So the boat is extremely powerful, to say the least. It's worth discussing what the boat is, and is not.

The boat is arguably the strongest early game card in standard right now for Runners. That's right, early game. There is a common misconception that high-cost=late game, when the reality is that Netrunner's economy doesn't work like Magic's or Hearthstone's. If you want to SMC out a Unity when coming across a gearcheck like Enigma, you're paying 2+3 just for the install. Pay another 3 to break Enigma's subroutines, and you have now paid 8, the same cost as installing the boat and breaking through the ice for free.

But there's some important things to take into account: First of all, the boat can break essentially any gearcheck. If you've installed Unity, you can't break Ice Wall. You certainly can't facecheck carelessly in a world with Stavka. On the other hand, the boat will solve any ice that the corp will use to stop you in the early game. A second point to take into account is that the boat only gains more value over time as a sort of run economy card. Unity will force you to pay up for any gearcheck, no matter how small. The boat will continue to snowball by breaking ice for free.

What ends up happening is that the boat player will slam down the boat in the early game, and for the cheap, cheap price of 8 credits, they can run over all ice the corp installs. No need to keep drawing into Boomerang, no need to dig for more breakers, or even charging Aumakua. You have a boat, so you can get in. Nuts.

That said, as easy as it is to deem the boat overpowered (which it totally damn is), it isn't truly the be-all-end-all of ice solutions, because there are viable corp responses. Amani Senai can heavily punish careless boat installs, although in practice a good Runner will be cautious about installing the boat against NBN asset decks for this reason. Envelopment's ridiculous number of subs are a massive pain for the boat. Anansi and Fairchild 3.0 are obviously annoying for the boat for similar reasons.

It's also worth discussing what does not beat the boat. Public Trail+Retribution is a bait combo and you shouldn't try it. If you're in standard, Drago Ivanov with Retribution is simply too weak to be playable. Cheap gearchecks also don't work. In theory, spamming cheap ice can eat boat counters, but in practice, boat decks absolutely slaughter these types of rush decks because again, you can't gearcheck the boat. It breaks anything, and it's only a matter of time before the Runner manages to lock the remote. Hard-Hitting News also doesn't work, or at least not more than it usually does. The Runner saves money the turn the boat is installed by breaking ice for free, not to mention the fact that boat shapers are in a faction with Misdirection.

The boat has given all of the early game power shaper has wanted, and much more. Most rush decks are either on fast advance or a cheesy kill combo, because the boat+Pinhole Threading slaughters the jammy rush style that we're used to. Whatever corp deck you build, you have to answer the question, "How do I not just immediately f***ing concede on turn 2 when a boat gets dropped down." For many corp archetypes, the answer will be "you hope the runner throws the game." Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just how metas turn out. However, it can't be overstated how impactful the boat is right now.

This might be the most poorly balanced card I've ever seen. Imagine an icebreaker that isn't a program, can be installed on turn 1 or 2 for 8 credits, has the ability break any type of ice for no credit cost, can use this ability as soon as it's installed and can repeatedly replenish its own ability to break any kind of ice just for a run being successful. Oh and it gives you 2 chips as well. Sure I mean why not. The card might as well just read "The runner now has infinite credits. Have fun." I just started playing this game again and I honestly already want to quit if this is the kind of balance I can come to expect.

The understandable failure to test in cardpool of this card is so egregious that it made me put in worlds deck. I was fairly intrigued looking at some of the dies to pinhole cards in Borealis: Part 1 set, as they often seemed to grok the ways in which the original game was fun to win. This boat, on the other hand, abuses a disruptive technique that ANR made prohibitively expensive with good reason, breaking ICE. It's almost difficult to describe the magnitude of how game breaking this buoyant vessel is, because designing it requires a fundamental lack of knowledge of how the world exists as it is rather than how we wish it to be. This attacks multiple pieces of ICE, often times in multiple servers, at the control of the runner, and is triggered often if you run. The amount of time and resources it will take the Corp to mitigate the damage done by this ability text is substantial cognitive load. I'm in genuine awe that any amount of play-testing would allow this hilarious implied pun. At best, this card is an abberation of design philosophy that somehow made Shaper fun to play. At worst it is a warning against taking one's self too seriously.

In evaluating Boat, it's important to know the value of one counter. How much effective credit value do you get for a successful run, or for charging Boat, and when should you use Boat instead of a breaker, given the choice?

Long story short, a Boat counter ranges in value from 1c to about 2.5c -- most often, it's worth in the range of 1.5 to 2. This value depends in part on what breakers you use alongside Boat. Let's look at a couple examples:

F2P: You could spend 2c, or you could spend 2 counters. It's printed on the card. 1 counter = 2c Magnet: You could break with Unity/Gordian/Inverse for 2c, or with Engolo for 3c. 1 counter = 1-1.5c Anansi: Buk breaks for 5/7, Carmen breaks for 5, Echelon breaks for 6, and Boat spends 4. 1 counter = 1.5c Bulwark: Clippy breaks for 7, and Boat spends 4. 1 counter = 1.75c FC3: Engolo/Unity breaks for 5, Borchestra breaks for 9, Amina breaks for 4, while Boat spends 4. 1 counter = 1-2.25c

(These numbers indicate why Padma is a weaker shaper ID)

In light of these numbers, I think it's helpful to compare Boat to the crim consoles that give credits for running: Paragon and Pennyshaver. Both are considered solid, strong options for criminals. Let's take the more conservative estimate and say a Boat counter is worth 1.5c. In that case, Boat may cost 8c to install, but the tempo hit to your breaking power is more like 3.5c, which is comparable to Paragon and Pennyshaver. It will slow you down a bit to install, but if you turn those Boat counters around on runs in the next turn or two (likely) the tempo hit is far less than the 8c price tag would suggest. As far as rebates, Boat returns more than Paragon (but without filtered draw), and more than Pennyshaver if you run only once per turn (or even twice, if you want to somehow factor the click cost of clearing Pennyshaver). Boat has other benefits: it's a perfect AI that doesn't get hit by any of the AI-tech out there, and it provides 2 MU, compared to the 1 of Pennyshaver and Paragon.

Boat pairs well with flexible breakers that let it fall back on credits when necessary, but that might have less efficient breaking matchups that Boat counters can shore up.

Aww yeah, big-rig shaper is back, baby!

I really like this card. I love how it's big and ridiculous and expensive, but powerful enough that it might actually be worth the cost. I love the idea that a "console" is just whatever electronics rig you have for interfacing the net, and that it doesn't have to be small or practical, or not a boat. I love the theme, that Captain Padma is just as much a hacker as, say, Noise, but that she does it by directly messing with undersea cables instead of net-surfing to music in loud clubs. I even love the dumb pun intrinsic in the card. (It's an icebreaker ship! Get it? Get it??) All in all, this is exactly the kind of card that I am predisposed to like.

So how does it actually stack up in the game?

Well, to start off, this is probably the craziest console since Security Nexus. And I think this one is probably the better of the two, to be honest. Auto-breaking two subroutines (and ignoring strength) is really powerful. It will get you past most ice, so it's almost as good as security nexus's effect. But with the added benefits that:

• It costs no credits to operate (once you shell out 8 to get it on the board at least...)
• You can stockpile a bunch of tokens and do it multiple times per turn
• The corp has no input into the process - it's not a trace; it's just spending tokens and is entirely under the runner's control

Of course, breaking two subs is not QUITE as good as completely bypassing the ice, and you still have to contend with on-encounter effects like Tollbooth etc. But even so, very few pieces of ice have more than two must-break subs. Even if you take some net-damage along the way or whatever, you'll most likely get in. (And if you break all the subs, you can make use of effects like Hippo!)

Also similar to Security Nexus, this card is clearly at its best with some supporting cards, and probably with a specific ID. This is obviously Captain Padma's boat, and her ability works well with it - if you focus on R&D, then between the console's ability and her own, you can get two tokens from a single run. Which means that, unless they install and res two pieces of ice on R&D, you can probably get in once per turn, every turn, even if you haven't installed any breakers yet. And of course things like Daeg, First Net-Cat, or Into the Depths can help give it charges beyond that.

Naturally, if you drop Padma on the table though, they're going to ICE up R&D, since that's your obvious target. (Also because, you know, you're playing shaper...) But even without her ability, the console can recharge itself just through successful runs, which can be anywhere. Go checking archives because Jinteki is threatening Regenesis? Power token. Checking a naked remote? Power token. Surprise running on HQ because their hand is getting fat? It may surprise you to learn - Power token. Because you can (and should!) still build a regular rig. What the boat gives you is an incredible backup plan, if some scary (or expensive) ice shows up unexpectedly.

So let's talk synergies. In general terms, there are two main classes of cards that Endurance really benefits from:

Stuff that gives you power counters: The boat runs on power counters, so any way you can boost the number of boat counters you get is good.

• Captain Padma Isbister: Intrepid Explorer is the obvious choice - this is her console, so she naturally synergizes with it extremely well.
• Daeg, First Net-Cat seems fine, especially if you have other stuff for him to charge up if you draw him before the boat. (Earthrise Hotel for example.)
• Into the Depths can give you power counters, as well as other useful effects.
• Rigging Up and Stoneship Chart Room can both provide tokens also, but I'm not as wild about those. Reviews on those cards go into more depth, but in short - There just aren't a lot of targets that make full use of Rigging Up, and it requires you to draw it before you install Endurance to be useful. And Stoneship Chart Room just doesn't feel like it does enough to justify a card slot.
• Rejig actually might be worth including here, especially if you have other cards that you might want to reset. (Propeller maybe?) Even by itself, you can use Rejig as a 0-cost way to restart your boat (with 3 counters!) if you ever let it get down to 0. Three boat power counters for a 0-cost card might actually be worth it, honestly...

Stuff that gives you extra benefit from running: Since you need to make runs to charge up the boat, you might as well get extra stuff in the process! Some highlights:

• Into the Depths has a lot of potential, since you can use Endurance to break past ice pretty safely, and then use Into The Depths to dig out and install whatever breaker you find out you need. And of course you can use it to get credits or power counters. If you can trigger even two of its effects, you're getting a ton of value out of a 1 event.
• Leech is a classic - it doesn't directly give you credits, but it makes future runs cheaper. (Since you will want an actual breaker suite of some sort - the boat is probably not going to be your primary breaker - just a way to take the edge off the really expensive stuff.)
• Aumakua has some very nice synergy. (And even fits the nautical theme!)
• DreamNet might be worth it, although you only get the card draw since you're not digital.
• Pinhole Threading gives you some good value out of running minimally protected remotes.
• Deuces Wild doesn't exactly fit here, but it gives you a run, and an extra charge on Aumaka if you're using it, (as well as some other useful effect) so it's probably worth considering as well.
• Standard multiaccess (The Maker's Eye, Legwork, Conduit, etc) is always welcome.

Also, special bonus shoutout to Jak Sinclair who gives you a free run every turn. And the downside (can't use icebreakers) is mitigated greatly when you have a boat that can break ice for you.

I think this card is going to be strong enough to have some very fun decks built around it. I don't know if the meta is going to be slow enough to allow decks that need time to drop an 8 console, but if it is, this is going to be a powerhouse. And even if not, I predict some serious fun jank as people try to make it work. But really, that effect is strong enough that I'll be surprised if it doesn't have at least some presence.

Happy sailing!

This may be bad in standard, but in startup it's simply absurd. Endurance + Rezeki + Pinhole Threading + no strong tag punishment = shaper just wins. The corp can't rush behind gear-checks. They can't slowly bankrupt the runner. They can't create a prohibitively taxing scoring server. They can't tag-n-bag.

It hardly even matters what else is in the shaper deck. Should I replace Stargate with Twinning? Eh... any late game multi-access will do when you can soft-lock the remotes. Should I use Bukhgalter or Revolver? Eh... you've got a boat for whatever ICE is tough for the breakers you choose.

I've been playing Netrunner almost from the start, and I don't think I've ever seen such imbalance between corps and runners.

Each counter is worth $1-2 plus whatever tempo advantage you derive from being able to run on any unknown ice from turn 2-3 with no breakers in almost complete confidence. A card which generates $1-2 in economy every turn you run, I've heard that's pretty good.

This $8 card starts with around $5 worth of counters and can almost break even on the turn you've installed it. +2 MU is also pretty good on an econ card.

Hardware are really hard for corps to interact with and it's not an AI (a subtype which has some corp counters). Even if the corp does somehow trash it, their next copy comes out with enough power counters that this isn't as major a setback as it appears.

This card is wildly overpowered even for $8

Generating $1-2 in economy for a run: at least as good as a $3 Dreamnet (if Dreamnet allowed you to function at a high-level without breakers). Usually starting with 4 counters for breaking 4 subroutines of any strength on any ice: this is like a $4 pair of Boomerangs that don't need to be declared ahead of time (if Boomerangs could clicklessly regenerate). Being able to confidently operate several turns against unknown ice setups with 0-2 breakers installed: closer to a playable identity ability than $0. On the flip side, the only corp identity ability which has ever given this much confidence is Mti and I hear it's pretty good. 🙃 2 MU: probably worth $2 for a console.

It's unlikely you'd ever want to print a card with this large an impact on the board state. However, if you did, a single-click card which ~combines 4 very playable cards totaling $9 and 4 clicks should cost at least $12, maybe up to $15 depending on much you value the draw efficiency of compressing all of this into a single card. Note: clicklessly regenerating counters which can break any subroutine is actually much better than gaining $1-2/turn because it allows major operational flexibility in how much you can function without all of your breakers installed and how little you need to fear unknown ice.

Ouch

This might be a breakdown in the playtesting/tuning process. This isn't like a CI which only became really strong as mass draw cards gradually got printed. Endurance was game-breakingly powerful immediately on release. [UPDATE: Endurance has been banned some 7 months after it was released. Mti's ability was mind-meltingly powerful and it lasted 12].

It feels inevitable that Endurance will get banned or that better destruction cards will get printed which nerf consoles/hardwares in general. A ban sounds more likely because many decks need their console and punishing them all for a single crazy card would create downstream problems. (Printing ice which matches up well against Endurance does not feel viable. It would take a LOT of deck slots to be able to reliably protect, bare minimum, R+D and a scoring remote against a boat which comes out really fast and wrecks almost all popular ice).

The designers should consider limiting this card to 1 per deck...Given the high influence cost this would restrict non-shapers to search for it, and it brings more balance to the game.. Otherwise x2/x3 boats, and most corps are a gonner any how...

With a new cycle on the horizon, it's now the beginning of the end for Borealis (at least in startup, which this review focuses on) and so I thought it was good time to put my 2 on the Boat.

When it first came out, I was just starting out, and so with limited experience and cards I HATED it with a passion.

Now, with more experience and cards under my belt...well I still don't like it, but hate is too strong of a word.

Firstly, yes, there is counterplay if it shows up on your board: Drago + tag punishment of your choice (usually Retribution), Nanisivik Grid, Kimberlite Field + Tollbooth, ICE with multiple subroutines, etc. Also, at 5 inf, most out of faction runners are probably only going to be running only 2 max (unless they're forgoing other tools but that's another topic), so if you manage to trash their first copy you have set them back quite a bit.

However, a lot of the aforementioned strategies are quite restrictive. Either due to set up, requiring Jank™, or simply because they die easily (either to a Pinhole or a stroke of bad luck) Furthermore, the moment the boat comes down, its only a matter of time until the runner can walk into any server unimpeded, so if you don't have your wincon at the ready, you're pretty much screwed. (also it bothers me how little sense it makes thematically to include a boat in your deck unless you're Padma but that's because I'm a crazy person who cares too much about theme)

Personally, I think the boat would have been fine if it was more restrictive to use. Limit 1 per deck, can only be used once per turn, loses counters slowly, gives you a tag, idk something. Because atm it's just kinda of a no brainer to use and it makes the game less interesting IMHO.