Huh. This is...neat?
I don't know, folks. I keep thinking there's something here but I can't shake my doubts. I like how its hardware, its unique so you can't just spam it, I like the influence cost, the art is awesome, I think running on a central server is a good prerequisite, but this doesn't feel like it will get played. The closest comparison I can think of mechanically speaking is Public Support, what with the ticking clock of power counters leading to a pretty decent impact. That was a good card that didn't see much play in my experience. However, that's a corp card, so I don't think this is a fair comparison.
I suppose you could put Stim Dealer as a comparison? The Black File? (And before y'all bring up something like Parasite, those are pretty explicitly "VIRUS" counters, and those can be purged. Not power counters, which aren't as easy to remove.) However, both of those cards weren't really played because they weren't really good. The Black File was really underpowered for what it was. Core damage was more of a taboo in the old game (no wonder they switched it from "brain damage"! A good move, in my opinion), so Stim Dealer really wasn't played. Unless you were one of those true galaxy brains that used Dr. Lovegood jank...
But that's not my biggest issue with this card.
There was already a "bomb" subtype...and you literally named the card "Time BOMB," and yet you didn't use it. I know EMP Device was forgettable crap, but come on!
That's a good combo!
— lightburiedAnd here I was just going for the "bomb" jokes. You're out here making strong points.
— lightburiedWith every old subtype there's the question of whether to do something with it or whether to let it fall out of memory. 'Weapon' is more generic, already exists on some new cards and is dinged by the new criminal poison hardware. I'mj happy with the decision to turn 'Weapon' into something and let 'Bomb' vanish into the past
— GreasythumbSorry, it's Asmund Pudlat who interacts with the subtype. Vial of Poison is another recently printed weapon.
— GreasythumbWhat I like about the Time Bomb is that Sabotage is phenomenal when you stack it multiple times in a single turn. You can set it up so this fires the same turn you run with Chastushka, maybe trigger Esa, and overwhelm the corp's resources.
— HolyMackerelWell we already have a car called black hat, so now all we need are cards called
— Davidmc7Black coat, white shoes and Cadillac (and yes, I pressed post to early on the previous one)
— Davidmc7Seems like EMP Device got errata'd to be a weapon as well, so from NRDB's standpoint bomb is not a subtype
— m.p
The drawback to Time Bomb is that, without Charge shenanigans, it telegraphs to the corp exactly when it will go off. (Even with Charge shenanigans they generally have some warning.) So without other pressure they can plan what cards they can sacrifice to the bomb. Pair that with, say, Chastushka on the turn it goes off, and that pressure is unexpectedly magnified in a brilliant way.
— Prinny_Wizzard