Tech Talk - Tollbooth

Hello and welcome to the inaugural edition of Tech Talk! Each article in this series will take an in-depth look at a single card, analyzing its strengths, discussing when to include it out-of-faction, and hopefully providing tips on what to do when you find yourself on the other side from it. We kick things off with a look at NBN's colossal code gate Tollbooth.

DOCUMENTATION: Tollbooth (Core) is an amazing piece of code gate ICE. Its 5 strength puts it second only to Jinteki's Cell Portal (Core), and Cell Portal doesn't have an "End the run" subroutine. Out of the three code gates that do end runs (HB's Viktor 1.0 (Core) and the neutral Enigma (Core) being the others), Tollbooth is the strongest. Enigma and Viktor 1.0 trade in strength (and cost a good deal less) for some extra subroutines (draining a click and 1 brain damage, respectively), which makes them interesting low-cost choices, to be sure, especially when you rez them on an unprepared runner. Once they are rezzed, though, they are speedbumps to a well-funded runner (Gordian Blade (Core) gets through Enigma for 2 credits and Viktor 1.0 for 3 while Yog.0 (Core) just walks the runner right through them).

See, Tollbooth isn't king only because of its relatively high strength but also because it sports one of NBN's signature "when encountered" abilities. Tollbooth costs the runner 3 credits every time she run through it. If they can't pay it, the run ends. If they have 3 or more credits, they pay. Every. Time. Even an Anarch deck using Yog.0 with a way to lower Tollbooth's strength will have to spend those 3 credits to get through (ignoring, of course, any tricky ICE destruction). While the unavoidable tag given out by Data Raven (Core) and the out-of-turn advancement provided by Matrix Analyzer (Core) are useful, they are narrow - you need to build your deck to take advantage of them. Tollbooth's ability is strong no matter the focus of your deck.

There are other run ending ICE that are as strong or stronger than Tollbooth: HB's Heimdall 1.0 (Core) is a 6 strength barrier that not only has two "End the run" subroutines, but also hands out 1 brain damage; Jinteki's Wall of Thorns (Core), a 5 strength barrier, has a "Do 2 net damage" subroutine on top of its "End the run"; Weyland's 7 strength barrier Hadrian's Wall (Core) not only has higher strength but adds a second "End the run" subroutine for a 2 credit cost increase over Tollbooth. They all have their drawbacks, though. Heimdall 1.0 is standard HB ICE, allowing the runner to break subroutines with a click. The net damage on Wall of Thorns will rarely be an issue for the runner after the run during which you rez it. Hadrian's Wall costs 10, which is a big investment up front. (And if you are being run on by a Shaper, then barriers with two subroutines are what they like to see, since Battering Ram (Core) is built specifically to deal with them.) Tollbooth's "when encountered" ability is a pain the run you rez it AND every turn after that.

And that is the true strength of Tollbooth. It is just straight up good ICE, no matter the situation.

INSTALLATION: Tollbooth is expensive, there's no way around that. 8 credits is an investment. That's, like, almost a WHOLE Hedge Fund (Core). Don't sweat it though because it provides a rock-solid return. You will leave most ICE unrezzed unless it will stop the runner or do something nasty to them on the way through. Tollbooth should be rezzed as soon as you get the opportunity, though. Even if they can break the "End the run" subroutine, it cost them 3 more credits than they were anticipating and, unless they're holding an Easy Mark (Core) or finish the run with 5 credits left and a Sure Gamble (Core) in hand, you just set them back AT LEAST two clicks (more if they don't have an active Armitage Codebusting (Core) or Magnum Opus (Core)). Netrunner is all about tempo and credits cost clicks, one way or the other. Tollbooth is the gift that keeps on giving that way.

Rezzing it quickly makes it less likely to be the target of a Forged Activation Orders (Core), too. Having to trash Tollbooth unrezzed will cause a serious frowny face moment, so make sure to keep 8 credits on hand until you can rez it. Rezzing Tollbooth outside of a run isn't that bad - yes, you lose the surprise element but 3 credits is 3 credits whether the runner known about it or not.

Like its namesake, you want to put Tollbooth in a path of high traffic. Drop it in front of your R&D against an Anarch or Shaper, your HQ when the Criminals are after you. Make the runner's preferred route cost them a few extra bucks each trip and you'll really throw off his rhythm.

Usually, the Corp wants to avoid stacking like ICE types in the same server because that allows the runner to run with fewer programs active (and, if you are facing a Shaper, lets them take advantage of their icebreakers' ability to retain strength boosts for an entire run). Two Tollbooths on one remote server, though, can pull the teeth out of even the slickest runner rig, buying you those few extra clicks you need to advance an Agenda. Who cares that the runner's Gordian Blade is still strength 5 when she encounters the second Tollbooth? It's still going to cost her 3 credits just for the privilege of paying to break the subroutine.

Tollbooth should only be the outermost piece of ICE if you can't help it. Drop another piece in front of it a.s.a.p. to protect from Inside Job (Core). Putting it down early, right in front of the server, can really throw a runner for a loop, since they are expecting a lower-cost ICE in that position. It should definitely get rezzed at the first opportunity in that position, even if it drains your entire bank. Tollbooth can remain an insurmountable obstacle for a good number of turns to a suddenly broke runner in the early game.

Don't be afraid to trash a Tollbooth if the runner sics a Femme Fatale (Core) on it. You cost them 9 by sacrificing 8. Yes, the runner probably gets through once cheaply, but you come out on the better end of the deal since without the bypass ability, Femme Fatale isn't all that great.

IMPLEMENTATION: A good rule of thumb for Corp deck building in the Core Set is to pack 20 ICE in an average deck. Bringing in out-of-faction ICE is not only necessary (if you only have access to one Core Set) but is just a good idea. If you play with three copies of each in-house ICE plus 2 or 3 copies of each neutral ICE, you aren't offering any real surprises to the runner. ICE is the most common way for you to interact (i.e. beat up) the runner and, gentleman's rules aside, throwing a sucker punch or two via unexpected ICE is just good business.

Tollbooth costs 2 Influence to splash. So splash it. Try it out in EVERY Corp deck you build. It may not make the cut in the end (and that is almost certainly due to play style rather than any inherent weakness in the card) but it will be worth seeing how it's unbridled awesome fits in with your plans.

COUNTERMEASURES: What do you do if you find yourself facing a Tollbooth? Pay the credits. Honestly, that's the best, most reliable plan. A rezzed Tollbooth is going to force you to be more discerning in your runs. One run through a Tollbooth just to find a PAD Campaign can set you back as much as a full turn. Pay attention to the Corp's actions, the sequence of installs, draws, advances, etc. Unless you have a wicked strong economy, you're going need to read the Corp like a book in order to minimize your losses.

Femme Fatale (Core) is an answer. In fact, it seems to be designed specifically with Tollbooth in mind. The poor schlubby daemon manning the Tollbooth doesn't stand a chance when a pretty lady with a witch hat and a beauty mark saunters up on her gorgeous pins and flashes that smile. As pointed out above, be ready for the Corp to quickly trash the Tollbooth by installing a new piece of ICE on the server. However, she'll probably get you through cheaply at least once and, if you wait to pull this trick until mid- to late-game, that one run may make all the difference.

Forged Activation Orders is another solid answer IF you can reliably hit Tollbooth with it. It's enough of a problem that Corps are specifically advised above to make keeping 8 credits available a priority when they have an unrezzed Tollbooth out. Infiltration (Core) is your friend here - if you suspect the Corp is running Tollbooth, scope out their unrezzed ICE. Trashing it unrezzed is a major win for you.

Tollbooth has a large Parasite (Core) shaped target painted on it. The issue is that, at three clicks to purge virus counters, the Corp breaks even against you as long as the Tollbooth stays in play (the three credits you pay to get through balance out the clicks needed to save it). However, slowing the Corp down may allow you to sneak through other servers or surprise them by just paying the toll and marching through.

Scud is a former editor in educational publishing and is currently working on his first novel and prepping for grad school. He played the original Netrunner, played Dreamblade competitively, and writes and self-publishes a couple of comic books at Lonely Robot Comics. Also make sure to check out his Android: Netrunner blog here at CardGameDB, Electric Sheep.