The Lakshmi Guarantee - now with TheftBlock(TM)

beladee 18

Deckbuilding question: can Lakshmi Smartfabrics be used as a weird-but-sort-of-cheaper version of SanSan City Grid?

Ideal game plan: using Lakshmi to score a Mandatory Upgrades, then using the extra click to fast advance 3 more 3/2s to win. Mushin No Shin makes it possible to get Mandatory in 2 turns, meaning you only need two counters on Lakshmi to protect, and that Lakshmi itself doesn't need to be protected after firing. Mushin is also a great economy card for scoring the other 3/2s if Lakshmi counters are available.

Strengths: high-impact surprise scoring window if the Runner ignores a facedown Lakshmi and you can find a couple of on-demand rezzable things; Lakshmi has some flexibility in when the counters are used (can wait until after the Runner pays to get past an ICE or two) and can also be used in alternative situations (like pure defense if a big R&D or HQ dig is coming your way).

Weaknesses: Film Critic, getting siphoned/vamped on the turn Lakshmi is fired; but most importantly the time and luck required to arrange the board state to make the win condition work. Snatch and Grab is aimed at countering the first weakness, and Advanced Assembly Lines helps mitigate the second and third. I'm wondering if NEXT Design: Guarding the Net may actually be a better ID for this gameplan, but it is certainly nice to not have to spend so many card slots on economy.

Agendas: Mandatory is a key part of the game plan, then the 3/2s for scoring out. However, ABT and Vitruvius can also score out with the Lakshmi plan if the Mandatories can't be reached at the time. NAPD Contract is not meant to be scored, but helps in slowing/annoying the Runner. Fast Track to dig for the right agenda when a second copy is needed by Lakshmi.

3x Jackson Howard are zero-cost rezzes for Lakshmi, help to dig for the right combination of cards, and as always make firing ABT safer.

The ICE suite could easily be altered and I'd be happy for suggestions. Architect works fabulously with the game plan if it fires, allowing an accelerated board state as well as recursion of trashed Lakshmi, Assembly Lines, or even Ash. This can easily make for an immediate scoring window. The rest of the ICE is meh, mostly just cheap-ish stuff that hopefully will annoy and slow the Runner down long enough to score out.

1 comments
4 Aug 2016 SomeDude

This looks like fun! Many things need to go right for it to work though: 2 Mandatory upgrades, 1 Mushin, 1 Lakshmi, 2 other assets and enough credits. Maybe replace a Mushin (and find another influence) with a Media Blitz. That way if you can’t manage to pull of the combo, you can always use Mandatory upgrade’s ability to score out the 3/2. I’m gona give this thing a try