Big Turn PE, the best kill in Startup [32-1 on Jnet]

HolyMackerel 1496

I really wanna kill Runners, but they always end up winning before I do. What can I do?

Don't you worry. The OG killer ID is back, and better than ever.

End of the Line can hide in a ditch somewhere. Thules Core Damage is already in a ditch, so good job there. If you wanna kill runners in Startup, look no further. During my testing with this deck, I've taken 32 W's and a single L. Runners fold like origami paper in front of this monster.

32-1? Really?

Yep. I don't know how it happened either. Either the Jinteki.net lobby is unreasonably easy to kill, or I've accidentally broken the format. Maybe both. I would upload picture evidence if I knew how to ^^'

But how?

The fork is Neurospike and Punitive Counterstrike. If they steal a 3-pointer, you shoot them to death with Punitive. If they don't steal it, you Neurospike them to death. Either way, you get a cooked runner. Everything else in this deck serves to feed that wincon.

Haven't those cards been legal a while? Why now?

Because Fujii Asset Retrieval, that's why. It's everything this deck wanted and more. With it, you can dome people for 6 with a single Neurospike, It makes it very hard to draw up out of Punitive Counterstrike range. It's a 3-pointer that lets us run a decent agenda spread.

What's with all the traps?

Snare! keeps runners honest since the core set, and more importantly it really hurts the runner's tempo. And that's the point of all the traps. Daniela Jorge Inácio and Urtica Cipher both serve the same function, to impede the runner and force them to spend time drawing up instead of punishing your earlygame.

But how do I play this deck?

Carefully. If the runner ever steals 5-6 points, you're kinda toast. Luckily, between Sprint and Spin Doctor, you're pretty good at hiding your Agendas until you're ready to shoot. Play it slow, click for credits if you've nothing better to do, draw for your kill pieces a lot, and don't be afraid to just advance agendas when you're set up.

But what about Anarchs with Sabotage and Steelskin Scarring?

They are your hardest matchups, for sure. The one L I've taken with this deck was to an Esâ who milled two Send a Message off the top in the first three turns.

You have to play even more careful, looking for opportunities when they damage themselves or hurl themselves at your ICE. Anarchs do tend to damage themselves on occasion, shooting themselves for temporary advantages. Make use of that and bulldoze your way through the rest of their protection. Plus, if you leave cheeky agendas in Archives when they go to check, you can surprise them with a Fujii and a Punitive to the dome.

Any upgrades you're considering?

Seamless Launch hasn't been pulling it's weight as hard as I want it to, and I'm looking for replacements. Angelique Garza Correa was in an earlier iteration, and I may put one of her back in alongside the third Spin Doctor for the next version.

Well dang, I guess I'll try it out then.

Good luck. May the Punitive math be ever in your favor :)

8 comments
16 Oct 2023 Diogene

Awesome deck!

Why 3x Sprint and 2x Spin Doctor and not the reverse? Also, why not use Gaslight?

How did Bathynomus perform for you? Usually, in Startup, it is used with Nanisivik Grid to give 3 net damages, but it is not the case here.

I like the inclusion of Phoneutria instead of Tithe to slow the runner.

Cheers!

16 Oct 2023 HolyMackerel

@Diogene

Sprint is a phenomenal card, and more people should use it. In this deck, which needs to sculpt its hand and draw a bit, it is the superior option for sure. Recursion is far less valuable than compressing your setup time.

Gaslight could be solid, haven't tried it yet. I shy away from Assets I need to defend, as the deck isn't good at making multiple remotes, but that could be a good option since it's not permanent.

Bathynomus has been pretty solid, and Jinteki does starve a bit for cheap ICE. If I make them install a Sentry Breaker and think twice about running, that's good enough for me. What would you put in its place?

16 Oct 2023 Diogene

Thanks for the explanation, it makes sense to me.

Considering that you are going for a credit advantage because of Punitive Counterstrike, I would probably do -1 Urtica Cipher and -2 Bathynomus for +3 Tithe.

If I would see lots of Hush being played, I would consider replacing the Phoneutria by Whitespace. While Phoneutria goes better with the game plan, it is more expensive for the corp and is broken by any killer for 2. But that would need to be tested. You have 32 WINS and ONE loss, so you are clealy doing things right.

Cheers!

8 Nov 2023 NotSure404

Tried it, it's insanely good. Even a bit toxic. Currently 11-0. Daniela Jorge Inácio is really a great addition, just passive aggressive defense. I wonder how a Reaper function would fit in the deck since runner rarely checks unprotected servers.

28 Nov 2023 stumblefoot

currently on a 14-0 streak with this deck and I'm not even good at this game. I'm honestly not sure what the runner is supposed to do against it.

12 Dec 2023 Hasimir

@stumblefoot the runner cries tears of blood and frustration. Been there more than once. This deck is devilishly good >:D

25 Jan 2024 realstretts

Played this against a poor soul last night who took 4 straight losses in humiliating fashion. Felt bad for them but also damn this was fun to play.

8 Apr 2024 Zoehope

Hey @HolyMackerel I just came here to say thank you for sharing this. I played a version based on it yesterday, having refreshed it a little with the launch of RWoR - here. Appreciate your work!