Being a look back at cards from the Star Trek CCG, and what I thought of them back when they were fresh and new... in EPISODE order. Our first Ferengi-affiliation personnel...
PICTURE: The pose is interesting as it has this Ferengi inspecting a mineral, assessing its value. It also hides his face enough that you wouldn't necessarily recognize Armin Shimmerman ("Quark") in the role. I kinda like the furs on the uniform. A fun 3.6.
LORE: Universality is acknowledged, and using the name of another Ferengi personnel in the lore helps with the 6th Rule, but the story itself is pretty bland. The extra space could have been used for flavor... ah well. Just your average 3.
TREK SENSE: Letek is described as your typical first officer, so you always have to ask yourselves if every Ferengi first officer could and would have those skills. I think they all work out except Medical, which requires a lot more training than the others. But how is Letek himself represented? The Officer/Command icon combo is pretty natural, of course. In the show, he was one of the bad guys, his crew having stolen an energy converter from the Federation. That accounts for Treachery. Geology is pictured on the card itself: Letek seems interested in ores (and it's a perfectly reasonable skill for exploitative Ferengi to have). The Medical, I can't really find a reason for though (intimate knowledge of Ferengi Whip effects on the nervous system seems kind of a stretch). The dilemma nullification makes sense in that he led the Ferengi Attack pictured. He can't attack himself, you might say. Seriously though, it's sensible that while some Ferengi would attack others, a high up guy like a first officer could exert some authority over these attack parties. Of course, it would have been better if the dilemma couldn't touch Ferengi Away Teams whatsoever, carrying over the normal attack restrictions. After all, if a guy like Letek, who has neither Diplomacy nor Leadership, can stop an attack, why can't DaiMons and Nagi? The low Integrity fits the Treachery, so that's okay. The Cunning's fine though it could have been lower given the characterization of Ferengi back then. And the Strength, when you remember Ferengi Attack, should be that high, yes. A number of poorer elements relegate this Ferengi to 2.5.
STOCKABILITY: Letek's a cool universal personnel on account of his MEDICAL skill. It's fairly rare in the Ferengi Alliance, and it's never been anything but useful to mission attempts (and various other effects, such as running Genetronic Replicator). Geology is more common, but that's as much on attemptable missions (plus Forced-Labor Camp) as it is on personnel. Another requirement found on more than a few Ferengi missions is Treachery, and Letek can add to that as well. It also allows him to discard the equally universal Taar for equipment or cards via the 6th Rule of Acquisition. The high STRENGTH is pretty rare for Ferengi, so he'll make a good OFFICER for passing Maglock, but to populate your assault teams too. Another dilemma that Letek can pass is Ferengi Attack as per his special skill. Now, you don't really need that given the amount of Greed in a typical Ferengi Away Team, but it could still protect you from self-seeded Ferengi Attacks meant to be doubled by Taar if those missions were ever thieved. Meh. A whole line of game text to nullify a relatively easy dilemma is kind of a waste (even if thematically sound). So basically, some good skills and attributes on a universal, but a lackluster special skill. Still 3.5.
TOTAL: 12.6 (63%) Why no Ferengi Whip download instead?
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