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remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 22 August 2025, 05:41
by Denim Samurai
noticed that the winrate is pretty ridiculously high for whoever starts with this tech, wondering if just leaving it out of the starting tech choices might balance the game a bit better
Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 24 August 2025, 20:32
by ReverseMeeple
But then the implementation wouldn't match the boardgame, right?
Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 05 September 2025, 16:48
by frotes
I agree that this card is too good as a starting card due to how the cycling works in this game
On R1, you will be able to play this card up to it's limit (3 times) and usually it ends with top 3 revealed and 2-3 era. It's a huge head start and if you can buy a lvl1 tech that also draws or trashes, you can repeat this in R2
Also for the starting tech, 1st player has free advantage by picking the best of 3 options. Imo first player should only see 2 out of the 3 cards and next players see all.
Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 19 October 2025, 02:58
by KKDvaK
+1
its completly overpowered its obscene how juts picking it you win.
Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 22 October 2025, 00:21
by Ismaouul
I don't understand when you say :
On R1, you will be able to play this card up to it's limit (3 times) ??
frotes wrote: ↑05 September 2025, 16:48
I agree that this card is too good as a starting card due to how the cycling works in this game
On R1, you will be able to play this card up to it's limit (3 times) and usually it ends with top 3 revealed and 2-3 era. It's a huge head start and if you can buy a lvl1 tech that also draws or trashes, you can repeat this in R2
Also for the starting tech, 1st player has free advantage by picking the best of 3 options. Imo first player should only see 2 out of the 3 cards and next players see all.
Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 22 October 2025, 06:58
by frotes
Ismaouul wrote: ↑22 October 2025, 00:21
I don't understand when you say :
On R1, you will be able to play this card up to it's limit (3 times) ??
frotes wrote: ↑05 September 2025, 16:48
I agree that this card is too good as a starting card due to how the cycling works in this game
On R1, you will be able to play this card up to it's limit (3 times) and usually it ends with top 3 revealed and 2-3 era. It's a huge head start and if you can buy a lvl1 tech that also draws or trashes, you can repeat this in R2
Also for the starting tech, 1st player has free advantage by picking the best of 3 options. Imo first player should only see 2 out of the 3 cards and next players see all.
you have 5 out of 6 cards in opening hand. assuming you don't get 1/6 unlucky, smartphone will start in your hand
1) play smartphone (1st play), draw (1) last card in deck. reshuffle discard into deck, the only card is the smartphone you just played. draw (2) that smartphone
2) play droid. play smartphone (2nd play). deck is reshuffled and those are the only 2 cards in discard so you draw both of them
3) play droid, play smartphone (3rd play). draw droid & smartphone. or if you play some portals, you may draw those ones if you need to try and cycle a symbol due to the revealed cards
you now have top 3 cards revealed and droid in hand with 5 portals (1 one of each + 1 gained for that round)
it is possible to clear 4 era if the symbols line up. (you have 3 revealed + droid in hand)
Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 23 October 2025, 10:35
by Ismaouul
Thank you for the clarification, indeed it's very strong

Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 01 December 2025, 07:25
by frotes
per bgg thread, in the v2 of the game this card will be nerfed
Smartphone has been a bit nerfed (you can not use on a empy discard pile).
Double Portal are considered as same tech, meaning that if you have 2 of them in the market, you have to replace one.
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3598738/second-edition
Re: remove smartphone from starter tech options
Posted: 13 February 2026, 19:26
by Patrick_CAJE
You can make it with Data Analyser too, and with other cards (Glove, double droid, and other in the advanced tech).