Cosmic Encounter Variant Rules

Hey there! Are you ready to dive into a universe filled with thrilling space battles, ancient alien races, and epic strategic maneuvers? Well, you’re in luck because Cosmic Encounter is here to take you on an intergalactic adventure!

In this cosmic battleground, you’ll have the chance to encounter strange, powerful creatures from different corners of the galaxy. It’s a game that combines diplomacy, negotiation, and a sprinkle of luck to keep you on your toes.

So, let’s talk about some variant rules that can spice up your Cosmic Encounter experience. These rules are like secret recipes that add an extra layer of flavor to the game. They’ll make you rethink your strategies and force you to adapt to new challenges.

One variant rule you could try is the “Alternate Setup.” This rule shuffles the alien powers and deals them out secretly. It’s like a cosmic lottery, where you never know what power you’ll end up with. This adds an element of surprise and excitement to each game, making sure that no two sessions are alike.

Another variant rule that can turn the tide of battle is the “Hidden Setup.” With this rule, players place their ships facedown, keeping their true intentions hidden until the very last moment. It’s like a game of interstellar poker, where deception and cunning play a crucial role.

If you’re up for a challenge, you can experiment with the “Mutant Powers” variant rule. This rule introduces mutant alien races that can change and adapt during the course of the game. Imagine having the power to regenerate destroyed ships or mutate into a stronger form. It’s a whole new dimension of possibilities!

But wait, there’s more! How about a variant rule called “Space Stations”? This rule allows players to build space stations on planets they occupy. These stations provide additional defenses and open up new strategic opportunities. You’ll have to weigh the risk of spreading your forces thin versus the benefits of expanding your cosmic empire.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can even combine multiple variant rules for a truly cosmic experience. Why not try the “Alternate Setup” with the “Mutant Powers” and “Space Stations”? The possibilities are endless, and each combination will create a unique and captivating game session.

So, my fellow space adventurers, get ready to put your intergalactic skills to the test and embark on a cosmic journey like no other. Whether you’re an experienced explorer or a newcomer to the universe of Cosmic Encounter, these variant rules will keep you engaged and entertained for hours on end.

Remember, the cosmos is vast, and the encounters are aplenty. So, gather your friends, choose your variant rules, and let the cosmic adventure begin! May the stars align in your favor, and may you conquer the galaxy one encounter at a time. Godspeed, my interstellar friend!

In this section, I’ll introduce you to some exciting alternate rules for playing Cosmic Encounter. These variants can add a whole new level of fun and challenge to your games!

Four Planets: A Shortcut to Adventure!

Are you ready for a fast-paced game of Cosmic Encounter? With the Four Planets variant, you can enjoy a shorter but still thrilling gaming experience. Here’s how it works:

• You and your fellow players will each have four planets instead of the usual five. This means there’s a bit less space to conquer, but it also means the game moves at a quicker pace.
• At the start of the game, you’ll have 16 ships instead of 20. Place four ships on each of your planets to get things rolling.
• Instead of needing to establish five foreign colonies to win, the goal in this variant is to establish just four. So be strategic and move quickly to claim victory!
• In this version, players will lose their alien power if they have fewer than two home colonies. Keep this in mind as you plan your moves.

If you’re looking to explore a variety of alien powers in a shorter amount of time, I highly recommend playing multiple three-player games with the Four Planets variant. It’s a great way to shake things up and keep the excitement going!

Single-encounter Turns

When playing with this variant, you can only have one encounter during your turn, no matter if you win or make a deal. This way, all players have an equal number of turns throughout the game.

Hidden Powers

In this variant, you keep your chosen alien a secret until you’re ready to use its power.

During setup, you don’t show your alien to the other players. Keep it facedown and shuffle your flare cards into the cosmic deck without revealing them.

While your alien is facedown, you can’t use its power. You can flip it faceup whenever you want to use its power, and once it’s faceup, it stays that way for the rest of the game.

Cosmic Combos and Flares

If you want to spice up your game with some exciting twists, you can easily do so by adding flares to your cosmic combo cards. All you have to do is create a cosmic deck that includes flare cards matching the aliens on your cosmic combo card. Make sure to also add enough random flares to bring the total number of cards in the deck to 10.

Introducing Technology

For those who want an extra layer of excitement, the technology variant is here to deliver. This variant allows players to harness the power of tech cards during the game. These cards represent groundbreaking technologies that players can research and utilize.

Each tech card comes with a description of its effect. Some techs offer one-time advantages, while others have lasting effects that stay in play throughout the game.

Setting Up

If you’re playing with the technology variant, here’s what you need to do after setting up: shuffle the tech deck and give two cards to each player. Look at your cards and choose one to keep. The other card goes face-up in the tech discard pile. Put the tech card you kept face-down in your play area.

Combining the Technology and Four-Planet Variants

If you’re playing with both the technology and four-planet variants, there’s one extra step. Take out any tech cards from the tech deck that have a research number of eight or higher. Put these cards in the game box, as they won’t be used in this game.

Tech Cards

Hey there! Let’s talk about tech cards in the game. When we start playing, we each get one tech card. But here’s the catch – it’s facedown, so we can’t see what it is just yet. However, we can sneak a peek whenever we want!

Of course, we can’t actually use the tech card until we research it. Each tech card has a research number on it, which tells us how much time we need to spend researching it. Once we’ve put in the time, we’ll have access to all the cool stuff that tech card has to offer!

When I start my Regroup Phase, before I retrieve one of my ships from the warp, I have a choice to make. I can either research, complete, or abandon a tech, or I can choose to do none of these.

Researching Tech

If I decide to research a tech, I take one of my ships from my colonies and place it on a facedown tech card. That ship must stay on the tech card until I complete the tech.

Completing Tech

If there are enough ships on a tech card – equal to or greater than the card’s research number – I can complete the tech by flipping the card faceup and returning those ships to my colonies.

Once completed, I can use the abilities described on the tech card.

Abandoning Tech

If you want to get rid of a tech card, all you have to do is reveal it and put it in the tech discard pile. Then, just send back any ships that were on the card to your colonies.

Using Tech

Just like alien sheets and artifact cards, the bottom of each tech card has bars that tell you what role you need to have and when you can use the card’s effect.

Once you finish a tech, you can use it by doing what the card says. Some tech cards need specific tokens, and you can find them on the corresponding tech cards.

Getting My Hands on New Tech

If I succeed in my first encounter and I still have an encounter card in my hand, I have an exciting opportunity. Instead of going for a second encounter, I can draw a number of tech cards equal to the total of my foreign colonies, plus one.

Once I have those tech cards in hand, it’s time to pick my favorite. I choose one to keep and discard the rest. The one I keep is placed facedown, ready to be researched later on. I can have as many tech cards as I want, but here’s the catch – I can only research or complete one tech card during each Regroup Phase.

If we ever run out of tech cards in the deck, no worries! We simply shuffle the discarded tech cards to create a fresh new deck.

Oh, and here’s something important to know: The Machine player has a choice too. They can give up their second or subsequent encounter to grab a new tech card. But keep in mind that doing so ends their turn, no matter how powerful they may be.