XHB#01

XHB#01: Overview

(X = Experiential) (HB = Faction) (#01 = Identification number within faction)

The goal of this prototype deck to gauge the effectiveness of a 40 card HB shell game deck with operation based economy. The core element to this deck are the trap assets, which should (if properly employed) either flat line the runner or create agenda scoring windows.

Thoughts and Projections

-The runner starts with only 4 cards in their hand so brain damage has a more immediate impact. In the event that the runner has taken 2 points of brain damage both snare or self destruct will threaten a flat line.

-Mill decks might be very strong versus this deck, it's only has 40 cards. But this deck might be fast enough to get 3 agendas on the board and advancing before that. Haven't seen a Data Leak Reversal deck played live, but my gut says that the setup time for DLR might allow for a very brief early game scoring window.

-5 for 3 agendas may be too difficult to advance quickly even if Biotic Labor is used. Need a minimum scoring window of 2 turns.

-This deck relies on surprise to trick the runner into jumping into traps and junk. If they have any expose effects or have played this deck before and know what to expect then it's effectiveness will be reduced.

-A smart runner that has suffered 1 or 2 points of brain damage may over draw cards before face checking un-advanced remote severs in order to avoid taking flat line levels of net damage. In effect that is a click tax, however it does 'disarm' that trap sever and prevents flat line.

-This deck doesn't have much in the way of protection from account siphon. If the runner hits you with one they could face check remote severs because much of the traps in the deck have activation costs. Stopping siphon is pretty important. Not sure what kind of counter could be used to stop that.

-Having enough credits to eat an account siphon and still be able to activate a Snare! seems like a possible counter. So that's 10+4, although most siphon decks tend to run mutile copies and same old thing. If the runner WANTS you to be poor you're probably staying poor.

-After writing all that out I thought that Ash 2X3ZB9CY and Crisium Grid could safe guard HQ pretty well, having two Crisium Grid should provide some level of protection.

Report on deck effectiveness will be forthcoming.

-Echo_Chaser 11/27/2015