Reports of my death (7th @ APAC)

they were greatly exaggerated.

Why NBN?

It is undeniable that NBN has fallen significantly due to the last ban list, Bellona was an absolute linchpin of the faction and its presence is strongly felt. However, that very banlist was not without boons to tag fans. It brought us also the ban of the great NBN enemy. This was, in aggregate still a blow, but one that is less disastrous than it may first appear, such that if the right environment presents itself, assets can very much still clean up against an unprepared field.

(replays at the end as usual)

Caveat Emptor

Let any reader of this deck beware that it is not fully optimized. This deck I last minute switched to it a couple of days before APAC submissions. It did well enough in internal tests that I was confident enough to bring it, but there are some aspects of deck that are questionable. The ice for one, is in shambles, 1x of vsa, Starlit and Tsar is definitely not right. Only 2x Federal is criminal, my usual benchmark for filtering assets is 4x, usually 2 Federal 2 DBS, but space is really hard to find. Specially as this deck looses the element of surprise it will probably be necessary to sort these issues out.

Infinite Credits is as scary as infinite Imp

Our nemesis may be gone, but its place has been taken by Ashen Hoshiko, which is almost as big of a threat. TAIBreakers have internally tried a whole lot of NBN asset decks out of R+ and all them unfailingly lost to Hoshiko because she can just make enough money to trash every asset that deck could ever draw. Because of this force, it was necessary to abandon the nice and consistent economy of R+ for a way to add more and more assets for the runner to deal with.

Similarly, the synergy package of Working Prototype was chosen to give Hoshiko decks as little time to breathe as possible. If they must always check the board or risk their resources going up in flames, they keep drip loosing credits and the economic pressure will get to them eventually.

Now, even with those optimizations to pressure hosh, Miss Bones is still an issue, specially if decks are running 2 and draw them early. I made a call that the trend would be for people to shave bones due to the HB threat and was mostly right for the opponents I faced. But if this trend reverses in future, expect more difficulties.

Loss of Bellona, what does it mean?

The most obvious consequence is that we must play Degree Mill, which is a downgrade in two ways.

Firstly, in endgame scenarios, Degree Mill mill is much easier to steal if it will win you the game, so you will get scammed out of games you are ahead in sometimes. This is an unavoidable thing, you can play slightly faster than you would old versions, but even that wont eliminate this downside.

Second, and in more consequential fashion, scoring Degree Mill gets you..

Not wanting to score your 5/3 unless it wins you the game has a bunch of different knock on effects on the deck. Firstly, The Holo Man is out, its most powerful effect was the scoring of Bellona, with that gone, its job is infinitely better done by Lady Liberty and SanSan City Grid.

From this, our preferred scoring pattern is an Ares and 3 Beale, which is really hard to stop without good steals. But we do have enough ways to cheat the Degree Mill into the score area that we aren't completely cooked if 2 Beales get stolen.

Closing Thoughts and Thanks

We are not even at the end of it and it has already been a super crazy Continental Season for me. None of it would have been possible without the incredible support of my fellow TAI Breakers, specially the King, whose expertise absolutely carried the deckbuilding process of this (The influence spread and insistence on Tiered Subscription and SanSan City Grid as the things to pursue post ban are all his idea and the rest is a stock from last meta)

Replays

Round 2 vs Hoshiko

Round 3 vs Hoshiko

Round 6 vs Lat (this was also on stream)

Round 7 vs WT Ari

Top Cut Round 3 vs 419

Top Cut Round 4 vs WT Ari