SOLid Glacier

A Sol Glacier Archetype

I've spent a fair bit of time playing Sol Glacier after D&D was rezzed on OCTGN, and I'm convinced that it is a strong and versatile archetype.

Key Deck Concepts

• Lag Time creates strong taxing ice that are a "must break" for the runner.
• Build a credit advantage through a combination of forcing expensive runs, econ assets, and operation econ.
• Score behind 2-3 pieces of ice (more late game) with an Ash to protect your agenda.

Playstyle

• Start by icing up centrals, and playing operation econ. Lay down a PAD, Marked Accounts or DBS if you have them.
• Don't play Lag Time just yet. You need to make sure that your centrals are won't give away an agenda and force you to pay for the current again.
• If your opponent is playing Whizzard or Criminal (or some other run based econ like Valencia with Desperado), ensure you ice all of your remotes.
• Once you have 2 pieces of ice protecting centrals (choose placement depending on which servers are threatened), play Lag Time to make running prohibitively expensive.
• Identify a window to get an AstroScript Pilot Program scored if possible. Any of these things could indicate this is the case:
  • A significant credit advantage with Ash protecting an iced remote
  • The runner missing 1 (or preferably 2) breaker types necessary to get in.
  • The runner has demonstrated an unwillingness to run unadvanced remotes, or you think that they're less likely to run it.
• The ideal scoring progression is:
  Astroscript -> Astroscript -> 3 pointer
  This isn't always possible though, so work with what you draw.
• Often to finish out the game (if I'm able to score 2 Astroscripts) I'll single advance a 3 pointer in a remote, then the following turn triple advance and Astro token for the win.
• If you're playing a running that is threatening HQ multiaccess, keep Archangel in hand and see if you can't hit something expensive or debilitating.
• If the runner is banking credits for a remote run, you can bluff in your scoring remote with JHow or slip in a Reversed Accounts for the heavy drain.

Weaknesses

• Ice destruction. The enemy of any glacier build. Luckily Architects are immune and will help to get back trashed ice, so focus on making them hit.
• Whizzard. Also strong against asset based glacier. Adjust your playstyle appropriately, icing remotes.
• Clot. Less of a weakness, but it still needs playing around if you want to threaten the FA component. Just need to make sure your remote is secure or you have CVS handy.
• D4V1D based decks. Eli, Archangel, RSVP, Gutenberg, News Hound, and Rainbow all fall to D4V1D (once Lag Time is out). Either tax the counters and recursion, or don't play Lag Time.
• Whizzard playing a D4V1D based ice destruction/clot recursion deck.

Potential Adjustments and Alterations

• Rainbow could be any NBN or neutral ice. I like it for the early stopping power and the tax with Lag Time (5 str is expensive for most breakers!)
• Swapping Hades+Utopia for 3x Beale to push the FA side of the deck. You'd probably also need to fit in a few 1 pointers (15 minutes or Breaking News) to close out the game. You'd get a bit more FA (boooring) but would have to sacrifice some glacier strength.
• Tollbooth. The king of NBN glacier, but also 8 credits to rez. This deck simply can't afford it, and it really doesn't feel necessary. You need to save your credits for Ash traces and replaying currents.
• If you have a current heavy meta I'd totally consider The News Now Hour as a 1 or 2 of (switch out the utility slots of CVS and Reversed Accounts).

Additional Notes

• News Hound is just insane in Sol. 2 credits for a 5 strength sentry with 2 subroutines (including and ETR)! A serious MVP.