Mot's Useless Card Review #41: Mortal Q

Well, to start out with the obvious, Mortal Q is mentioned by name on The Naked Truth, and for good reason - he can be a very unwelcome "gift" to your opponent. If your opponent is using a Q-Continuum side deck, it'll be closed off for good unless they have an Immortal Again at their disposal. Mortal Q's Leadership -1 is going to make things a little harder on an armada or battle deck. It also makes it all the more difficult to overcome the already challenging Alien Abduction dilemma (which can be the beginning of many a harsh combo). And of course, there's no better way to deal with an opponent using high-INTEGRITY crews and self-seeded Qs to discard all of your dilemmas.

Having just detailed the reasons why one wouldn't want to be stuck with a Mortal Q, it may seem contradictory to now suggest using Mortal Q deliberately for yourself. But it's summed up neatly in that last skill: "discard the Q dilemma if you encounter it." Unless you're playing the self-seeded Q strategy I mentioned, 2 Leadership and INTEGRITY > 60 can be a tall order for many decks, especially for Romulans. Using Mortal Q to simply bypass and ignore this nasty dilemma can provide considerable peace of mind. Ever fallen victim to the vicious Sheliak/Q combo? Never again if you use Mortal Q.

Just a few last tidbits: of course there is not currently any need for Physics or Geology in multiple, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't want the skills at all. Many good space missions require Physics, as many planets take Geology, and Q can be an extra source of both. And of course, any CIVILIAN is as good as any other at a Colony.

So as long as you aren't playing a Continuum side deck yourself, why not reap the benefits of using this character with so many "fine qualities?" ;-)