Seeker

Seeker
Power of truth
Asks "yes or no" question
FFG
Wild If a player invites you to ally, you may demand to see the encounter card he or she intends to play. If you ally with that player, he or she must play that card, if possible. You may only demand to see one player's encounter card per encounter.
Super When using your power, you may ask any question, not just a "yes or no" question. The player you ask must still answer it truthfully to the best of his or her ability.

Seeker is an alien who can ask a "yes or no" question before encounter cards are selected, if he is a main player or an ally. The question must be answered truthfully. If it involves a player's intentions, he must decide then and subsequently abide by that decision.

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Version: Cosmic Incursion

You have the power of Truth. As a main player or an ally, you may use this power after alliances are formed but before encounter cards are selected to ask one "yes or no" question of one of the main players (your opponent, if you are a main player). That player must answer your question truthfully. If your question involves the player's intentions during this encounter (such as "Are you going to play a negotiate this encounter?"), he or she must abide by his or her answer. Once this encounter ends, the player is no longer bound by his or her answer.

"Evolving during an intense struggle between more developed species, the Seekers gained ecological room only by acute sensitivity to their opponent's disposition. Always probing, they closely evaluate what is known. Lately, Seekers have turned searching eyes upon the Cosmos."

Seeker
Power of truth
Asks "yes or no" question
Eon
Launch Alliance Planning
Wild If a player invites you to ally, you may demand to see the challenge card he intends to play. If you ally with him, he must play that card, if he can.
Super If you are a main player or an ally, you may ask any question of one of the main players, not just a "yes" or "no" question. He must answer it truthfully. This question takes the place of your normal Seeker question.

Version: Mayfair

You have the power of truth. When you are involved in a challenge, you may ask one of the main players a "yes" or "no" question. He must answer truthfully. You may ask him the question any time before cards are played, and he must answer it then. If it involves his intentions, he must decide then and subsequently abide by that decision if he can. The question must relate to a single specific challenge or to the player's current hand. You may not bind the player to an action beyond one specific challenge. Examples: "Are you going to play a Compromise Card?" "Are you going to play an Attack Card greater than 10?" "Do You have the 40 Attack Card in your hand?".

"Evolving during an intense struggle between more developed species, the Seekers gained ecological room only by acute sensitivity to their opponents' disposition. Always probing, they closely evaluate what is known. Lately, Seekers have turned searching eyes upon the Cosmos."

Version: Eon

You have the power of truth. Whenever you are involved in a challenge as a player or as an ally, you may ask one "yes or no" question of one of the two players in the challenge. He must answer it truthfully, "yes" or "no". You may ask him the question anytime before cards are played, and he must answer it then. If it involves his intentions, he must decide then and subsequently abide by that decision.

"Evolving during an intense struggle between more developed species, the Seekers gained ecological room only by acute sensitivity to their opponent's disposition. Always probing, they closely evaluate what is known. Lately, Seekers have turned searching eyes upon the Cosmos."

Strategy

The most obvious way to use Seeker's ability is by asking a question such as if a player plans to use an encounter card higher than X or if he or she plans to negotiate. Other, more subtle uses include asking if a player has any encounter cards higher than X.

Seeker is very effective in counteracting aliens such as Sorcerer and Spiff, as well as other aliens who have optional powers. A skilled Seeker can ask questions about a player's hand or future intent, and can use certain artifacts more effectively as a result. For example, a Seeker could ask "Do you have a Cosmic Zap in your hand?" and if the answer was "yes", he might then use the Finder card to acquire it.

Historical notes

In the Eon edition, it was possible for Seeker to ask extremely esoteric questions such as "Will you use a compromise in any of the next three challenges in which you are a main player?" This caused controversy due to the possibility of the answer becoming false due to reasons outside the player's control during later encounters.

In the Mayfair edition, Seeker can still ask esoteric questions, but to a more limited extent: the question must refer to a 'single specific challenge', but it does not have to be the current challenge, allowing Seeker to (for instance) ask questions about how a player will behave the next time it attacks them.

In both the Eon and Mayfair editions, one of the most underhanded ways to use this power is to ask how the opponent will answer the next time you use your power on them, allowing you to functionally bind them in any way you desire by forcing them to answer a question before they even know what it is (in the Eon version, possibly crippling them into unplayability for the entire remainder of the game!).

Fortunately, none of this mischief is possible in the FFG edition, as this version of Seeker specifically says that the player is not bound by his or her answer after the end of the encounter in which Seeker's power is used.