I just finished a game on jinteki.net where this edge case came up:
The Corp has scored a Project Kusanagi with 2 Agenda counters on it. He also has a Chief Slee in one server.
The Runner runs on a server and could use Security Nexus to start a trace to bypass ICE.
When does the Corp have to add Subs with Kusanagi and when does the Runner have to decide on whether to break the subs or try a bypass with Security Nexus?
What we decided on in the game was:
Since Security Nexus triggers on Step 3 of the run (Encounter), the Runner now has to decide if he wants to use it. If he does and it is unsuccessful (which is good for the Runner), the ICE will be bypassed in Step 3.2. Yet the Corp can now decide to use his Paid Ability on Step 3.1. and add Subs to the ICE with Project Kusanagi.
We thought that this is probably the correct ruling but it seems wrong, since the Corp gets to decide AFTER knowing the result of the trace.
I mentioned this on j.net, but the key is that 3.1 is skipped when you bypass. It might be written out more clearly somewhere, but in the FAQ, under “Breaking Subroutines:”
If step 3.1 of a run is not reached, such as when bypassing a piece of ice, then no subroutines on that piece of ice are broken.
So once you fire the Nexus trace, Kusanagi’s ability won’t matter. Either the trace is successful and the run ends, or it’s unsuccessful and the ice is bypassed (and Slee will get however many counters are relevant to that piece of ice.) You can use Kusanagi in 2.3, though that’s before the runner decides whether to Nexus.
