Power Of The Day -- Assassin

ASSASSIN                                        Phase 2

Removes Others' Tokens

You have the power to execute.  Whenever any other player's color
comes up in the destiny pile, you must send one token of that color
from any base into the warp.  You select which token to execute.  You
assassinate a token of the player whose color was turned up, even if
that player does not end up being challenged because of the Will or
some other effect.  On a wild destiny card, you may assassinate any
color token of your choice regardless of whom the offensive player
chooses to attack.

HISTORY: After being subjected to colonial domination for thousands of
years, a hive of Assassins rose up on an outpost planet in a forgotten
empire.  Devoted to terrorism and adept at choosing the most isolated
and vulnerable as their victims, they mercilessly cleansed their
sector of its overlords.  Having become imperialists themselves,
however, they learn new uses for their old talents.

FLARE

Phase 8
Wild: When you lose as defensive player, you may send all offensive
tokens, including allies' into the warp.  In this case, the offensive
player and his allies do not get bases, and all tokens in the
challenge, both offensive and defensive, go into the warp.

Phase 2
Super: As the offensive player, you may execute three opposing tokens
instead of one.

PULSAR

Phase 2
Con: Assassin, through his power, cannot make you lose a base unless
there's no alternative.

Phase 2
Pro: When you assassinate, you also take a random card from the
player's hand and discard it.

Eon/Avalon:

Power

No Changes

Flare

Super: You execute two tokens.

Pulsar

No Changes

Experience Rating: Novice

Commentary: This is a resource power.  During college I often played
the original Illuminati card game.  The playing group adopted a policy
I started - everyone is entitled to one good group.  That means that I
wouldn't oppose any player trying to acquire their first "powerful"
group.  It didn't matter if it was the Cocaine Smugglers, Mafia, or
Big Media.  (The only exceptions were IRS and Orbital Mind
Controllers.)  Afterwards all groups were fair game for opposition. 
In Cosmic Encounter it is understood that everyone has a power.  Just
as you want a really good one, so too do others.  While I'm happy if I
have Pacifist, Zombie, or Virus, I don't particularly mind that
someone else has Fungus, Warpish, or Anti-Matter.  However, there are
a number of powers I do mind other players having.  Assassin is my
stereotypical example of these powers, which I call "annoying".

Annoying powers are those that frustrate other players.  They usually
have abilities that are arbitrary, meaning they don't break an
established rule.  They are given a new ability created specifically
for them.  When such powers are in the game, I will usually target
them for removal.  I will use the Wild Reincarnator Flare if I have
to.  I will oppose them in challenges as an ally as feasible.  When
I'm the offensive player attacking the defender of an annoying power,
I will go after his third home base instead of attacking where he
already lost a base as I and players in general normally would do in
"friendly" games.

Now, let's suppose at game set-up I'm given a choice of powers.  In
that choice, I could either select an annoying power or some other
power.  Unless that other power is a powerhouse like Pacifist or
Virus, I will take the annoying power.  As much as I target them for
removal, I relish in having them for myself.  I will gleefully play
Assassin when given the choice.  I just love playing Butler or
Schizoid.  I never make deals for tokens when playing Assessor. 
Annoying powers are terrific.

Gerald Katz