The Pendari Champion is an avid card gamer in Calgary, Alberta. He is not a licensed therapist, nor an employee of any gaming company. He does however know a few things about love, relationships and card drawing engines, and will happily answer any questions sent to him at pendari_champion at hotmail dot com

Although the Pendari Champion will do his best to answer your questions, he can't guarantee that his answers are right; hence the following legal disclaimer.

The Pendari Champion is not responsible for any maiming, burnings, mutilations, deaths, emotional distresses, lesions, lacerations, dismemberment, rashes, defenestrations, inebriation or chafing caused by following his advice.

> Dear Pendari Champion
> What can the Holy Hexany do for me besides giving me
> a very good starting hand of nine cards in turn one?
> Sincerely, Orc of Borg

Dear Orc of Borg, there are basically three additional
things that the Hexany can do for you.

A) Against a focussed skill elimination deck (like diplomacy elimination) it can recycle the required personnel turn after turn.

B) It allows you to stock a couple of non-ref-icon magic bullets you would not use otherwise (such as Temporal Narcosis or Wrong Door) and get rid of them when you don't need them, or re-use them multiple times if you do need them.

C) In combination with Card Drawing Engines, it allows you to draw the cards you need later in the same turn, on subsequent turns and whenever you get cards.

> Dear Pendari Champion,
> I've been friends with the local STCCG ambassador  since long before the game even came out. I still
> enjoy STCCG, but recently I've been more interested  in LOTR. I'm afraid to tell him because I know he'll
> feel betrayed, but I can't keep living a lie,  talking trek, while playing LOTR behind everyone's  back. What should I do?
> Sincerely, Closeted LOTR Fan.

Dear LOTR Fan,

I think you've answered your own question; you have to be honest with yourself and with others. Tell your friend straight out that, while you still enjoy STCCG and will play it occasionally, but that LOTR is now your true love. If your friend is a good friend, he will be supportive of your decision, and perhaps if you build him a deck too, LOTR is something you can explore together.

> Dear Pendari Champion,
> I am a Catholic priest with many little special
> friends, yet people call me a sick and perverted
> wacko. Why is this? I think I'm fairly normal, I
> have white hair, 38 years old, been a priest for
> six years and had great fun with many many
> altar boys, playing CCGs with them. Many people have
> looked at me oddly recently when their children talk
> about how I showed them "Lurtz's Sword,"
> the "Horn of Boromir" or the card "Let them Come!"
> Anyway, I need your help,  Pendari Champion!
> Sincerely, Priest in Peril

Dear Priest in Peril,
Gee... Perhaps LOTR isn't the game to be playing with them... have you considered playing soccer with them? or how about coaching a hockey team? Less chance to be misunderstood and all...

> Dear TPC
> Well here it is, Canada Day, and I am alone and far
> from Canada.  I can't even get drunk!  Is there
> anyway a crack squad of Canada's Finest rescue me
> from this life?
> Help me!

Dear Help me,
Well... it would take 17 hours to drive there, but since I have no car and would be walking... no. There really isn't. I wish we could.

The Pendari Champion
olav_rokne@yahoo.com