Card Extra

Balok from Michel M. Albert (12/13/2000)

This diminutive personnel may just be a DipHoLe (Diplomacy/Honor/Leadership), and we have a lot of such personnel already, but you know what? Because there are so many (especially from the original three affiliations), those three skills have remained among the most useful in the game. Federation Diplomacy decks and Klingon Honor decks are a testament to that, and Balok can easily be inserted into any of these.

And whether you report him directly to the Fesarius with his ship's own game text (for free!), or you download him there via Ready Room Door, he flies one of the most impressive ships this side of the Borg Collective. There's simply no other way to staff this 9-12-18 behemoth. If it has Federation battle restrictions, it at least won't be attacked very often. A safe island (or safe giant glowing ball, really) in the storm. And the perfect ship to enhance and go Borg hunting!

Combos:

• Balok + Fesarius + Captain’s Log + Lamat’Ukan + Tactical Console + Bynars Weapon Enhancements + Data’s Head + Plasmadyne Relay x2: Throw in an Anti-Matter Spread and some good tactics as insurance and you're sure to destroy that Cube in two turns while coming out unscathed.
• Balok + Fesarius + Cardassians + Intercept Maquis: How often have you been able to pass the mission's requirements with one unenhanced ship? And Balok gives you half the classification requirements too. Protect Shipment isn't a bad follow-up mission either.