SG+SU21 duel – Episode 1: Tāo Salonga (vs PD)

A pair of decks using only System Gateway and System Update 21 cards. My family recently got into Netrunner, and we have been having fun building duel decks that play well against each other. See the corp deck here: SG+SU21 duel – Episode 1: Precision Design (vs Tāo)

Tāo Salonga (shaper) versus Precision Design (Haas-Bioroid) is a fantastic matchup. Thematically, pitting a ruthlessly efficient megacorp putting up expensive defenses against a sophisticated hacker shifting ICE around to solve the puzzle feels like classic cyberpunk!

For the Runner, we started with Girometics’ [SG+SU21] Tāo Salonga - Server Restructuring and made several changes:

• dropped Dirty Laundry since HB can stack big ice that is economically grueling to fight through (2 upfront can be prohibitive, especially since you don’t get 5 back till after the run ends, i.e. cannot be used for trash costs)
• added Overclock instead for temporary burst economy to aid in deep runs
• reduced Smartware Distributor to 1x as it is click intensive for a low net payout (ideally, use Pantograph to install it clicklessly)
• added Prepaid VoicePAD instead to discount the cost of played events (faster return on investment)
• swapped out Professional Contacts for Verbal Plasticity (ProCo is nice when you draw it early, but the 5 cost is a big tempo hit when playing against PD; Verbal is cheaper and helps draw into those programs faster)
• replaced Carmen with Echelon (in-faction Killer), freeing up 2 influence
• then added Fermenter for additional economy and to pressure Corp to spend a turn purging viruses (HB can move quickly, so any delay is a welcome respite!)
• dropped one Botulus and added Sneakdoor Beta, broadening the attack profile so Corp has to defend HQ, R&D and Archives (also gives Tāo another server to swap ICE with)

Note that Test Run can tutor programs—not just breakers—so you can use Conduit or Sneakdoor Beta early. It can also retrieve a breaker from the heap (so no need for duplicates), an uninstalled Botulus (that Corp previously shifted to a Magnet) or a spent Fermenter.

Pantograph always triggers together with Tāo’s ID, i.e. you get 1 and can install a card on the opponent’s turn… a real time-saver. Also, for virus-based programs like Botulus and Fermenter, this means you get one token faster.

Aesops Pawnshop is helpful in sustaining economy in the late-game. Don’t be afraid to use it once per turn on hardware, resources or programs no longer worth keeping (e.g. a Botulus that has been moved onto a Magnet).

Hopefully this is helpful to others looking for a balanced and exciting matchup using the SG+SU21 card pool!

SG+SU21 duel episodes (with more on the way)

Episode 1: 🟢 Tāo Salonga -vs- 🟪 Precision Design

Episode 2: 🔵 Zahya Sadeghi -vs- 🟨 Near-Earth Hub

Episode 3: 🔵 Steve Cambridge -vs- 🟥 Personal Evolution