Been able to get a hold of/test with this pack a bit, so I figured I would share my thoughts, as numbers don’t convey details well, I will be going with a rating system of Staple, Playable, Unplayable, and Shoebox for card strength, with a descriptor of Niche, Build-a-round, In-faction and Universal for how broadly applicable they are. This will probably be clearer once you start reading the list
IQ
In-faction Staple
While everyone seems to be excited to put this into CI, I think that’ll cost you more money than it’s worth. What I do like it with, is corps that can empty out their hand very quickly, as if you can rez it for under 3 credits, this becomes a better version of quandry, which is already a solid card. It won’t get splashed much (maybe TWIY but who actually plays that anymore?), but it is a solid in faction ETR that rezzes for cheap and grows out of yog range quickly, which means it’ll see definite play.
Eliza’s Toybox
Niche "Playable"
Hard to get a read on this, as it’s clearly a powerful effect, but what makes me think it’ll see play is blue sun being released next pack. Outside of that, it’ll go into a deck that just loses if it isn’t able to draw/protect this early, which would put it solidly into unplayable for me. Combo or bust in my opinion
Kitsune
Build-a-round Unplayable
If you really want to pay a minimum of 6 to hit with a snare, this does it, usually. AI breakers are prevalent (more-so now due to their utility against NEH), so it isn’t guaranteed. Technically, this + snare + chum can kill, but a lot needs to go right for that to actually happen. Probably a new player trap.
Port Anson Grid
Niche Playable
Glacier decks are pretty good at forcing people to jack out, so forcing them to either hit the nasty ice or lose a program is probably worth a card slot. The other (janky) use I can see with this is in combination with howler, but that’s of dubious merit. It’ll make its way into a couple decks, but it’s not going to like the world on fire. RP and ETF are the most likely candidates, although it does play well with RSVP/Chum
The News Now Hour
Niche Shoebox
This will only see play is the runner receives some game-breakingly powerful current, or if nbn receives said gamebreaking current, and even then, kinda doubt it will see play. The art will look cool with dust on it though.
Manhunt
Build-a-round Unplayable
Very expensive for such a weak trace, and the 3 influence will mean nbn only (read: not enough deckslots). Will be kinda fun in a casual deck that annoys people with city surveillance/tgtbt.
Wendigo
Universally Unplayable
Really cool effect, but at best it ends the run, and at worst it does nothing. Least exciting of the morph ice.
Crisium Grid
Build-a-round Staple
This is the first card in a very long time that made me want to brew in Weyland, and the 1 influence means it won’t just be exclusive to the big W. Not only does it turn off all of the criminal tricks, and most multi-access cards (interface or bust), but it makes it very hard to get a successful run against tennin, or shut off a certain other card that loves no successful runs on HQ. Expect to see this
Chronos Project
Niche Playable
People seem too caught up on longevity (which is why levy AR access somehow seems more play than stimhack), this card can hurt, but it will very rarely be game ending, and it definitely won’t do it consistently. I can see a cambridge style PE deck running 2 of these, but I think that’ll be all the play it sees once the hype dies down.
Shattered Remains
Niche Unplayable
My rule of thumb for advanceable traps is this: it has to win you the game, or you’re wasting your time. This is a speed bump most of the time, as you can bank on a third desperado. People seem to think this hitting plascretes will bring back scorched weyland, but most decks have cut their plascrete because it’s just as easy to overpower them economically and never take a tag.
Lancealot
Build-a-round Playable
Program trashing is powerful, program trashing from non-sentry sources even moreso. I can see this in a deck with galahad, and a bunch of ETR sentries and codegates (no barriers), leave these in your hand, and then use galahad to snipe a breaker or two later in the game. terrible against most AI builds, but being able to put destroyer subs anywhere and everywhere is definitely powerful. Neutral influence always hurts though
A fairly good haul from the corps side, most of these will see some play. Personal favorites are Crisium Grid and Lancealot, although I believe IQ will see the most use
Runner
Quetzal
Build-a-round Playable
The wording on this card is actually deceptive, she ignores wraparounds and occasionally saves money on other Ice. Her biggest strength is definitely her ability to run mono-AI breakers without repercussion (knight the second wraparound if they try to get cheeky). The question is, what can you do with that advantage? Anarch needs a plan, Noise came with one built in, Reina is particularly good at vamping the corp and making use of that window, but the other anarch ids have the issue of opportunity cost when compared to other factions. Maybe the mono-AI advantage will allow her to do something no one else can later in the game, but I’m not seeing it now. Solid, standard, tier 2 anarch
Blackat
Niche (fringe)Playable
The ability to break eli for 1 stealth credit is keeping me interested, but it just seems marginal compared to corroder. If 3 sub barriers start to become common, it may see play, but anarch very rarely uses a traditional quite well, and 3 influence and a reliance on datasucker makes it hard to use out of faction (compared to morningstar especially)
Duggars
Build-a-round (fringe)Playable
Drawing 10 cards is a strong effect. You need to have recursion, and probably either a hand size boost or a click boost, but it’s still a very powerful effect in a faction that badly needs card draw. Time will tell if Inject makes this irrelevant, but right now it seems decent.
Box-E
Niche Unplayable
This is not a bad card, but as cybersolutions memchip proved, you don’t really want to pay 4 just for memory. 1 influence and the marginal benefit of handsize means it will have some merits, but it simply does not compare with the other available options in criminal, or even out of faction (grimoire, spinal modem, astrolabe)
The Supplier
Universal Playable
This guy slots right in to a lot of andi builds, but I also would not be surprised to see him out of faction. Saving 2 credits per resource and hardware is extremely strong, and makes daily casts one of the best cards in the game. He’s blank in very few runner decks, and a lot of fringe playable cards become extremely good with him on board (comp employee, crash space, hell, underworld contacts isn’t awful if it’s free).
Refractor
In-faction Playable
This is the first codegate breaker that I feel gives yog a run for its money. 1 install cost, 2 strength, breaks tollbooth for 4 and a recurring. This will almost never need more than one pump, and, unlike dagger, doesn’t need to pump until it hits the very large codegates (3 strength codegates are a myth). Influence cost of it + stealth credits make it too prohibitive to export, but shapers will use this well.
Order of Sol
Niche Unplayable
Nasir uses this well, but for everyone else, this just seems like a bad idea. It can give you two credits a turn if you have a workshop, which is actually pretty good, but the drawback is likely too problematic.
Hades Shard
Niche Playable
This goes in some noise builds, and maybe a keyhole deck, but the neutral influence and mandatory 1of will hurt it a lot.
Rachel Beckman
Build-a-round Unplayable (fringe playable if nbn dies down)
Neutral influence, inability to be tagged and 8 resources all hurt, but I’ll be damned if 5 clicks isn’t powerful. Might see play in an andy build (supplier discount + decoy). I think the costs might just be too high for this, but I really want to have it out.
If you agree/disagree, let me know (and provide reasons) in the comments
EDIT: minor grammar things, because I didn’t proofread, probably more in there somewhere