Gān Níng 甘宁 (*SP009)

Translated Description:
“The Crow with Bells 怀铃的乌羽 (huái líng dè wū yǔ)”

Click here for Q&A!

Why is he an SP character?
Just as there was a time before Captain Jack Sparrow became “Captain”, there was a time before the Gan Ning that we know became a proper soldier. You might already know that Gan Ning was a pirate before he joined a proper military. What you probably didn’t know was the head-hunter style dress up that he adorned whilst he was plundering the lands; bone-ornaments to adorn their hair and silver bells around their waists. You could almost imagine an aboriginal cannibal from some far-away tropical rain forest. Now how’s that for a rags to riches story?

Character ability 1: Silver Bells 银铃 (yín líng)
During your action phase, you can discard 1 black-suited card and select another player. If you do so, you acquire 1 card from that player, then place that card on top of your character card. This card will then be known as ”Brocade 锦”. (Max number of Brocades = 4)

Character ability 2: Militant’s Might 军威 (jūn wēi)
At the end phase of your turn, you can discard 3 “Brocades” into the discard pile. If you do so, you must ask one player to choice between 1 of 2 options:

1. Display 1 DODGE 闪 card, which you then take and pass to any player.

2. Lose 1 unit of health, after which you select 1 card from that player’s equipped items area and move that card out of the game. Once that player’s turn has ended, that card that was moved out of the game shall be returned to its original position.

Ability’s relation to story:
Jingle bells, anyone? According to records, Gan Ning’s victims were so traumatized by his plundering that they shudder in fear whenever they heard the jingling of bells. I guess the ability somewhat symbolizes “robbing” another player. Better yet, they gave the loot a fancy-smancy name 锦, which is expensive embroidery and fabric.

“Militant’s Might” is just a random name for an ability, I guess. I could be wrong.

How to obtain this character?
Gan Ning (2012) is now available on Sino-Games.com! Click here to purchase.

Wáng Yuánjī 王元姬 (Sticker Add-on)

Translated Description:
“Civil and Understanding Empress文明皇后 (wén míng huáng hòu)”

Click here for Q&A!

Who is she:
It is fitting that Wang Yuanji is released together with Sima Zhao 司马昭, simply because these two were husband and wife. From a young age of 15, Wang Yuanji was married to Sima Zhao. Little is known about her except that she’s incredibly scholarly from a very young age, is obviously very smart as you shall read about later on, and is very humble as the wife of the defacto leader of the kingdom. Sounds like the kind of wife most men would want: loyal, humble, and intelligent such that she is his most loyal advisor. Even by today’s standards, such women are incredibly rare!

Character ability 1: “Smother 扶亂 (fú luàn)”
During your action phase, you can discard 3 cards of the same suit to flip the character card of a player within your attacking range. If you do so, you cannot use ATTACK 杀 in your turn. Limited to one use per phase.

Character ability 2: “Virtuous 淑德 (shū dé)”
At the ending phase, you can draw cards such that your number of on-hand cards is equal to your health limit.

Ability’s relation to story:
[By Reijishiki] “Smother” refers to her prediction of the rebellion of Zhong Hui 钟会. Zhong Hui was very talented and presented many schemes to Sima Zhao, but Wang Yuanji reminded Sima Zhao that Zhong Hui was extremely ambitious, and should not be trusted completely. During the invasion of Shu Kingdom, Sima Zhao allocated troops on the boundary, said to be taking precautions against Zhong Hui. The mechanism of the ability is that Wang Yuanji can smother the action of her enemy if given enough power.

“Virtuous” refers to her personality. It is said that Huang Yuanji was wise and frugal. However, the ability does not relate to any virtue. It seems that the designer just needs a name to nominate this ability.

[Ricky’s comments] Technically speaking, the meaning of 扶亂 leans more toward being supportive in nature instead of being antagonistic, however I agree with Reijishiki’s translation of “Smother”, both due to the reference of her smothering Zhong Hui’s rebellion, as well as how the ability is designed to be antagonistic in nature. It may not really be 100% suitable with Wang Yuanji’s personality, if you are very strict about it.

How to obtain this character:
Wang Yuanji can be obtained from the August 2012 issue of Zhuo You Zhi magazine, alongside *SP008 Da Qiao. It is available as an add-on “sticker” to be pasted on the “blank” character cards that are originally provided within the original pack as back-ups.

Sīmǎ Zhāo 司马昭 (Sticker Add-on)

Translated Description:
“The Ambitious Wolf Cub 狼子野心 (láng zǐ yě xīn)”

Click here for Q&A!

Who is he:
This was no ordinary “Prince-to-be”. The contrast between Sima Zhao and Liu Shan 刘禅 is as stark as Ivanka Trump and Paris Hilton – capable and effective versus trashy and generally useless. Despite the bulk of the dirty work being accomplished by his father Sima Yi 司马懿, Sima Zhao did not simply rest and enjoy the fruits of his father’s labour. Inheriting his father’s combination of cunning, prudence and patience, he seized control of Wei and became the puppet master behind the scenes, then struck down Shu kingdom in one fell swoop. As if that wasn’t enough, he was also able to guard himself against the very adviser that aided his Shu conquest, Zhong Hui 钟会, who began to show signs of rebelling with the help of the enemy, Jiang Wei 姜维.

But what is even more interesting is the fact that Sima Zhao did not proclaim himself Emperor of all China when he easily could have. Although Shu was defeated, Wei territory spread across China, and he alone was in control, Sima Zhao chose to leave the formation of the Jin Dynasty to his son Sima Yan 司马炎. Some say that the Sima family learnt this move from Cao Cao 曹操’s family, where the formation of Wei Kingdom was delayed for two generations after Cao Cao.

Though the bad guy that he is portrayed as in the story, there is no doubt that Sima Zhao was an extremely pivotal person that shaped the history of China from 250 AD till today!

Character ability 1: “Obvious Intentions 昭心 (zhāo xīn)”
At the end of your drawing phase, you can immediately display all your on-hand cards. This is seen as having used ATTACK 杀 on a player within your attacking range. Limited to once per phase.

Character ability 2: “Cautious Wolf 狼顾 (láng gù)”
Whenever you sustain 1 unit of damage, you can flip a judgement card and you can replace this judgement card with any of your on-hand cards. Then, inspect the on-hand cards of the player that is the source of your damage. You can discard any of his/her cards with the same suit as the judgement card.

Ability’s relation to story:
[By Reijishiki] “Obvious Intentions” comes from Cao Mao 曹髦, the puppet emperor of Wei Kingdom. As Sima Zhao’s power and influence increased day by day, Cao Mao feared that Sima Zhao would kill him to seize the seat as an emperor. Cao Mao gathered his loyalists and launched a resist, but Sima Zhao’s subordinate killed him. The name of the ability “昭心” also has the meaning of “Sima Zhao’s intention”. The mechanism of this ability is that Sima Zhao exposes his intention (showing all his on-hand cards) and launches an attack on someone (use and ATTACK on a player within the attack range).

Oddly, “Cautious Wolf” refers to his father, not Sima Zhao himself. It is said that Sima Yi could turn his head 180° around on his neck to look backwards without turning his body. The game mechanism symbolizes a damage-triggered ability that involves making a judgement, correlates to the two abilities of Sima Yi. Perhaps this ability symbolizes Sima Zhao inheriting his father’s awareness to the surrounding environment and his ability to seize power?

How to obtain this character:
Sima Zhao can be obtained from the August 2012 issue of Zhuo You Zhi magazine, alongside *SP008 Da Qiao. It is available as an add-on “sticker” to be pasted on the “blank” character cards that are originally provided within the original pack as back-ups.

Dà Qiáo 大乔 (*SP008)

Translated Description:
“Transient but Joyous Happiness 韶光易逝 (sháo guāng yì shì)”

Click here for Q&A!

Who is she:
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely hate seeing the original Da Qiao character. No no no, it’s not because her ability wasn’t good, but quite the contrary. Da Qiao had fantastic ability! Her ability to put everyone else to sleep with ACEDIA 乐不思蜀 was incredibly useful, and frustrating when she’s not on your side. THAT is why I hate her, because I seldom ever choose her and she’s seldom helping my side!

In this revamped SP version, the character seems less overpowered than the preceding characters. Her new abilities also mirror some of her old abilities, so it’s not a complete overhaul either. It does appear that this SP Da Qiao is rather interesting from the face of it.

Character ability 1: “Gentle Smile 言笑 (yán xiào)”
During the action phase, you can place a card with suit of Diamonds in the judgement area of any player. Players with “Gentle Smile” in their judgement area gets to keep all the judgement cards during that player’s judgement phase.

Character ability 2: “Quiet Elegance 安娴 (ān xián)”
Whenever you cause damage when you use an ATTACK 杀, you can prevent that damage and force the victim to discard 1 on-hand card, after which you draw 1 card from the deck.

Whenever you become the target of an ATTACK, you can discard 1 on-hand card to render the ATTACK useless, after which your attacker draws 1 card from the deck.

Ability relation to story:
You guessed it, none.

Look, we know Da Qiao is beautiful, elegant, and probably has a smile that could have melt the iceberg that sank the Titanic. How that translates into letting others keep judgement cards is a stretch… a long stretch. But hey, the abilities do seem balanced and is not aggro, so i’m pretty happy to ignore the fact that the ability isn’t linked much to the story.

How to obtain this character:
Click here to purchase this character from Sino-Games.com!

Liú Beì 刘备 (*SP007)

Translated Description:
“The Shining Martyr Emperor of Han Dynasty 汉昭烈帝 (hàn zhāo liè dì)”

Click here for Q&A section!

Who is he:
Really? You do not know who he is? Come on!! Let’s go straight to why the original Liu Bei needed an upgrade, shall we? He wasn’t much of a Ruler character at all as he had little offensive powers and was more supportive and self-preserving.

Or was he?

My honest opinion is that the original Liu Bei is fine just the way he is. If i’m playing a large match with 6 or more players, any side with Liu Bei is at a strong advantage.

That being said, this new SP character does have some interesting abilities. At first glance, it seems SP Liu Bei is over-powered, but on closer evaluation, he does seem quite balanced. Bear in mind that his first ability contains the component of choice on the part of the victim, so it’s not as insane as it first sounds. His 2nd ability sounds really cool as well! But we’ll have to play him to be sure.

Character ability 1: Shining Martyr 昭烈 (zhāo liè)
During your drawing phase, you can draw 1 card less, then ask a player within your attacking range to display the top 3 cards from the deck. Discard the non-Basic cards and PEACH 桃 amongst these 3 cards, (the remaining basic cards will be needed below).

The player must choose 1 out of the following 2 options:

1. You inflict X units of damage on that player. The player then gets to acquire the remaining basic cards.

2. The player discards X number of cards, and you acquire the remaining basic cards.

(X is the number of non-Basic cards discarded amongst the 3 cards displayed.)

Character ability 2: Oath of Vengeance 誓仇 (shì choú) [Ruler Ability] [Single-use Ability]
At the beginning of your turn, you can select 1 player from the Shu allegiance and give him 2 cards. Every instance you receive damage throughout the game, this other player will receive the same amount of damage on your behalf, then this player will draw as many cards as damage received. This ability will perpetuate until this player enters brink of death for the first time.

Ability’s relation to story:
Liu Bei was given the title “The Shining Martyr Emperor of Han Dynasty 汉昭烈帝” posthumously, which is seemingly where this ability title came from. In no way does his first ability seem “shiny” nor “martyr-ish”, but it does have an air of “I am the bloody Emperor and watch me command you to do stupid things in a condescending manner, now spill your blood for me!”.

The title “Oath of Vengeance” refers to his historically huge blunder by attacking Wu to avenge Guan Yu 关羽. That does not seem to have much link to the ability though, as there was no mention of surrogates in the story relating to this event. In fact, “Oath of Vengeance” has the undertones of “Bad idea” associated with it’s name, which is supposed to come back and bite Liu Bei. This ability does not seem to show any of this.

How to obtain this character:
Click here to purchase this character from Sino-Games.com!

Lǖ Méng 吕蒙 (*SP006)

Translated Description:
“The Charisma of Ministers 国士之风 (guó shì zhī fēng)”

Click here for Q&A!

Who is he:
Admit it, you can’t stand it when another player uses the original Lu Meng, especially when he is sitted right next to you. That hoard of cards is always a danger, and you can never really tell who’s side he’s on.

You are probably hoping that in this revamped version, that irritating ability to store infinite on-hand cards in removed. But hell no!! They just made him even more insanely powerful. I mean, this guy just makes Demi-God Lu Meng seem as dangerous as Grover from Sesame Street! How does one spell IMBA?

Character ability 1: “Taunt the Tiger 探虎”
During the action phase,  you can conduct Points Duel with another player. If you win, you acquire the following abilities till the end of your turn.

1. Your distance from that player is 1.

2. Non-Time Delay Tool cards used on that player cannot be neutralized by NEGATE 无懈可击.

Limited to once per phase.

Character ability 2: “Strategic Judgement 谋断” [Transformation ability]
Under normal circumstances, your token should have “Warrior 武” facing up and you possess the abilities “Ardor 激昂” and “Humility 谦逊”.

When your number of on-hand cards is 2 or less, you must flip your token over such that “Strategist 文” is facing up, and change those 2 abilities into “Dashing Hero 英姿” and “Self Mastery 克己”. You can flip the token over by discarding a card before the start of any player’s turn.

(Note:
Humility 谦逊 (qiān xùn) (Lu Xun 陆逊’s ability)
You cannot become the target of STEAL 顺手牵羊 and ACEDIA 乐不思蜀.

Ardor 激昂 (jī áng) (Sun Ce 孙策’s ability)
Whenever you use (or become the target of) DUEL 决斗 or a red-suited ATTACK 杀, you can draw a card.)

Dashing Hero 英姿 (yīng zī) (Zhou Yu 周瑜’s ability)
You can draw 1 additional card during your drawing phase.

Self-Mastery 克己 (kè jǐ) (Lu Meng’s ability)
If you do not use any ATTACK 杀 cards during your action phase, you can skip the discard phase.)

Ability’s relation to story:
[By Reijishiki] “Taunt the Tiger” comes from Lu Meng’s bravery and aspiration to challenge difficulties. In his younger age (15-16 years old), he followed his brother-in-law secretly to fight the bandits. His mother was enraged and scolded him, and he replied, “It is difficult to survive in poverty; if we can prove ourselves through hard work, then wealth would come eventually. How can we get the tiger’s cub if we don’t enter the tiger’s den?”. In his older age, he challenged Guan Yu 关羽, one of the Tiger Generals of Shu. In the game, he can “Agitate the Tiger” in both his Warrior and Strategist form. If he wins, he can approach his enemy, and he can use his ploy without being negated.

“Strategic Judgement” can be split into two parts: 谋 (plotting schemes) and 断(make a judgement). It is said that capable rulers, generals and strategists must be good at both plotting schemes and making decisions. (Yuan Shao 袁绍 and Liu Biao 刘表 were said to be good at plotting schemes with their strategists, but were poor at making decisions). I translate is as “Strategic Judgement”, suiting the literal meaning and the essence of this ability: decide your “form” strategically to maximize your gain.

In his Warrior form, he gets “Ardor” and “Humility”. His Warrior form shows his younger life, a reckless warrior who fights bravely in the front line and is humble to Sun Quan 孙权’s word to learn more. Both his abilities bolster his defense outside turn. In his Strategist form, he gets “Dashing Hero” and “Self-Mastery”. This shows his later life, a well-respected general who restrains himself from hasty actions, waiting to strike at the right moment. He can fill up his cards easily and store them without discarding.


How to obtain this character:
Click here to purchase this character from Sino-Games.com!

Zhang Fei 张飞 (*SP005)

Translated Description:
“Spear-Ready, Horse-Mounted 横矛立马 (héng máo lì mǎ)”

Click here for Q&A Section!

Who is he:
If you don’t know Zhang Fei, you must be completely new to ROTK (in which case, you can read about him here). The hairy one gets a makeover, but thankfully his facial hair is just as overwhelming. I would have thought Zhang Fei is one of the last to need a revamp. His old character was simple, brutal, and very flexible. I think the new complicated mechanics are to Zhang Fei what variable acceleration technology is to a food blender: unnecessary.

Still, i’m sure some out there would appreciate the more complex nature of the newer characters, and hopefully this new update would appeal to you.

Why is he an SP character?
There is only one reason I can think of that warrants an SP version of him. His ability was too simple (ie: had too few words), and was too clear-cut. Ambiguity is vogue now, and if don’t have to re-read the ability description at least thrice, it’s clearly out of fashion.

Character ability 1: “Indignation 嫉恶 (jí è)” [Enforced ability]
When you use red-suited ATTACK 杀 cards, the damage caused is +1.

Character ability 2: “Battle Cry 大喝 (dà hè)”
During your action phase, you can pick a player to points duel. If you win, all DODGE 闪 cards of that player that are not hearts-suit become ineffective till the end of the turn. You can pass the points duel card of that player to any player whose health is not more than yours. If you lose, you must display your hand of cards and select one card to discard. Limited to once per turn.

Ability’s relation to story:
[By Reijishiki] The words “嫉恶” originates from the phrase 嫉恶如仇 (abhor evil as a deadly foe). It refers to Zhang Fei’s personality. When Zhang Fei saw wrongdoings, he would get enraged easily. There have been numerous instances where Zhang Fei lost his cool and did some pretty impulsive things, whipping an official and even fighting Guan Yu 关羽 just to name two.

“Battlecry” referred to Zhang Fei’s contribution in the Battle of Changban. This section has been written extensively in the original Zhang Fei post as well as in DISMANTLE 过河拆桥.

Incidentally, 大喝 (Battlecry) and 咆哮 (Barrage) have similar meanings in chinese. In the game, “Battlecry” is more likely referring to the whole action of Zhang Fei in the Battle of Changban. If Zhang Fei wins, Zhang Fei literally stunned his enemy. His ATTACK is less likely to be dodged, and he can take this chance to protect his comrade (by giving a card to him). If Zhang Fei loses, he is at a disadvantage, so his enemies can see through his intention (reveal on-hand cards) and one card needs to be ‘dismantled’ by Zhang Fei himself.

How to obtain this character:
Purchase the 15th issue of Zhuo You Zhi magazine (April 2012) to get this limited character card as a free gift! (Coming soon to Sino-Games.com)

Contributing Writers:
– Reijishiki
– Ricky Chua

Pang Tong 庞统 (*SP004)

Translated Description:
“Genius of Jing Chu 荆楚之高俊 (jīng chǔ zhī gāo jùn)

(Note: Jing Chu is the ancient name for the area that is Hubei province today.)

Click here for Q&A!

Who is he:
The first time I came across the original Pang Tong character, a friend commented that his “Nirvana 涅槃” resurrection ability was to compensate for the early death of this historically important person. Yet somehow, despite being given “one life more” than others, the old Pang Tong could never quite live up to expectations of such a brilliant man.

I think this “upgrade” has been well deserved and the tweak has made him seem slightly over-powered. Oh well! Consider it payback for all the neglect that the old Pang Tong suffered. Finally, the phoenix has truly risen!

Why is he an SP character?
Pang Tong was probably one of the most under-powered characters in the original deck, and subsequently also one of the most under-utilized. I must say that I do adore his “Shackle 连环” ability from last time, though this complete makeover is most appreciated.

Character ability 1: “To Hell with Work 漫卷 (màn juàn)”
Whenever you are about to receive a card, you must place that card in the discard pile. If this happens within your turn, you can pick up any one card with the same number (Ace to King) from the discard pile and place it in your on-hand cards.
[Updated 25/04/2012] 

Character ability 2: “Plastered 醉乡(zuì xiāng)” [Single-Use ability]
At the beginning of your turn, you can flip over 3 cards from the top of the deck and place them on your character card. You cannot use or play any card of the same “type” (basic card, tool card, weapon card, etc.) as those placed on your character card. All cards of the same type also have no effect on you. For every turn henceforth, you must flip over another 3 cards and place them on your character card, until any 2 cards placed on your character card has the same number (Ace to King). When that happens, all the cards on your character card will go into your on-hand cards.

Additional info based on changes:
[Reijishiki] According of ZYZ magazine, his two abilities comes from the story of Pang Tong clearing100 days of leftover work in one afternoon (RoTK Chapter 57). When Pang Tong first joined Shu,  Liu Bei 刘备 sent him to a magistracy to work. Yet in his new position, Pang Tong refused to work (to hell with work!). Scrolls of complaint were accumulated on the table for 100 days and the town was in disarray. Upon hearing this news, an angry Liu Bei sent Zhang Fei 张飞 to check him out. When Zhang Fei arrived, he was surprised to find Pang Tong drunk (plastered). However Pang Tong promptly cleared his 100 days of leftover work in one afternoon without the slightest mistake.

[Ricky] One interesting trivia here is that both of the abilities have been drawn into the portrait illustration. “To hell with work” can be seen with him tossing scrolls worth of work over his shoulders, which is a literal depiction of 漫卷 (Translated: to toss scrolls into the air like you couldn’t care less). “Plastered” can be seen with him holding a big drinking bowl, a huge vat of wine to his left, and a smile so wide you would think he was at the pub on Friday night.

[Updated 25/04/2012] Left this portion out when I first writing up this article. “To Hell with Work” paints a nice analogy, because when someone gives you work, you toss it away like you don’t care. In this case, when someone gives you cards, you toss it away too! The mechanism for “Plastered” is a smart way for the creator to simulate the character getting drunk. You basically lose a few of your body psychomotor functions after having a drink too many, and this ability replicates that by making you almost useless after “drinking” 3 cards. Drink some more and you have the fighting ability of wallpaper. The not-so-children-friendly twist to this is that after drinking a ton of wine, the ability jolts you with a massive stack of cards and you instantly regain all your abilities.

That… doesn’t quite happen in real life.

How to obtain this character:
Purchase the 15th issue of Zhuo You Zhi magazine (April 2012) to get this limited character card as a free gift! Or simply click here to purchase it separately through Sino-Games.com!

Contributing writers:
– Reijishiki
– Ricky Chua

Cao Ren 曹仁 (*SP003)

Translated description:
“Quitting is not an option 险不辞难 (xiǎn bù cí nán)”

Click here for Q&A!


Who is he:
You are probably familiar with him by now. Before this SP release, Cao Ren was considered one of the least popular characters. I especially did not look forward to skipping one full round of action despite having additional cards. I felt like a wealthy paraplegic whenever I used him.

Sad to say, I’m still not a fan after this update. True, his defensive abilities have remained, and its usefulness is now pegged to player skill. He now has a 2nd ability that gives him slightly more playability. His portrait also looks fantastic and I would gladly hang a life-size poster on my bedroom wall.

But his most crippling weakness still remains: that “skip-a-turn” cost for using his first (and most useful) ability. Ultimately, I feel like i’m still handicapped and restrained. It’s an improvement no doubt, but I’d still wouldn’t use him.

Why is he an SP character?
The answer is simple. The old Cao Ren was as energetic as a kettle, and just as respected. If there was a character that needed tweaking, he was it.

Character ability 1: “Break Out 溃围 (kuì wéi)”
At the Ending phase of your turn, you may draw 2 + X cards, then flip your character card over. If you do so, you must discard X cards at the beginning of your next drawing phase. X is the total number of weapon cards in all the equipped areas of all characters.

Character ability 2: “Discipline 严整 (yán zhěng)”
If the number of your on-hand cards is larger than your health, you may use any of your equipped cards as NEGATE 无懈可击.

Additional info based on changes:
[Contributed by Reijishiki] Being a master of defensive warfare, Cao Ren knew that simply entrenching was the worst defensive tactics, as the cut of supply would slowly deplete the defense. Only by counterstriking and breaking through the encirclement could save his troops. Cao Ren himself performed two amazing breakthroughs in the history. The first one was in the defense of Jiang Ling 江陵. After the defeat of Cao Cao 曹操 in Red Cliffs, Zhou Yu 周瑜 led his troops to attack the city of Jiang Ling. Cao Ren was assigned to protect Jiang Ling, and he sent Niu Jin 牛金 and 300 troops to challenge  the vanguard of Zhou Yu’s troops. Niu Jing’s troops were encircled quickly. Neglecting the advice of Chen Jiao 陈矫, Cao Ren managed to lead some elite cavaliers personally to save Niu Jing, which was a success. The adviser stopped him just before exclaiming, “General, you are truly a man from Heaven!”.

Betrayed by the name, “Breakthrough” is actually a defensive ability like his previous ability “Entrenchment”. Perhaps the action of drawing cards reflected the preparation of Cao Ren and the action of discarding reflected the depletion of power after counter attacking?

“Discipline” was the backbone of army, and Cao Ren was good at promoting discipline of his army, just as almost all Wei generals. Discipline was an essential concern of Cao Cao, who aimed at conquering/liberating (pick the one you like) the whole China, Being a respected general and a master of defense, Cao Ren knew the importance of discipline very well. His army was one of the most disciplined troops at that time. This ability allowed you to convert equipped cards to NEGATE. Perhaps it shows that you have to discard the impure troops to maintain “无懈可击 (No flaw to be exploited)”?

How to obtain this character?
Purchase the 14th issue of Zhuo You Zhi magazine (March 2012) to get this limited character card as a free gift! Or simply purchase it separately through Sino-Games.com!

Contributing Writers:
– Reijishiki
– Ricky Chua

Diao Chan 貂蝉 (*SP002)

Translated Description:
“The Malevolent Puppeteer 暗黑的傀儡师 (àn hēi dè kuǐ lěi shī)”

Click here for Q&A!

Who is she:
There is only so much I need to say about Diao Chan. She’s probably one of the top 10 most famous people in ROTK, as well as in SGS! In the previous version, the artwork is more kiddy, wide-eyed, bambi-like.

Not anymore.

Meet the succubus of ancient China. If looks alone couldn’t kill, she can easily seduce another man that gladly will. Personal opinion? I prefer matured, crafty, sadistic women. This Diao Chan… I like.

Why is she an SP character?
Technically speaking, Diao Chan is already over-exposed in SGS. Her 2011 SP version created quite a stir, as so many wanted a glimpse of her fresh out of the shower. Her original ability “Seed of Animosity 离间” was perfect as well. Do we really need another Diao Chan?

Well if you read into her new ability in this evil version, it is just absolute evil and merciless. It kind of makes the male victim seem like a useless empty shell really. The closest example I can think of to describe what I feel about the new Diao Chan are the “Mermaids” in Pirates of the Carribean: Fountain of Youth. Beautiful, seductive, and absolutely deadly. Oh I love it!

Character Ability 1: Soul Surrender 离魂 (lí hún)
In the action phase, you can discard one card and flip over your character card. If you do so, you can acquire all the on-hand cards of one male character. At the end of the action phase, you must return that male character one card for every remaining health unit that he has.

Limited to one use per turn.

Character ability 2: Envious Moon 闭月 (bì yuè)
At the end of your turn, you can draw one card from the deck.

Additional Info based on changes:
Her new ability is dangerous both towards her enemy and herself. She can ‘focus’ her charm towards a male character, claiming their “soul” (ie: his on-hand cards) and leaving him totally vulnerable. If you can injure him heavily, or even kill him, good for you. This ability is especially powerful when she gains damaging cards like DUEL 决斗, BARBARIANS 南蛮入侵, RAINING ARROWS 万箭齐发, etc.

And let’s not forget the carnage she can unleash with the Ancient Scimitar 古锭刀 equipped.

However, this ability comes at a cost. Discard one is no big deal since she can easily take over her victim’s cards, but flipping her character card will cost her one full turn. “Envious Moon” will grant her some extra defense, but one extra card for one turn lost can only do so much.

How to obtain this character:
Purchase the 13th issue of Zhuo You Zhi magazine to get this limited character card as a free gift!

Contributing Writers:
– Reijishiki
– Ricky Chua