Humanoid Resources

Humanoid Resources 1[credit]

Asset
Trash: 1

Influence: 2

[click][click][click], [trash]: Gain 4[credit] and draw 3 cards. Install up to 2 cards from HQ (one at a time). You may play 1 operation from HQ.

“Deploying in T-minus 5…”
Illustrated by Martin de Diego Sádaba
Decklists with this card

Elevation (elev)

#39 • English
Startup Card Pool
Standard Card Pool
Standard Ban List (show history)
Printings
Rulings
  • Updated 2025-06-29

    If the Corp uses Humanoid Resources to install a card in the root of a server with a rezzed Tranquility Home Grid, can they draw a card with Tranquility Home Grid's ability before they decide the second card to install?

    Yes. The Corp does not have to choose the second card to install (or even whether to install another card at all) until the first installation is completed, including resolving abilities that meet their trigger conditions from that installation. The Corp could, for example, choose to install the card they just drew with Tranquility Home Grid.

  • Updated 2025-06-29

    Can the Corp play Petty Cash from HQ with the ability on Humanoid Resources?

    Yes, as long as the action on Humanoid Resources is the first action the Corp has taken on their turn.

Reviews

Humanoid Resources (🐙🐙🐙) is Haas-Bioroid’s “strict Rashida”.

Notes

That is:

  • If you can protect HR for a turn, then you likewise get a burst of three credits plus three cards next turn (your three clicks funding its three installs/plays, one-to-one).
  • However, Install 2 cards. Play 1 operation. is less flexible than Gain [click][click][click].. (Even though installation is itself a very broad action, you can't advance, triple-install, double-operation, IA/IAA an agenda, and so on.)

In particular:

  • You can't YDL for +$8. (Installing two cards shrink HQ by 2, and must come first.)
  • You can't score out agendas with Nanomanagement, or Seamless Launch. (Unless one of the installs placed an advancement or gained a click, which few can.)
  • While bouncing back from an small/empty HQ (or credit pool), if you've missed drawing into any operations (or can't afford a Hedge Fund), then you've lost a whole click.

[EDIT] TIL an RLC can “fast-advance” this out (by choosing the install-and-click modes). IE.: you spend two credits, two cards, and a click (5 “units”); you gain four credits, three cards, two installs, and maybe an operation (9–10 “units”). CF. Ultraviolet Clearance? You could even do this T1 while still icing both centrals, and earning enough to rez that ice ASAP. (IDK if this is worth it, but it is very fast tempo.)


And like Anthill Excavation Contract, Humanoid Resources is its faction’s “Neo-Rashida. Both:

  • can draw (≥2) cards and earn (≥3[$]) credits, in a ‘burst’.
  • are cheap-to-trash (-1[$]).

Development

See Humanoid Resources: A Tale from Elevation Development (jan tuno) .

Humanoid Resources came from two earlier designs, “Human” Resources:

====
HB Asset
----
Cost: 2, Trash: 4, Influence: 2
----
When you rez this asset, load 3 power counters onto it. When it is empty, trash it.

{click}, hosted power counter: Gain 2{credit} and draw 1 card. You may install a card from HQ.

and Bullet Point Time:

====
HB Asset
----
Cost: 6, Trash: 5, Influence: 3
----
When your turn begins, lose {click}, then resolve any number of the following:

– Gain 1{c}.
– Draw 1 card.
– Install 1 card from HQ.
– Place 1 advancement counter on an installed card you can advance.

See Humanoid Resources: A Tale from Elevation Development (jan tuno) :

We knew that we wanted this [a triple-click ability] to be it: it’s elegantly written, it’s fun to resolve, it rewards deckbuilding acumen, it’s powerful but doesn’t go in every deck, it’s interesting in and out of faction.

(We experimented a little bit with the trash cost and influence, but the card was clearly there. Every Dev member and playtester who interacted with it reacted strongly.)


"This [Humanoid Resources] is like playing RoboRally for one turn"

"This is a cool design, and I don’t think it’s too good in terms of power level. It requires operations (not even any operations) and cannot chain into immediate scoring. I actually have reasons to run Anthill over Humanoid."

"Being able to get Rashida-level of resources and immediately spending them both feels cathartic and is actually impactful. But the installs and operation-plays feel like Kakurenbo – doing the same thing (IAA) but with specific restrictions. Definitely requires more deckbuilding thoughts and decision making than simply jamming Rashida."

"You just have to plan for it and keep the Operation in hand, e.g. not play Hedge Fund too early, which is nice for skill ceilings."

"Locking you into a specific turn sequence is cool. It’s also one of the enablers for Asa-style gameplay."

(Elevation era)