Mushin Upgrades

JackMade 3232

The main goal of this deck is to score Mandatory Upgrades with the help of Mushin No Shin as soon as possible.

From then on, life is easy. If you never played with a scored Mandatory Upgrades, you really should. An additional click for the corp is more than just one action more per turn. Some simple but amazing things you can do with a scored Mandatory Upgrades:

Now that we know, that scoring Mandatory Upgrades early is great, how are we actually scoring a 6/2 Agenda? First, we need cheap, efficient and resistant ICE to protect the Agenda after a Mushin No Shin. Paper Wall and Quandary are cheap, so use them if you and the runner are both low on credits. Be aware, that the runner can drain some credits by running central server. Try to always be able to score Mandatory Upgrades next turn.

Guard can be necessary, if you feel the need to be safe against Inside Job. Hive on the other hand is excellent, if the runner relies on expensive AI-Breakers (Knight for example needs 10 credits to break it early on, Crypsis needs a virus token and 8 credits, Overmind probably isn't even able to break it at all.).

Aggressive Secretary and Cerebral Overwriter can be really backbreaking if you can trick the opponent with a Mushin No Shin into an somewhat expensive run on that server so that he/she cannot steal your Mandatory Upgrades out of the Remote Server that follows because he/she needs to recover. But be aware, that Aggressive Secretary does not do anything against a Runner with no programs (should be common sense though). Adonis Campaign can be crucial to the strategy, because it can protect you from Account Siphon and then gives you the 3 credits at the start of your turn, so you can score Mandatory Upgrades even if you were broke. Shipment from SanSan can also help to score Mandatory Upgrades while being low on credits.

No Hedge Fund means, that we have to rely on economy assets like Melange Mining Corp. and Adonis Campaign. Don't be afraid to click for credits, if that is what you need, to be safe and score an Mandatory Upgrades early.

Jackson Howard is obviously always good, but can do some work, finding the pieces you are missing (the right piece of ICE, Mushin No Shin or even Mandatory Upgrades.

Regarding the selection of ICE i didn't mention so far, those are meant to make runs on centrals as taxing as possible. Eli 1.0 is obioulsy pretty good at taxing the runner, as is Ichi 1.0 and Viktor 2.0. Rainbow is a relatively new addition to the deck but i really love it. It cannot be broken without an ICE-Breaker via clicks (which makes it better on HQ to protect against AS) and it's taxing later on, no matter what Breaker the runner uses. Rototurret can sometimes be devastating and is a good ICE to put an archives, if necessary.

36 comments
29 May 2014 ReiNijs

Looks interesting, but how is your credit situation? This deck seems like could have some problems with that.

29 May 2014 voice_of_madness

I had a simillar ideai for a deck but I wanted to put in Thomas Haas and Trick of Light as well :P

29 May 2014 Jashay

I made a NEXT design deck that can score an early Mandatory upgrades, and it is indeed magnificent.

I have tried using a vaguely similar deck (Mushin into agendas, at least), and found that anyone running expose cards could easily take a peek, and then run the single bit of ice if they needed to. Without expose, it works better, of course. AI breakers are the bane of Mushin decks

Why Shipment from SanSan? EtF doesn't often lack 2 credits to just double advance for 2 clicks. If you are short of money, try beanstalk royalties or hedge fund. As a fun trap, try Junebug: Mushin it and they will likely die if they hit it. Trick of Light might be worth it in case they expose your traps, but it isn't vital.

29 May 2014 JackMade

Creditsituation is okay (Melange Mining Corp. can do some work there), but more economy instead of Shipment from SanSan is probably a good idea.

Thomas Haas was in the original decklist, but since it cannot be rezzed the turn you Mushin No Shin it, made it less appealing for me. I dont like Trick of Light without advancable ICE, so that is that.

Expose is actually not that bad (Played the deck last week against 3 Silhouette: Stealth Operative and won 2 relatively easy). If the runner is really aggressive with running on your remotes, then Mushin No Shin should not be used with Mandatory Upgrades of course. If they get you with expose, when you installed a trap, yeah thats bad, but it's a sign for a runner who is cautious, so you probably should not have installed the trap in the first place. If they expose your Mandatory Upgrades, then they are under huge pressure and often not able to steal it in the same turn.

I thought about Project Junebug as well, probably it's better than Cerebral Overwriter. If i ditch the Shipment from SanSan, then there is enough influence left for Project Junebug.

29 May 2014 Trizzy613

Good job on that deck man! I've been seeing a bit more of Silhouette: Stealth Operative in my group lately which might scare me a tad and just for personal preferences I'd tweak some ICE choices for myself but I LOVE it!

29 May 2014 JackMade

@Trizzy613 Thank you. What ICE would you play?

29 May 2014 thrazznos

Really good work with this deck. Much more fleshed out than my own ideas for this combo. GRNDL refinery is a good money card with mushin if you have the influence

29 May 2014 Trizzy613

@JackMade The cheap rez efficiency is great and I'm all with you on Rainbow being vastly underrated for it's tax value. I would probably do -1 Guard +1 Ichi 1.0 because it's more taxing in the long run for 1 extra to rez and Inside Job doesn't recur as often as it used to. Just because I hate Yog.0 incapacitating me too much I'd swap from Viktor 1.0 to Viktor 2.0 and turn Shipment from SanSans into 1 GRNDL Refinery +1 Eli 1.0. All being said though, your way is brilliant and I'm speaking for my personal playstyle.

29 May 2014 citizenkeen

So Mandatory Upgrades requires three turns, yes? (Install, one turn of advance, one turn of advance.) Why not use Biotic Labor to do it in two? Install-Advance-Advance, and then next turn, quadruple-Advance. Obviously that requires you to be sitting on 8 credits, but if any faction can do it, it's Haas-Bioroid.

29 May 2014 thrazznos

@citizenkeen Mushin no shin allows you to score Mandatory Upgrades in 2 turns.

29 May 2014 citizenkeen

Ah, right. So, why no Chimera? That card seems perfect for this deck?

29 May 2014 thrazznos

@citizenkeen An argument can be made for Chimera, it is a good fit in this deck as well, essentially filling in the same gap as paper wall and quandary. The notable include is Hive, as the greatest weakness of the Mushin install, besides inside job, is AI breakers. AI breakers have a pretty hard time getting through Hive when it is at full strength.

30 May 2014 PeekaySK

I'd consider GRNDL Refinery instead of those Shipments. It's amazing with MNS, essentially becoming a super-Melange.

Also, why no recursion? This deck stands and falls with Mushin... surely two Reclamation Orders would be a good fit, especially considering how with a scored ManUp you can actually Reclaim and still play a Mushin in the same turn!

30 May 2014 JackMade

@Trizzy613 I actually have Viktor 2.0 in the deck. I also like to have code gates, that can battle against Yog.0.

@citizenkeen Biotic Labor is another option to score Mandatory Upgrades in two turns for sure. Being cost efficient seems better, because you can pull it off earlier. Mushin No Shin can be used in the second turn, if it lines up perfectly. With Biotic Labor, you need 9 credits and that without rezzing any ICE. Mushin No Shin only needs 2 credits (HB ability off course makes it 1 credit cheaper in both cases).

Chimera was included in the first version of the deck, but i dislike the fact that it's really bad on central servers. Paper Wall and Quandary are at least decent if they are protecting HQ or R&D.

@PeekaySK GRNDL Refinery is a fine card and i considered it as well, but you have to protect it one turn as well to reap the benefits. Getting 12 credits for only two cards and 3 clicks is good but i prefer the flexibility of Melange Mining Corp..

Recursion would be really good, but i don't know what to cut for a Archived Memories or Reclamation Order. i think Archived Memories should be better, because in my opinion 2 clicks and 1 credit is not worth the upside of sometimes returning more than one card. If you really need a recursion effect, you can even overadvance a Project Vitruvius.

30 May 2014 JackMade

Does anyone know, how to change some cards without posting a complete new deck?

30 May 2014 PeekaySK

Reclamation Order is for those moments where you need more MNS to get back into the game. Returning one might not cut it, but taking back two usually does. That's why Vitruvius doesn't really do the same.

You can't edit the deck at all after publishing, what we all do is just publish the changes in the comments (or edit the original description).

30 May 2014 Stroomschok

Wouldn't Tyr's Hand be a good card for this deck?

30 May 2014 JackMade

@Stroomschok I guess Tyr's Hand is not good at all, but in this deck, you can't even install it after Mushin No Shin, if you want to install an ICE as well.

@PeekaySK I don't think you ever want to get back MNS anyway. After you scored Mandatory Upgrades, you don't need it anymore.

30 May 2014 Stroomschok

I don't see why it's not possible to install? Two clicks to play Mushin No Shin, one click to install Hive, and last click for Tyr's Hand.

30 May 2014 citizenkeen

@Stroomschok: If you've already got four clicks, then you've already scored ManUp, and then you're well ahead in the game.

30 May 2014 JackMade

@Stroomschok I really don't know, what Tyr's Hand is doing for you, if you install it behind a Hive. Make the runner spend an additional credit? The true weakness of Tyr's Hand is, that the subroutine can be broken again, i think.

30 May 2014 JackMade

@Stroomschok In addition, it has to be a bioroid ICE, so Tyr's Hand behind a Hive does literally nothing.

30 May 2014 Comfect

Why run this with Director Haas' Pet Project instead of 2x Gila Hands?

30 May 2014 JackMade

@Comfect I ran 2 Gila Hands Arcology as well and i think it makes not that much of a difference. Sometimes Director Haas' Pet Project can install some ICE and a Melange Mining Corp., so it can be as good. I just like the Pet Project :)

1 Jun 2014 Eijolend

So... If you don't get that Mushin + Mandatory Upgrades + cheap ICE combo in the first turns you just lose?

1 Jun 2014 JackMade

I actually won more games without scoring MU. Betatest into ICE with Jackson is strong anyway. MNS is also strong with any 3/2 agenda, especially if its vitruvius.

1 Jun 2014 rediknight

Played this deck for 4 games and lost all 4 games. Ice is way too cheap to get through. Parasite, Atman, or even Darwin decks destroy it quickly. Knight also has no problem tearing it apart. I lose with this deck and then switch to NBN and win much easier. One game I decided to get greedy and turn one I played Mushin with Mandatory Upgrades, then last click installed a guard over the MU. So HQ and RandD were wide open. They just vamped me, stole the MU, and cleared the tag. Overmind is pretty popular right now and another one that will walk right over this deck.

1 Jun 2014 JackMade

@rediknight I'm sorry, that you didn't have success in the first place, but this deck needs some practice to be played successful. Turn 1 MNS into MU is a bad move, as you explained perfectly. You always want to have ICE in front of HQ (unrezzed if possible) to protect against Account Siphon or Vamp. Adonis Campaign actually helps a lot against Account Siphon as well. Turn 3 or 4 MNS into MU is much better against Shaper AND Criminals.

Against shaper you can put Hive in front of MU and make AI-Breakers cringe and against criminals, you can use Guard to be safe in case of Inside Job.

This deck clearly is not about trying to score a MU blindly. You need to look ahead and prepare for bad things, that could happen. You should not forget, that you can always MNS into a trap as well, if you supsect the runner to try to access it at all cost.

But like every deck, you can have draws, that are very unfortunate. There is no deck with 100% chance on winning.

I went second at our last local tournament with this deck in Aachen, Germany and was very pleased how it played out, even if you weren't able to score an early MU.

2 Jun 2014 thrazznos

Junebug is much better than cerebral overwriter in my opinion for this deck. Absolutely worth it, will definitely update my own deck with this.

3 Jun 2014 Toobiased

If you really want to protect your MNS targets, have you thought about a version that uses Shipments from Mirrormorph to stack 2 or 3 ICE in front of your MU.

I tried this once or twice when H&P hit but decided it wasn´t my style of play.

Another good addition might be Inazuma. It forces the runner to access your triple advanced junebug and it is crazy good in front of Ichi!

3 Jun 2014 thrazznos

Wait, is it true that Inazuma forces you to make a successful run if it is the last ice on the server? I know Susanoo is like that, but that would be amazing if inazuma was like that too.

3 Jun 2014 JackMade

Inazuma's subroutines only count for the next piece of ICE.

3 Jun 2014 Comfect

And if there is no other piece of ice, then you can't jack out. So, yes, it does force you to continue if there's no next piece.

4 Jun 2014 Toobiased

It even forces an access if there is unrezzed ICE behind Inazuma, because unrezzed ICE is not encountered.

Yeah Inazuma is a beast! and the only reason why yog is becoming a liability.

5 Jun 2014 JackMade

Inazuma without ICE behind it seems like waste. If the runner runs a server, he wants to access the card, so it makes no difference if Inazuma forces him to do so.

5 Jun 2014 thrazznos

There is value if say, the runner knew it was a trap, but was testing to see if you would rez the ice.