Changeling

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ChangelingBorderless

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Resource

Type

Power to Replace

Swaps Powers with Opponent

As a leader, after losing an encounter, use this power to either swap powers with your opponent or request a free resupply. When swapping powers, all aspects of the power transfer with it.

Legacy: At the end of each upkeep, the current leaders swap powers.

The Changelings have always longed for attention and prestige, lacking the the power that would let them achieve it. Having given up on attaining it under their own name, they search for the most prestigious name in hopes to steal it for themselves.

Leader: Encounter

Mandatory

Wild Flare

At any time, you may discharge this flare to snatch a pod from your left neighbor. Then, gift this flare to that alien.

Any: Any

Super Flare

When using your power, you may discharge this flare to swap powers with any alien.

Leader: Encounter

Modifications

  • Changed from the power to “change form” to the power to “replace.” Since the “changing form” aspect may not result in swapping powers every time, I wanted a keyword that fits both choices.
  • Original Changeling drafts a pod instead of receiving a resupply. Changed to resupply to make the choice more meaningful and fit the theme of Changeling “changing” on loss.
  • Changeling’s legacy causes all leaders to swap their powers after each encounter, making it impossible to rely on your power long-term and requiring you to adapt your strategy to the constant changes. No specific alien benefits from this power, but players that start out with a bad power can benefit from invoking this one. Original Cosmic has no legacies.

Tips

  • Changeling’s power can be used exclusively to get resupplies upon loss, without ever making use of the power swapping. It has to weigh whether this power is more valuable than whatever its opponent is using.
  • Changeling’s ability to swap is limited by destiny. This makes it less likely for the alien that gets swapped to be able to get their power back after Changeling swaps with them.
  • It can be an effective strategy to throw an encounter against Changeling if it means keeping your power. This gives Changeling a passive “auto-win” bonus depending on how good its opponent’s power is.

Development Notes

  • For the longest time, I completely overlooked the second half of Changeling’s power and thought the power swapping was mandatory on-loss. I think the power could still work with that setup, but I like giving Changeling a choice since it can’t choose who it is fighting. Otherwise, someone with a less useful power in the current match could throw the encounter in order to force the power onto Changeling.
  • A changeling is a creature in folklore that replaces a human child with itself for various reasons. It makes for a fitting alien for power swapping, taking a power for itself while making the other creature the new Changeling.
  • Changeling’s power acts like a game of hot potato, with aliens that don’t want it passing it off to one another, changing powers around in the process. Through this power, it is possible for every alien to end up with different powers than what they started with, greatly contributing to the fun factor.
  • Changeling’s presence is similar to that of Trader, only for powers instead of caches. Aliens shouldn’t be too reliant on their powers with Changeling around, especially if their powers are win-based. Lose-based powers may want to take advantage of them to stave off Changeling’s lustful gaze.
  • One question to consider is what happens if Changeling swaps with a deactivated alien. In the base game, they swap “alien sheets”, which are replaced by alien bios in my version. The other alien will still be deactivated due to too few home bases, while Changeling will get the newly activated version of that alien sheet since it has enough planets to power it. My version works the same way.
  • I considered making Changeling’s legacy situational, but it seems more fitting to the spirit of the alien for it to cause chaotic power swapping no matter what. Having it be restricted to clashes only or something similar would potentially just result in a bunch of negotiation to avoid it, which has nothing to do with Changeling’s power.
  • This is another alien that could be “Envy.” That’s why I made it green.