Alexandria is a cool idea, flipping the Mill angle against the Runner. Needs some refinement, though. 10 rez is pretty steep, and the chance to hit them for half their deck in one Run feels too powerful.
Here’s an idea I had, allowing the Corp another option against Viruses without having to spend a whole turn to purge counters. Maybe it is unnecessary, but I think it would help balance Parasite and Datasucker. not sure for a card title, though, I was trying to think of something computer system or biological themed.
[Card Title] - Rez: 4C
Neutral - 1 Influence
Asset You may only use[CT]once per turn. Click: Remove one Virus counter from a program.
Trash: 2C
Achilles - 7c - unique
Neutral - 1 inf
Program - 2 MU - Icebreaker - AI - Mythic
1c: +1 Strength
0c: Break ICE subroutine, then place a power counter on Achilles
[hosted power counter]: Take 1 net damage, the Corp may trigger this ability.
Strength - 5
Hydra - 6c
Neutral - 1 inf
ICE: Sentry - Mythic - AP - Destroyer
2c: Hydra gains “-> The Runner trashes 1 program” after all other subroutines until the end of the run.
2c: Hydra gains “-> Do 1 net damage” after all other subroutines until the end of the run.
2c: Hydra gains “-> End the run” after all other subroutines until the end of the run.
Use these abilities only during an encounter with Hydra in which at least one subroutine has been broken.
-> End the run
Strength - 3
ICE Field Optimisation - 2c
HB - 3 inf
Operation - Double
As an additional cost to play this operation, spend [click]
When you play ICE Field Optimisation you may pay Xc and name a keyword.
Rez X pieces of ICE which share the chosen keyword, discounting their rez cost by 1c each. You may then interchange any number of ICE rezzed in this fashion.
I’ve been wanting an ICE that you could pay to add subs for awhile. It would have to be barrier with a base ETR though, yes?
Achilles is a great idea, but I think it has too many downsides. High install, 2MU, and the backfiring mechanic. I’d say at least one of the first two should be scaled back.
Here’s an idea of my own, although I don’t have a good idea of which Corp it belongs to. Name could be changed, but I like the name so much. My original idea was a card that trashed ICE for damage.
Pyrrhus Protocol - 6c
Upgrade
Whenever the Runner passes all of the ICE protecting this server, you may trash any number of cards in or protecting this server. For each card trashed, do 1 net damage.
Trash - 2c
This card is not trashed until another current is played or an agenda is scored.
Name a scored agenda. The text box is blank for all copies of that card.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of guys.
Flavor: Art featuring Tallie Perault, or perhaps Reina chained to statue with a bullhorn. Efficiency Committee can’t be very efficient if it is spending its time doing scandal damage control. Nisei MKII’s won’t get involved in your exploits while they are trying to keep their noses clean. Astroscript can’t help you further other agendas when the moonwriting reminds people of the scandal. If the corp scores another agenda, then the short-attention-span populace has something new and shiny and forgets about the scandal.
Well, mine was a sentry but it does have a base ETR. I liked the Hydra idea that as you cut a head off another one grows back. It’s not particularly efficient at what it does, but it is an ETR that is, effectively, immune to the one-shot breakers like Deus X, Sharpshooter and Faerie; plus you can use it to drain the Runner economy.
I quite like this thematically, I might make it require the Corp to have Bad Pub to use it, but strengthen the effect to blank all scored agendas.
I think it needs to have the high entry cost because it’s very easy for Shapers to play around the net damage with insane draw and prevention effects. If the Corp lets the counters build up then Shapers can also Scavenge them away. I think those synergies need to be kept in check.
Jericho - 6c
Anarch - 4 inf
Program - 1 MU - Icebreaker - Fracter
1c: +1 Strength.
1c: Break barrier subroutine.
2c: Break all barrier subroutines.
You may spend a maximum of 3c on Jericho during each encounter.
At the end of any encounter in which Jericho was used to break all subroutines, trash the encountered ICE. The Corp may trash a card at random from HQ to prevent this.
Strength - 1
Dungbeetle - 4c
Anarch - 3 Inf
Program - 1mu - Virus
Place one virus counter on Dungbeetle whenever the runner loses a click.
If there are three or more virus counters on Dungbeetle, at the start of the turn, the runner gains [click].
So many great ideas in this thread! I’m gonna comment on them later, I just got this idea and needed to jot it down somewhere
Shattered (Neutral)
Ice - Barrier
Rez: 5c
Every time all subroutines on Shattered have been broken, place one power counter on Shattered.
Shattered gains one “-> End the run.” and has -1 Strength for each power counter on Shattered.
-> End the run.
Str: 5
‘It had become an impenetrable wall of dust, I simply turned around and walked away’
EDIT: one more… not sure about the wording yet though
Orion (Shaper, 1 Inf)
Program – Mythic
Cost 4c — 1MU
Click, Click: Initiate a run on a server. After encountering the first ice on that server, the run continues diagonally from that ice. After encountering the innermost ice on a server, the run ends succesfully on that server.
Shattered is interesting, assuming just the use of a corroder, it costs 4 to break for the first 4 runs, and then +1 credit each time after that, which puts it in the same range as an Eli without the option of clicking through at the cost of +2 credits on the rez cost. I also love that it can give atman headaches, because I hate seeing atmans playing Corp haha
Operation Mincemeat
Criminal - 3 influence
2 cr - Event - Run - Priority
Choose a server. Make a run on a different server with the same or greater number of pieces of ICE defending it. If the run is successful, it is treated as a successful run the first server instead.
Hercules
Anarch
Icebreaker - 10 cr - Programme - 3 MU - Str X - AI
Hercules has St equal to the number of cards in your grip.
1 cr: Break ICE subroutine.
Exponential Growth
Anarch
2 Cr - Current - Event
Is not trashed etc etc.
Whilst Exponential Growth is in play, whenever you would add any number of virus tokens to a card, double the number of virus tokens already on that card instead.
Malthus
Anarch
Programme - Virus - 1 cr
At the start of the runner’s turn, double the number of virus tokens on Malthus.
At the end of the runner’s turn, if the number of virus tokens on Malthus exceeds the runner’s credit pool, trash Malthus.
Click: Remove all virus tokens from Malthus. Gain that many credits.
Remote Scanning
Weyland
0 Cr - Asset - Ambush - Trash 2
If the runner accesses this card, you may pay 2 credits to remove all virus counters from the runner’s cards. This effect does not apply whilst this card is in archives.
Operation Mincemeat is pretty cool, but it doesn’t really need ‘priority’. Really good for getting through a remote server with ICE you can’t break, but seems a little corner-case-ish. Definitely the sort of card they should print.
Hercules is a good Anarch AI; it might be similar to the one they’ll print in Order and Chaos (it’s supposed to be efficient even compared to Icebreakers in general), but again, 3 MU is a little over the top, and even though it isn’t that much worse than 2 MU, it isn’t needed or flavorful. A price bump to 12, on the other hand, ties into the Hercules lore but doesn’t make it too much worse.
Exponential Growth seems really powerful with Medium (only with Grimoire ofc), but it’s actually probably quite managable, especially since it makes purging much worse for you. Really great design - even the fact it’s a current is interesting because this is one of the few currents that could be both good and eventually make you want to trash it yourself. It could probably cost less - the main cost barrier will be getting into R+D/HQ enough.
Malthus is hard for me to imagine - it doesn’t work that well in Anarch since they tend to be poor, but it has a really good maximum efficiency rate. It’s useless without Grimoire or Virus Breeding Ground, which I think is too bad, but maybe it’s too powerful with getting a virus counter if it has none.
Remote Scanning is kind of boring, but if you see potential in it, it really needs a higher trash cost or no payment. Comparing it to the 0-cost operation makes it look pretty bad, and that’s not amazing. Making it work in archives would help versus Datasucker, but other than that it’s only good versus the Medium booster you set up. Actually, on second thought, that’s a pretty cool interaction. Is it on purpose?
Back-Alley Joe
Anarch - 3 influence
2 Cr - Resource - Connection - Unique
When your turn begins draw the bottom card of your stack, then return a card from your grip to the top of your stack.
Espionage
Criminal - 2 influence
2 Cr - Event
Pay 1 credit for each advancement token on a card to expose it. If it is an agenda gain [click] and 4 credits.
Freeloader
Weyland ICE [trap] - 2 influence. Cost 1, strength 2.
-> Install Freeloader on an installed icebreaker, or trash Freeloader if none are available. Host icebreaker has -2 strength. “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
When I designed it, I figured Exponential Growth is all about the “power turn” - drop it first click and go to town (ideally with something to give you extra clicks). Once the corp has purged you have to get rid of it, or there is no way to ever see another virus token for the rest of the game. In fact the disadvantage is so harsh that I’m considering adding “from its own text” just to allow Grimoire and Virus Breeding Ground to operate. But even with the disadvantage, that one turn is going to be utterly destructive.
I think Malthus needs a virus token when it comes into play. Even then I think it’s a little slow, but giving 2 credits per token would generate massive returns stupidly fast (eight credits on the third turn in play).
I agree, priority is probably a little much on Operation Mincemeat.
Making Hercules cost 12 is a great idea. On the MU front, I sort of agree, but I was very aware that if you start with a full grip you can draw twice and then run through Heimdell 2.0. for 3 credits. And this is a faction that will soon have Origami in faction.
Blackout (Anarch, 2 influence)
Resource
Cost: 2
At the beginning of your turn, nominate one Resource. That Resource’s text block is blank until the end of this turn.
It’s not showy, but it works well with Wyldside and the upcoming Stim Dealer.
Interesting idea, but I suspect this would be overpowered- starting with one brain damage in exchange for 5 clicks a turn seems like an amazing deal, even if you have to spend that click drawing. Maybe an identity that started with the wyldside ability instead (i.e., lose a click and draw two cards)?
First off, thank you; changing it to read you start with 1 brain damage. Much more elegant and thematic. Going to change the flavor text with that in mind, too.
What do others think? I know it is a powerful ability, but it is meant to be. Is the 1 brain damage not enough of a penalty?