I stress semi-unique in that it would be difficult or just unwieldly to get the combinations outside of those IDs, not that the cards are completely unavailable to the three main factions.
I don’t think they would ever release something that is entirely unique to one faction for runners aside from IDs. At least in this point in the game.
From the UK Netrunner Facebook group:
“Right, one neutral, one bioroid and one digital runner, 25 influence to spend, and mini factions. From a sneak preview of next week’s article and the quote from the designers in it suggested that this box will have the support for the mini factions, and be pretty much self contained from that point of view.”
Spoiler-Ken seems to have also confirmed that the NBN ID spoilers we got were fakes. I’m happy about that.
Bioroid is probably Drake 3GI2RC from the novels. Only sentient bioroid thus far.
I wonder how the digital runner would work thematically in regards to meat damage. Totally negating meat damage would lead to the ability be either OP in certain matches, and useless in others. Maybe when he takes meat damage it’s treated as net damage instead?
Could just have him based in a server somewhere. Meat damage = hardware damage.
Could go the “Emergency Self-Construct” route from ONR. You’re immune to Meat Damage, but your handsize is reduced by one and you only have three actions per turn.
That said, that’s a pretty hefty downside unless Argus becomes the definitive Tier 1 deck, which seems kinda doubtful.
EDIT: Well, maybe not. I have some honestly high hopes for Argus come Hollywood Renovation and Casting Call (particularly if CC keeps the “access a COPY of this agenda” wording that was being talked about). Could be a thing, but we’ll have to see. I do think though that it’s the ID from O&C currently best-positioned to become really solid in the near future, Gagarin may be similarly boosted with a shell game thing, but the Renos seem super strong and Argus gets more benefit out of them/keeps them safer than Gagarin does.
I really hope not. I’d much prefer doing something interesting in the ID textbox and include a card like “proxy network” or somesuch.
Snow-jax on the motivations of the three new runners:
One does it for work. One does it because pure destruction is its nature.
One does it for freedom. His own.
“He’s a sentient virus program on the Internet.
He destroys it for free.
This is what he does with his time.”
On a more serious note, it would be interesting if all three of these IDs were fragmented aspects of the same artificial intelligence…
This one sounds like Smoke. Daily Casts, right people? Notoriety?
Smoke sounds like a Shaper though, which makes me doubt it.
Yeah, not buying that Smoke is unique enough to warrant a mini faction. My current best guess is a mercenary, always hired by corps. Or NAPD. Also Nasir’s source AI buddy is probably the virus, and Drake is the bioroid.
I hope being self-contained to the one box won’t just leave them dead after a cycle.
That’s what I’m worried about… If the cards in the mini factions are as tightly tied together as rumor suggests then it might be a bummer.
What if I like the ID but the rest of the cards in the faction “engine” are sub par? I want to see some inventive stuff from FFG, but I don’t want half the box to stay in the box…
There’s also Floyd, who is actually the original sentient bioroid (hell, Drake even consults him on some stuff in the novels, and obviously respects him as someone with more experience on the subject). Drake’s probably a better choice for an ID though - both because he’s more fleshed out, and because Floyd has the whole religious aspect which might rub people wrong.
Isn’t Elizabeth Mills a sentient Bioroid?
Well, Ryon Knight’s flavor text suggests that most advanced bioroids are sentient, just still hostage to their failsafes and programming. Drake is the only one shown to be able to undermine/evolve beyond those restrictions. I should probably have said that Drake is the first independent or rogue bioroid.
/deepnerdery
Where the hell did you get that from? Do you want a visit from the Weyland Urban Regeneration Team?
I have no idea. I think I pieced it together. She has those bioroid eyes, she is an executive at Weyland and I think there was some info in one of the inserts that hinted to it.
I might be wrong though.