Yep, I realize all of this. When you boost Refractor for the second time, you’ve spent the same amount of money as Houdini. It just needs to come from a stealth source for Refractor.
With Houdini, you’re forced to use the second credit.
I’m not saying Houdini is bad. Houdini is an adequate replacement to Refractor when it cycles. But it’s not better. Being honest with yourself, how many times have you been facing down 3 or more 3+ strength code gates (2 or more with at least 1 being exactly 6 strength)? It doesn’t happen often. That’s the only circumstance in which Refractor is less efficient on a credit-basis.
The reduced stealth requirement is noteworthy, but, again, shapers have never had issues getting stealth online, and smoke / NM certainly aren’t going to deter it
Yeah it sucks against quandary and tollbooth but that’s what parasite, Datasucker and d4v1d are for. The important thing is that it can break lotus field which was the main problem code gate for non Faust anarchs.
Give me a NRE and Yog any day.
Being fair, it’s looking like card destruction is becoming a very real corp concept, so maybe my perception on this will change (and the above). But under current circumstances, it’s bad IMO.
I don’t know. All those spy camera decks seem to be fine looking for topdecked agendas, right? I guess it’s a question of whether or not you can reliably hit HQ and R&D in the same turn on short notice, which means you’re probably not relying on ABR to get in.
Now, if you’re not relying on ABR to get in, and you drop it from the [EDIT] not-deck, how worthwhile is it to load up on Corporate Scandal/Investigative Journalism to get in using bad pub credits each run? It’s 6 influence for 3 of each. It’s also some insurance against All-Seeing Eye (once you’ve fired an IJ or 2).
[EDIT 2] And/or you run this with The Turning Wheel. You poke HQ, maybe steal an agenda, always check R&D, then, if you see an agenda, you go for multiaccess with at least 1 guaranteed score.
Houdini might be better in Kit.With code gates becoming stronger and more prevelant, you’ll be likely to see multiple code gates on one server especially with her ability.
I don’t know. His draw engine relies on early agendas. Dropping ABR feels like you won’t score them, dropping safety first means you have to import a draw engine, and dropping neutralize all threats is giving up a better access (to my mind at least).
Just to be clear, I’m totally happy to be wrong on this one. I love Adam, and I want him to be good and successful. But when I’ve played him, my first thought was never “I wish I had a slightly better version of Woman in the Red Dress instead of ABR”.
Find the Truth definitely feels like a card that will be in every Adam deck, but won’t be one of your three opening directives. You might change this up with certain matchups (like say, 1000 cuts, so you can avoid snares). Regardless, it’s a solid card and the option to put it out at match start is awesome.
You don’t have to hit HQ and r&d in the same turn. You just need a successful run, which could be against an empty archives or a remote that you can’t trash (or maybe you aren’t using neutralise all threats).
Also, nothing stops you from playing four directives. You can only start with three, but you can put the fourth in your maindeck and install it normally.
On peregrine: 5 to install isn’t cheap, but it’s cheaper than having to play three “Rex”. Iain’s influence almost seems like enough now.
Black Orchestra is underwhelming, but let’s not forget that the install-from-the-heap effect is totally stupid and worth way more than 1 credit. Other than MaxX, who desperately needs it for Turing, it’s probably not a game-changer (hi, Ark Lockdown ), but don’t count it out.
I don’t know why I was mentally adding “on HQ” to that. Maybe because I was thinking about combining it with NAT and Obelus. Oh well. Even better. Temujin/Masanori/FtT!
Patron could be a good way to avoid triggering NAT on remote servers, though the influence cost is high.
New Iain deck idea with Hostage.
Icebreakers: Paperclip, Peregrine, Golden, and a Pheromones as 4th memory.
Connections: Film Critic, The Source, Bhagat.
Get money, derez ice, mill the corp
Imho, every darside anarch deck* will love it, considering that they would not have enough influence for yog.
I mean siphon-spam anarch. I can see them being very annoying with siphon, medium, faust and obelus together. Black Orchestra is the perfect emergency breaker here
If you’re “changing it up for other match ups” does this mean you invision having a one-of of all four directives in your deck in can you want to switch-up at the start of the game?
I get that you can just run any directive like a regular card, but the reason they’re good is that you can start the game with them. TBH if you’re evaluating them as a card you’re installing, compared to plenty of other resources they’re a bit weak.
Yeah the fact that code gates are more often painful to face check than barriers means that being able to install black orchestra at instant speed will be more relevant than it is on paperclip.
I doubt you can switch cards in your deck even with directives. The three starting directives do not count as part of your deck, so you have your standard deck with you plus all four directives, and at game start you place three of them on the table and ignore the fourth for the rest of the game.
), but don’t count it out.