So with the recent article on Nasir we started talking about new ways for the runner to approach winning the game.
But I’m still a bit fuzzy on what the current win conditions are supposed to be.
I get RnD Lock, and Big Rig, but is there such a thing as HQ Lock?
What are the main methods for and terminology for the runner deck archetypes/win conditions?
In a sense RnD Lock is HQ Lock, as if the corp isn’t drawing agendas then there won’t be any in their HQ. Of course, some agendas will slip through most attempted RnD Locks, which is why most competitive runners have ways to multi access HQ on demand, mostly Legwork. Because of the more random nature of HQ access though real HQ lock isn’t really ever possible short of consistent access to a 5-counter Nerve Agent.
There aren’t really win conditions for runners in Netrunner. There is maybe a final rig setup, but the goal of running is to pressure servers where there are most likely to be agendas for the cost. Most runners tend to focus on R&D at the end of the game because that is usually where agendas are, (HQ can be cleared out with a combination of Legwork, early pressure, corporation scoring the agendas they drew, and Jackson Howard). Furthermore, the more you run H&Q, the less likely there are to be agendas there, because you eventually score them and remove them from being able to be accessed anymore. In the end of the game, especially against Fast Advance decks, you can access a lot of different cards on R&D as the Corp mandatory draws, and you can even prevent them from drawing agendas to score in some instances. You can also beat non-FA decks by “locking out” their remote by having a full breaker suite and always keeping enough money to get in, but you can’t really choose R&D lock or remote locking as a win condition while deckbuilding because you have to have the ability to do either depending on the situation.
Ugh, I hate remote lockout, to the point that it is my life’s duty to constantly improve my scoring game, and find ways to make life for the runner hell. Reversed accounts and aggressive secretary can’t be in enough decks. Literally haha. Unfortunately, even with those cards, the draw can sometimes screw you over, and the runner has easier access to exactly what they need with tutors, which makes sense. I’d like to see cards that interact with the runner searching for things, like something that puts a card 4 cards deep or something when the runner searches for a card or something. Boy, I wonder what your designed card is going to be Mr. World Champion.