Star Traders Additional Personalities

---

Here are some extra personalities to liven up your game of Isaac Asimov's Star Traders. These don't need to be on official card stock, since they are never dealt or hidden, anyway. If you have any suggestions to add to the list, please send them to me: sos @ panix.com

Warpin' Wanda (or Warpin' Wally)

When you make a random jump, roll three dice, pick your favorite two, and you get to arrange the two dice in any order you wish. So if you roll a 2,2,5, for example, you could go to system 22, system 25 or system 52. In addition, your turn does not necessarily end with a random jump: if you have any moves left, you may continue moving. But you may only make one random jump per turn.

Long-shot Lola (or Long-shot Lloyd)

You specialize in long jumps. Treat Green Line jumps (6/3) as if they were Purple lines (4) for all purposes. This means you don't have to roll at all if you have permission to use a station at the other end of any jump.

The Fast-Talker

Ever wish you could sell a worthless cargo instead of just dumping it? Well, the Fast-Talker can. If you are in a race to deliver a cargo, and you don't finish first, you can still sell your cargo for 1/2 value (round down), at the system listed on the card OR at the system with the inverse of the two-digit system code. (E.g.: if you are to deliver a cargo to 15, Jaxin, you could also get 1/2 value for it at 51, Wells. If you have a cargo for 55, Jeeves, however, only Jeeves will do for this purpose.) You get no prestige for this, but at least the trip wasn't wasted. Note that you cannot sell the cargo at the inverse-numbered system until the race is over.

Mr. (or Ms.) Impervious

You avoid calamities far easier than other traders. At any time a Calamity card is played on you, you may turn in any Trader's Luck card as an Avoid Calamity card. However, you may only do this six times per game. (Either keep a spare die beside you, with the number of uses left on the top side, or start with a stack of six pennies, turning them in as you use your special ability.) Using regular Avoid Calamity cards does not count against the six uses of your special ability.

The Jinx

When you end your turn in the same system as another trader (or when another trader ends his turn in the same system as you), something bad happens to him (the other trader, not the Jinx). Roll a single die and consult the following table:

1. Engine trouble: two fewer jumps than normal next turn.
2. If he has a still-active cargo, he loses it. (He does not lose a cargo if the race for that cargo is over, however - the Jinx causes only bad luck, never good!) If he has two cargoes, the Jinx chooses which one he loses. If he has no cargo, nothing bad happens to him, sorry.
3. He loses his special ability (as detailed on his personality card) for 1d6 turns. (Yes, this means The Insider could lose his station on Capital during this time if someone played the right card!)
4. He has committed a public faux pas: lose 5 prestige.
5. He is assessed a fine: he must pay 10 Stellor (he loses a turn if he can't or won't pay).
6. He loses his next turn, probably through some sordid action you don't want to know about.

---

Back to SOS' Gameviews
Back to Steffan O'Sullivan's Home Page