Jinteki Biotech

Yesterday I was reviewing the upcoming spoilers page, and took another look at Jinteki Biotech. When this ID was first spoiled, I was underwhelmed–it seemed underpowered and quite hard to build a deck that could make use of all three potential sides of the ID.

After thinking for a while, I started to get excited about it. Here are some of my thoughts:

The Tank (flip the card to shuffle archives back into R&D): I think we’ve all been hosed by Noise before, and likely you’ve been Keyholed to death by MaxX or Reina or maybe Valencia. This version of the ID essentially blanks that game plan. Pesky Keyhole Anarchs will have to find another plan of attack. Noise, I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do for you here. Also, eat my Snares! and Shocks! over and over.

I don’t think you’d choose this version of the ID against Shapers or Criminals—there are better options, such as:

The Greenhouse (three clicks to advance a card up to four times): This is the most fun one and the version you build most around, I think. Possibly best to use against Shapers. I think you play 2, maybe even 3 Biotic Labors in this ID. Firstly, you can score 4/2s without advancing them at all. Drop a card in a remote server (hopefully with Caprice) and play your standard Jinteki mind games. Snare, Psychic Field, or agenda?

With a Biotic Labor in hand, you can drop an unadvanced Future Perfect in the remote and score it your next turn for a total of 4 creds.

There are also lots of other things to do with this—advancing Ronins, of course (have one sitting out on the table unchecked and with a Biotic Labor, kill an unfortunate runner not playing wisely against Jinteki). Or +4 STR to your Ice Walls for 3 clicks and 0 credits, charging up your Tricks of Light. I think ToL and Caprice are your best options in this ID for scoring agendas.

The Brewery (three clicks to do 2 net damage): I think this might be best against Criminals. They don’t run recursion usually, and you can wear them down over the course of the game with your Snares! and this power. Also snipe key early programs and events. I don’t think you’ll often find that you kill people solely with this power, but it seems like it could really wear a runner out. Great against 40 card runners as well.

Anyone else excited for this one? What are some other plays you can think of?

Mushin No Shin a Braintrust, and if the runner doesn’t steal it, flip Greenhouse next turn for a discount of 2 on your ice for the rest of the game :smiley:

Janky combo deck: Panic Button to draw all of your deck except for two cards, Reuse to dump it all for Texa$, keep the runner out of archives for a turn, then flip The Tank to restore your deck. :stuck_out_tongue:

3 Likes

Wow, both awesome ideas. #1 is far more reasonable than #2, but #2 is fucking rad.

I think this is overly optimistic. Three clicks is a lot of clicks, and it only works on your turn. If they have Keyhole or Noise going, they’re just going to keep milling you after you fire it.

It’s a cute ID. But the viable path that I see is building your deck around the 4-advance one with the threat of the 2-net damage one (since the 4-advance one is the only one that isn’t a terrible plan A), and it’s hard to see that deck being better than RP, Tennin, or PE.

4 Likes

you know how good shell game players will shuffle the three cards they’re installing before playing them face down? I think that might be best practice for this ID. Not necessarily with all three, but with the greenhouse and the brewery. Make it obvious that you’re selecting randomly, and they’ll have to respect both possibilities. I think this deck is gonna be a lot of fun.

Re: the tank, I think its main role is as a sideboard against noise. Yes, he can play around it, but frankly it really puts pressure on him to actually get in and score rather than try to mill out or go for a single glory run. Not so hot against Keyhole-ers, as they know exactly when agendas land in the trash and generally have the means to access it.

Can you flip your ID more than once per game?

Definitely. Just have to stick with the one you’ve chosen.

oh, that’s pretty fun. in which case I might try my idea of Shutdown abuse Biotech. just watch out for Shards and shutdown everything.

What? How? Pretty sure you can only flip it once per game.

2 Likes

If that is the case, then shut this thread down, this ID is totally useless!

6 Likes

yeah I was under the impression it was only once which is why it really sucks. if you are going to make an ID that only gets a benefit ONCE per game, it should be pretty damn good. IMO something like, score an installed agenda, or do 4 net damage. basically Biotech can flip its ID for 2 Neural EMP. oh except it costs 1 more click =)

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How disappointing. I fee like a dork now.

I like the mind game before you flip, and you probably don’t want to flip unless you are about to win.

The runner has to assume you could possibly score out from any face card when you are at 4 points and that you could possibly deal two net damage to them at any time. With Biotic it gets even more dangerous, so you’re probably best trying to abuse this and put the runner in a place where they can’t play around both options and hopefully pick the wrong one.

2 Likes

I just can’t imagine a universe where 2 net damage is ever threatening.

Biotic Labour, Biotic Labour, Neural EMP, Neural EMP, Flip? It doesn’t sound super strong. It’s like starting with 2 Neural EMP in hand that are free to play but cost an extra click.

I also used to think that 2 net was a little underpowered, then I realized that 3 net would set up very dumb wins with Biotic into Ronin. Even Biotic into EMP for 4 is a pretty dumb amount just for 6 dollars.

2 Likes

Well, you can’t run in third click with only 3 cards in hand without Filter/DeusX. If they have scorch and you don’t have plascrete yet you can’t run third click with 4 cards in hand (or second click with 3) without risking to die.
If they have Ronin in the remote and biotic in hand you could instead die with 2 cards in hand…

The ID means (without net prevention, corp at 8 cred): never run last click with 4- cards in hand, never run third click with 3 cards in hand, never finish a turn with less than 3 cards (if facedown remote)… everything else means taking a risk. Without meat prevention, corp at 7/8 cred : never run last click, never run third click with less than 5 cards, second click with less than 4 and still never finish a turn with less than 3 cards (if facedown remote)…

And it’s just because of snare/Scorch/Ronin but you must eventually take Psychic Field into account etc.

It’s actually pretty hard to play safe against this ID before DeusX/Filter/plascrete.

2 Net dmg/4 adv token aren’t threatening by themself but you can build your deck to make them matter.

The funny thing is : it’s probably the only ID with an ability more powerful when never used.

EDIT : Just a thought.

Silly Biotech

Jinteki Biotech: Life imagined (The Valley)

Agenda (11)
3x Braintrust (What Lies Ahead)
2x Gila Hands Arcology (Creation and Control)
2x House of Knives (Honor and Profit)
1x Philotic Entanglement (Honor and Profit)
3x The Future Perfect (Honor and Profit)

Asset (13)
2x Jackson Howard (Opening Moves) ••
2x Project Junebug (Core Set)
2x Psychic Field (Honor and Profit)
3x Ronin (Future Proof)
1x Shattered Remains (First Contact)
3x Snare! (Core Set)

Operation (12)
1x Biotic Labor (Core Set) ••••
3x Hedge Fund (Core Set)
3x Medical Research Fundraiser (Honor and Profit)
3x Mushin No Shin (Honor and Profit)
2x Scorched Earth (Core Set) ••••• •••

Barrier (4)
1x Eli 1.0 (Future Proof) •
2x Himitsu-Bako (Opening Moves)
1x Wall of Static (Core Set)

Code Gate (3)
2x Enigma (Core Set)
1x Yagura (Fear and Loathing)

Sentry (4)
2x Komainu (Honor and Profit)
2x Pup (Honor and Profit)

Other (2)
2x Kitsune (First Contact)

15 influence spent (max 15)
21 agenda points (between 20 and 21)
49 cards (min 45)
Cards up to The Valley

Deck built on http://netrunnerdb.com.

2 Likes

Good point :slight_smile: You’re probably right. I guess I’m just thinking of it always being a possibility. So you can never end a turn with 1 card in hand without a way to block net damage. While it’s not a common thing this is something that comes up from time to time, and you are usually safe if you didn’t make a run or you know there is no Ronin on the table.

That being said, I imagine you will just be able to put most people on the free mushin, since that’s already strong with Ronin and just scoring agendas in general.

Who knows though, maybe this is a sign of cards to come and we’ll get ice or assets that allow the corp to flip the ID during a run. That could make things a bit more interesting.

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If the only the paid ability of the ID allowed you to flip to any Biotech ID, and not just the one you chose before the game starts.

so now you’re playing a 4 influence card from another faction just to get value out of your ID ability. strong design, yes?