A Netrunner Homecoming (27th Americas Continentals 2025)

This is the deck I played on stream in Round 10 of Americas Continentals 2025, in a match with ctz which the commentators Jon and Eric called a "reckless", "ridiculous" "barnburner", which was apparently a pretty good show.

I went 3-2 with this list, which is identical to the EMEA list from davz131 and EA Sports except for an added, and clutch, No Free Lunch. It's a super fun deck.

27th is a good but not particularly noteworthy placing in this strong field, but personally I was overjoyed with it. Eric was kind enough to invite me on stream for an interview after the game, and I feel very lucky and grateful to have shared my "Netrunner life story" and my thoughts on the incredible Continentals experience.

I'll add just a little bit for whoever might be reading.

First, I'm a lapsed Netrunner player, never having been amazing at the game but I played regularly in San Francisco in 2013-2014 before real life happened, and I wasn't able to really get back into the game until last year. For about nine years, the only way I could really stay connected to Netrunner was watching every stream and video I could - I even snuck away from a birthday party to get misty-eyed watching Hollis eulogize the game live at Magnum Opus in 2018!

I got a chance to say this in person to the stream team at Conts, but to everyone doing streams, videos, podcasts, decklists, card reviews, alt arts, anything - your contribution to the Netrunner community matters, especially to people you'll never hear from. I truly believe there are many folks out there just like I was, lapsed or new, who want to play but can't. Your work keeps us connected to the game and we thank you for it.

Second, thanks most especially to everyone who made Conts such an incredible experience. I was excited to just spend a day playing Netrunner, but it was so much more. The Artist Colony, the learn to play area, the alt-art trading, the kindness and generosity of everyone - it all truly floored me. I'm sure it's an unbelievable amount of work (for volunteers!) to put an event like this together. It was amazing. Thank you.

Third, a big thanks to ctz, whom I officially nominate as The Most Fun Person In Netrunner. He somehow remembered me from way back in the day, and while I was incredibly nervous about being on stream for the first time, he was so encouraging. We'd had a blast before the first card was played. He loves putting on a show and making it a fun game first and foremost, and I'm so lucky to have gotten the chance to do that with him. He's someone you don't play against, you play with, which is something to aspire to.

Last, to anyone who's never been to a big or faraway event for Netrunner: I hadn't either, and YOU SHOULD DO IT. You never know what will happen:

• Sometimes you'll get super lucky, start the tournament at 4-0, and sit at Table 1 for round 5. (me: What am I even doing here???)
• Sometimes you'll get paired up against two-time world champ Sokka, who turns out to be even nicer in person than he is on the internet. And then the only re-pair of the day happens, and you breathe a sigh of relief.
• Sometimes you'll make insane plays that you'll always be proud of, like winning a Corp game by playing Pivot to find and install Greenmail and then playing Nanomanagement to have enough clicks to advance and score it.
• Sometimes you won't know what to do during the breaks, but you'll get invited by nice folks like the TorSaug Grid to lunch and dinner, and it'll be a great time even if the two halves of the group try to meet up but accidentally go to two separate locations of the same restaurant.
• Sometimes you'll covet some alt-arts on the table but won't have any to trade, and multiple players will happily give you some of theirs without even knowing your name.
• Sometimes the tournament won't end until after your kids' bedtime, but then you end up losing quickly in Round 9, missing a shot at the Top 16 but leaving you enough time to call. And then you end up on stream for Round 10 and they stay up late anyway, watching even though they don't know anything about the game. (later: "Who's the Fuji? What's a core point?")
• Sometimes you'll feel guilty about spending time away from your loved ones, but they'll remind you that you deserve this time to go play and have fun with amazing people.

This was an incredible experience. My heart is full.

I missed you, Netrunner. It's great to be back.