Runner Econ 101

I do agree no matter which terms we use, there’ll be exceptions to some, however, I’m just expressing what terms makes the most sense just for myself (I can’t speak for others). To me Liberated Accounts is short-term because the pay outs are quicker and it isn’t persistent, it actually lasts fewer clicks than Armitage Codebusting (despite the higher up front cost which goes against part of my reasoning presented earlier). I can lay down Liberated Accounts and see a return within 2 clicks (on my credits at least). Armitage Codebusting is also short-term for similar reasons.

I think we all categorize these types of cards in some shape or form to our own personal preference. Having no category somewhat implies that you aren’t fitting particular (economy) cards into a particular role which usually isn’t a case for any card in any deck. Each card usually plays some sort of part.

That’s why I like my three-tiered economy classes, Clickless economy, Click-Intensive economy, and Burst economy. Clearly, Burst economy would be a short term investment and longer investments will generally be Click Intensive. The reason I like this separation is, again, because Netrunner is all about Click Advantage. If you can do more with less clicks, then you will generally win.

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But then how do you distinguish between Liberated Account and Armitage Codebusting in regards to cost? With your classification, they both are considered Click-Intensive but to me doesn’t help describe the varying cost or price difference between the 2 and ultimately make a decision between one over the other.

That’s why I have a hard time thinking in terms of Clickless, Click-intensive and Burst because when I’m looking at decks and thinking about design, I’m focused on whether or not my strategy is an early game or late game focus which I feel defines most Runner strategies and defines which card you use whether you want to rely on Magnum Opus or Armitage Codebusting. Runner strategies are defined between early, quick and fast but weaker or later, slower, but stronger and I feel the economy would naturally match the strategy. However, every strategy regarding economy involves a mixture of Clickless, Click-intensive and Burst.

Thanks for the clarification, @Jairoe03. I really like where you are coming from. Maybe my three classifications take all cards into account, but the goal (should be) pragmatism, and that’s where your critique seems to lie.

Here’s my initial thoughts on both Armitage and Liberated:

Armitage is clearly a Click Intensive source of income as it takes 7 clicks to install and reap the full rewards. With your short term or long term economy dichotomy, Armitage is also Short Term as it dies.

Liberated Accounts, on the other hand, really straddles between Burst economy and Click Intensive. It pays off in only 5 clicks, and after the initial investment functions much like Burst economy does at 4 creds a click. This would also be classified as Short Term as it dies as well.

So, I think you are right. It is going to be helpful to identify if an economy source dies or will potential live until the end game. However, this is only one piece of the puzzle. The Clickless, Click Intensive, and Burst classifications will tell you more about how a runner deck actually plays, while the Short Term and Long Term classification is an important aspect of economy to consider when deckbuilding.

For example, if you are going to run a lot, then Click Intensive may not be the best for you. On the other hand, if you are making surgical runs at opportune times then the efficiency of most Click Intensive economy will be a great choice. Finally, if you are relying on tricks and surprize scoring windows then Burst economy will suite you well. All of these decks will need to address the Long Term aspect of their chosen economy pieces, so you bring up a great point!

On my phone so I will keep this brief. Two things I keep thinking as I read this discussion: first, how useful is it to look at economy in a vacuum; second, isn’t it unnecessarily constraining to attempt to fit each economy card into a certain category? When I build decks, and I make no claim to doing it well, I generally ask, “What does the deck want to do, when does it want to do it, and how does it get the resources to do so?” I know this is an “Econ 101” discussion, but people are going beyond that level in their comments so I think it’s valid to ask more questions. The answers can be very general (“Iain wants to create a situation where he can Keyhole 2-3 times per turn in the ‘late game’”) or more specific (“my deck needs to be able to multiaccess NBN’s RND through Eli/roto, double Eli, tollbooth, or muckraker/shinobi by turn 7 at the latest” (good luck with that by the way)). Once you have those answers, you can figure out how much that will cost with the tools you intend to use, how much the tools themselves cost, and how to pay for it all.

Reaping the full rewards isn’t the greatest metric to evaluate either card. Armitage pays for itself faster than 7 clicks, which is the most important factor when evaluating how click efficient it is. Armitage’s low install cost also means it doesn’t push the runner to blow a bunch of clicks to break even on the install and maintain pressure on the corp.

Liberated Accounts is very click intensive because you need to spend clicks to meet its install costs, click to install and then click more than once to pay for itself.

Armitage is an easy install and pays for itself with a single click, which is great if you run a lot. This because It is very easy to install at any point in the game, at any number of credits, and still run that turn - unlike Liberated Accounts which often encourages a 4 click vacation from running to get to 6 credits, install and then pay for itself.

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@TandooriChicken

It IS a bit constraining to try to fit each economy card into a particular category but I would also like to refer back to the article in saying that it does make discussion easier overall when we are able to have common terms to use and share and recognize easily so I can say things like well my runner deck has great burst economy, but maybe could use some steady economy or this deck’s economy is mostly click-intensive and you would know I’m talking about Magnum Opus, Professional Contacts, Armitage Codebusting etc. without having to explicitly say it. IMO I agree with the author in saying a dichotomy could help being able to communicate about this game overall.

@JohnnyCreations
Hah, it seems maybe we just need to combine a few classifications but that’ll just be complicating things with Click-Intensive Short-Term or Clickless Low-Cost. I feel like all of the classifications presented so far doesn’t quite capture the whole thing and perhaps for discussion sake, clickless, click-intensive and burst might be most identifiable or at least better than steady and burst.

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I appreciate much of what you said, but this strikes me as wrong-headed thinking. Would you describe Sure Gamble as click intensive as well? (most certainly not!)

While break-even is another important aspect of choosing your economy it is hardly the most important factor, as you said. We don’t play economy cards to break even, we invest in economy cards (by card slots and the credit cost to play them) in order to gain Click Advantage, among other things. The way that your economy cards help you achieve Click Advantage, I have argued, is the most important aspect of choosing your economy.

You certainly shouldn’t run Liberated if you are going to click for credits to be able to install it. I would include Sure Gamble or any other high cost economy card in this scenario as well. Every time you click for credits you are breaking even on Click Advantage, and without gaining click tempo somewhere else you are bound to lose.

No, but that’s black and white analysis. Sure Gamble is not Click Intensive, but its high play cost is potentially very click intensive. Sure Gamble after Closed Accounts or when operating on low econ is click intensive. Liberated Account is the same, High install cost makes it more click intensive and then unlike Sure Gamble you need even more clicks after that.

In Netrunner, maintaining pressure is key, and it is incredibly difficult to maintain pressure if you’re behind on Econ even temporarily. There are other factors but the ability to respond to corp action is what eliminates scoring windows, and breaking even quickly is the key to to not maintaining that ability to close windows.

No plan survives contact with the enemy. Plus if you refuse to ever click for credits to install Liberated Accounts, it becomes a combo card. Plus this isn’t about clicks for single credits, you need clicks to play any econ that’ll get you the money to install the card. It chews chunks of clicks no matter how you play it, and that stuttering tempo greatly harms the utility of the card.

Liberated Account is an inefficient card, IMO. I think it nets you 6 credits [16-6-(14)]. Armitage is negligibly worse, netting you [12-1-(16)]. The value of a click by default is 1 credit. Maybe (almost definitely) I suck at math, but I always factor in click value when determining the net gain of econ. Sure Gamble/Hedge Fund, in my mind, net 3 credits, not 4. Can someone correct my math here? Should click value be included when determining econ?

Largely for this reason, I think clickless econ is ideal for Runner’s. Obviously there is not enough yet in the game for it to be enough on its own, but I think all Runners (and Corp’s, really) should try to make their econ as (click-)efficient as possible.

Then again, maybe we should also factor in the value of a card when determining net income. If you play Sure Gamble, you pay 5 credits. You also could have spent that click for a credit by default, so add another 1 to its cost. You are also now out of a card, which costs 1 click to refill, which I am saying is worth 1 credit. Add another 1 credit to the cost. Does Sure Gamble actually only net you 2 credits?

Do I suck at maths?
Do I suck at ANR?
-_-

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That’s an old debate, never fully settled. My own general rule of thumb is that if it can be played on click one of the game, click value of the install cost is not particularly relevant. anything higher than that you need to assume that you will need to click into economy to play the card - either click for a credit or click to draw into and/or play some other Econ.

The 6th credit to install Liberated Accounts is more significant than just another credit because of the effect it has on turn 1 play.

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[quote=“striatic, post:34, topic:1525”]
The 6th credit to install Liberated Accounts is more significant than just another credit because of the effect it has on turn 1 play.
[/quote]This is so very true. If Liberated Accounts was 5, it’d be almost strictly better than Armitage (same net gain, faster, and playable first click, with one-two to refresh credits before doing something else). Certainly some less-good situations, but it’d be a monstrously powerful econ card, I feel like. If you spend the whole first turn clicking for credits, well, that’d leave you at 12 instead of 8.

Would probably have been too good, but I think it’s an important consideration for analysis. “What can this do for me in an opening hand” is just generally a good metric for the power level of most cards.

It doesn’t matter whether you include “click to draw/replace this card,” in your calculation or not, as long as you do it the same way for each card. In general, it is the comparison with other cards that matters. Even the least click-efficient econ card (Armitage, or Opus in the first few turns after it’s played) is better than clicking for a credit. Enough better to take deck space from something else? Good question.

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