Spending XP/Using basics before a battle

[MTeson]

So my wife and I play this game regularly, and we've come across this scenario a few times:

1) It's my wife's turn. I'm waiting for my turn, sitting pretty with 2 commanders and a lieutenant in my hand and she's just used up her last search and there's a card I REALLY want in the Starbase, so it's mine for the taking come next turn.

THEN,

2) She goes exploring and flips a War event.

This happens a lot - I'm still aggressively building my deck (and thus have lots of basics with which I can spend XP) and I'm all set up to buy a card I really want and then another player flips a war event and I have to basically waste my awesome XP-laden hand in order to play a battle I'm going to lose because my hand has mostly basics in it.

I guess this means quit buying so many basics that they clog up my hand, but still...

my question is:

When I play my basics for their meager stats in the battle, can I spend the XP anyway and get cards from the starbase? Can I at least spend the XP to bring my ship back up to full health before a battle? Or since it's not technically my turn, do I have to choose between playing my basics for their stats and wasting their XP or holding them back for my turn (assuming I don't get destroyed)?

My wife and I LOVE this game, btw. Deep enough to give you real strategy but quick enough to not be taxing.

[Forlorn_Wolf]

As it is NOT your turn, you wouldn't be able to gain cards from starbase as you do not have an Action Phase. Since you do not have that phase, you can not spend XP or do anything else of that nature. If that was the case, you could just stock up on basics and purchase cards on each player's turn during battles. She is unable to do the same during combat. Check out the battle rules again, it is basically just a "play cards for stats" thing going on.

I wish my wife was more interested in card games. She's the trekkie and got me into all of this, lol.

[MajorOracle]

As it is NOT your turn, you wouldn't be able to gain cards from starbase as you do not have an Action Phase. Since you do not have that phase, you can not spend XP or do anything else of that nature. If that was the case, you could just stock up on basics and purchase cards on each player's turn during battles. She is unable to do the same during combat. Check out the battle rules again, it is basically just a "play cards for stats" thing going on.

I wish my wife was more interested in card games. She's the trekkie and got me into all of this, lol.

While that is true that you cannot spend XP if you are the non-turn player in battle, I believe the text effects still apply, as some of them specifically mess with your opponent by causing them to discard, etc.

[MajorOracle]

OK, so here are some questions I hope Alex will answer for us.

Assume I am a non-turn player in a War Event.

I put down 3 Maneuvers and then I play Daro. First, can I upgrade him as the non-turn player (per his text effect)? Next, can I use the +2 searches from his card?

If it is legal, lets say I upgrade him to Macet (who now goes in my discard pile).

As my last card in battle, I play Katherine Pulaski. Can I use her text effect to immediately put Macet into my hand and then play Macet as my last battle card?

Finally, do I get the stats of both Daro and Macet to count towards the battle?

Thanks!

[MajorOracle]

OK, I found an answer from Alex on another older thread from the Board Game Geek forums. He said:

"You always apply the effect of any card you play to your bridge. Some effects will be useless if it isn't your turn, such as +XP or +Search. Some effects also say during your turn, so they will not work. Setups simply cannot be played during wars/events. At times a card may have no reason to be played but getting it out of your hand is good because you get to draw back up to 5 after wars if it is not your turn. "

So, I guess if the text effect says "your turn" and you are a non-turn player during a War, then you can't do it since its not your turn.

[Brf]

another player flips a war event and I have to basically waste my awesome XP-laden hand in order to play a battle I'm going to lose

Is there any advantage to "wasting your hand" in this situation? If you are going to lose anyway, why not hold onto your cards? There is no rule that forces you to play them in a battle.

[cmage]

Here is my take on your question. 1st it sounds like it is early in the game so as long as she dose not blow your ship up you will be in good shape. Play any maneuvers you have, that way you stand a chance of getting more XP. Then after the battle you do not dump your hand you just draw back up to 5 cards. Then go on your shopping trip.

[Brf]

Ah, yes. I had forgotten that you lose your hand when you are destroyed. You would certainly want to prevent that if you could by playing other cards if you needed to, or to try to draw more XP cards to replace them.

[AnimeFanZone]

So my wife and I play this game regularly, and we've come across this scenario a few times:

1) It's my wife's turn. I'm waiting for my turn, sitting pretty with 2 commanders and a lieutenant in my hand and she's just used up her last search and there's a card I REALLY want in the Starbase, so it's mine for the taking come next turn.

THEN,

2) She goes exploring and flips a War event.

This happens a lot - I'm still aggressively building my deck (and thus have lots of basics with which I can spend XP) and I'm all set up to buy a card I really want and then another player flips a war event and I have to basically waste my awesome XP-laden hand in order to play a battle I'm going to lose because my hand has mostly basics in it.

I guess this means quit buying so many basics that they clog up my hand, but still...

my question is:

When I play my basics for their meager stats in the battle, can I spend the XP anyway and get cards from the starbase? Can I at least spend the XP to bring my ship back up to full health before a battle? Or since it's not technically my turn, do I have to choose between playing my basics for their stats and wasting their XP or holding them back for my turn (assuming I don't get destroyed)?

First off, you can play any or no cards in your hand during a battle (except Setup Cards).

When a battle begins, starting with the turn player:

Option 1. Place 1 card from your hand to the bridge. Then apply the Text Effects, if any.

OR

Option 2: Pass to the next player and do not play any cards into your bridge.

Battle commences once ALL players have Passed in a row. For example, Player 1 says PASS, Player 2 PASS, Player 3 plays a card to the bridge, Player 1 can now either play a card to the bridge or PASS again. Once all 3 players have PASSED in a row, then Battle is resolved.

Follow the normal Battle rules to determine the winner. All surviving players (if its NOT your turn), then discard all cards in their bridge and draw back up to 5 cards. If you only played 2 cards to your bridge and have 3 cards in your hand, you only draw 2 additional cards. Then the turn player continues with their turn.

[AnimeFanZone]

Is there any advantage to "wasting your hand" in this situation? If you are going to lose anyway, why not hold onto your cards? There is no rule that forces you to play them in a battle.

Yes, this can be a huge advantage during a War Event. I do it often to "pitch" bad cards in a War I cannot win or cards that make little/no difference in the situation and hold on to any good cards for my next turn. The only factor is whether your ship will be destroyed or not, so consider that before holding any onto any cards that could have saved your ship from defeat (most commonly extra Shield Stats).