Does Sifr still need to be banned?

Now that Parasite has rotated, could Sifr be moved to the Restricted list or even off of both lists without disastrous consequenses? Or is there another degenerate combo that would be abused?

I’m thinking that Sifr doesn’t need to be banned anymore, but that might just be me.

Yes

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Sifr is broken, end of story. Parasite certainly made it even better, but without Parasite it’s still very “Ice Strength is a social construct”.

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Interesting. To me it seems like a better version of Security Nexus. An expensive Console that can be used on one ice, once per turn. Also, these days there are a lot of cards that get played that are very “Ice Strength is a social construct” (Kongamato, Logic Bomb, Grappling Hook…)

I think the one influence pip still makes Sifr super problematic and is a big reason why it’s a banned card, not just it’s power level and interaction with Parasite. Nexus is a power card for Sunny which other decks still use (see recent 419, Reina builds) but have to pay a hefty influence tax. You get a playset of Sifr for the cost of one Nexus. It runs the risk of becoming everyone’s console almost immediately and severely constraining the pool of playable ICE.

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Sifr would be a get out of jail free card with Aumakua, making mid-run CVS purges worthless.

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It’s still too good. At worst it’s a Sure Gamble every turn you need to break a high Str ICE.

You compare it to Konga, Logic Bomb, and Grappling Hook, but there’s a very specific reason why “Console” is much better than “Put this in the bin”.

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I think the 5c on sifr is actually a pretty steep cost without the parasite bustoness. It might be okay to be restricted instead. Sure it’ll give you a one ice per turn aumakua break (similar to Nexus) but you’d still be sacrificing another restricted card to get that.

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I was strongly against Rumor Mill coming back into the mix as restricted. But all the Anarch decks I’ve played with, I’ve not even considered it.

If Sifr was back and restricted, I cannot think of any nasty combos you could do with it (like with parasite). As a Corp, would you rather see Sifr or Employee Strike or Film Critic? Azmari will still be getting rich while you get into their server easier only to be punative’d next turn. Same deal with Palana after you have to pay the 4 net damage because you cannot Film Critic it.

tl;dr
With Sifr restricted I’m not sure I’d take it over Film Critic or Employee Strike.

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I just think Sifr’s effect is bad for the game – you need to be very careful with cards (and nearly influence-free ones at that!) that invalidate ICE strength long-term.
I really don’t see why it should come back; the game is just better off without it. What problem would that card solve?

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shaper bullshit would like a word:

https://www.cardgamedb.com/forums/uploads/an/med_ADN35_101.png

I’m in. Also Flashbang, and even the Bird Breakers.

This is a great game.

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Thats a rather expensive and inefficient combo. If Sifr + Ankusa is the most busted combo out there, we have nothing to fear.

“Pay x where x is twice the number of subs on an Ice. Return it to HQ.” is unreal good. Especially during a run.

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On a Barrier ice.
And if you try to bring Laamb into this, you’re quickly heading into magical christmas land where 3-card combos that cost >20 credits to play never have to worry about silly things like winning the game.

Sifr is not fine to be taken off entirely. Restricted, I think it would compete with Film Critic and Employee Strike.

The main difference between Sifr and Nexus is that Sifr does nothing by itself. You literally gain zero benefit from installing a Sifr until you install an Icebreaker. Nexus does work all by itself. It’s really sub-optimal by itself (at best, Sunny installing it means they pay x+2 credits to bypass, where x is how much the Corp wants you to pay…) but it does do something, at least. Oh, and the influence cost, which is a real thing. Both of them do invalidate one ice per turn. And even better for Nexus, it invalidates an ice, whether or not it gets past it.

The main thing keeping Sifr on the Banned list is that it has no real downsides and is only one influence. Invalidating one ice per turn isn’t enough to get you on the banned list.

I do think Aumakua+Sifr is the most broken thing you can do with it at this time. Mostly because those cards are one influence each and thus can be played literally everywhere.

4 Likes