Siskoid's Rolodex.............Necessary Evil (3)



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To see the cards themselves, check out this Card list for the Necessary Evil set.

 

#2481-Deanna Troi - Ship's Counselor, Personnel, Federation, Cost: 2, unique, BC /NE/

-Betazoid/Human; Anthopology, Diplomacy, Honor, Telepathy; Staff icon; TNG icon

-Order: If this personnel is present with an opponent's personnel, stop this personnel to examine that opponent's hand and choose a card to place on the bottom of his or her deck.

"I can sense only strong emotions... I am only half-Betazoid; my father was a Starfleet officer."

-INTEGRITY: 6, CUNNING: 5, STRENGTH: 4

 

PICTURE: Necessary Evil gave us a set of TNG personnel from the first season, but generally, the pic came from "Encounter at Farpoint". Not the case here. In a way, it's too bad because that look for Deanna was unique in the series. In another, "bunhead" was her look for the whole of season 1 after the pilot, so is without a doubt more appropriate. We seldom get smiling faces too, so that's an element of note. I'll give her 3.4.

 

LORE: As with the rest of this subset, the subtitle is her position aboard ship. The lore gives us a very introductory quote. Again, fitting, although not particularly interesting. For following a theme, a bit above average at 3.2.

 

TREK SENSE: Though a late arrival to the game, this is the "basic" Deanna. Anthropology acts as a kind of catch-all psychology-history skill. She is Picard's main advisor when it comes to Diplomacy. Obviously, she has the misnamed Telepathy (a single instance being empathy). I think Honor is there because she was there for everyone, but rarely there for herself. Truly selfless. There is a question as to whether she should have a Staff icon. Sure, she's part of the "staff", but as late as "Disaster", she is shown to be technically inept. She never works a console or anything. I think that should have been reflected here. Her attributes show your standard Federation Integrity, not upped by Honor. A bit jarring, but I don't think the 6 is wrong either. Cunning is average, which is fine too, especially since the attribute is steeped in one's technical abilities (she has none). Strength is standard for Starfleet officers in a non-military role. Her Cost is fair for a junior officer at this stage in the game. And then we come to the special ability. This allows her to "read" an opposing personnel (present) and learn its plans from its emotional state. Seems a bit much for simple empathy, but workable (especially since she is stopped). There may be a question as to whether she should be able to do this with a Ferengi, but consider that it took a couple years before it was established Betazoids couldn't read the mercantile race. Back in season 1, she could read them fine. Choosing a card to go beneath the draw deck is meant to represent a change of plans on the opponent's part, since her insight has allowed her side to change the balance of a situation. Overall, I think there are some less convincing aspects, but the card does Deanna justice. A cool 4.1.

1E TREK SENSE: No classification, though Officer was never convincing for the Counselor. Attributes are also, as usual for these conversions, too low. Especially Integrity and Cunning. The rest reads much the same. Conversion drops her down to 3.6.

 

STOCKABILITY: Fewer skills than Guide and Conscience, sure, but a more interesting special ability by far, at a lower Cost. In 2E, just being present with an opposing personnel does not mean you will be attacked. A proper Assault card must be involved. So Deanna can be brought over to an opposing personnel's location, where you can stop her to look at an opponent's hand (a worthy effect by itself), AND choose a card (your choice!) to place under that player's draw deck. That should be pretty annoying to your opponent unless he or she is an able deck manipulator (and even then). An opponent attacking your crew, but failing to kill her in the assault will have to submit to her powers on your next turn. Telepathy remains a rare skill, and she provides able coverage there (as well as allow her to use Empathic Touch or prevent deaths). Otherwise, a good help to Diplomacy decks, though her attributes are a little lackluster. Still enough to recommend her over her Nemesis (Premiere) version. A 4.

1E STOCKABILITY: The Premiere Deanna can be downloaded/reported via Assign Support Personnel, but from there, she can be swapped for any more useful version of the persona. Ship's Counselor stands out as one of the better ones thanks to that special ability. After all, attributes aren't as important in 1E, and she was never that dependent on her classification. Placing her with an opposing personnel is more dangerous here, since battles are way easier to initiate, and less likely to be survived by a STRENGTH 4 personnel. Still, the special ability has the same punch, and if you can protect her from mortal wounds, you should be able to get her ability to work. In a preemptive strike scenario, she should probably choose battle-related interrupts to go first. FC Deanna remains the more useful version, but Ship's Counselor could be second. A 3.7.

 

TOTAL: 14.7 (73.5%) First Deanna scored, we'll have to see about the rest.

1E TOTAL: 13.9 (69.5%) Not as much, but quite good as far as Deanna go.

 

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