Director Haas Glacier (1st Place Fat Ogre Store Championship

I've always wanted to try a Director Haas based deck, but I find that Imp is very popular these days ( thank you NEH and Edward Kim archetype ). This changes the math for the runner on trashing high cost assets like Eve and Director Haas. What has been your experience facing imp and imp recursion? Thanks.

There's the reason Noise is my toughest matchup. Imp is admittedly the strongest counter to this play style. Still, it is easily played around. They will trash 1 thing then you purge it immediately. Don't leave your assets out in the open, unless it's like an unrezzed Eve which you can use to bait out an imp token. You can still choke their credits/clicks with ice and Ash. Between, Jackson, Vitruvius, and architect, I play plenty of recursion. If you overwhelm them with cards to trash, they inevitably can't trash them all, even with imp.

I used to play basically this for most of my time playing (so most of last year), maybe it's time to go back, as I've been struggling to figure out a corp for store championships post O&C...

When it comes to imp, cyberdex virus suite may be something to consider; just have it installed facedown somewhere and when imp hits the table, at the first available window, rez and toss, no more imp. It's a viable counter to attempts to parasite/datasucker ice down (make them eat something they thought they were going to blow up) and incubator powered medium glory digs too. With anarch everywhere it's a reasonable include if you can figure out the space.

Yeah that's the obvious solution. I've yet to actually struggle with Anarch enough to where I felt I needed cyberdex, but it is definitely the hardest matchup.

@Darkshift07 What is your basic play to protect Director Haas?

Ice and Ash. The runner simply cannot trash all your econ assets AND set up a rig AND pressure centrals AND deal with Haas/Ash behind ice AND have money left to steal the followup NAPD. They will fall short on one of those fronts and you use those windows to score. Sometimes I just throw out and score an unprotected Beta Test because the runner stopped running my assets to focus on something else. Haas only gets rezzed once I'm ahead, and once she's rezzed I'm usually ahead for good.

What do you do against Eater/cutlery based decks. obviously you beat them in this event, but how did the deck hold up against the ice destruction

This deck is good and total wrecked my face at that tournament. I'm glad you got first.

@bignatenz Notice that almost all my ice cost 3 or less. The only ice that's above 3 cost are Architect (which is untrashable) and tollbooth (which costs 9 creds to spoon with eater, not counting the 3 they probably lost when i rezzed it). What that means is that trashing my ice basically always requires the runner spending more resources (clicks/cards/credits) than I spent installing and rezzing it, which is an exchange that puts me closer toward winning the game. The result was that even against decks that want to trash ice, they hardly bothered trying and even when they did the tempo hit hurt them more than it hurt me.

This is amazing. I love this ID, and I have been looking for some ballzy thing like this. Why wall of static?

Oh, and is mandatory upgrades rallye necessary? It feels like an overkill to me.

Consider Self-destruct? Great solution to protecting haas

Congrats again on the win! Stealth Kit was not happy that day but we tried our best.

@gumed85 wall of static is there because sometimes you just need to end the run. Its cost/strength are better than other influence free options due to being just below Atman at 4, and still decently resilient to parasite. Mandatory upgrades is filler, because I need 20 points and all the agendas I want are already in the deck. Playing 3/1 agendas would require losing a deck slot, and none of the 4/2 options are appealing to me. I scored Man up twice in my 8 games and both times it won me the game (including the last game of the day against then-undefeated Noise).

@Fruggles self destruct doesn't protect Haas it destroys her. Remember, the goal of the deck is to force my opponent to make a choice and punishing them no matter what choice they make. If they leave Haas alone? Great! If they trash her, they probably just created a scoring window for me. Still great! There's no way I would help my opponent by trashing my own Haas unless I'm about to install NAPD to win the game, in which case I'd like that remote to be intact, thank you. Also, on principle, I don't play any cards in this deck that cost less than 3 to trash, because, again, that's part of the tax. So that excludes self destruct automatically.

I used to play a ton of the original, but when runner econ picked up I found it much more difficult. I love the update and new focus, definitely going to give it a go. Congrats on the win!

Until you get over your fear of the Runner trashing Director Haas, this deck will not function properly for you. The point is to OVERWHELM them with trash costs. If they trash Haas you need something immediately available in order to take advantage of the window where the runner is poor. Sometimes that just means installing another copy of Haas and daring the runner to breaking into your scoring remote again and trash her. Think about the amount of times the runner doesn't want to steal NAPD because they know how far behind it would put them. Haas poses the same issue combined with the "must trash" nature of SanSan.

I win plenty of games with the runner on 6 points, but their score area is something like 2x Director Haas and a NAPD. The fact that they paid an additional 14 credits to score those 6 points is probably what allowed me to win. Sometimes "feeding" the runner Haas and NAPD is how you win.

I think I'm going to copy your deck and play it myself because I want something cool and this is probably it. I can't imagine it being bad against Eater, that's for sure ;)

@Darkshift07 Until you get over your fear of the Runner trashing Director Haas, this deck will not function properly for you. - ITS SO TRUE!!! I took my variation of this deck to champ and came 3rd, was feeling that one of problem was not enough D.Haas ( i took only 2x copy of them)

@Erik_Twice Glad to hear you like the deck. I'd love to hear how it works for you. Director Haas is such a powerful card that I think a lot of people afraid to play for the wrong reasons.

I honestly don't even think this deck maximizes Haas' ability because all I'm doing with the extra click really is fast advancing. Something Like Haas + IT Department or Docklands crackdown could get crazy pretty fast. Also both those cards have a high trash cost and are as "must trash" as Haas herself. Would need more end the run ice for that to work though, I think.

@Darkshift07 this deck is so amazing... I've played maybe 8-10 games with it and won all beside one game when i've played second game with same runner, but he used Magnum Opus, and it was hard to push him down with his economy.

It's perfect and i've even don't know what to change to make it better. I think it's impossible to do;) Architect on R&D is almost always saving my ass. Also i've never played with Accelerated Beta Test ability, but in this deck i can put Jackson Howard on remote server and nobody interresting of him. Because 2x Adonis, 1x Eve and 1x Howard it's impossible to trash and runner most times dont trash anything... so Howard give's oppurtinity to use ability of Accelerated Beta Test and combining it with Architect i sometimes even know that i have next 3 ices in R&D all installed and rezzed for free included Tollbooth.

Hmmmm is a big fun mate, thanks :)

@Darkshift07 Have you ever tried RSVP in this? Seems like it gels pretty insanely with the trace ice and all the trashables.

I took this deck to today's Store Tournament. I got to the Top 4 with it, which is not bad at all. :)

I like the list, as you say, playing an NAPD after the Runner spends a lot of money thrasing Director Haas is hilarious, a couple of my opponents visibly complained about it even when the server was pretty weak. And Director Haas will often win games just because, which is great.

I did a couple changes, though, mainly the metagame slots. I think that Wraparound is far more reliable than either of Crisium and Swordsman and useful in more matchups so I ran two. I also changed a couple numbers here and there based on personal preference.

What I don't like of the deck is that you really have no way to pull foward if you are losing. If the Runner can get into your remote, you only really have Adonis and Eve to use as bait and if you are losing you really can't afford sacrifice them like this. The raw numbers are bad, too, you have 10+3 agendas and only 5+3 Jackson things to drop into your remote: you can't bluff hard enough. I really found myself wishing for an Aggressive Secretary to punish the Runner for running around.

I also disliked Blue Level Cleareance for similar reasons. If you are winning, it often ends up being overkill, you either don't need the money or the cards. And if you are losing or agenda flooded, spending two clicks to draw more cards just to get 3c isn't great.

I also missed another piece of big ICE. You have 3 Tollbooths, and you can rely on drawing two which will almost always go on different servers. But if they go to different servers and one gets Femmed or killed, you really don't have any replacement at hand.

Still, I liked the decklist and it's very fun so I hope you keep playing it! Thanks for taking me to the Top 4 mate :)

@shd Glad you enjoyed playing the deck! Good to hear it worked for you.

@travisrchance I played with RSVP when it first came out, and it's just as effective as you think it is. I eventually moved away from it because Atman at 4 is a thing that HB already has issues with because we have a lot of good ice at strength 4. Also, spending the 2 influence on Tollbooth is almost always a better choice.

@Erik_Twice You must have learned the flow of this deck pretty quickly because a lot of your observations fall in line with my own experiences with countless games with this deck. Sometimes you get those games where the runner quickly goes up 4-0 and it becomes very difficult to win because part of the deck's strategy sometimes involves feeding the runner points via NAPD or Haas. That's just an inherent weakness (and probably the only real weakness, honestly) to running a deck built around Director Haas. It's something I'm very conscious of when making decisions early game.

I agree 100% about wraparound and my current list is running 3x. Swordsman and Crisium were literally just last minute "I didn't practice against keyhole/eater" throw ins. Swordsman hit a couple Eaters, and I had an epic play where someone tried to siphon through an Architect that I used to install Crisium off the deck to fizzle the siphon. They did work, but wrapround is just better across all matchups.

Maybe it's just a play style thing, but I absolutely love blue level clearance. In fact, I've played versions of this deck with blue level and no hedge. It lets me keep up the economic pressure on the runner at that point where we point went kinda broke because I spent money to rez an Asset and they spent money to trash it. It also draws me more cards to install which is important. I think I probably play this deck at a more fast and loose pace than the list/name suggests. I'll say probably somewhere around 30-40% of the agendas I score (that aren't fast advanced) the runner could have taken had they chosen to. I'm not really trying to build secure servers. I'm just trying to make everything annoying enough to run that the runner has to question the value of every run. You forgot to include the 4 upgrades as cards you can use to bluff with. So that's actually 12 unscorable things you can bluff with. Even if you consider Haas an agenda, it's basically a coin flip to the runner whether the card you installed an agenda or not.

I'd say based on your feedback, you'd probably like my current list (I change this deck basically every few days). It's running 2x Tollbooth 2x Ichi 2.0, so it has your other big ice. Also, daily business show and reversed accounts are hilariously good in this deck. ;) Also currently testing a version with grail ice. It's been quite successful so far.

Congrats on finishing top 4! It would have been epic to see Director Haas take another store champ. What was the size/length of the tournament? Would you mind publishing the list?

@Darkshift07

I stored the cards, so I no longuer can check the full decklist but it's yours card for card except with Wraparound instead of the meta cards, -1 BLC +1 Eve. That's it :)

The tournament had around 20 people on it, four rounds plus Top 4. I lost two swiss games (both with Stirling) and then lost again one with Stirling and another with this deck.

Whether to run Ichi 2.0, Biotic Labour or AggSec is probably a playstyle choice, but I think it's important to run something like that. I also don't know how Mimic-infested your meta is, but it's everywhere in mine which made Caduceus and Architect sad =P

Personally, I run both cadeucus and architect in various decks and although mimic is the most efficient permanent, non-switchblade breaker against it, Idon't mind when it hits the table against it. Architect is still a 2-credit breaker which is an okay ratio (better when you consider the +1 HB credit) and cadeucus is the same for even cheaper. You'd rather a femme breaker it for sure, but imho even if a high percentage of games see architect come out, they're still good ice to have.

@sruman you pretty much nailed it. Even with mimic, you break even with the runner after 2 runs. And when they are forced to face check without mimic, they cry.

I started playing Architect and Caduceus together because no one was afraid of face checking against my deck, and both cards are annoying sentries early game that remain viable options even after mimic is played due to their cost/subroutine ratio.

The annoying thing of course, is that the 2nd best HB ice (can't beat Eli) is actually better in the already strongest deck -- NEH fastro :) I think HB got the short straw in the lunar cycle personally, but I'm an HB fan-boy (who sadly, takes NEH to most SC's ...)

How does this do against Stealth Andy? She's usually got tons of link, making the Vipers and Caduceus useless.

@instinctive If my last octgn game is anything to go by, terribly. Got rushed early before I could get established, and like you said, the 2 or 3 link she had nulified the trace ice

@Darkshift07 I am experimenting with some other ICE options, specifically, Markus 1.0 x2, Errand Boy x2, Wraparound x2, and a singleton Orion. I think Errand Boy is a great piece of taxing ICE that synergizes with Ash 2X3ZB9CY. They either pay three or give you three without the hassle of trace. Or, if you need draw, it can do that too. Downside is the lack of ETR.

I've been running off and on Director Haas out of The Foundry for the past year. I love splashing in Caprice; she's a bit of an influence hog, but it makes Director Haas just borderline stupid.

Anyway, I really just wanted to say that Director Haas is my favorite corp card, and that you won an SC with her makes me as giddy as a schoolboy on a notschoolday.

i love this deck!!! thanks for share.

Not sure I follow the comment of stealth andy having tons of link. I not sure I've seen a build with a card slot that increases link so it's just the 1 and thus cadeucus and viper still 4 to beat both traces (but really, they'll run last click on viper so 2) which very good for a 3-cost ice. For a build that will really make your trace ice cry, look at Nordrunner's And4omeda build which tops out at 4-link (and always goes for 2). I was overwriting rezzed vipers in mid-game (and almost never do that ... stupid personal-touched yog).

@sruman yes that's what I meant, the Andy Dyson Mem Chip, Underworld Contact, Data Folding decks, which I have seen a lot with stealth but don't have to be... anyway it's strong, I see it a lot, and it makes Viper and Caduceus sad.

This list deliberately has a lot of traces in it because I did not anticipate encountering any high link runners in the tournament, and I didn't. With so many people playing new Anarch hotness, which (typically) runs no link, it was the correct meta call. Against decks with no link, the traces are incredibly annoying to deal with.

If people around you are playing high link (no one in my local meta is playing that Andy deck currently), change your ice suite. It's a bad habit to play the same list card for card for a very long time anyway. This list is several versions old, but is still a solid foundation to build from. My current Director Haas deck has 39/49 of the same cards as this deck.

U no fear da Whizzard ?

no, 3 cred less is irrelevant for a 10-15 credits to trash Hass

I put a ELI, a toolboth and a Ash 2X3ZB9CY, and no one can trash all the Hass. A server segure, very expensive for all players. And is the trash it, you put another Director Hass and you win.

@Darkshift07 Any chance of an update on what your current list is running. Loving the deck, want to take it to store champs in a week, but every attempt to "tweak" it turns to shite

@bignatenz message me on BGG and I'll send it to you. Username: b_smith12

Can you update the deck for all, please? I want to see how you change the deck. Thanks.

Just wanted to say thinks for the post on this deck. Been running a version it in the last few store tournaments to great success. I ended up taking 1st place with is yesterday going 4-1, with the only loss coming on a tight game that could of gone either way. Most people didn't see the Haas coming and by the time I had it online and protected to with Ash there wasn't awhole they could do about it. Even if they do it usually breaks them. I had one runner pay 17 credits to get into and break it, breaking there bank and leaving me with a still secure scoring server the next couple turns.

In the finals I didn't even see the Haas the whole game but still managed to pull out a close win with a high taxing deck that made stealing agendas difficult the whole time.

Thanks again for sharing!

Update the deck please.

@Darkshift07 sent you a pm on BGG

One suggestion I have, and which I used in my Director Haas decks is to run only 1xDirector Haas, and put in 3 Executive Boot Camps. The runner is much less likely to hit her in r&d, and can fetch her with boot camp, aswell as use boot camp to rez stuff a bit cheaper)

All my Director Haas builds have used boot camp and do a lot better.

1 Executive can save you from 1 Hass death, but the idea is to DRAIN the economy of the runner, so a full hand of HASS is a horrible idea.

This deck is AWESOME. Took it to our local store champs yesterday and the deck went 3-1, with the only loss coming due to time being called. If it was a full game i'm certain I would have been able to get the win. Unfortunately my runner deck choice was terrible (Valencia deep dig) and I ended up 10th. But the performence of this deck was unquestionable, the current meta of runner means Director Haas is almost untouchable. Especially behind a Wraparound. I don't even remembe the last time anyone was able to trash a Haas

This is close to the Haas deck I put together too, but I did go with Self Destruct. And I'm already pulling it based on this. Did you consider Daily Business Show? I love that card for ensuring that I get what I need, and that the runner can't get my agendas until I'm ready....

Also, I played Utopia Fragment in place of Mandatory Upgrades. I feel like that's more useful in terms of stopping the thefts, but I worry that the 3 AP makes the deck riskier, since runners can take that and 2 2's, rather than 4 2's.