This card is total crap. Let the flame war begin.

I won't say total crap. It's definitely iffy, but at the very least it will cost the Runner a click and 3 credits to remove it plus the credit they spent to avoid the tag. Equating clicks to credits, the runner is spending 5 (1 click + 3 credits to trash + 1 credit to dodge the tag) to counter the Corp's 6 (1 click + 5 to rez). If you put any ICE in front of this that they have to break, or even something like a Raven, then the Runner ends up wasting time and economy. Granted, the Runner can build it up again faster than the Corp, but it's still a tempo play to make the Runner deal with the Asset instead of accessing cards in R&D/HQ.

If they don't care about being buried under a pile of tags, then this is a great setup for PsychoBeale. It might take a few turns, but between this and all the other tagging cards out there, it could become pretty easy to get a careless runner with 13+ tags and allow for the 1-Agenda-for-7-points win. I've pulled that off once without this card and you can be sure I'm going to try throwing this into that deck to see if it helps at all.

This card is total crap. Let the flame war begin.

Well since you asked for it... No no flaming here but I will politely disagree and say it's not total crap. I think it's certainly situational but there are probably games where it will do what you want it to do which is keep the runner poor enough for long enough to get yourself a window. 3 expansions ago I would have agreed with you as paying 5 creds for such a marginal effect seemed outrageous but today's corps are so rich they can afford it.

This card is total crap. Let the flame war begin.

I have to say, you seem to thrive on creating conflict a lot of your comments seem designed to inflame.

I agree with CovenantPhil and frybender. This card isn't a powerhouse, but neither is it worthless. It either imposes a reasonable tax on the runner (short-term if they run it, long-term if they don't) or creates a tag-flood situation. Granted, many runners already play 'tag-me', and the options for tag punishment right now are few, but rezzed at the right time, this could be a big swing in your favour.

In a deck with good tag punishment this can be a nice money drain, if it is worth it is another question.

In a deck with good tag punishment this can be a nice money drain, if it is worth it is another question.

"Is it worth it?" is the only question. Why would there be any other questions? It's either worth it or not, and my opinion is that it is not. Sure, if the runner ignores it they start to build up tags. But then, you just spent $5 rezzing it and the runner ran it to force you to rez ice protecting it. The suggestion of protecting this with Data Raven is laughable. You're really gonna spend 2 actions (and 2 draws) and $9 to make sure this card stays on the board? The runner is just gonna laugh and switch into tag-me. You just spent a bunch of resources rezzing and protecting it that were not spent on protecting R&D/HQ. The runner should be easily able to clear out the agendas in HQ and then moving on to locking R&D. "It's a setup for psychobeale"...sure, but first you have to draw the Beale, and against a good runner that's WAY easier said than done. And you also have to wait until the runner has enough tags, which could be a while. Sure, closed accounts will slow them down, but against a good runner, not that much. They will be prepared for it. A good tag-me player never ends their turn with more than 5-8 credits and holds onto their money cards. When you get hit with closed accounts,you go credit, credit, dirty laundry archives (even better if you have desperado) and BAM you're back in business. Plus the corp can only close your accounts so many times (I've rarely seen it happen more than twice in a game). One thing I'll give you is that tagging decks are good against runners that rely too much on resources, because then the runner flounders when you trash them (which is why I am of the opinion that a good runner deck should not rely on resources).

I would say that the main problem that makes this card total crap is the other options that corps have for tagging are so much better. Data Raven and Bernice are WAY better than this. You should be putting 3 of each of those into your decks before you even consider putting this in, and by the time you have 3 of each of those then you really don't need any more tagging. Even 3x Data Raven and 3x Bernice is overkill for almost all decks. If you invest too much into tagging then you get wrecked by a runner that just starts ignoring tags. Midseason Replacements is also a good tagging option, but it serves a slightly different purpose (still better than City Surveillance).

Also, @ CommisarFeesh: I don't design my comments to inflame. I'm just very realistic when it comes to competitive card evaluation and blunt about it. Not all cards are created equal and some cards have no place in a competitive environment. This is one of those cards. I would be very impressed with anyone that could make a competitive deck where this card is the best option.

"Is it worth it?" is the only question. Why would there be any other questions?

Amen brother! This card is nowhere near worthwhile - can accurately be characterised as "total crap".

Insanely expensive to play and protect, leaving the runner the choice of either trashing it, probably at less cost than the corp spent getting it, or taking the tags with impunity and laughing at all the money the corp just lost. Even worse if the runner has recurring trash credits, which is not uncommon.

Also, @ CommisarFeesh: I don't design my comments to inflame.

Pro tip, chief: next time don't write "let the flame war begin". Why didn't you write your neat little mini essay as the top comment?

Pro tip, chief: next time don't write "let the flame war begin". Why didn't you write your neat little mini essay as the top comment?

I was merely observing the humor in the fact that saying a card is bad has tended to start flame wars. Also, no need to write the essay if nobody disagrees with my original statement that the card is bad.

When you get hit with closed accounts,you go credit, credit, dirty laundry archives (even better if you have desperado) and BAM you're back in business.

I will point out that master plan would fail to a pop-up window on archives, which is a common play nowadays.

I see this card as designed to work with a PSF Lock, where the runner is already struggling to find the time to draw up and remove the tags before then are killed. With some decent drip economy, closed accounts and a scored PSF, the runner will struggle to get enough cards and economy to stave off eventual death.

Not a tier 1 card by any means, but a fun way to tighten the noose in that (admittedly narrow) scenario

If this card cost 3 to rez and 5 to trash then we would be having a completely different conversation here. Imo of course.

I will point out that master plan would fail to a pop-up window on archives, which is a common play nowadays.

I see this card as designed to work with a PSF Lock, where the runner is already struggling to find the time to draw up and remove the tags before then are killed. With some decent drip economy, closed accounts and a scored PSF, the runner will struggle to get enough cards and economy to stave off eventual death.

Not a tier 1 card by any means, but a fun way to tighten the noose in that (admittedly narrow) scenario

I think I'd rather just score an AstroScript and build my deck around winning once that happens. In your situation, what happens if you can't score a PSF? You can't put on enough pressure if the runner goes into tag me mode. They just won't let you score any agendas that you can't fast advance. Seems like a pretty narrow plan. Also, if you plan on keeping the runner poor, why not just run Midseason instead? That seems to be much more reliable at tagging the runner when you have superior economy than this.

Also, you obviously don't dirty laundry archives without scouting the ice in front of it. You would have to be really dense to do that. That was merely an example of a way to get back up if they haven't protected archives. Also, if you have Yog or cyberfeeder or the corp has any BP then it still works.

Also, if you plan on keeping the runner poor, why not just run Midseason instead? That seems to be much more reliable at tagging the runner when you have superior economy than this.

So reliable that they have to steal an agenda first, meaning they have to a) get tagged (for closed accounts to work) and steal an agenda, that would seem even more of a gamble to me...

That comment is so bad on so many levels that I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll start by reminding you that we're comparing city surveillance to midseason replacements. You can't just state that midseason is a gamble and not compare it to the other options given the same scenario. You are providing no evidence whatsoever why midseason is "even more of a gamble" than city surveillance. Just stating some flaws with midseason is not enough. What about city surveillance makes you think that it is less of a gamble?

Here's some analysis for you. If the runner is rich, he's not going to care about paying $1 per turn to prevent himself from getting tagged. Also, if he's rich then he can easily get in to trash it, or at least force you to rez a ton of stuff first. If you do, he'll just laugh and start paying the $1 per turn (that he doesn't care about because he's rich) after having forced you to spend a ton of money. Similarly, if the runner is rich then Midseason is not going to work. So, I think we can all agree that neither of these options works if the runner is rich. If the runner is poor, sure you can rez that City Surveillance to make him pay what little money he has, but why not just try to push through an agenda, and then Midseason him if he steals it? Midseason needs much less support and guarantees the tags if you have more money, unlike surveillance which gives them the option to pay or not. And before you come back to me whining that the runner needs to steal an agenda before you can midseason them, that is really not valid. You just start playing and advancing agendas. If the runner doesn't run them, you just win the game from points. The runner can't just NOT steal your agendas. It's pretty tough to win that way.

If the runner is so poor why could he access my agenda in the frist place?
I'd prefer SEA Source over Midseason.

If you play Midseason or CS both cost draw, play + 5 $. So no difference here.

If the runner wants to coutner your attempt to tag him for ONE turn he has to pay:

6$ for Midseason (less with link +1 e.g. Andromeda, Kate, Rabbit hole)
1$ for CS.

Midseason is usually better here if:
-the runner has just a few link+
-you are wiling to spend more $$ if the runner is capable to counter
-you want/need more than one tag in THIS turn
-you are sure or ok with it that the runner might ****** a few agendas

Midseason is worse:
-if the runner as massiv link+
-is willing and capable to avoid tags at all costs
-you are sure that the runner won't get many agendas

Especially the agenda part is somewhat important. If you don't draw any agendas because they are buried deep in your deck Midseaon is just deadweight. This is why I'd prefer SEA Source.

If you want a chance for a tag in MORE than one turn:
Go with CS...if you don't want to plan for loosing a agenda every turn.

Concering avoiding tags at all by trashing:

You need 1$ to avoid the frist tag, 1 click to run and 3 $ to trash for CS usually 1 click is worth more than 1$ especially if your are busy keeping your hand at max to avoid SE or your are thinking you can steal a just played agenda. ICE is'nt even nescesseary to protect CS long enought to make it as efficent as Midseason for money drainig if you rez CS in the right moment. Put some cheap ICE like Pop-up or even Burk Bugs infront and the runner won't take care for a while.

Compared with Bernice:
I like here because she is cheap if you want a good chance for ONE tag. Problem with her: The runner can trash her while he still has access to her server. If he wants to trash CS he has to make a run especially for its server. Other problem: if he doesn't run for her server she is deadweight.


If the runner plays tag me... well then all those cards are a waste of time. Better stay with SEA Source or Bernice or nothing then.

I've honestly already addressed all the points that you make about CS, and it seems almost pointless to keep arguing because you clearly don't understand what I'm saying. "rezzing CS at the right moment" means that the runner is already poor. If the runner is already poor, I'd rather have midseason and try to force through an astroscript. Also in your analysis of Midseason, you forgot to include NBN's 2 recurring credits to make it base $8 for the runner to stave off with no link.

I didn't forget NBN's 2$. I left those out on purpose. You will play Midseason or CS usually with NBN (high influence) but not nescessarly with NBN-Core. You are right with NBN-Core Midseason is better.
But I see no point in analysing those cards just for one ID. Focusing on just one ID and one playstyle gives my opponent the opportunity to adjust. If he is used that I play NBN in a certain style CS will seem harmless enough. He won't run for it even with no ICE since he waits for my usually moves. Sometimes surprise will bring you the victory not the usual way.

Rezzing CS at the right moment doesn't mean the run MUST be poor. Not all runners are poor or rich. There are many times they are somewhat middle class. There are not always extrems. Rezzing CS in the right moment can mean he has something more important to do. Maybe you can lure him away from doing it. Maybe he thinks your unprotected CS is a diversion and your well protected Ghost Branch is a big agenda you gonna score next turn.

Other way to play NBN. I don't say this way is better and yours is worse. Maybe yours is the best in most games. But you can still lose if the runner knows you very well.

To Midseaon: I still prefer SEA Source.

Also the purpose of this card is not to provide the 1 credit tax every turn. It is to be rezed after the runner has been broken economically (closed accounts). This gives the runner a single tag automatically on their turn (unless they gain 1 credit from a drip resource... which you could have blown up!) and then forces them to either click for creds to clear the tag and prepare for next turn if they want to keep the tags out.

If you can manage to sweep the legs out from under the runner economically, this is a huge advantage card, even if it is behind something like TMI. TMI in this archetype could work because the runner will be poor! If the runner just goes tag-me it means you can close accounts again later or pull off a psycho-score.

I'm not saying it is an amazing card. But terrible? Its not record reconstructor!

Also the purpose of this card is not to provide the 1 credit tax every turn. It is to be rezed after the runner has been broken economically (closed accounts). This gives the runner a single tag automatically on their turn (unless they gain 1 credit from a drip resource... which you could have blown up!) and then forces them to either click for creds to clear the tag and prepare for next turn if they want to keep the tags out.

If you can manage to sweep the legs out from under the runner economically, this is a huge advantage card, even if it is behind something like TMI. TMI in this archetype could work because the runner will be poor! If the runner just goes tag-me it means you can close accounts again later or pull off a psycho-score.

I'm not saying it is an amazing card. But terrible? Its not record reconstructor!

I think it's terrible. If you can sweep the legs out from under the runner economically, I'd rather have Midseason. Costs $5 too, you don't have to protect it, it instantly gives them tons of tags without giving them any opportunity to avoid them, so it immediately sets up PsychoBeale and it can't be trashed out of R&D if the runner is rich and wants to access more cards. Also, if you rez TMI, like you're suggesting, you spent way more time and resources than Midseason.

If you can make the runner so poor he can't do anything against your Midseason he shouldn't be able to steal an agenda in the first place. I would rez some bigger ICE to keep him out instead of playing Midseason.

As much as I'd love a good argument right now, trevaur is right.

And all of the pro arguments are hardly what I'd consider constituting a "good" argument.

I'm working this into a denial based deck, a couple of these out and the runner is having to come and get it or pay 1 creds a turn, it is like a reverse pad campaign.
In a deck with tag punishment, closed accounts freelancer ect the idea is to keep the runner broke and score agendas when I can, and a psycho tucked away in case the runner let's tags build.

Would have loved to see the original City Surveillance reprinted. Now that would be an awesome tag/money drain asset.

This seems like a card with great potential, but the numbers are a little off. If it were more expensive to avoid a tag, it would make a much more pressing target for the runner, and if it cost more to trash or less to rez I could see this being worth a slot in a well guarded server.