Charting the Dark

BTrain 2971

Corps move fast. Move faster.

This hardware-centric Kit build gets set up fast with Replicator, Inside Man, and Astrolabe. The newest Shaper console works wonders here. The more the corp tries to expand their server portfolio, the quicker you can get yourself set up, and that additional 1 MU will make a world of difference in the amount of pressure you can put on. Now you can have a Magnum Opus, a breaker, and an SMC in play without having to have dropped up to 4 credits on your first CyberSolutions.

The biggest change here is the one-off Imp. To free up the influence, I dropped the Datasucker/Parasite combo after a lot of back-and-forth. I originally ran them both for a number of reasons (DS to lighten some of the load for my recurring stealth creds against the heaviest of glaciers, and Parasite to nuke one-iced centrals in RP that would essentially negate Kit's ability), but in nearly 50 plays with this build, I can't say I've consistently been happy to draw into either card. Using them, when they do pop up, is almost never the best option as I've found that the problems they solve can be worked around with the number of stealth options this deck packs: between Ghost Runner, Lockpicks, Cloaks, and Kit's ability, hurting for stealth credits is rare. Taking a closer look then, Imp makes much more sense. You will almost always end up with early multi-access capability, and that means you can start digging to kill off combo pieces. Be smart about what you Imp. You can always overwrite it and clone chip it back, but make sure you're controlling the corp's game plan a little more efficiently than just sniping a Hedge Fund when you know your opponent could be holding a Biotic or a SanSan.

This build isn't wildly different from the first version that inspired it. The second copy of Magnum Opus has been dropped, which can put a little more weight on your Clone Chips' shoulders in the rare event it gets trashed (run smart!), but since I always SMC out the Mopus, inevitably drawing into the second was a big disappointment. As with before, you'll want Mopus ASAP because it's your Scorch/Midseasons protection in a deck that just doesn't have time for Plascrete. Don't be afraid to click an entire for 8 credits whenever you feel comfortable: your win rate with this deck will skyrocket when you can start to identify economy windows. Give this new version a spin and let me know what you think!

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