[startup] Can I haz Scorched Earth?

mr_pelle 529

I started playing ANR in the early 2019, long after the SEA Source - Scorched Earth era, so when Orbital Superiority was spoiled I knew I had to find it a home. Jinteki immediately felt not the best option, since Runners are always very cautious when playing against it: NBN loves tagging people, so what better choice than NBN: Reality Plus?

Of course someone else has already been experimenting with this idea and I definitely took some inspiration from their work.

All and all this is a jank but fun deck that I'd like to share and discuss upon. Enjoy and surprise your fellow Runners!

Gameplay

License Acquisition can restore Regolith Mining License or SanSan City Grid. Use the latter as a bait for the Runner, who usually will trash it on sight, get a tempo hit, and then immediately see it restored and rezzed at no cost.

When possible, use Bellona in a similar fashion: early IAA behind a porous ice (Engram Flush or Tithe work best) to force an early run and cause a tempo hit.

Having the Runner complete a successful run is key for enabling Public Trail, but it's not the only way: Ping, Funhouse, Snare!, or a stolen Tomorrow's Headline can manage to stick a tag onto a incautious Runner.

We also need the Runner's grip to be smaller than 4 cards: usually people against NBN simply play their cards without worrying too much, but we can apply a little force by using Snare!, Engram Flush, and Tithe.

Flatline (or lose trying)

Now choose your convoluted path to the kill:

As mentioned before, Urtica Cipher is here to enable the OS kill and to discourage runs on double-advanced cards. Oftentimes it may lead to unexpected wins, but my suggestion is not to rely too much on it.

Economy

The combo is expensive, often very expensive (rezzing SanSan City Grid, triple-advancing OS, and playing Public Trail all sum up to 13). Snare! is also pretty expensive, although our ID's ability gives us some money back.

Alternative choices

Daily Quest could replace Regolith Mining License if we can manage to protect it long enough.

AMAZE Amusements alongside a Bellona could increase the chance of sticking a tag to the Runner, but unfortunately the available slots are limited.

Cerebral Overwriter, when double-advanced, would permanently reduce the Runner's grip to 3, making the kill easier to land. Its null trash cost and null effect unless advanced make me prefer the stinging plant instead.

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