Runner decks are difficult to make due to the ever-growing and varied list of threats they need to be able to handle, while still functioning as a deck. Deck slots feel very “tight” because including necessary power cards, specific answers required for a particular deck (plascretes), an efficient rig, and the economy required to play all of these cards tends to leave you fairly close to 45 cards. So, I figured I would share some of the runner decks I have been working on, as I have had success with them (variants of them have all won at least 1 tournament), and they are quite a bit different than standard builds.
Test Run Andy
Example List: http://netrunnerdb.com/en/decklist/3641/test-run-andy
Idea: Test run adds another powerful trick into the criminal arsenal. After playing it off and on for 2 months, test running femme and inside jobbing a two deep remote still feels degenerate, and it also gives you quick access to R&D and HQ attack in the form of keyhole and sneakdoor beta. Test Run gives you recursion, plays well with same old thing, and makes remote servers much more vulnerable (a 3 deep remote is required against a breakerless andromeda with money). The downside being you only have two copies of test run, although SOT helps, and making room for dysons to support keyhole + datasucker means you’re a little lower on economy than I’d like. If you want to try a new criminal list I would highly recommend it.
Big Vamp
Example lists: http://netrunnerdb.com/en/decklist/3591/test (more recent, untested), Clockwork Gamer Tournament Runner Winner · NetrunnerDB (true colors)
Idea: Playing this is a lot different than playing other runner decks. You don’t pressure much, you don’t run R&D (unless you have parasite, and they can’t rez anything big), you just build for a timing window. As soon as they spend money to score, either by paying for some kind of fast advance, or rezzing enough ice to keep you out of a remote, you vamp them to nothing and spam keyhole on their unrezzed R&D until you win. Keyhole works very well with the source, allowing you to only remove the source when you’re ready to win, and fall guy keeps the source going should they manage to score. Identity choice varies depending on whether or not you expect asset economy. whizzard spreads their ice out, while reinas tax is very relevant after a vamp. going in blind I would definitely favor reina. This deck also has the upside of a free win against CI, as most versions can’t afford to score 7 through a perpetual source, and you have vamp.
Workshop Fast-rig
Example: Madness Games Store Championship Winner. Runner · NetrunnerDB
Idea: set up a super efficient rig extremely fast by turning stimhack into a “gain 9 whenever” card. This list chose atmans, as it is the easiest to assemble and one of the most cost efficient (beaten only by fixed breakers). Being able to put RDI and an atman onto a workshop and stimhack them both out leads to some very quick R&D locks (turn 4 was my fastest, though with a nutdraw you could probably set it up sooner). CT was chosen as I couldn’t afford the influnce for a full 3 desperados, and her bonus mem/lower deck size helps with that. Kate with more draw power might just be better, up to preference.
That’s all I have for now, try them out and tell me what you think
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