by jmzero
There are like at least 3-4 cards with the promos added in that equal Energize in their first usage.
No, I don't think there are any that equal it in their first usage. It takes 4 activations of, say, Friend of Children before you've actually gained an energy (though obviously Friend is a great card). "Only Making it Stronger" quite often never pays for itself. Batteries can gain you a fair bit of energy, but it's almost always a mistake to buy. Most of these cards cost you tempo - they take time to pay off, if they ever do.
In contrast to those cards, Energize pays off immediately, and it combo's well with News Crew, Friend, Alien Metabolism, and Hoarder (although Hoarder is a horrible card). Energize has quite often made a difference in our games - if you can afford it, it's always a good purchase, and is one of the few cards that rewards a high energy balance.
I think the game could use a second copy of Energize, actually.