Ethic

Alert

EthicBorderless2

Diplomacy

Resource

Type

Power of Guilt

Gains Compensation from Defeat

As a leader, after losing in combat, use this power to gain compensation as if you sent an envoy.

When gaining compensation, you may draft pods instead of abducting them from the enemy’s cache.

Legacy: After losing any combat where the enemy won, leaders may claim compensation from the enemy leader.

A deeply religious and philosophical race, the Ethic have dedicated themselves to the path of virtue and righteousness. Though often called hypocritical for participating in the modern trends of invasion and abduction, they insist that two wrongs simply make them right.

Leader: Crash

Mandatory

Wild Flare

Whenever you draft pod(s), you may discharge this flare to gift any of the drafted pods to other aliens.

Any: Any

Super Flare

When gaining compensation, you may discharge this flare to change the number of pods you are owed to any number from 0 to 8.

Leader: Crash

Modifications

  • Original Ethic functions the same way as my version; however, my change to base Cosmic allows an alien to draft pods from the Forge if the opponent runs out of pods before being able to give enough. Ethic merely has the option of drafting the pods before the enemy runs out.
  • Ethic’s original Wild flare applies the effect to every time the user drafts after the flare is discharged, limiting the number of gifted pods to three max. This requires remembering past information, so I elected to remove the limitation but restrict it to one pod drafting session. I think seeing what pods you have drafted before deciding whether to gift them is sufficient to make the flare still effective.
  • Ethic’s legacy allows everyone to gain compensation after losing in combat, drastically increasing the amount of compensation that will be given, making it both more and less difficult to maintain a strong cache (depending on win/loss ratio). One of Hacker’s favorite legacies, since virtually every loss gives it a chance to use its power, and paying compensation just lets it prune.

Tips

  • Use pods gained from losses to swing later victories. Compensation isn’t worth much when the enemy is invading with 3-4 dominion, so try and lose sooner than later.
  • Ethic has less use for its N pods than most unless it plans to negotiate. They basically have the same value as negative attack pods. Ethic can use its power to effectively entice the enemy to negotiate.
  • Any loss gives Ethic a chance at new pods. Gauge the enemy’s cache size and the pod they played to determine if it’s better to take from them or draft.
  • Playing your strongest pod prevents Ethic from taking it, but playing a weaker pod can bait Ethic into drafting, thinking the rest of your cache is weak.
  • Negotiating with Ethic can be risky depending on how much authority they have. They may be able to take as many of your pods as if you just beat them in combat.

Development Notes

  • Ethic’s power produces a similar effect as Barbarian’s, only in the reverse. Any victory against them will result in your cache being poached, meaning it’s better to use everything now than have it stolen from you. This can result in aliens “blowing their wad” prematurely, whereas Ethic can stockpile its cache for later. Aliens like Miser and Cryo, who can preserve their pods, are less susceptible.
  • The simplest point of comparison to Ethic is fellow compensation hunter Hacker. Hacker can more utility out of its compensation, while Ethic can get more of it. Hacker can draft pods as compensation, but only if taking from someone’s cache who doesn’t have enough to give. In terms of paying compensation, Hacker can actually benefit from it, while Ethic is as vulnerable to it as anyone else.
  • I like the thematic implications of Ethic being able to draft pods despite Hacker being unable to hack the Federation. Ethic is able to guilt the Federation into giving them what they’re due, despite their cybersecurity being too tough to crack.
  • I considered whether Ethic should get compensation for using a trojan, but it seems unlikely Ethic could guilt someone after poisoning them. Winning in combat via poison already results in compensation, so there’s no need to add that.
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