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Imp vs Scrubber

#1

Just putting this out there to folks. Let’s say I was toying around with a runner deck, and it needs to be able to handle assets a little bit more efficiently. It is a Shaper deck (Kit), and does run 2x SMC and 2x Test Run. That being said, it’s a stealth deck, and thus is really tight on spare MU (SMC is a bit hard to use unless it’s very early game). Bearing this in mind, my question is thus:
Would I fare better using:
3x Scrubber
or
1x Imp + 2x Clone Chips

I know, most Kate decks will jump to the Imp right away. Because of my MU issues (I already run 2x Akamatsu, and really am just barely scraping by with this), SMC is a bit difficult to use, and I’m hesitant to use my Test Runs for anything other than pulling out that one of Femme for a clutch play or recurring a trashed program. Any thoughts on the matter? Does anyone have much experience using Scrubber, and perhaps care to share some feedback with me?

#2

Scrubber can’t trash operations … Sort of a big benefit of Imp is the ability to trash things like Biotic Labor, Tag and Bag components, Operation Economy and so on.

#3

The thing about scrubber is that it’s just money, it’s purely am economy card. It doesn’t enable anything you couldn’t do before, but imp does. So when comparing them, it’s a bit of a false equivalency, when really you’re weighing the value of sniping problem cards versus the economy value of scrubber. I think scrubber probably makes its money back most games tbh, but the question is, so what? Is it making the difference from just playing Kati Jones? I kinda doubt it.

#4

I like what @false_idol said. Maybe the problem lies within your original post:

[quote=“StitchInTime, post:1, topic:2018”]
Let’s say I was toying around with a runner deck, and it needs to be able to handle assets a little bit more efficiently.
[/quote] There’s something wrong with that above. The problem with your deck isn’t hte need to handle assets more efficiently, but instead you have an economy problem. Scrubber will help you be more efficient for assets and upgrades, Imp will help you be more efficient for them as well, and also gives some utility in trashing operations and other agendas (like NAPD or The Future Perfect) but has the MU and tutoring issues as well.

I’d probably say there is a better econ card than Scrubber if it’s just an econ problem. If you are often seeing those operations that you wish you could Imp, well - then maybe you want Imp.

#5

I certainly don’t have econ problems. I’m running 12 econ cards (including 2x Kati), and a stealth rig, so tend to do just fine on creds. Still though, trashing SanSans is hard. I don’t know of any runner economies that can consistently trash SanSans and Pad Campaigns without breaking the bank in the process. Correct me if I’m wrong here?

My reasoning behind wanting to take Scrubber is that all the top cords right now (NEH, RP, NEH, some HB, and NEH) all heavily rely on asset based economy and SanSan. Given that not trashing SanSan is, quite frankly, not an option against NEH, the problem of how to do so without breaking the bank is certainly a relevant one.

#6

I think a crucial consideration to make when deckbuilding is what your deck’s ultimate goal is. When I look at Kit, I see her ability as a way to apply serious pressure in the early game and to get a consistent access every turn. This is a proactive play style in which you force the corp to deal with your threats. As a result, I don’t think Kit should dedicate deckspace to a card that only serves a reactive purpose, like Scrubber. Imp is an astounding card, but Kit’s influence is already so scarce that I don’t think that slot is justified either.

I think stealth Kit has a ton of potential and today I started working on a list after seeing some interesting discussion on “NRDB.” The influence splashes are 1x BlacKat, 2x HQ Interface, and 1x Sneakdoor Beta. It runs 3x ProCo and 3x Modded to make dropping the HQ/RnD interfaces cheap. I’ve currently slotted 3x Cybersolutions Mem Chips since they easily handle the MU and synergize with Modded as well, but testing will have to determine if that’s the best choice.

I think HQ Interface greatly increases the value of your accesses and Sneakdoor rounds out your ability to threaten all three central servers which is extremely relevant in the current meta. Accessing multiple cards every turn is what you need to beat the current bullies like NEH and RP.

I know this isn’t necessarily a direct answer to your post, but I hope it is some helpful perspective.

#7

Are you not already running clone chips?

#8

Depends on your build. Noise will definitely lean one way, while Stirling Connections probably another…

#9

This does come back to money though. If you are, on average, only trashing assets let’s say every other turn, then there is a pretty clear 1:1 between scrubber and other drip economy cards that might slot in better than a silver bullet. And to that point, is trashing assets fundamentally worth an influence and a silver bullet slot? Net Celebrity helps trash assets, but also helps you use SMC/Clone chip/run on centrals, etc. You’re going to find that utility, I would say, more useful than a scrubber.

A sahasrara would help you play the economy game with asset heavy decks, while being able to at least coop its losses before you trash it if you’re not being strapped for cash.

Point being is that I just don’t think shaper really ever needs scrubber (and there is paricia, though in your case you’re more worried about SSCG, which is reasonable) and we have seen top decks take a singleton Paricia in the past, you can tutor it out when needed, and you rarely need more than 1 tabled anyway. Giving up 1 card and no influence for an almost equal silver bullet (but it is cheaper to get out) is a much easier pill to swallow for me than 3 cards and 3 inf

#10

Nobody can afford to trash San Sans, high trash cost drip econ, AND pressure centrals. That’s why you see most runners ignore PAD and other drip econ. Your deck needs to make enough money to trash San Sans, usually before they’re rezzed, period. My opinion is that security testing + desperado with open servers is the best economic engine in the game. If you’re Kate the obvious choice is PPVP but as Kit, without the discount, I’m not sold on it. So you’re stuck with Kati or Opus, one of the reasons why Kit isn’t high tier (actually stimhack/workshop is probably best).

#11

Imp wins! Flawless victory.