Fixed Engineering

CJFM 2258

Playing a LOT of Nasir there are a few things I've come to understand about his needs:

1) he usually can't steal NAPD and sometimes not even an Evil Baby, so he needs Imp or Demo Run. 2) he needs a cheap and easy way to beat Pop-up Window. 3) he needs a way to zap ICE strength, and ICE destruction is desirable. 4) he needs late-game money after he's got most ICE rezzed so he can make economical runs. He also needs that money to be ready anytime and fast. 5) he usually can't beat a trace, so resources are sketchy in general. Relying on Kati Jones for late game resources is like pushing your luck imo. But Kati is a good option for Nasir.

This deck aims to satisfy most of these. The only problem I have ignored in this is ICE destruction, which I find to be inessential if you're going Anarch suite + Atman at 4 + Opus. I've opted for Modded which can help install some of the 15 cards available, some of which you might need in a pinch. Easy Mark solves one of his other problems: starting a turn with no cred. I don't like taking brain damage via Stimhack, and Easy Mark is the substitution. It also brings you up to 3 cred from 0, which is what nearly every breaker in the deck costs.

I've been using Armitage Codebusting in every Nasir build, and it's been excellent. Armitage is a pre-Opus Opus so you can get the necessary stuff out. I've never NOT wanted it. I am not a fan of Kati with Nasir because she's far too slow, and you can Test Run/SMC Opus.

Some card choices:

Akamatsu over Solutions. It's cheaper, and you'll build your rig slowly, not all at once (because no Stimhack).

Quality Time over Diesel. Generally, if I'm drawing, I'm digging for a solution or I am trying to avoid taking a lot of net damage.

Corroder over Inti. Inti is the 46th card. I like Inti, but couldn't justify keeping it in when I have the best barrier breaker in the game already. And most of the barrier ICE you'll facecheck can be broken with Corroder anyway.

No Scavenge. This was my last cut from the deck to free room for Clone Chip. Clone Chip just does so much more for this deck. Recurring Imps is huge, and it allows me to do so during a run. I won't have a way to Scavenge Femme, but I can always trash it and then Test Run it, if it comes down to that.

Just 1 Atman. Atman is usually going to go at 4 unless you know what you're playing against.

No Parasite. I find that I need my SMCs and Test Runs for breakers more than Parasites, though I wouldn't fault anyone for running 1 Parasite just in case. The argument For Parasite is that it keeps the ICE layers lower, meaning you're less likely to get blown out by something tiny. I think that once you get Mimic and Yog.0 out, you need Parasite less.

Comments are very welcome!

2 comments
9 Aug 2014 paddosan

I have to say I find Armitage a bit redundant, considering you have 3 copies of Magnum Opus as well, and 3 SMC to get MO out asap. It might be worth removing 1-2 copies of either one (or both), to allow for some options with other cards.

You are a bit short on events, and I think Indexing would be a good addition, especially against Jinteki. Saving you some trouble, while R&D Interface can potentially kill you.

I do think Kati helps in late game, however. You just keep loading credits on her, and have a reserve in case you are forced to go and break into a server well protected with rezzed ice. It depends on how common is Jinteki: PE in your meta, though... in mine is quite present at the moment, and full of traps.

I like the inclusion of Imp, it's a card that definitely solves one of the biggest problems with Nasir, and also helps against archetypes like fast advance by allowing to trash SanSan easily. Wish I had the influence for it in my own deck!

Quality Time over Diesel could be a good idea, I'll try that out in my deck as well.

10 Aug 2014 CJFM

@paddosan I agree with you on Armitage: I've been considering taking them out for Diesels or Indexings and I've rarely had trouble getting MO out. The reason for having Armitage and MO is that you always want to have a backup money supply with Nasir, as soon as turn 1, and especially if you don't draw a way to get MO out. But I agree that Armitage might serve the deck better as a Diesel. I also want to get Levy in here somewhere...

Jinteki: PE is huge in my meta right now, and I agree that Kati allows some very big runs from out of nowhere. I'll see what I can do to fit her in here.