Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble

Spirit Overview — Framing

Wiki-printed playstyle note:

Requires some comfort with risk: both Overenthusiastic Arson and Let’s See What Will Happen involve uncertainty about how the Fast Powers phase will pan out. Can be effective from the get-go, but benefits greatly from not working too hard, instead improving its capacity for mischief by adding Presence and gaining Power Cards. Bonus Energy from Let’s See What Will Happen can be extremely helpful in avoiding the distraction of gaining Energy elsewhere.

Strategic framing [VERIFY: enhance with play experience].

Starting Setup

Put 2 Presence on your starting board: 1 in the highest-numbered land with Dahan, and 1 in land #4.

Growth Options (two)

Growth token reference (Wiki shorthand):

• reclaim — Reclaim all discarded Power Cards.
• gain1p / gain2p — Gain 1 or 2 Power Cards (Minor).
• addpresence1 / addpresence2 / addpresence3 — Add 1 Presence from track, Range N.
• energy1 / energy2 / energy3 — +1/+2/+3 Energy.
• card1 / card2 — +1/+2 Card Plays this turn.
• (Other tokens documented on Wiki Spirit template reference pages.)

Presence Tracks

As Presence leaves each track, these values are revealed:

• Energy track: energy1, moon, energy2, any, fire, energy3
• Card-play track: card2, pushdahan, card3, card3, card4, airX, card5

Core Mechanics & Special Rules

Special Rule

A REAL FLAIR FOR DISCORD After one of your Powers adds Strife in a land, you may pay 1 Energy to add 1 Strife within Range 1 of that land. CLEANING UP MESSES IS A DRAG After one of your Powers Removes Blight, Destroy 1 of your Presence. Ignore this rule for Let’s See What Happens.

Innate: LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS

• Speed: fast · Range: 1 · Target: invaders

Level	Thresholds	Effect
1	1 Moon + 1 Fire + 2 Air	Discard Minor Powers from the deck until you get one that targets a land. Use its text effects on target land immediately, ignoring normal Range/Targeting restrictions. All “up to” instructions must be used at max. value. Treat all “OR“s as “AND“s. (It is not considered a card of yours or a card in play. Its effects are treated as performed by this Power, as if its text were copied here.)
2	2 Moon + 1 Fire + 2 Air	You may Forget a Power Card to gain the just-used Power Card (to hand) and 1 Energy.

Innate: WHY DON’T YOU AND THEM FIGHT

• Speed: fast · Range: 0 · Target: invaders

Level	Thresholds	Effect
1	3 Moon	This Power may be Slow.
2	3 Air	Add 1 Strife.
3	3 Sun + 3 Fire	1 Invader and 1 Dahan deal Damage to each other.
4	3 Animal	If target land has Beast, 2 Damage. Otherwise, you may Gather 1 Beast.

Unique Cards (all, Wiki-verified)

Impersonate Authority

• 0 Energy · Slow · Range 1 · Any Land · Sun, Air, Animal
• Add 1 Strife.

Incite the Mob

• 1 Energy · Slow · Range 1 · Land with 1 or more Invaders · Moon, Fire, Air, Animal
• 1 Invader with Strife deals Damage to other Invaders (not to each Invader). 1 Fear per Invader this Power Destroyed.

Overenthusiastic Arson

• 1 Energy · Fast · Range 1 · Any Land · Fire, Air
• Destroy 1 Town . Discard the top card of the Minor Power Deck. If it provides Fire: 1 Fear , 2 Damage, and add 1 Blight .

Unexpected Tigers

• 0 Energy · Slow · Range 1 · Any Land · Moon, Fire, Animal
• 1 Fear if Invaders are present. If you can gather 1 Beasts, do so, then push 1 Explorer . Otherwise, add 1 Beasts.

Card Priority Ratings

Uniques

The spirit’s own 4 Unique Power cards (always in hand; always A-tier by default — see Uniques section above for full text):

• Impersonate Authority
• Incite the Mob
• Overenthusiastic Arson
• Unexpected Tigers

Top 10 Minor Draft Picks (from full pool)

#	Card	Cost	Speed	Elements	Effect (truncated)	Why this pick
1	Lure of the Unknown	0	Fast	Moon, Fire, Air, Plant	Gather 1 Explorer /Town.	elements air+fire+moon → 12.0
2	Land of Haunts and Embers	0	Fast	Moon, Fire, Air	2 Fear . Push up to 2 Explorers /Towns. If Blight is present, 2 Fear and Push up to 2 Explo…	elements air+fire+moon → 12.0
3	Twilight Fog Brings Madness	0	Slow	Sun, Moon, Air, Water	Add 1 Strife. Push 1 Dahan . Each remaining Dahan takes 1 Damage.	elements air+moon+sun → 10.5
4	Veil the Night’s Hunt	1	Fast	Moon, Air, Animal	For each Dahan present, choose a different Invader. 1 Damage to each of those Invaders. *…	elements air+animal+moon → 10.5
5	Portents of Disaster	0	Fast	Sun, Moon, Air	2 Fear . The next time an Invader is Destroyed in target land this turn, 1 Fear .	elements air+moon+sun → 10.5
6	Bats Scout for Raids by Darkness	1	Slow	Moon, Air, Animal	For each [[Dahan]], 1 Damage to [[Towns]]/[[Cities]]. OR 1 [[Fear]]. [[Gather]] up to…	elements air+animal+moon → 10.5
7	Delusions of Danger	1	Fast	Sun, Moon, Air	Push 1 Explorer . OR 2 Fear .	elements air+moon+sun → 10.5
8	Entrancing Apparitions	1	Fast	Moon, Air, Water	Defend 2. If no Invaders are present, Gather up to 2 Explorers .	elements air+moon → 9.6
9	Here There Be Monsters	0	Slow	Moon, Air, Animal	You may Push 1 Explorer /Town/Dahan. 2 Fear . If target land has any Beasts, 1 Fear .	elements air+animal+moon → 10.5
10	Dire Metamorphosis	1	Slow	Moon, Air, Earth, Animal	1 Fear . 1 Damage. 1 Damage to [[Dahan]]. Add 1 [[Badlands]], 1 [[Beasts]], 1 [[Disease]],…	elements air+animal+moon → 10.5

Top 5 Major Draft Picks (from full pool)

#	Card	Cost	Speed	Elements	Effect (truncated)	Why this pick
1	Unlock the Gates of Deepest Power	4	Fast	Sun, Moon, Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Plant, Animal	Target Spirit gains a Major Power by drawing 2 and keeping 1, without having to Forget an…	elements air+animal+fire+moon+sun → 13.8
2	Transform to a Murderous Darkness	6	Slow	Moon, Fire, Air, Water, Plant	Target Spirit may choose one of their Sacred Site. In that land: Replace all their Presen…	elements air+fire+moon → 12.0
3	Weave Together the Fabric of Place	4	Fast	Sun, Moon, Air, Water, Earth	Target land and a land adjacent to it become a single land for this turn. (It has the ter…	elements air+moon+sun → 10.5
4	Twisted Flowers Murmur Ultimatums	5	Slow	Sun, Moon, Air, Earth, Plant	4 Fear . Add 1 Strife. If the Terror Level is 2 or higher, Remove 2 Invaders.	elements air+moon+sun → 10.5
5	Sleep and Never Waken	3	Fast	Moon, Air, Earth, Animal	Invaders skip all Actions in target land. 1 Fear per 2 Explorers this Power Removes. Remo…	elements air+animal+moon → 10.5

HoSI Beginner Deck Bundle — for reference only

No HoSI beginner-deck bundle for this spirit.

Cards to Avoid (anti-synergy flagged)

Key Strategic Principles

[VERIFY and enhance] — strategic principles should be derived from Wiki-verified mechanics above.

1. Use the Special Rule to its fullest (see above for exact text).
2. Element thresholds drive innate firing — see the innate tables above.
3. Suggested draft cards are Wiki-recommended; pattern-match to your matchup.

Opener Mechanics — starter reference

Starting state

• Setup: Put 2 Presence on your starting board: 1 in the highest-numbered land with Dahan, and 1 in land #4.
• Starting income (from presence_energy_track[0] = energy1, presence_cardplay_track[0] = card2): 1 Energy · 2 Card Play
• Hand at start: 4 Unique Power Cards (listed below)
• Growth type: two — (see spirit panel)

Growth options

• G1: Sharp1 ((spirit-specific: Sharp1 — consult spirit panel)); movepresence1 (Move 1 Presence (Range 1))
• G2: addpresence2 (Place 1 Presence from a track (Range 2))
• G3: gain1p (Gain 1 Power Card (Minor unless otherwise noted))
• G4: energycardplays ((spirit-specific: energycardplays — consult spirit panel))

Presence-track reveal rules: placing Presence (via a growth option with addpresence*) reveals one track slot — either the next Energy slot or the next Card-Play slot, not both. The choice determines your permanent-income trajectory from that turn onward.

Energy track

energy1 · moon · energy2 · any · fire · energy3 — income as slots reveal: 1 → moon → 2 → any → fire → 3

Card-play track

card2 · pushdahan · card3 · card3 · card4 · airX · card5 — CP as slots reveal: 2 → pushdahan → 3 → 3 → 4 → airX → 5

Innate Powers

• LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS (Speed: Fast · Range: 1 · Target: invaders)
  • L1 — 1 Moon + 1 Fire + 2 Air: Discard Minor Powers from the deck until you get one that targets a land. Use its text effects on target land immediately, ignoring normal Range/Targeting restrictions. All “up to” instructions must be used at max. value. Treat all “OR“s as “AND“s. (It is not considered a card of yours or a card in play. Its effects are treated as performed by this Power, as if its text were copied here.)
  • L2 — 2 Moon + 1 Fire + 2 Air: You may Forget a Power Card to gain the just-used Power Card (to hand) and 1 Energy.
• WHY DON’T YOU AND THEM FIGHT (Speed: Fast · Range: 0 · Target: invaders)
  • L1 — 3 Moon: This Power may be Slow.
  • L2 — 3 Air: Add 1 Strife.
  • L3 — 3 Sun + 3 Fire: 1 Invader and 1 Dahan deal Damage to each other.
  • L4 — 3 Animal: If target land has Beast, 2 Damage. Otherwise, you may Gather 1 Beast.

Fast-phase element ceiling from Uniques

Fast innates resolve in Fast phase and can only see elements from Fast cards played before the innate. Slow-card elements arrive too late to feed a Fast innate. This is the element ceiling Fast plays from your Uniques alone can contribute each turn:

• Fast-phase Unique elements: Fire ×1, Air ×1
• Fast-phase L1 ceiling from Uniques alone is insufficient — need 1 Moon, Uniques give 0; need 2 Air, Uniques give 1. L1 only fires T1 with a drafted Fast Minor providing the shortfall element(s).

Unique Power Cards

Card	Cost	Speed	Range	Target	Elements	Effect
Impersonate Authority	0	Slow	1	Any Land	sun, air, animal	Add 1 Strife.
Incite the Mob	1	Slow	1	Land with 1 or more Invaders	moon, fire, air, animal	1 Invader with Strife deals Damage to other Invaders (not to each Invader). 1 Fear per Invader this…
Overenthusiastic Arson	1	Fast	1	Any Land	fire, air	Destroy 1 Town . Discard the top card of the Minor Power Deck. If it provides Fire: 1 Fear , 2 Damage…
Unexpected Tigers	0	Slow	1	Any Land	moon, fire, animal	1 Fear if Invaders are present. If you can gather 1 Beasts, do so, then push 1 Explorer . Otherwise,…

Invader phase by turn (base deck)

Adversary escalation can shift this — check the adversary JSON for deviations (Sweden front-loads a Build; some Habsburg levels add early Builds).

Pause-point before writing T1 prose

Adversary Matchup Matrix

[VERIFY all grades] — template only; fill in per-adversary notes after play.

Strategy Cliffs — per-adversary-level shifts that change Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble’s math

England L5 — Buildings +1 HP

What changes: Towns become 3-HP (was 2), Cities become 4-HP (was 3). Damage-only Powers dealing 2 or 3 may no longer kill a Town/City in one go.

Mitigation for Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble: Stack damage from multiple plays or use downgrade Powers (Crops Wither, Tangled Trees) to soften before finishing.

England L3 — Coastal Lands build faster

What changes: England’s L3 escalation adds an extra Build in coastal lands. Ocean-adjacent spirits see compounded pressure on their home terrain.

Mitigation for Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble: Front-load coastal defense or disruption before T3’s first Ravage.

France (Plantation) — Dahan capture threatens your Dahan engine

What changes: France’s plantation rules convert Dahan to colonists, and Invaders occupy lands with Dahan. Spirits whose innate/card math counts on Dahan density (Shadows-of-the-Dahan, Favors, Thunderspeaker) are downgraded.

Mitigation for Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble: Play Defend Powers on Dahan lands; accept loss of range-extension budget.

Brandenburg-Prussia — Cities drive Fear-per-kill (favorable swing)

What changes: BP’s escalation puts Cities on the board early, and each destroyed City dumps Fear into the pool. Damage-dealing spirits benefit from an inflated Fear curve; weaker spirits may struggle against pre-City pressure.

Mitigation for Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble: Aim at City-dense lands with your highest-damage plays for outsized Fear returns.

Board / Map Configuration

[VERIFY via play] — base boards A–D, Jagged Earth E–H, and thematic ratings pending per-spirit play experience.

Game-Phase Strategy

[VERIFY: needs play data].

Synergy Partners (Multiplayer)

[VERIFY: needs multi-spirit play data] — archetype-based hints from Archetype Index are the starting point.

Common Mistakes

[VERIFY: collect from play].

Tempo Profile

[VERIFY: per-round targets need playtest].

Expansion Sensitivity

• Base only: core Uniques + Innate + Special Rule functional if expansion = Base.
• + Branch & Claw: events + blight deck introduce variance.
• + Jagged Earth: Major/Minor pool deepens.
• + Nature Incarnate: additional aspects may unlock; check the aspect column above.

Per-expansion specifics [VERIFY].

Stat Snapshot

Source Notes

Chapter draft generated from Wiki data 2026-04-19. Strategic prose needs enhancement from play experience. See templates/SPIRIT_TEMPLATE.md for the full Rei-format spine.