Mot's Useless Card Review #48: Lore Returns

It always seemed a bit illogical for Lore to "return" when he was never here to start with, but all that changed with the Fajo Collection. The new Lore personnel card is a powerful addition to non-Fed decks (especially for Romulans). Indeed, Lore is one of the most popular cards of the set.

If Lore's triple-classifications and varied skills weren't enough to get your attention, his ability to double Rogue Borg and Crystalline Entities probably was. Just think, 4 Rogue Borg and a Crosis on your opponent's ship with a Lore on your side of the table makes for a staggering 100 STRENGTH attack your opponent just plain isn't gonna be able to fend off without a Hugh or a Varon-T Disruptor.

So, we know you're gonna be using more Rogue Borg. ;-) But why stop at killing off your opponent's crew? Why stop at neutralizing just one ship? Stick a Lore Returns in your deck, and now you can take control of that ship. It doesn't matter what ship it is; staffing requirements are irrelevant. (They are Borg, after all...) From the Edo Vessel to Gomtuu, from the lowliest shuttle to the Future Enterprise, any ship can be piloted by the Rogue Borg under Lore's direction. That means even if your opponent stocked an extra ship (most do), and has enough personnel left after your Rogue Borg attack to start over again, their torment is far from over. You can use the commandeered vessel to chase your opponent anywhere they go. You'll have them so tied up battling Rogue Borg (hand-to-hand or ship-to-ship) that they may never get any missions done!

Even though the Federation can't use Lore, they can still get in on the fun with Lore Returns. Normally, the Feds can't go marauding around the spaceline - they need someone treacherous like Lore to fight their battles for them. Just report a weak, expendable "red-shirt" personnel to your own outpost and beam him aboard the biggest, baddest ship you can dock there. (Future Enterprise, Husnock Ship, Edo Vessel, perhaps?) Now you can play a Rogue Borg Mercenaries there to battle your own personnel. If the red-shirt you used is not a leader, they will automatically lose the battle and be killed. Now that your Rogue Borg have successfully eliminated a crew, Lore can move in. Play Lore Returns on your own ship. Even though there's only one Rogue Borg on your ship, he'll manage to figure out the controls with Lore's help, giving your Federation deck a way to go out and battle your opponents.

Something tells me we're going to be seeing a lot more of Hugh now...