
> >your next challenge, *remove a token of your from the warp*, and
> >proceed.

> 	This is one of those power combinations that seems unbeatable in
> theory, but there are probably lots of ways it could die in practice.
> (cf. Seeker-Gambler).

I prefer Silencer-Gambler. They can't call your bluff.

_______________________________________________________________________________
|Julian Lighton     jl8e@andrew.cmu.edu |   :-)   | It is not I who is
crazy, |
|---------------------------------------|---------| it is I who am MAD!!!!!   |
|"Sleep my friend and you will see, that dream is | --Ren                     |
|my reality. They keep me locked up in this cage, |---------------------------|
|can't they see it's why my brain says rage-Metallica-Welcome Home(Sanitarium)|
|_____________________________________________________________________________|
Newsgroups: rec.games.board.ce