Metaphysics - The Net 2.0

When it comes to gaming, I have traditionally been a card game guy. If it is or was a CCG, I’ve played it…. with one glaring exception: Netrunner. When I started paying CCGs in the late 90’s, Netrunner had already fallen off the radar into out-of-print land. I never found myself backtracking to check it out, and my love affair with Doomtown was taking up most of my extra card gaming time. Throughout the years I have always heard good things though, and every now and again someone would bring up the greatness of Netrunner with reverence, like a sports writer talking about the ’61 Yankees and how you “had to have been there.”

So, with the release FFG’s new Netrunner brand, complete with LCG formatting, I have finally decided to take the plunge. So, many games and multiple starters later, here is one man’s take on the game, as well as a preliminary deck design.

The thing that struck me immediately about Netrunner was the number of possible actions that were available in a given turn. Though the number of actions is limited to 3 or 4 depending on deck type, the options available for those actions is immense. I love games that offer a number of viable choices, and as dumb as it sounds, I love feeling like I’ve made mistakes, like the plays for a turn were not obvious ones.

The worst thing that can happen for me in a game is feeling like both players just plopped down every possible card they could and the outcome is a foregone conclusion based on the board state. This phenomenon drives me crazy. Netrunner seems to temper this a little bit by offering a limited action pool, steep resource management strategies, and even a bluffing mechanic for the Corporations. Often times, deciding what to hold back was the most interesting decision. Combine that with the fact that the order of your actions is very important (especially for Runners) and suddenly your turns have to be far more carefully constructed than is normal in a card game.

Other General Likes:

Bluffing – I like that there is a bluffing mechanic inherent in Corporate decks. Between Ice placement and Ambush cards, there are some interesting pump fakes players can make against opposing runners. The ability to make something out of nothing with clever card placement is one of my favorite parts of the game. You can trick opponents into making rough runs through multiple Ice, only to find an Aggressive Secretary (Core) hiding at the end.

Deckbuilding – Even out of the starter boxes, I already feel like deck construction will be a lot of fun. The influence cost mechanic is a great addition, and it makes for some tough decisions. Splashing Scorched Earth, while very powerful with factions like NBN, is a dicey proposition, limiting the rest of your out of faction options to a mere 3 Influence. There also don’t seem to be too many “auto-includes” either, which leads to a lot more freedom in deck construction. While a few cards (like Wyldside (Core)) do seem like they would find their way into most builds, I feel like decks will, for the most part, play different cards based more on overall strategy and less on the generic power of a single card.

Uniqueness – While the win condition is the same for everyone (at least right now), I like how each deck still feels different. Each of the three base set Runners has a different style of play, and each of the four Corporations has distinctly different ways to screw over their opponents. Some Corps have natural crossover potential (Jinteki/Haas and Weyland/NBN), but I can easily see cards from any faction making it into different builds under the right circumstances. Once an established metagame begins to form, the possibilities get even wider.

One of the main concerns I do have with the game (and all card games, for that matter) is accessibility. The ability for a game to be understood by new players is extremely important, and Netrunner, though relatively simple once you understand it, can be a bear to jump into. Having never played the original, I was at a bit of a loss when the rulebook started hurling dozens of terms at me from the start.

Running at your opponent with the Hardware and Programs in your Rig to attempt to Break the Subroutines on opponent’s Ice to Access their Remote Server to Score an Agenda while not getting Tagged by a Trace was a bit much to swallow initially.

The examples are thorough, if a little confusing, and do make sense after a game or two.

Hopefully piles of errata and the need for a Restricted List will also be kept to the bare minimum this time around.

So, with all of that said, let’s look at a preliminary deck build, shall we?

Identity:
Noise: Hacker Extraordinaire (Core)

Total Cards: 45

Event (16)
Deja Vu (Core) x2
Sure Gamble (Core) x3
Infiltration (Core) x3
Stimhack (Core) x2
Forged Activation Orders (Core) x3
The Maker's Eye (Core) x3

Hardware (4)
Grimoire (Core) x1
Cyberfeeder (Core) x3

Program (18)
Djinn (Core) x3
Datasucker (Core) x3
Medium (Core) x2
Corroder (Core) x2
Wyrm (Core) x2
Yog.0 (Core) x2
Mimic (Core) x1
Sneakdoor Beta (Core) x1
Parasite (Core) x2

Resource (7)
Armitage Codebusting (Core) x3
Ice Carver (Core) x2
Wyldside (Core) x2

Take a look at this deck in our Android: Netrunner Decks Section to see stats, graphs, and to export the deck in a variety of formats.

One thing I enjoy about Noise is his flexibility. His ability to Trash cards from opposing R&D when you play viruses, along with Medium (Core), gives you plenty of scoring power straight from your opponent’s deck and trashed pile. Add in The Maker's Eye (Core) and Sneakdoor Beta (Core), and suddenly your opponent has to spread themselves thin to cover all of their Central Servers, let alone the remote ones. Noise can do plenty of damage with a minimum of Icebreaking. Wyrm, Datafeeder, and Ice Carver give you increased flexibility when attacking any server or Ice type, allowing you to pick the best targets, regardless of Ice type.

While he lacks the toolbox power of Kate, or the pure running power of Gabriel, Noise is a real pain to deal with, offering pressure against all servers. He can also operate without huge amounts of credit generation if necessary. Stimhack, while I am not a huge fan, gives you the extra power to push through a final run, allowing Wyrm to break anything or lower the strength of opposing Ice so your other Icebreakers can get the job done. If you don’t have a Wyldside in play, card draw can be an issue though, so keep your opponent’s Corp in mind. If suspect a Scorched Earth from the heavens, be sure to keep your grip as full as possible.

Needless to say, Netrunner has me intrigued. Between huge amounts of deckbuilding space and a complex, fun game system, I am looking forward to all that Netrunner can offer in the future. Now, if only we could combine Game of Thrones and Netrunner into the perfect game......Thronerunner?

Stay tuned to CardGameDB as we begin to roll out more Android: Netrunner coverage and articles, and if you are interested in writing your own Android: Netrunner articles for CardGameDB send a message to Darksbane with your ideas.