A Study in Static Card Reviews

Genesis - A Study in Static Review

64% - 256 out of 400
64% - Runner 115 out of 180
64% - Corp 141 out of 220

Our staff has put together a first blush analysis of the newly released data pack A Study in Static. We've used a one through five scale; five being the best. The cards are listed in numeric order. Our reviewers are listed in alphabetical order. Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are on this pack!

Corp and Runner get 2 high rated cards each. Weyland scrapes the bottom with 2 very low scores.

Top 3
Green Level Clearance (A Study in Static) 20 out of 20
All-nighter (A Study in Static) 19 out of 20
False Lead (A Study in Static), Doppelganger (A Study in Static) -tied- 18 out of 20

Bottom 3
Tyrant (A Study in Static) 5 out of 20
Weyland Consortium: Because We Built It (A Study in Static) , Bullfrog (A Study in Static) -tied- 6 out of 20

[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_disrupter-a-study-in-static.png'] Disrupter 9 out of 20

Kennon - 2 out of 5
Again, we have the memory cost issue, and this time for an ability that feels significantly less powerful than the first two. Sure, not all traces end in tags, but for those that do, this doesn’t seem like the most effective way of combating them since you’ll be using memory and still using 1 cred up front, then having to deal with a trace and associated creds afterward. For those that do something aside from tag, I could see Disripter having more utility, but right now, I’m just not really feeling it.

Nu_Fenix - 2 out of 5
I don’t feel that taking up a slot of my memory, and the click and credit to play it make up for bringing a trace down to 0. If traces are that concerning for you, then stopping one will likely be a drop in the ocean, and increasing Link will do more. If traces don’t bother you on the whole, then you won’t use the card. As it may tempt some people, and isn’t a useless bookmark, that is what prevents it being a 1.

Scud - 2 out of 5
I am rating this on the assumption that the Runner has to prevent the Trace BEFORE the Corp pays in to raise the strength. Actually, though, even if the ruling goes the other way, I probably wouldn't raise my value above 3, at least right now (when we get Traces with higher base strengths, I could see valuing this more highly). If the Runner could reset the Trace after the Corp paid in, then no Corp would pay in all that much and Traces would become less exciting and useful, which is antithetical to one of the stated design goals of the Genesis cycle. Disrupter is a safety net, allowing you to play a little bit less cautiously around Traces, which isn't a bad thing. Resetting a Trace4 to a Trace0 can be the difference between the Trace succeeding and failing (well, since Disrupter is sitting on the table, it can be the difference between the Corp succeeding or even trying).

Toqtamish - 3 out of 5
This card is getting a lot of discussion on the forums right from the minute it came out. With the current cycles emphasis on trace I think the runners needed a card like this especially for those that don’t have as much of a link emphasis as Shapers tend to have. I like this card and would rate it higher but it is situational as there is matches where it would be a dead card and likely just discarded. But against NBN this card could really help to slow them down.

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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_force-of-nature-a-study-in-static.png'] Force of Nature 9 out of 20

Kennon - 2 out of 5
This is a pretty unimpressive card, but I do understand what they’re going for here. 5 cost is pretty huge for this breaker, but at least it does give Anarch another in faction Decoder to help free up influence for something else. I would say that will get more useful as time goes by and there are even more interesting things to splash, but other in faction icebreakers are likely to come around then too.

Nu_Fenix - 2 out of 5
This card feels very unimpressive. If it wasn’t 5 credits I could perhaps be more accepting of it, but both Gordian Blade and ZU.13 Key Master are obvious comparison, due to also being 1 credit for 1 strength, 1 MU, are effectively 2 credits for breaking two subroutines, but also cheaper. If you are making an Anarch deck and want the security of having an in-faction decoder that can have it’s strength increased, then this card now makes it possible, but I would spend the influence for an out-of-faction decoder, rely on the strength reducing cards available to Anarch along with Yog.0, or use an AI icebreaker.

Scud - 2 out of 5
This is a hard card to rate. The only reason it exists is to give Anarchs an alternative to packing Yog.0 and the support cards to make it work WITHOUT having to spend Influence on Gordian Blade, ZU.13 Key Master, or Peacock. On that criteria, it works – it isn't a great 'breaker BUT it is an option that frees up Anarchs to bring in other cards. As the game grows and we start to see more Code Gates, maybe this will look a little better, although I don't think anyone would bring it in out-of-faction without some yet-to-be-published super-synergy card(s).

Toqtamish - 3 out of 5
It is good and the ability to break multiple subroutines is not terrible but sometimes it might be more than you need to break but at least it only costs you 1 extra credit. Now the fact that it is pumpable to increase its strength is really good for Anarchs as most of their icebreakers so far have not been able to be boosted.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_scrubber-a-study-in-static.png'] Scrubber 12 out of 20

Kennon - 3 out of 5
Having been on the receiving end of Whizzard trash decks, I can testify that it’s pretty frustrating to get those economic assets trashed before you’re able to make headway with them. And most annoyingly, they keep doing it with so little investment on their part! I’ve been excited about the higher trash cost assets in this cycle, and now Scrubbers comes along. I think it’s going to be pretty effective in those sorts of decks, but I wouldn’t be looking to splash it elsewhere.

Nu_Fenix - 4 out of 5
Feel jealous that Whizzard can trash most trashable cards he accesses without denting his personal credit supply? Or are you a Whizzard who runs out of recurring credits too easily? This card now fills that gap. The minimal influence of 1 allows this to be splashed into any deck (my Criminal Choke deck is thrilled!), and as the recurring credits are the same as the card cost, I don’t feel playing it and using it in the same turn puts me back. This almost made it to a 5 for me, but I know that as a way to shrug off tags, some decks are being made with minimal to no resources, and protecting against Scorched Earth with Plascrete Carapace.

Scud - 2 out of 5
We're getting a lot of high-trash-cost Assets and Upgrades in the Genesis cycle, so this card will have a lot of targets. The question is whether or not it is worth a slot in your deck and I think, for now at least, the answer is no. Whizzard credit-denial decks will probably love this guy, since he makes it even easier to do damage to the Corp even after you've drained all your credits on a nasty Vamp (but since it is a Resource you'll want to have stick around, you may need to find a way to up your Link...) but other than that, I can't think of a deck that doesn't have something better to pack.

Toqtamish - 3 out of 5
More recurring credits to help trash cards. I have already seen a very good Whizzard trash deck that helps to starve the corp of its resources and this card helps to increase the credits available for that. Not unique so it is entirely possible to have 3 out at once making it so you can trash anything you want. Also useful with some of the criminal cards that steal credits from the corp to help keep the corp bankrupt and unable to advance any agendas or rez any ice.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_doppelganger-a-study-in-static.png'] Doppelganger 18 out of 20

Kennon - 5 out of 5
Holy cow this looks awesome! Sure, I’m still going to have a hard time giving up Desperado due to the monetary generation, but wow, look- free runs! One of the best things for Runners and Criminals in particular is flexibility. Doppelganger provides that in spades by allowing you free clicks, provided you spend them on runs. With a multitude of targets to run at, I think this is by far the best “pseudo-click” that we’ve seen on the runner side so far.

Nu_Fenix - 4 out of 5
As a Criminal, I can’t decide if I would use this or Desperado. Both have their benefits, although mainly depend upon how often you will be running, and how much it will impact on your economy. For non-Criminals, it may be chosen as their console of choice, with Whizzard being a likely candidate. Making it possible to score two copies of Notoriety without using any extra-click tech can lead to some strong combos. Personally, I like the idea of draining HQ with Account Siphon, and then being able to afford to hit elsewhere and still have clicks free to deal with the tags.

Scud - 4 out of 5
I'm honestly not sure just how nuts this card is going to end up being. Making a second run without spending a click is great on paper but you have to have the scratch built up for two runs before you start, since you cant do anything between runs. That means potentially "losing" a few clicks in an earlier turn to build up the resources for two runs. However, it is really nice that you don't have to run on the same server twice. You can use this to play chicken with the Corp by running the server you are less interested in first, forcing them to decide whether or not they want to stop you by spending money they might not want to spend. Doppelganger teams up well with Crescentus (and All Nighter), letting you hit a server again immediately for less cash (or causing the Corp to spend more money to re-rez), which could be huge if that server is, say, R&D and you have a Medium or two on-line (or if you're making your glory run on Archives with your Noise virus-mill deck and that tricksy Corp has a Red Herrings or Ash installed in the Root...).

Toqtamish - 5 out of 5
Essentially a free extra click to make runs with. This card is very good. Only 3 credits so very affordable and allows you to spend a click doing something else you need to do and then still make at least two runs assuming the first one is successful. A very good card for the runners and I can see it having its uses outside of Criminals and at only two influence it can be splashed easily enough. Not sure it is better than Desperado and its free credits but this one gives free clicks.

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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_crescentus-a-study-in-static.png'] Crescentus 12 out of 20

Kennon - 3 out of 5
I’m giving Crescentus the benefit of the doubt here, but I do have a couple issues with it. First off, you have to have broken that piece of ice already, which I would say is probably a downside compared to Emergency Shutdown. Of course, that all depends on where their ice is, but I like that you can Shutdown ice somewhere else if you are able to make the HQ run. Crescentus requires a face first run at the ice you want to get out of the way. Second, the memory cost makes me feel pretty similarly to Deus X as well. Still, this is a very powerful ability, especially against something like Janus or Hadrian’s, so I’m going to hit the middle of the road here.

Nu_Fenix - 4 out of 5
An alternative to Emergency Shutdown, and whilst it takes up precious MU and costs a credit, having it waiting to be used means you can get a turn delay in using it, unlike Emergency Shutdown. Combining this with Personal Workshop, so you can have it sat there, and assuming you have other cards you are pulling off it instead, you wait until you have got through an annoying ice you want to de-rez (such as Tollbooth or bioroid ice), then paying to get it off and trash it, means it isn’t using up MU if you need it for other programs, until you need it.

Scud - 4 out of 5
Another version of Emergency Shutdown and we all know how good that card is, right? This feels like it would be right at home in a Whizzard credit-denial deck, shutting down the ICE on HQ on your way in to Vamp away all their cash. Also pairs nicely with the nutty finish of Medium, letting you run a couple extra times on R&D for less credits (or while costing the Corp a lot more). It also works with Doppelganger, since you don't need a click to use it. This is a prime candidate for Test Run (out of the Stack OR the Heap). I'm starting to see the beginnings of a Chaos Theory utility-belt build between this, Disrupter, and Deus X. I like the idea of one use programs and hope we see more of them in the future.

Toqtamish - 1 out of 5
The fact that this uses up memory is I think what I do not like about it. At least it only costs one since you have to trash it and also only uses 1 memory. But at the same time if you are able to break all the subroutines on the ice is it something you need to/want to trash. I can see its uses but I just don’t see a place for it in any decks yet.

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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_deus-x-a-study-in-static.png'] Deus X 10 out of 20

Kennon - 2 out of 5
Wow, that 10 STR is sure impressive for those of us with a “Shagga” mindset (we’re going to need to come up with a name for that within the Netrunner context), but I’m not sure that it has a lot else going for it at the moment. If Jinteki really takes off, you might want one as an insurance policy and the breaking ability might be somewhat useful against HB/Jinteki at the moment, but the memory cost does turn me off at the moment. As more AP ice become available, though, I think I’ll find myself much more willing to use it.

Nu_Fenix - 2 out of 5
At present there are seven AP ice, one for Weyland, three for HB and three for Jinteki. So, the breadth of the first ability is limited. For the second ability, protecting yourself from the damage of cards such as Snare! or Project Junebug are helpful, but unless you know in advance that you will be facing decks containing those cards, then it risks becoming a dead card in your grip. At least with a strength of 10, without a Corporate Troubleshooter appearing, it will be able to interact with any concerning AP ice.

Scud - 3 out of 5
It's easy to think of Deus X as a safety net, much like Disrupter, geared toward cautious Runners who want all of their bases covered. But wouldn't it be hilarious to install Deus X then run on the Corp's Oversight AI'd Janus 1.0? It also serves as decent anti-Jinteki tech (especially in Chaos Theory decks, since Jinteki is one of her worst match-ups and she has the tools to make use of a single copy). Being able to deflect even one Snare!, Fetal AI, or (whoops) a multi-advanced Junebug can mean the difference when playing against a well-piloted Jinteki. At one Influence, it's an easy splash if your meta calls for it.

Toqtamish - 3 out of 5
Decent cost only costing 3 if it was any higher I would probably not like the card as much as it is just something you will be trashing eventually. It’s abilities to both avoid net damage and trash AP subroutines makes it very effective against Jinteki which has been growing in popularity as this cycle moves along. Overall a useful card depending on what your opponent(s) like to play for their corp decks.

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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_all-nighter-a-study-in-static.png'] All-nighter 19 out of 20

Kennon - 5 out of 5
Whoohoo, a Runner Biotic Labor! Sure, the Runner can’t use it to guarantee a score like the Corp can with Biotic Labor, but the extra run that you’ll almost certainly be using this for adds quite a bit of potential. Extra clicks appear to always come at a premium, so it rather surprises me that this is so cheap. Even better, since it’s a resource and non-unique you can let a couple build up before using them on a particularly explosive turn. I’m a big fan of this one, and I’m honestly a bit surprised that it only uses two influence.

Nu_Fenix - 5 out of 5
I love the idea of this card! Whilst there’s no restriction on how many credits you can have, and hand limit is only applied at the end of the player’s turn and can also be increased by cards such as Public Sympathy, increasing the number of clicks are few and far between in the game. Now the Runner can get a one-off boost to their clicks for a turn, without the downside of Joshua B. Whilst it is a click to install, and a click to trash it for two clicks back, the advantage is that you are investing in it by playing it in a quiet turn, knowing you can make the most of it in a turn where every click counts. Having no credit cost, and not being unique so potentially three could be out for a tremendous turn of running, whilst being an affordable two influence, makes it viable in most decks.

Scud - 5 out of 5
To paraphrase a famous hamburger enthusiast: "I'll gladly pay you right now for an extra click later!" All Nighter lets you sacrifice a click from an early turn in order to give you a not-insignifcant tempo boost in a later turn. I mean, how many times have you thought in the late-game, "Man, if I only had one more click!" Now. You. Do. And getting a fifth (or sixth, if you're also running Doppelganger) action before the Corp can react is a huge deal. If you use it well, of course.

Toqtamish - 4 out of 5
0 cost, non unique is great. Using this could setup a turn where you make 4 or more runs depending on how many copies you have in play before that turn. A really good card and gaining extra clicks on a turn is always something that would be useful throughout the game so this card will never be a bad card to play no matter the point of the game you are at.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_inside-man-a-study-in-static.png'] Inside Man 10 out of 20

Kennon - 2 out of 5
I love recurring creds, I really do, but a quick look at the available hardware right now shows that there just aren’t all that many options, and those options are further trimmed by the fact that 6 of the available pieces of hardware are Consoles, so you’ll only ever be able to have 1 in play. We might get options in future sets that would make some kind of crazy heavy hardware based deck viable, but I don’t think that will be for a little bit. Right now, it’s better to find yourself some regular credit generation to install that hardware.

Nu_Fenix - 3 out of 5
Whilst some decks going for a minimalist approach on Resources, it would have to be an extreme deck that had little to no hardware and does consistently well. Obviously, how useful the card is determines how much hardware is in the deck, and if it is lots of small items, or a couple of bigger ones. As such, it is a middle ground card, where you will recoup the cost back easily over time, or it will simply be a bookmark.

Scud - 2 out of 5
I'd give Inside Man a 2.5 or maybe even a 2.75 if we were into the decimals here at CardGameDB, but we aren't, so I'm gonna round on down on this one. Many existing deck archetypes would certainly benefit from Inside Man. However, if you draw it after you draw your Hardware, this card, it does nothing and with (currently) no way to search for Resources, that's a big strike against it. At least Compromised Employee has the recurring credits for Traces so if you draw it after most ICE has been rezzed, it may still have a benefit. I'd like to try to build an Inside Man/Aesop's Pawnshop economy deck, though, just for kicks...

Toqtamish - 3 out of 5
Recurring credits are certainly useful and this card would after two turns of uses have paid for itself back. Would need to be in a deck with a lot of hardware being used to make it really useful. Not sure the deck exists for it yet but the possibility exists for it.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_underworld-contact-a-study-in-static.png'] Underworld Contact 16 out of 20

Kennon - 4 out of 5
Looks like Kate gets a great head start here by already being halfway to the link goal. With Rabbit Hole so popular at the moment, I don’t think that it will be hard for any deck that wants to run this to get the link necessary. At that point, it’s a steady influx of creds without any click requirement. After having seen how useful this can be for Corps via Pad Campaign, I think Underworld Contact is likely to be a winner.

Nu_Fenix - 4 out of 5
The Runner version of PAD Campaign, but on the restriction that you need a minimum of two link? If you are running a rig that uses cards to increase your link, then more ways to pay for everything is nice, and getting it at the start of turn as a genuine credit unlike a recurring credit that can only go on certain cards. Because not every deck goes for increasing their link, this isn’t a 5 point card, but if you are building a deck that isn’t rushing and will meet the criteria, pick this card! I see Shaper slow rig builds using this the most.

Scud - 4 out of 5
Wait, I can have three of these in my deck? I can't wait until we get Creeper and (probably) a "cloud" Fracter (cards that, like ZU.13 Key Master, don't require MU based on your Link), so I can build a deck with a full suite of 'breakers that also runs 4+ MU of utility programs AND gets three credits at the start of every turn! For now, this card is still pretty great. In a lot of decks, running Link boosters is just shy of being a good idea, but now that Link can pull double duty, protecting you from Traces and getting you cash, it's harder to not find a way to work it in.

Toqtamish - 4 out of 5
Good card for all of the Shaper decks with increased link strength out there. Not that Shaper usually lacks in credits anyway with their Magnum Opus but this credit does not require you to spend clicks to get it. Link is becoming more and more useful for Runners and this card is neutral so it could certainly see use in other decks.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_green-level-clearance-a-study-in-static.png'] Green Level Clearance 20 out of 20

Kennon - 5 out of 5
Exactly what I’m looking for in a Corp Operation. This is going to slot in just about any deck I build thanks to that low, low influence cost of 1. In particular, this is interesting out of Weyland as it can become an “almost” strictly better Beanstalk Royalties by replacing itself. In a game so focused on tempo as Netrunner, cantrips are the bee’s knees.

Nu_Fenix - 5 out of 5
Depending on what other economic cards a deck is using, this is valid competition for Beanstalk Royalties. Whilst it effectively gives 1 less credit due to having a cost of 1, it makes up for it with a card to replace itself, and as card draw is rarer in the game, that is a big impact. I can see this making many decks, even Weyland: Building a Better World decks as it is another transaction.

Scud - 5 out of 5
This is a staple card and I am glad to see it at one Influence so it can be splashed easily. Just be careful about when you play it – sometimes drawing a card can benefit the Runner (if they're digging into your R&D, you're just letting them see more new cards). Then again, if you're playing Green Level Clearance instead of clearing Virus counters, you have bigger problems...

Toqtamish - 5 out of 5
This card will be likely in nearly every deck I make for corps. Particularly of use for Weyland as it gives them another transaction to use with their identity so they gain 4 credits and the card, putting them ahead 3 credits. Only one influence cost so it can easily go in every other corps deck.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_hourglass-a-study-in-static.png'] Hourglass 12 out of 20

Kennon - 3 out of 5
This is actually pretty interesting out of HB for a couple reasons. Of course, it plays very well by stacking in front of HB ice in order to use up the opponent’s clicks before they hit the bioroids and thus lose the ability to talk their way past the androids. But aside from that, it can be a solid way to tax the runner out of their most precious resource, even if it’s not in front of bioroids, since most players have been trained to run first when they see an HB faction card. It doesn’t have “End the run,” however, so don’t be counting on it to protect a vital server by itself.

Nu_Fenix - 3 out of 5
Enigma’s bigger brother, although it lost the ability to End the Run. I can understand why this belongs to HB, as having this before Bioroid ice makes it harder for the Runner to just click their way past the Bioroid ice. However, because this lacks End the Run, it means if this is the only piece of ice on a server, it encourages the Runner to save it for their last click, and just shrug off all the subroutines.

Scud - 3 out of 5
I wavered between 2 and 3 for Hourglass and finally came down at 3 because I think that, even though it doesn't stop the Runner, hitting them with it in the early game can be pretty ouch, so it isn't terrible if you get stuck with it in your opening hand. Losing three clicks (a.k.a. the rest of your turn) sucks, so you'll want to make sure to rez this when you can get the best bang for your buck. Once it's rezzed, it's 5 credits for Gordian Blade to break, so it isn't a push-over. If you're using it in-faction, the Runner will have to pay to break it OR pay to break the Bioroids behind it, which is nice. Bringing it into Jinteki: Replicating Perfection sounds like a good idea, and it will hose the Runner if they get caught by it that first time, but Jinteki's got a lot of Code Gates, so the Runner might be ready for it earlier than usual.

Toqtamish 3 out of 5
An ice that you will have to be sure to install in front of your bioroid ice but this card helps to again make up for the weakness of bioroid ice. A lot of runners will save clicks before running on HB and this will make them spend credits to break the subroutines or lose those clicks making it harder to break the bioroid ice behind them. Not the first ice you should install in any server but certainly useful as the second in front of a strong bioroid.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_dedicated-server-a-study-in-static.png'] Dedicated Server 15 out of 20

Kennon - 4 out of 5
I’ve been pretty pleased with other recurring cred cards that relate to ice (though on the runner side) so I’m intrigued to try this one out from the Corp side. Sure, the 3 trash cost means it’s going to disappear quickly against Whizzard, but against other Runners, I think you’re likely to see a savings on this investment over time. Even if they trash it on the first run they make, once you add in their cost to break the ice subroutines and this trash cost, I think there’s a good chance that I’ll feel that my net loss of 1 credit did me some good. If they let this stick around, my opinion only grows more positive.

Nu_Fenix - 3 out of 5
An interesting card, and supports Jinteki’s sub-style of never paying full price for ice, with cards like Akitaro Watanabe and Braintrust. As a means to compete with the lack of in-faction economy cards, I like the card. But as it take two turns of rezzing ice to make it turn a profit, and needs defending or the Runner will trash it, it risks diverting much needed defence from other servers. Used with Jinteki: Replicating Perfection, it enhances the lifespan of the card. I also imagine some combos will be thought of between this and Amazon Industrial Zone, so that even if the Runner doesn’t run against you, the card becomes more profitable.

Scud - 4 out of 5
Man, that art is great, isn't it? And the haiku? Perfect! Oh, yeah, and the card's ability is pretty great, too. Horizontal Jinteki decks will love Dedicated Server since it'll allow them to much more efficiently swap out already-rezzed ICE for new, surprise ICE AND it provides a target for Runners to deal with that ISN'T an Agenda, since it's Trash cost isn't ridiculous and its ability is good enough that Runners will want it gone. Two Influence is a little pricey for the effect, but I can see some Amazon Industrial Grid decks using one of these to get a ridiculously large server online cheaper and HB might want to take a look at it, especially as we get more Bioroids and Stronger Together, which wants thick servers, gets good.

Toqtamish - 4 out of 5
A useful card to help the Jinteki economy. A trash cost of 3 makes it so that the runner if they do access it might not have the credits to trash it. Now if they do it will certainly become an easy target for destruction by the runner. But that in itself could be useful as the runner might see this out and say they need to trash it and could be a good bait card to help lure the runner into a trap in the ice protecting this asset.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_bullfrog-a-study-in-static.png'] Bullfrog 6 out of 20

Kennon - 2 out of 5
I want to like the effect, because forcing the Runner to jump around seems awesome, but it's going to be rather conditional on whether it will completely stop the runner or not. I'm not exactly a rules guru here, though. You can start a new remote server during your turn by putting a piece of ice in front of nothing. Can you do that with Bullfrog here? If I can bounce them in front of an empty server, I think I probably would up the rating to a 3.

Nu_Fenix - 1 out of 5
Jinteki gets another piece of ice that involves secretly bidding credits for it to work, like Snowflake does. Moving the Runner to a different server could mess with their plans, but if this is moved to a server without any reward for the Runner, such as Archives with no agendas to score, then Bullfrog will end up sitting their for most the game. Whilst strength 4 means that Yog.0 is out of reach, and will cost serveral credits for the Runner, it means that both players will have to spend credits, where ideally the Corp makes sure they pick a different value, or they are paying to let the Runner continue. Leave this one for Tech Talk and your collection.

Scud - 2 out of 5
We know now that one of the themes of this pack is "time." Appropriately, Bullfrog lets you waste one of the Runner's clicks. This is not insignificant. With cards like Account Siphon, Emergency Shutdown, and Vamp so prevalent and making the Runner want to run again immediately, losing a click can be a big ol' wrench in the works. Also, I'm pretty sure that when the Runner gets hit by Bullfrog's subroutine, the Run they are on is no longer considered to *ever* have been on the server on which it was initiated and, if true, that makes it extra good (up from a 1 to a 2) for Jinteki: Replicating Perfection – the Runner gets shunted to some Remote then has to spend *another* click to run on a central. Man, I like the idea behind these funky Jinteki ICE. None of them is great (yet, methinks) but they are all interesting.

Toqtamish - 1 out of 5
Not a good card at all. I like the theory behind it and the originality but it is really not effective. Ideally you will either put this on a server that will hurt the runner or a server that they will get no reward from. But then the runner can jack out and do a new run on the original server. And from then on just ignore the bullfrog if it was put on an unimportant server. Not worth using over better ice that has a more immediate impact.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_uroboros-a-study-in-static.png'] Uroboros 12 out of 20

Kennon - 3 out of 5
The “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” setup of the two subroutines on Uroboros seems particularly cool to me, but potentially ineffective. Against non-HB factions, runners are much more likely to make a run as a final action, making the first subroutine ineffective. Splashed into HB, however, this might be a nice backup for bioroids where the combination of lost clicks and possible inability to make more runs can put the runner in a tight spot. It doesn’t hurt that HB probably has the best Corp economy, allowing them to more easily pay into the traces to make sure they go off- assuming the runner hasn’t broken the subroutine, of course.

Nu_Fenix - 3 out of 5
Uroboros reminds me Caduceus, as they both Sentry ice with a trace that ends the run. But unlike Caduceus, the trace value for both subroutines is a more noticeable 4, which is much harder for the Runner to shrug off. What prevents the card from getting too high a score however, is that trace subroutines feel like it makes it easier for the Runner to get out of, unlike a normal subroutine. If they can’t break it, they still have a chance to pay their way out of it. Plus, with only strength 4, it is 4-8 credits for non-AI icebreakers to get through, with the exception of Mimic, although that only needs a single Datasucker or Ice Carver.

Scud - 3 out of 5
I want to give this a 4. I really do. Trace4 is nasty, especially in-faction, where it very easily can be Trace6. I love that the Corp can kind of choose between stopping the current run or keeping the Runner from making any other runs for the turn – both choices are very powerful, depending on what Uroboros is protecting and what else you have on the table. I'm giving it a 3, though, because a 4-Strength Sentry is likely to get broken right away, since, given their druthers with cards like Test Run and Special Order, Runners tend to get their Killer out early to protect themselves from all those nasty Sentry subroutines out there. Jinteki: Replicating Perfection will probably want to take a look at bringing in a couple Uroboros for their central servers. When it works, it'll be awesome. When it doesn't, you'll still have cost the Runner nice chunk of change (unless they're running Femmeasaurus, of course...)

Toqtamish - 3 out of 5
This card in conjunction with the Net Police asset could prove difficult for the runner to stop the traces. Now it is only strength 4 so the runner could end up simply breaking the subroutines or even avoiding the ice altogether once it is rezzed as if they cannot break the subroutines or stop the traces it would be best avoided due to the fact that it stops any other runs that turn.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_net-police-a-study-in-static.png'] Net Police 15 out of 20

Kennon - 4 out of 5
Bwahahaha. Say goodbye to all that extra link that you built up! Or at least the positive economic side effects. This will be a pretty huge effect for trace based decks at the moment, though you should be wary of that low, low, low trash cost. Make sure you rez this when it will really count, because the runner isn’t going to let it stick around for long.

Nu_Fenix - 3 out of 5
Link, the bane of a trace focused deck, with NBN being home of such a deck type. The more they try to build up their defences, the more they are feeding the means of their own demise. However, if the Corp is going to have multiple traces occur in-between each of their turns, knowing when to spend the credits will take practice. With only a trash cost of 1 however, if the Runner gets frustrated, it won’t take much for them to deal with it, or even pre-emptively if they see it in R&D or HQ. How much ice do you use defending this, over your other assets and agendas? That is one of the questions you have to ask yourself with this.

Scud - 4 out of 5
Sort of a reverse Disrupter, you can't count on Net Police sticking around for long once the Runner sees it. However, in an NBN deck, a single use of this card can stick a tag that can then be multiplied with Big Brother or targeted with Scorched Earth or used to close the Runner's accounts, liberated or otherwise. Against Runners who don't care about Link, Net Police is still an Asset, so you can install it as a bluff. I think, actually, this might be the absolute worst card to find at the end of a run where you wasted a bunch of credits if you're a Linkless Runner.

Toqtamish - 4 out of 5
This card helps to combat the increasing number of Shaper decks with high link strength. Only costs 1 but also can be trashed for 1 so will be something that the runner is quick to target for destruction once it is rezzed. You would want to protect the server with this card to help prevent it being trashed. Which would then mean you might be lacking in protection for your other servers or not able to create and protect a different server with your agendas. Still this is a good card for NBN and certainly something that might help to bring them back to the table.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_weyland-consortium-because-we-built-it-a-study-in-static.png'] Weyland Consortium: Because We Built It 6 out of 20

Kennon - 2 out of 5
I like that advanceable ice is getting some additional love now. At the moment, my Weyland decks haven’t bothered to do much more with that than pump Hadrian’s if I really need to try to defend something. Because We Built It gives me some incentive to try out a larger range of advanceable ice and regularly do so. I’m interested to see where this goes as we get more ice, but right now I don’t think it will go far for a few reasons. First, some of the most interesting advanceable ice require that they be rezzed first, which lowers their utility, as discussed when those cards were reviewed. Second, it still costs a click to advance something. Sure, if I’m doing so consistently, then I wind up with a reasonable economic push from this ID, but I’ve lowered my turn to 2 clicks in order to do so. Regularly having 2 click turns will surely prevent the Corp from doing as much as it wants. Maybe it if gave 2 recurring creds like NBN’s ID, I’d like it, but even then I think NBN would have the edge since it doesn’t need to use a click to take advantage of those creds... Man, it’s just not quite there to me, though of course I’m still going to experiment with it.

Nu_Fenix - 1 out of 5
I just feel like they didn’t try hard with this card. If the deck size or influence were changed, then maybe I could like it. But getting 1 credit a turn for advancing ice, with no incentive, just pales in comparison with Building a Better World. Whilst they won’t have a Transaction Operation every turn, it also works if they use more than one in a turn. Conversely, the Corp is unlikely to advance a piece of ice every turn, as it reduces the amount of ice they have protecting their servers and means that the Runner can focus elsewhere.

Scud - 2 out of 5
I'm not switching from Building a Better World anytime soon BUT I'm excited to see that advancable ICE isn't just going to be just a "thing" for Weyland and will, eventually, probably by the end of the Genesis cycle, become a force to be reckoned with. Having an entire ID built around it means that we can look forward to some nice tricks and synergies coming up. However, I have a lot of faith in the designers and developers – I could be wrong and it could be that this ID is just not very good.

Toqtamish - 1 out of 5
1 recurring credit is nice and all but the core set Weyland is better as it is not limited to once per turn with its extra credit boost. As we get more transaction operations the core Weyland identity simply becomes better as time goes on. Maybe if something else was different with this identity like higher influence but as it stands I see no reason to use this. Also this card still requires you to use a click to use the credit. Maybe if it let you advance an ice without spending a click this could be made useful.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_government-contracts-a-study-in-static.png'] Government Contracts 17 out of 20

Kennon - 4 out of 5
Sweet! A corp Magnum Opus and it’s even Weyland to boot! Ok, so that’s a pretty rough comparison, but I do really like the capabilities here. This gives Weyland the chance to get ahead of or at least match MO based runners on long term credit generation. I also like the fact that it’s a 3 point agenda, which can potentially free up quite a bit of room in Weyland to try out some different styles of decks. The only thing that concerns me is that spending 2 clicks on the corp turn for 4 credits is rather different than spending 2 clicks for the same return on the runner side. It’s less flexible here by requiring 2 clicks, and leaving only the 1 other click on the corp turn does put a crimp on what they can do with it for sure.

Nu_Fenix - 4 out of 5
For Weyland decks that want to go for a minimum of agendas in the deck, it means they don’t have to use ones such as Executive Retreat if they have a strong HQ and don’t want to place it back into R&D. Giving an ability that is a mid-way MMC so you get credits without the Runner being able to do anything about it, whilst still have a click that can be used in a turn, helps cement the fact that money should be what Weyland are known for. My only problem with it is that once you have one scored, there is no reward for any further ones scored. But if you go for a single copy, will you see it and score in time?

Scud - 5 out of 5
Guhwhahuh? Roughly 2/3 of a Melange Mining Corp that ALSO gives you points toward winning the game? Honestly, sometimes MMC feels like a little bit of overkill in a tuned-up Weyland deck (especially with Commecialization and now Green Level Clearance), so this Agenda hits just the right spot. And the fact that multiple copies don't give added benefit isn't really a big deal since Project Atlas and Aggressive Negotiation are in-faction, so you can just search R&D for the single copy you packed.

Toqtamish - 4 out of 5
3 agenda points, and the ability to get double credits versus the regular credit gain action. Now it has to be used for 4 credits every time so cannot be used to spend one click and only gain two but certainly a good benefit to help you. I would likely include two of them in my deck to help get one out but once out you don’t need another one at all.
Big fan of the art and the flavor text.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_tyrant-a-study-in-static.png'] Tyrant 5 out of 20

Kennon - 1 out of 5
Wow, a super low STR for the cost and it doesn’t come with any subroutines build in? Come on! I can think of better things that I can do with my time in Weyland, and if I really want to advance ice, I’ll probably be doing something that’s not rezzed so that my opponent has to fear whether it’s a 4 STR Ice Wall or a Hadrian’s that’s starting to get out of control.

Nu_Fenix - 1 out of 5
Why!? My main thought when looking at the card. Why can it only be advanced when rezzed? Why do you cost 7 credits? Why do you look like you have escaped a Yu-Gi-Oh cards? Even if you installed and rezzed it on a server with Amazon Industrial Zone, then advanced it twice, it would only be a strength 4 Barrier with 2x End the Run, that cost an entire turn and 6 credits, advertising your plan to the Runner, spoiling the surprise. The difference between this and Hadrian’s Wall for 3 credits just astounds me.

Scud - 2 out of 5
Let me start out by saying that this is NOT a great card. But, since I'm the guy that writes Tech Talk, let me take a minute to drop some ideas about why you *might* want to use Tyrant. First, Oversight AI can let you get this ICE early for free, which you then start advancing. Morningstar will blow through it and Battering Ram will get in cheaper, but Corroder and Snowball, which seem to be the Fracters of choice right now, will pay 2 or 3 + 1 per subroutine to get by, which isn't terrible. It has synergy with Commecialization. And it, like Woodcutter, hoses Femme Fatale. Stack both on a server and the Runner is most likely paying a lot to get in. Okay, that's all I got. Oh, and for the record, I like the art.

Toqtamish - 1 out of 5
Not even sure what to say about this card. It’s just not good. Needing to advance it to make it useful is bad. Now yes you could advance this 10 times given enough time and credits making it very hard for the runner to break all of those subroutines but it would take such a long time to do that. Also this card does not have a very high strength for its cost. sure advance it 10 times, one parasite and few counters later and it is trashed.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_oversight-ai-a-study-in-static.png'] Oversight AI 15 out of 20

Kennon - 3 out of 5
Boy oh boy am I excited to try this one out. Rezzing Hadrian’s Wall, Janus 1.0, Archer, Tollbooth or the like in the first couple turns of the game can give you a relatively safe server to work with while the runner is unable to effectively deal with it. Still, trading in the element of surprise is a pretty big drawback, so I’m wary of relying on this.

Nu_Fenix - 4 out of 5
What I am about to say will contradict what I will say later about Tyrant, and that generally rezzing ice on your turn with cards such as Amazon Industrial Zone spoils the surprise for the Runner, so they simply need to work out the maths involved with getting past it. However, the big kicker for this card is that it ignores ALL costs. The immediate card to think of is Archer, as you no longer have to trash an agenda, and give challenge to the Runner, that could delay them long enough for the Corp to score an agenda or two. Personally, I think it could make Janus viable, so long as they don’t have E3 Feedback Implants.

Scud - 4 out of 5
I am a big proponent of leaving your ICE unrezzed so that subroutines have at least a *chance* of hitting the Runner. Oversight AI, though, is a very powerful exception because it lets you turn heavy-hitting mid- to late-game ICE into almost insurmountable early-game ICE. Janus 1.0 turn one for free? Um, yes please. Heck, I'd even use it on an Archer, somthing I try to never do with Priority Requisition or Amazon Industrial Grid. Who cares if your ICE is just a math problem when the sums are so large? This also pushes the game toward installing new ICE more regularly, which is something I like to see – you have all that ICE in your deck, so use it, girlfriend!

Toqtamish - 4 out of 5
As many others have pointed out this card ruins the surprise value of your ice being rezzed. Which is true. But being able to rez a large expensive ice for free is a good thing. You would want to use this is on a very powerful hard to break piece of ice. I can see using this on Archer to help avoid the forfeit cost it has.
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[CRB='forums/uploads/an/med_false-lead-a-study-in-static.png'] False Lead 18 out of 20

Kennon - 4 out of 5
Since I’ve been playing Weyland lately, I’ve actually really grown to love 1 point agendas since they throw off the runner’s race to victory so much. False Lead seems to fit right in there in a way that could really cost the runner some tempo at a key juncture of the game. Of course, once you score it, they’ll be able to see that you can tax them for 2 clicks whenver you want, and can plan around it some, so make sure you’re packing some Bioroid ice to rez and catch them with their pants down. Interestingly, a bunch of 1 point agendas are likely to push people above 49 cards in Corp decks in order to dilute their agenda density back down and fit in appropriate ratios of ice and the like, so I’m interested to see where it goes.

Nu_Fenix - 4 out of 5
I can see this being a popular agenda in many Corp decks, as slowing down the Runner on a key turn can make the difference on a turn. However, some players will not like the idea of sacrificing a point that is helping them towards winning the game (or their overall points in a tournament). Or are going for lean seven agenda decks, so won’t be able to take the agenda.

Scud - 5 out of 5
So Runners are going to (hopefully) start getting one-shot Programs and, in response, Corps will get one-shot Agendas? Cool. And not just because the concept is neat but because this also starts to make larger Corp decks (and therefore, slightly longer games) more of a viable choice. As the first (again, hopefully) in this new line of Agendas, False Lead rocks it out of the park (and makes it clear why All Nighter and Doppelganger aren't as overpowered as they might seem at first glance). killing one-half of a Runner's turn is AWESOME. Let them click Magnum Opus twice, then shut them down. The tempo you can gain by getting six clicks to the Runner's two can be game altering (if you use those six clicks well, of course).

Toqtamish - 5 out of 5
I can see this card being something that HB will want to use to help them get around their Bioroid ice weakness. Now granted you have to forfeit it but it is only 1 point so not a huge loss especially if it helps you prevent the runners from breaking a server with a higher point agenda in it. Even outside of HB it is useful as it can cut the runners turn short preventing them from doing two clicks worth of actions on their turn and slowing them down and messing up their game. HB gains the most from it but all of the corps benefit.
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