The Claw is an alien with the power to steal entire planets. During Game Setup, the Claw chooses any non-negotiate card from his or her hand and places it face down as his or her "claw," and may switch the claw card for another card in his or her hand during any regroup phase.
Once per encounter, if another player plays or reveals another copy of the Claw's claw card, the Claw can reveal his or her claw card and, at the end of that encounter, take one of that player's planets, send all ships on it to the warp, and move it to his or her own system. Each stolen planet counts as both a home planet for the Claw and a foreign colony toward the Claw's victory.
The art for The Claw depicts an enormous green crab-like pincer coming out of a hyperspace gate and snatching a screeching Leviathan.
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| Edition | Power Text | History |
|---|---|---|
| CC | Game Setup: Choose one non-negotiate card from your starting hand to be your "claw" and place it facedown on this sheet; then draw a card from the deck. You have the power of The Claw. Your claw is not considered part of your hand. Other players may not look at or draw it. At the start of any regroup phase, you may swap a card from your hand with your claw. Once per encounter, when another player plays another copy of the card you have chosen as your claw, use this power and reveal your claw. After the end of the current encounter, choose a planet in that player's home system and move it to your home system, sending any ships on it to the warp and making it a new home planet for yourself (although you do not get to establish a colony on it). Then, return your claw to your hand and choose a card from your hand to become your new claw. Each stolen planet in your home system counts as a foreign colony toward your win, even if inhabited by other players. If you gain a colony on a stolen planet in your home system, that colony counts as a home colony for you, not a foreign colony. |
Recently, entire planets have gone missing, leaving behind only orphaned, desolate moons - one of which was marred by enormous claw marks. |
Notes[]
While The Claw, as written, is forbidden from choosing a negotiate card for its claw card during game setup, it is not forbidden from choosing a negotiate card when it switches its claw card during the game. This was likely not intended, and it was addressed in the 2018 FAQ that The Claw may never place a negotiate card as its claw at any point during the game.