SantoriniPowerCirce

Introduction

Circe is an unimportant character in greek mythology. The only noticeable part of her is her magic, which can steal powers from others, leaving them mortals to control. However, although many people overlook her, she can be brutal! If you want to keep your power against her, you have to deal with the handicap of keeping your workers together. If you prefer flexibility with them, you have to face a god as a mortal. That being said, Circe depends very much on who she is facing and it is easier to analyze each matchup individually (see some examples in the Specific Matchup section).

God Power

At the start of your turn, if an opponent’s Workers do not neighbor each other, you alone have use of their power until your next turn.

Category

Opponent blocking

Explanation

If the opponent separates his workers, he still has his power for that turn. However, Circe will immediately get it at the start of her turn. The opponent can only get it back when his workers are neighbouring again, but only at the start of Circe’s next turn. That means he will not have any powers in that turn, even end of turn powers.

Game Strategies

Early Game

Usually Circe goes first and my suggestion is to start with one of the workers in the center of the board (C3). The point of doing this is to “force” your opponent to have his workers on “the same side of the board”. When I say “force”, I mean that normally he will want to start with his workers neighboring (so that he starts with his power) and since Circe is in the center of the board, all the workers must go to “the same side”. Why is this good? It isn’t the best thing in the world, but if Circe keeps pushing the opponent to the perimeter, the number of possibilities to have the workers neighboring each other keeps decreasing. With that being said, Circe should try to have control of the middle of the board and push the opponent to the corners or perimeter so that it is harder for the opponent to keep all workers together.

Mid Game

If you are playing with Circe you are trying to “force” your opponent to have his workers separated. A good try for this is to build level 2s or 3s (ideally complete towers) around the board, especially in the middle. For example, if there are domes on B2, B4, C3, D2 and D4, it will be really hard for the opponent to keep his workers together.

Late Game

This is the phase in which Circe should be stronger as it is way harder for the opponent to keep his workers together. As said before, usually Circe would like to see domes around the board as they are obstacles.

Aphrodite

This will be a balanced matchup if Aphrodite isn’t able to get an early game advantage.

Apollo/Artemis/Hermes/Minotaur

It will be very easy for these powers to keep their workers together so Circe will probably be doomed to play with no power.

Asteria

Asteria can keep her workers separated if Circe cannot move down or Asteria cannot move down. Asteria will have no power but there’s not really a problem since if she has it, she wouldn’t be able to use it. On the other hand, domes usually benefit Circe but it will be hard for Circe to place a dome (make use of Asteria’s power). This should be an interesting matchup.

Athena

If Athena moves up, but to a square in which she is not neighboring her other worker, not only can Circe move up in the next turn, but if she moves up Athena is not able to move up. Having this said, it seems that Circe could be strong in this matchup. But this is always easier said than done. If Athena is facing someone who “doesn’t have a power”, she can be very deadly. For example, the corner-L strategy might be enough for Athena to get the win.

Domers (e.g. Atlas, Selene)

This is a very tricky matchup. In fact I think Circe should be better here. If Atlas and Selene don’t place domes, they just don’t have any power. But if they do, the probability of separating the workers increases. Once Atlas/Selene have their workers separated, Circe wins their power and she can place domes so that Atlas/Selene don’t get their workers back together! If this happens, Circe has just stolen their power and then seize the game.

Bia

Circe is better in this matchup due to 3 reasons. Firstly, if Bia mistakenly starts with her workers on opposite sides of the board, Circe will start with Bia’s power (Bia needs to start with her workers together!). Secondly, If one of Bia’s workers dies, she doesn’t get her power back anymore. Lastly, If Bia wants to play with her power, she needs to have both workers together and this isn’t ideal for Bia as it is way harder to kill the opponent. Although it is still not impossible for Bia to win, it will definitely be a very difficult task.

Chronus

This will be a balanced game, where Chronus can just play as he normally does. He just needs to try to get his workers together when the fifth tower is closer to being built.

Dionysus

This is another case in which Dionysus doesn’t necessarily have to keep his workers together in all turns, just when there is a possibility to complete a tower. That is why Dionysus should be preferred in this matchup.

Opponent controllers (e.g. Eris/Siren, not Dionysus)

It will be easy for Eris to keep her workers together: if it is Eris to move, and any move would break your workers apart, just move Circe to keep your power. In this matchup Eris holds the advantage. Similar with Siren.

Europa & Talus

Just like with Atlas and Selene, a dome might be all Circe needs to keep the opponent’s workers apart. However in this case there is only a dome, so it won’t be easy for Circe to do the same strategy as with Atlas and Selene. This should be a balanced matchup.

Gaea

This is a very tricky matchup. Once Gaea gets her third worker, she does only get to keep her power if she has ALL workers neighboring each other. This is very difficult to do (though you only need to do it if you are going to complete a tower in the next turn) so I highly doubt Gaea will reach 4 workers in this matchup. If this happens, Gaea doesn’t have to worry anymore about having her workers together. On the other hand, it will be easier for Circe to make use of Gaea’s power and much easier to reach 4 workers. Two things can happen in this matchup:

• If Circe is able to get a third worker before Gaea does, she will most likely win.
• If Gaea is able to get a third worker before Circe does, it won’t probably take long for Circe to get the third (and possibly forth) worker so Gaea should try to win as soon as possible.

Taking all into consideration, Circe should be easier to play in this matchup.

Hades

If Hades separates his workers for just a turn, not only can Circe move down, but Hades is himself is also not able to move down. If well played, this should be a balanced matchup but still better for Circe (similar for Hypnus).

Harpies

If Harpies separate their workers, it might not be easy to get them back together (they are pushed because Circe stole the power). Moreover, Circe does no longer have moving restrictions and this might just be enough to get into a comfortable square. As with Hades, this should be a balanced game but I would give Harpies the advantage (just keep your workers together while punishing Circe: it is very hard for a “Mortal” to face Harpies).

Hera

This is a balanced game but Hera needs to be very careful because if she isn’t going to dome a possible win in the perimeter, she cannot separate her workers.

Hydra

Let me tell you what will happen in this matchup: on Hydra’s first move, she gets the third worker. When this happens, it is impossible that they are all neighboring each other so Circe steals the power. Thus Hydra plays the rest of the game with 3 workers (and Circe as Hydra) unless she gets her 3 workers ALL together. In that case, she would get her power back and lose a worker in the next turn. She would probably get the third worker in two turns and her power would go right back to Circe. The problem of trying to steal the power from Circe is that when Hydra does it, she might have 3 or 4 workers, which cannot be lost while Hydra has the power.

In conclusion, this matchup turns out to be Hydra (3 workers) vs Circe (Hydra). This should be balanced, but if the game lasts for longer than it should, Circe may be able to spawn several workers around the board and win easily.

Iris

It is easy for Iris to have both workers together while still making good use of her power. Furthermore, Iris can just move away for a turn if she makes sure that Circe doesn’t get nothing from getting her power. Iris holds the upper hand.

Maenads

This is terrible for Maenads. It is very hard to keep your workers close while threatening your winning condition (which only happens if her workers are diagonally adjacent). This matchup will be painful for Maenads.

Medusa

Tricky matchup which in general should be balanced. However, if Medusa loses a worker, the game is almost certainly over.

Morpheus

The only way to lose this matchup with Morpheus (which actually happened to me) is if you don’t know the rules of the matchup. Imagine Morpheus is saving blocks with the usual strategy with Morpheus and he needs to separate his workers to defend a threat. In that case, don’t commit the same mistake as I did by keeping the blocks, just spend them all in that turn! When you separate your workers, Circe gets the power of Morpheus, with the stock of blocks he had and a block each turn. If you don’t spend all your blocks, in the next turn, Morpheus gets his workers together and his power back, but probably most of the blocks are lost.

Nemesis

It is extremely hard for Nemesis to have her workers together and then use her power. Nemesis will have a hard time in this matchup (I don’t recommend it).

Pegasus

If Circe steals the power for just one turn, it is enough to get a ground level worker to a level 2. This matchup should be balanced but still better for Pegasus.

Urania

If Urania uses her power by moving into another side of the board, she immediately loses it and it might take two turns to get it back. With that being said, Urania has to play this matchup differently. She should threaten to win on the other side of the board without actually moving there (for example, threatening to win on E5 from A1). But with Circe creating other threats, this won’t be easy and it will be difficult for Urania to play this matchup.

Conclusion

Circe is a very interesting power which adds a new element to the game. By being a very tricky power, there are some matchups where she just surprises by being stronger than you could think of. Usually it isn’t that hard to play with your workers close to each other and that’s why Circe is in general a weak power. If you are playing with Circe, you have to give your best to keep your opponent separated or otherwise there’s no hope.

Tier ranking: C

Against passive gods, Circe should provide a balanced matchup. The game will only have one power but it can be very interesting from a strategic point of view.