The Schizoid is an alien with the power to Alter Reality.
Eon[]
Power[]
You have the power to alter reality. At the start of the game, before cards are dealt, write down how many bases on other players' planets are needed to win. Then add one other game condition which 1) is possible for all players to meet, 2) is clear to all as it happens, and 3) does not require remembering past events (e.g. "Winner(s) must have 3 (foreign) bases and fail to make a deal."). On each challenge, the offensive player may ask you a "yes" or "no" question about the win. You must answer truthfully, aloud. When your conditions are met, you declare the winner. (If you lose your power, normal win conditions prevail.)
Wild Flare - You can switch planet hexes (and thus colors) with any player, between challenges.
Super Flare - You may change the terms of the win at the end of each of your turns (so long as this does not give anyone an immediate win).
Restrictions - do not use in a game with the Insect or the Plant. In games with different types of planet hexes, the Wild Schizoid is usually banned.
History[]
Long ago their system slipped into a cascading series of alternate space/times. Now the Schizoids believe that universal acceptance of their current reality will end the madness that has gripped their world for so long.
Strategy[]
The basic problem with the Schizoid is that a creative player can make game conditions that are almost impossible to guess (i.e., "you must have 1 foreign base and whistle "yankee doodle" to be declared the winner") . It's also possible for players unfamiliar with this power to unwittingly create win conditions that are illegal. For example, you cannot create the win condition of "you must have lost your power" because if the Schizoid himself loses his power, he cannot win in this manner.
That said, a mature and intelligent player can use the Schizoid to actually increase game fun and have an enjoyable time for all concerned.
FFG[]
In the FFG edition, Schizoid has a deck of 6 cards with win conditions printed on them, that it chooses from during setup instead of the player coming up with one him- or herself. Each time Schizoid is on the losing side of an encounter, one random unchosen schizoid card is revealed to the winning side (only) and shuffled back in with the other unchosen schizoid cards.
Schizoid cards:
- Relocator: Three foreign colonies in the same system
- Invader: Three foreign colonies with at least four ships on each
- Bluffer: Four foreign colonies and then fail to make a deal
- Diplomat: Three foreign colonies and then make a deal
- Xenophobe: Three foreign colonies and then take back a lost home colony
- Colonizer: Three foreign colonies and draw a new hand
Flare[]
Wild: At end of any encounter, switch home systems (and therefore player colors) with any other player; discard this flare.
Super: At end of your turn, you may replace your chosen Schizoid card with another card chosen from the unused ones as long as it does not give any player an immediate win.
Classic Super: If this card is in your opening hand, write down (secretly) any desired win condition instead of choosing a schizoid card; condition must be one that all players can meet, that only uses public information, that does not require remembering any past event, and that includes having at least three foreign colonies. At the moment this flare leaves your hand, you must reveal the secret win condition (but it still applies).
Text[]
| Edition | Power Text | History |
|---|---|---|
| Eon | (eon text not available) | (eon history not available) |
| CA | Game Setup: Take the six schizoid cards, choose one of them, and place it facedown on this sheet. Take the other five schizoid cards and place them facedown in a deck near this sheet. You have the power to Alter Reality. The schizoid card that is facedown on this sheet lists the victory conditions players must fulfill in order to win the game with a normal victory. The conditions on this schizoid card replace the normal victory condition of accumulating foreign colonies to win. Alternate victory conditions (such as those of the Masochist or Tick-tock) are not affected by this power. Any player who has completed the normal victory conditions may play a "Cosmic Zap" on you at any time to win the game. Each time you are on the losing side of an encounter, the winning main player randomly chooses a card from the schizoid deck and reveals it to the winner(s) of the encounter. Then, shuffle the chosen card back into the deck. |
Long ago their system slipped into a cascading series of alternate spacetimes. Now the Schizoids believe that universal acceptance of their current reality will end their madness. |