Helena Richese

Helena Richese ignores the game's most fundamental rule. Eyes Everywhere means enemy Agents don't block you at Landsraad and City spaces — Arrakeen, Carthag, Research Station, the High Council, the Swordmaster, the Mentat: if a rival is standing there, you walk in anyway. Her Signet Ring, Manipulate, removes and replaces a card in the Imperium Row, then lets you buy the removed card this round for 1 Persuasion less.

Two complexity icons: her strength is positional, not printed resources — you must notice the moments when "occupied" stops meaning anything.

Helena wins on tempo other leaders can't buy. The best City spaces — troop-and-draw Arrakeen, troop-and-Intrigue Carthag, draw-three Research Station — are always available to you, so your engine never takes a forced detour. Meanwhile Manipulate curates the market: sweep an over-priced card your rival wanted out of the row, and buy its replacement (or the removed card, discounted) yourself.

Stack those small edges into the standard VP portfolio — Conflicts fought from well-stocked City turns, Influence from a smoother engine, and Spice Must Flow buys accelerated by discounted acquisitions.

• Let rivals block themselves — when an opponent takes Carthag, that's one fewer body contesting the space you still get to use; prioritize the crowded, contested City spaces others fight over
• Never skip Research Station lightly — draw 3 for 2 water, unblockable, is one of the strongest repeatable Agent turns in the game
• Manipulate with two targets in mind — the card you deny and the card you reveal; the replacement flip is information and sometimes the real prize
• Squat the Landsraad late — an always-available Mentat or Rally Troops means you can hold flexible plans longer than anyone at the table