Nova is a more promising take on influence-based identities than Custom Biotics or The Professor in fun and utility. It doesn't hold up well against standard identities and probably isn't enough of a mixup of gameplay to be as fun as Ampere if you're only playing other singleton decks.

"Infinite influence but only 1 of each card" might be weaker than "15 influence but up to 3 copies", and is certainly much weaker than "15 influence and an actual identity ability."

Secondarily, the inability to run multiple copies of key low-influence cards could make some major matchups really hard to play. Think Pinhole Threading... playing against a Keeling or Drago deck with one Pinhole Threading and no identity ability feels misbalanced. Theoretically a Nova could try using lesser tools (e.g. Inside Job or Boomerang), but so can everyone else, and they get more identity value to make lesser tools work.

Some differences between Ampere and Nova:

• Nova might generate value from being able to pull out unexpected run events, but this probably isn't as intimidating as the Ampere chaos screen.
• Runners have many more options for card draw and reducing variability.
• Your breaker suite will probably not be much better than runners already on a Bukhgalter and Paperclip, whereas Ampere's ice/upgrades are (somewhat) better and (vastly) different than most corps have access to. Nova's ability to run generically good events is more exciting than Ampere operations.

You're likely losing access to extra copies of Pinhole Threading and Dirty Laundry and Overclock but gaining a lot of cards which are generically efficient.

Events: Diversion of Funds, Chatushka, Emergent Creativity. I think Maker's Eye, Divide and Conquer, and Legwork can situationally be efficient. I'm partial to rarely used value cards like Emergency Shutdown, Mining Accident, Insight, Exploit, Khusyuk, White Hat, and Black Hat. You'll probably also be running a bunch of generic economy events, including some stuff you wouldn't need to (or want to) play in standard identities.

Non-console hardware: Hippo, Time Bomb, and Docklands Pass are really efficient and broadly useful. Depending on your setup, I'd also look at Boomerang, Zenit Chip, Simulchip, DZMZ Optimizer, Gebreselassie, and Dedicated Processor.

Resources: Logic Bomb and Find the Truth have a lot of upside. I like Trickster Taka and secondarily Paladin Poemu. Situationally, Neutralize All Threats, Safety First, maybe Beth Kilrain-Chang.

Non-breaker programs: Cezve, K2CP Turbine, Consume, Fermenter, and Tapwrm are broadly efficient uses of an MU. More situationally, I think Equivocation, World Tree, Conduit, Botulus, Stargate and Multithreader could be really good. If you're not on a lot of viruses and have spare MU, Tranquilizer's value over time is decent.

I think Nova's biggest issue is not getting printed with at least a minor ability. For example "After drawing your opening hand, pick two cards from your deck. The corp removes one from the game. Draw the other"). It's a little bit of flavor, a little bit of strategic thought, and a mystery box out of the gate. Watch corps have a coronary as they struggle to game out what you could have possibly drawn that make Basilar and Push Your Luck* a top priority.

*Push Your Luck isn't in Standard, but it is in Nova Standard, a pocket dimension which contains everything you need to shock and stun opponents and tournament judges alike. Also included, vampire overalls with collars higher than eye-level, we hear that's in this year.

This is my favorite runner now. The potential for jank is through the roof with this identity. And since it will be legal for competition, it will be fun to see what list some creative players will bring to the table. Because of its "ability", it will not be possible for a corp to know what to expect from the runner here.

Althought there will be a high variance, to be able to put influence expensive cards together will matter.

Having cards like Endurance along side a single Hippo will have an impact. Cards like Diversion of Funds and Time Bomb will be just as possible encountered. Apocalypse along with Deep Dive is just as possible. Engolo along Begemot is just as likely.

With more experiement, there will be some mix of card that will be better than others. But it will ALWAYS be fun and creative.

The art is incredible and the quote gives inspiration for the lore and the action related to this runner identity. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G-!