Mot's Useless Card Review #16: Parallax Arguers

First, the dispute, regarding the play of this card. The player was unaware that his opponent had to agree with his assessment of whether "that was cool" in order to score 5 points. This is stated (with admittedly less-than-crystal clarity) on the Q-C rules insert: "your opponent may have a different opinion." After I explained this, the general consensus of the players was that it was a pretty "useless" card.

And the fact is, nine times out of ten, your opponent will not be in the mood to give you 5 points and will argue "that was not cool." So, Parallax Arguers is all about finding a clever way to use the free Event card it allows you to play.

Have you ever wished you could play all your personnel on the same turn you played your Red Alert!? With the Arguers, you can. Put down one personnel, and declare "that was cool." When your opponent disagrees, use the Arguers to play a Red Alert, and then continue to play the rest of the personnel in your hand.

Do you shy away from Treaty decks because of the time (and card play) it takes to get the Treaties into play? Just do something cool, and get the Treaty out.

You just finished a planet mission. That was cool. If the opponent doesn't think so, add the Drought Tree to prove it!

Use the Arguers to get a "countdown" card in place early. For example, an Anti-Time Anomaly takes three full turns to go off. But if you used the Arguers and played it on your opponent's turn, it'll effectively come half a turn sooner.

The Arguers are great for delivering a one-two punch. Play the Tox Uthat on the table. "That was cool!" Your opponent had better agree, or their outpost might vanish in a Supernova very quickly.

Arguers work even better with cumulative cards. Play a Baryon Buildup on an opponent's ship. "That was cool! What, you don't think so? Here, have another." Repeat until the ship's range is reduced to zero, the opponent relents, or you run out of Arguers. Or, in a not-so-friendly "friendly" game, try this same scenario with Raise the Stakes!

If you are determined to score the 5 points off the Arguers, the best strategy is to use them in response to your opponent's actions. (Like Lemon-Aid.) They just completed a mission. Wasn't that cool? Well, they are sitting there with the points, so it's pretty hard for them to disagree truthfully. 5 points for you. And if they insist it wasn't cool, well, then there's plenty of stuff you can play to make them regret it: Distortion Field (good luck returning to your ship!), Atmospheric Ionization, The Charybdis (play after they've blown by a dilemma, before they can get to that Horga’hn!). Or how about telling them it's cool they just got their Betazoid Gift Box? They'd better argee with you, or their precious three cards of choice will fall to Masaka Transformations.

Parallax Arguers is essentially as useful as whatever Event you use it to play. In fact, if you play it too much against the same opponents, you may soon find yourself in a manic Arguers war of such high points, you'll wish you'd stocked Plexing!