Another card so powerful it doesn't have a review. I'm writing one because I didn't think Legwork was that good initially, but experience has made me a believer.

You get to see more than half the corp's (default) maximum hand, often netting you Agendas if they're holding onto them. Otherwise, you get immediate information of their deck archetype and what they're possibly about to play next. It could be important assets that you can trash, dangerous ICE to prepare for, or combos you have to be careful of - anything that would let you make more informed decisions.

When compared with HQ Interface, you are only accessing 1 additional card. However, being low cost and click efficient, Legwork synergies better with the aggressive runner. Desperado and Gabriel Santiago: Consummate Professional's ability for example, would net you access to 3 different cards and 1 in a single action. Taking 2 more and 1 to install, HQ Interface pays off better after 2 or more accesses - efficient in the long run, but a much bigger hit to your tempo. You can always just play another Legwork after a few turns.

The question is, when to play this card?

Whenever HQ has 3 cards or more and you have no idea what most of them are (and obviously, when you can access HQ in the first place). The only thing you have to be careful on, like all multi-access cards, are ambushes. Take extra caution when using it against trap-heavy flatline decks.

System Update - Startup Review!

Legwork is a card with a powerful effect that really competes for slots in a Startup deck. Looking at 3 cards in HQ is really quite nice, since it means it's more likely than not that if there is an agenda in there, you will get to see it. You'll also get to see most of the corp's upcoming gameplan. Downside is that it costs 2creds, 2 influence, and if you only look at a bunch of ice it doesn't actually give you much information. Also if the corp is only sitting at 3 cards, it's more access than is even necessary.

Your main competitors are Docklands Pass and Jailbreak. The pass can actually combo really well with legwork, letting you see a whopping 4 cards, which can be great if you feel the corp is getting Agenda screwed or is really planning something big next turn. However, getting that persistent additional HQ access is probably worth more to most decks than a slightly larger burst access turn. Jailbreak is a more interesting comparison. You're getting to access one less card, in exchange for drawing a card if successful, the run being free, and having the flexibility to target either HQ or R&D, and costing no influence. It's a lot of advantages to Jailbreak, and I would most decks who are interested in getting additional multi-access to go for Jailbreak first, and then Docklands Pass. However, it's hard to beat the sheer burst access of Legwork, so I would except many runners to still run a copy alongside the above mentioned tools, especially in run heavy event decks like Ken "Express" Tenma: Disappeared Clone, or in Zahya Sadeghi: Versatile Smuggler where the extra access will pay for themselves, making this card free.

Outside of crim, this card can be useful in Anarch who's going trash heavy with René "Loup" Arcemont: Party Animal and/or Imp, really robbing the corp of some options. Generally I wouldn't except to see it too much in shaper, where you have lots of excellent R&D multi-access tools, and would expect for runners to spend their 2 influence on the pass and using jailbreak over this.