Encrypted Portals

If, like me, you have been waiting two years to try and re-make the "Nasty Code Gate Deck" from ONR, this is one of the final pieces of the puzzle you've been waiting for. The ANR reprise of Encryption Breakthrough, this Agenda is a 3/1 instead of a 5/2, which ironically feels harder to squeeze into a deck.

Pros:

• Provides a soft economic boost when scored, possibly replenishing some of the credits spent protecting it.

• Boosts some Code Gates (Inazuma, Hudson 1.0, Sensei, Shiro, Tollbooth and Viktor 2.0) out of a single pump range on Refractor, pressuring stealth credits.

• Boosts Viktor 1.0 (and Marker) out of native Yog.0 range.

• As a 3-advance to score, you can play Never Advance games with it, or fast advance with I/A/Trick of Light.

Cons:

• Boosts Lotus Field up into D4v1d range, considerably weakening this Ice vs. Anarch (along with Chum, Bullfrog, Hourglass, Minelayer, RSVP, Viper and Wendigo).

• As a 3/1 it can deform your Agenda scheme if you try to base a deck around it.

• If you're basing a deck around this, you may need to spend a Fast Track to ensure getting it at the right time, and this creates difficulty in scoring in a single turn. Rezzing a SanSan CG will probably eat more than you can profit from scoring this.

Combos:

• Lots of Code Gates, maximising benefit and return.

• Lag Time: if you're making pay-to-pump costly, perhaps go all out?

• Any defensive upgrades that protect Agenda from being stolen (Caprice Nisei/Ash 2X3ZB9CY, RSVP/Red Herrings, etc.)

• Wendigo can become a Trick of Light source, advanced once to defend as a Barrier, then advanced a second time before ToL'ing across to EP, reverting it to a Code Gate for the payout.

Enhanced Login Protocol

Pure click compression against decks that run few run events. Less great against Ken "Express" Tenma, and Criminal in general but it may be the new hotness for Jinteki Replicating Perfection.

Pros:

• It's a current, so the effect sticks around and is hard to remove.

• 2 to initiate a run means less prep time, and less clicks available to exploit the (in faction) Bioroid Ice's primary weakness.

Cons:

• It can be played around (digging for Dirty Laundry, The Maker's Eye, Legwork, Siphon, etc.) but this buys time anyway.

• Despite its persistent nature, it is not installed, therefore no Interns retrieval.

• Weaker against decks that tend to run only once per turn (e.g. Kit, Reina Roja).

• Like all currents, "random" lucky digs can blow your investment, so you tend to try to defend centrals harder.

• The effect is telegraphed in the Corp's turn unlike, say, a surprise rez of Ruhr Valley or Off the Grid.

Combos:

• Jinteki RP; a little bit of influence tweaking is required but directly replaces Encryption Protocol in that variant.

• Bioroid Ice all get stronger with less clicks available to the Runner.

• Anti-synergy with Heinlein Grid; without spare clicks to spend/lose, this region likely won't fire under ELP.

• Strongbox: if the Runner doesn't see this coming, and plays [click]:draw, [click]:gain credits, [click, click]: run the scoring remote, then they haven't got a [click] to spend to steal an Agenda.

• Ruhr Valley, rezzed after the Runner's second [click], this requires 3[clicks] to initiate a run on the scoring remote and provides a one turn soft lock.

• False Lead: with ELP down, forfeiting False Lead to make the Runner lose clicks 2 & 3, this also provides a one turn soft lock against any runs (not involving run events)

Overmind

Overmind is an interesting card, a limited lifespan icebreaker with a set number of power counters on install, and obviously designed for a very sparse rig. Overmind is reliant on having at least 2 or more MU free before you install, remembering that it takes up 1MU after being installed, and then gets the power counters.

Pros:

• AI, so it can break anything.

• Influence free AI breaker is eminently splashable.

Cons:

• Strength 0, pumping for 1/+1 makes big ice costly to break.

• Needs to have plenty of spare MU to make installing it worthwhile.

• Takes up 1MU itself, so installing into the last free MU slot gives no power counters.

• AI breaker cannot be hosted on Dinosaurus.

Combos:

• Deep Red's 3MU dedicated to Caissa still count as unused memory for adding power counters if no Caissa are installed.

• e3 Feedback Implants saves you power counters.

• Scavenge to trash & install Overmind, replenishing power counters for free.

• Cloud breakers (Creeper & ZU.13) take up no MU if link is 2+.

• Trashable breakers (Deus X, Faerie, etc.) clear MU space for Overmind (re-)installs.

Shiro

Filtering the top of R&D is potent, and if Kitsune is any good, Shiro also has potential... Any time a piece of ice comes in at four influence it has to be worth checking out.

Pros:

• High strength to rez cost ratio, though not as good as some Jinteki code gates. Two subroutines, as well.

• You can run the "filter" from any server, so while R&D might seem obvious for the install, Shiro can do good wrk on HQ or Archives as well.

• Unbroken, the first subroutine gives you information about the cards coming in the next turn or two, allowing you to plan ahead, or shape future turns.

Cons:

• No end the run, but what Jinteki ice does?

• If your R&D is going to flood Agenda, this doesn't prevent access.

• Gives away information to the Runner unless you spend to avoid it.

Combos:

• Just like Architect you can set up a big piece of ice for Mutate. Just remember taht you have a mandatory draw first.

• Ambush cards that work from R&D: Snare!, Shock!, Shi.Kyu, Space Camp are great. Those that need to be installed to fire: Project Junebug (and sim.), Psychic Field, etc. will fail. • If installed over R&D and you show the Runner a non-porous card (Ice, Operation) then they know the rest of the run is useless unless they have multi-access.

• Red Herrings rezzed in R&D will work if you have to flash an Agenda at them - spend the 1 rezzing the Upgrade instead!

Singularity

Like blowing everything up? If the Corp has lots of eggs in the one basket, this is the go.

Pros:

• You don't access the card(s) being detonated, so you don't fear Ambushes.

• Great for taking out an entire server's installation against decks that like to stack multiple Upgrades (Caprice/Ash, anyone?)

• Can trash Agenda as well as defensive Upgrades, making you immune to Punitive Counterstrike (and avoiding NAPD Contract's tax until you can afford it, Jackson willing).

Cons:

• Double, and cost 4 credits, so you do not want this run to fail.

• Remotes only, so this cannot remove a ton of Upgrades from HQ, R&D or Archives.

• "in" the server, so ice protecting the server stays.

• the run still has to be successful, so if Caprice fires, it's a very costly non-event.

Combos:

• Somewhat anti-combos with Queen's Gambit - gain 6 for 2 clicks, spend 4 for 3 & 4 to run and blow up the free advancement tokens (and everything else in the server).

• Nobody runs Starlight Crusade Foundation, right? ;-)