Legality (show more) |
---|
Standard Ban List 23.09 (latest) |
Standard Ban List 23.08 (active) |
Rotation |
---|
Pre-rotation decklist |
This has been a labour of love to build! Initially growing from a spotted synergy between Casting Call and Argus, the deck has developed and built from that small kernel into a very fun deck to pilot! I've started with the Casting Call/Argus synergy since it's probably the main feature of the deck, but I go on to explain my reasoning for all includes. See what you think...
Casting Call. In Argus. It's a thing. Here's the two main reasons why Casting an agenda in Argus is a problem for a runner:
Runners don't ever like being forced to do something. You essentially force the runner to run first click or end their turn tagged, unless they are willing to take meat damage which few runners will risk, especially early game when essential breakers and hardware may still be in hand. Remember, they don't get any heads up that this is coming; if you Casting Call, Advance, Advance, they have to go first click or risk losing two important cards from hand.
If they run a Casting Call agenda and take the tags, they need to spend THREE CLICKS AND SIX CREDITS to clear those tags! If they take the Casting tags and 2 meat, that's still a tax of 4 creds, two clicks and two cards just to score that agenda, not forgetting whatever they paid to penetrate your scoring server. Whatever their choice, that's a massive tempo hit early on. Often the runner won't even have that many credits to spend on clearing the tags. If he does, well, that probably creates another scoring window for you to exploit anyway. If he doesn't...BOOM! Scorcheds if he's tagged or Punitives if he made himself skint clearing all those tags.
Even if they do run first click, if you have a Data Raven/Hunter that can get another tag on, then suddenly they face the prospect of definitely ending their turn tagged; that's often enough to make them jack out and let you score that agenda out undisturbed.
Money, Money, Money...It's not funny...
Beanstalks to recover from account siphons; Hedge Fund and Restructures to bolster the cash; the amazing Profiteering which you can abuse for silly amounts of money to burn through Wireless Net Pavilions and all that stupidity, and Hostile Takeovers. Stuff your coffers full why don't you? 30+ creds is easy with this deck.
Why so much money? Traces....the most important being SEA Source and Punitives, and/or being able to Snatch and Grab this deck's arch enemy, Film Critic (Weyland is quite happy with a bit of kidnapping). In addition Hunter is simply completely obnoxious for 1 credit and is great early ICE for R&D or to stick at the top of your scoring server and become another (early game) Data Raven, causing them to spend more clicks and credits having to clear yet more tags.
The ICE Suite:
The Agendas:
Miscellaneous Cards:
SEA Source: One of your main kill conditions and another reason we are trying to build so much money. With runners needing to clear all their tags, they aren't likely to be rich.
Crisium Grid is so useful on HQ since Account Siphon became such a big thing again, and can prevent multi access runs on either central that are going to win the runner the game; if it isn't likely to however, let the runner multi access agendas and tax themselves out clearing all the tags again.
Snatch and Grab: Your main way to get rid of Film Critic, which, thankfully, is starting to see less play again anyway.
Tactics: So, I know generally it's not clever to build a deck from an "If the runner does this..." basis, but this deck can rush score effectively enough. The rough plan with it is to, initially, play rush style, quickly scoring an early False Lead or Profiteering, maybe even a bigger agenda if you have punitive and money, behind gear check ICE. At some point, once the mid game is reached, usually once you see the runner has two breakers (or Corroder and tutor etc), it's time to switch to making a beastly scoring server and only installing agendas with Casting Call. - Here we must acknowledge that it becomes harder to keep the runner out but he has to really count the cost of running since its going to be really hard for him to steal and not end up tagged and running the risk of getting scorched. This is a very real threat by the mid game when you should probably have two meat damage cards in hand by then, or Atlas counters available to go fetch them. All the tax of running Casting Call agendas and having to clear tags is going to take its toll, allowing you to land Punitives easily and make them slow down whilst they build up cash again. These are your scoring windows. One thing: people often expect Argus to play the shell game. You can use this to your advantage since people are not usually happy to start just running if you install lots of remotes, fearing Snares and the like. I've used this to my advantage if I've been agenda flooded several times, just sticking out 2 or 3 agendas and leaving them there, scoring them when I need to.
I've had a total blast playing this deck so far, with mostly wins (usually kill) against some tough matchups like Eater/Keyhole Maxx. I'd love feedback on it!
6 comments |
---|
16 Dec 2015
LazyLoop
|
16 Dec 2015
peacelord2002
That's a great suggestion, and it is a really good card, one that's totally worth trying out. It would have to replace the Hostiles and maybe one Profiteering to get 2 in, which is hard to lose. On the other hand, trying to change it for Atlas doesn't feel right either. The fact that you can keep advancing until they bite the bullet is a very nice point, since you are forcing them again to just go and get it before your credits get silly. It would be nice to make the creds without the bad pub too of course....try and see what testing reveals? |
16 Dec 2015
forktines
Have you thought about Dedicated Response Team in this deck? It's kind of janky, but after reading the deck list and description, I've just been thinking about how horrifying it would be to access a casting call'd agenda and have the Corp rez 2 or 3x DRTs. |
17 Dec 2015
peacelord2002
Yes, I made a version with DRTs in. Unfortunately, the Bad Pub this deck generates means assets are a bit too easy to get rid of. Jackson still works tho for obvious reasons. DRT seems to work better in a shell game version of Argus. |
18 Dec 2015
PeterCapObvious
I would reckon the New Angeles City Hall + Film Critic combo is your worst nightmare, but then again every deck has a weakness :) I see you have your S&G so you should be good, is there a lot of that combo in your meta? |
18 Dec 2015
peacelord2002
Not much no, since I've played this around 40 games on Jinteki and never once seen that combo! S&G is the answer though, Jackson or atlas for it! |
As a big fan of the taxing potential of Argus Security: Protection Guaranteed, this deck looks really fun to play. I'd never really thought through the implications of combining Casting Call and Argus. I guess my only question is why no Oaktown Renovation? You already have to play it face up, so if you casting call it, the runner gets stuck with this card that will keep generating tons of money for you until they run it and take the tax. I understand that it would be tricky to fit into the agenda suite you've got right now, but it just seems like such a good fit.