This is the Tech Trader of Apex. While Tech Trader was a "whenever" card, this is a "once a turn" card. Making it much worse. Is this card worth it?

Short answers is yes, if you build around it.

There are 47 cards that will trashed themselves after using them, 7 cards that have a trash condition attached (activated by the corp) and 12 cards that can actively trash cards from the board. Of course, Apex can put ANY card on the board facedown, and Reboot can put 5 cards from the heap on the board facedown.

This ressource will generate money on the third time it trashes something. So, at best, it will start giving economy 2 turns after, if you trash something on the turn you install this ressource. Apex can possibly trash something from the board on each turn, but usually every other turn, because Apex will tend to trash a lot of card on one turn and nothing on the subsequent turn. Other faction would have a slightly harder time, but it would be possible every other turn if building specifically around this card. In a 15 turns game, if you where to install this on the first turn, you would get 5 net (discounting the initial "payment" of 2) out of this, which is just above Sure Gamble in term of value, but scattered throught the game. By late game, this is a dead card, since it will cost you more than it will bring for you. Of course, if you are able to install this cheaper, using Paladin Poemu, you get more value of this. And if you put cards with trash conditions (like Tapwrm), this could be triggered on the corp turn, for a slight increase of value.

Sadly for Apex, it need less credits at the end game, when it is fully setup, than in the early game, when it need to setup, making Wasteland rarely worth it.

For other faction, it could be a good way to generate drip economy, especially if they used Aesop's Pawnshop. By mid game, Aesop's Pawnshop could generate 4 or 5 per turn clicklessly, which is pretty good!

Lets see cards that trash themselves when used, which would trigger Wasteland (in the Q2 2023 meta).

Anarchs (11 with 4 commonly used)

Neutrals (5 with 3 commonly used)

Criminals (16 with 3 commonly used)

Shapers (10 with 5 commonly used)

Sunny & Adam & Apex (5)

Some cards (11) are not intended to be trashed but have trash conditions, with 3 commonly used.

Some cards (7) can be trashed by the corp actions.

Here are cards (12) that can trash things from the board.

Of course, it also combo with Harbinger well.

While I would have prefered the art to be brighter (it is kind of difficult to distinguish those tentacles), it evoke exactly what the name, quote and effect of the card does, keeping it all in the theme of Apex. Good job!

3864

This is the counter to a lot of NBN ices, and some other ices also. If you play AI breaker, it is almost a prerequisite, to prevent you from getting a tag everytime you encounter IP Block (which is quite prevalent in the Q2 2023 meta).

For Apex, it is also a simple way to get 3 cards facedown on the board fast. In theory, you could also powerup Aesop's Pawnshop with it, but you would normally be better off with Harbinger for that. It will trigger Reaver and Wasteland, so it is beneficial.

It is important to remind yourself that this will not prevent Anansi or Mirāju abilities.

Here are the on encounter effect that can be prevented with Hunting Grounds (12 NBN, 1 HB, 2 Jinteki, 3 Weyland ices).

Those encounter effect are useless to prevent.

If you expect to encounter NBN often, this card it worth it. All for the very low cost of one influence (and 2). For Apex, you'll want it to help you power you other Apex cards, as a contingency card.

Among the Apex cards, it is the one that seems to have the least relation between the name, effect and art, but you can still see the connection, especially with the nice piece of lore coming with the card. A good design.

3864

With Hunting Grounds and Apocalypse, it is the most widely used Apex cards. At one influence, it is easy to splash in any deck that can make good use of it.

Every Apex, has 3 copies of it. It powerup everything that make Apex work. So, it is an easy decision.

Outside of Apex, it work really well with if you intend to use Heartbeat or Endless Hunger. But also, it can power up Aesop's Pawnshop. With Aesop's Pawnshop, you put Harbinger for one click and then get 3 per turn for 2 turns (clicklessly). That is some serious economy. Which is why it is often seen in decks that use Aesop's Pawnshop. Sometime, you can even power it up further with Reaver, to get credits and draw a card.

But it can power up Environmental Testing and Technical Writer and you can bring it back with Simulchip or with Reclaim. Making it quite valuable if you are going for that kind of deck.

Finally, it is good fodder for SDS Drone Deployment, Degree Mill and when you need to trash something from an ice like Fairchild 3.0.

The card, the color, the image, the baudot code, everything screams Apex and its theme. Downright fantastic!

3864

At the same time it is the worst program and the cheapest program to use for passing an ice. But it only let you pass through, any other effects (beside End the Run) from the ice, you will get.

For reasons that belong to the past, it was specified that if the text state something else than just "end the run", the console cannot break it.

Endless Hunger is very special in the sense that it is the ONLY program that is not an "AI" that can break any ices. In the Q2 2023 meta, it pairs well with Poison Vial (the replacement of e3 Feedback Implants) to also break the other subroutines.

Another trick to use with this console is Adjusted Matrix to break any ices, in exchange for clicks. Especially if coupled with Poison Vial.

Here are the ices that cannot be directly passed according to the ruling :

For Hortum, I'm not sure because it is "end the run" until you put three advancements on it.

This is why, sadly, it is not a good breaker. And if you do not use it with Adjusted Matrix, you'll probably run out of card to install to power it up, if you do not use multiaccess cards.

The art is strange is slightly evocative of the name and effect. The quote is great and evoke some lore and an amazing theme. So far, Apex cards have been the most well done of the whole lot. Good!

3864

This is the best console to prevent damage. Better yet, it prevent ANY type of damage, be it Core, Net or Meat damages.

This console usually need to be paired with Harbinger, since it need to trash cards on the board and Harbinger can be trashed twice. For Apex: Invasive Predator, this usually means that you become nearly immunized to damage, since Apex can install facedown card clicklessly.

When imported in another faction, at 3 influences, it is kind of expensive. Especially if you import also Harbinger. But can be used to use Tsakhia "Bankhar" Gantulga at nearly no cost, thus allowing to pass one ice for nearly free.

This amazing console will allow you to install cybernetics at no cost to you. So that Basilar Synthgland 2KVJ, WAKE Implant v2A-JRJ, PAN-Weave, Zenit Chip JZ-2MJ, Ghosttongue, Hippocampic Mechanocytes and Respirocytes will not cost you cards from hand, but rather cards from the board. Of note, it is more useful to use if for Core Damage Cybernetics (Basilar Synthgland 2KVJ, Zenit Chip JZ-2MJ and Ghosttongue), because those damage also reduce your hand size. For meat damage, you could just lose a random card from hand. This make Apex the best at using cybernetics, which is thematically appropriate.

Note that it would be a nonbo with Begemot, since this fracter actually need Core damages to be more powerful.

Some cards that do damage cannot be prevented, since it is part of the cost of using that card, like Light the Fire! and Finality. Also, for the same reason, you cannot use this console to prevent the net damages from Obokata Protocol.

This console is one of the reason to play Apex, especially when the meta is more about flatlining the runner than scoring out. Even if Apex is probably the weakest of the mini factions.

Everything about the art, the name and the quote speak volumes about the ability and lore of this card. That is how it should be. Well done!

3864