Top tier and top three upgrade in the HB faction, with Manegarm Skunkworks and Tranquility Home Grid. Of great importance for an ambush upgrade : it is NOT unique! This means you could stack 2 or 3 on the same server, ensuring you'll hurt the runner even more!
2 to do a Core Damage is cheap. And the runner can prevent it ONLY by losing all their . This could be paired with Prisec or any other ambush for added effect!
The effect is powerful enough to consider using this out of faction. Especially in decks aiming to stick a tag or deck aiming to kill the runner. Because it encourage running on your third click, discourage using clicks to break throught bioroid ices, making them that much better. And because it is quite a potent effect, the runner is compelled to trash this card, adding to the cost of the run.
Even if you do not plan to kill the runner, it is still a great upgrade, because it encourage the runner to play in a pattern that is better for the corp.
In theory, if you use the Ganked! + Ansel 1.0 or Drafter, you could hurt the runner even more. Also, using Mr. Hendrik with Obokata Protocol (especially with Jinteki: Personal Evolution) would be quite deadly or penalyzing for the runner. At 3 influences, it is a reasonable cost for the effect.
On top of being an astounding upgrade, the art is fun because of the cartoonish face of Mr. Hendrik. The quote reinforce the theme and the possibily of stacking for this upgrade. Astounding card!
the fact that you can jam all 3 of them in one server and let them sit rezzed will really mess up runners that are not equipped to deal with core dmg.
— Sz4r1ej
The combo with Tags is also worth nothing. If the runner choses to sacrify all their clicks to prevent the effect, they probably won't remove any tag they got from the run, and something like Hypoxia can land. Those Thule decks can really create no-win situations.
— Mppqlmd