Cheap and annoying neutral ice. If will force the runner to install a sentry breaker (killer). Any sentry breaker will break it for 2, except Bukhgalter, for which it will be free.
Does it mean this ice is useless? No. But it means that you will probably not want to install a second, once the killer is on the board, unless you want to bluff a stronger ice.
Of note, shaper who use Ika will find this ice the most annoying. Also, it is recommended to just not install it against Tāo Salonga: Telepresence Magician, because it would then be placed where it defend the least.
Because it is cheap, it is a good outer ice, letting you be protected from Hippo. Unrezzed, it could potentially attract a Botulus or Boomerang. In which case, just never rez it and trash it, trashing the runner card with it.
While the ice will not protect your server, it will tax the runner for a marginal cost for you. Fair trade.
The quote, art and effect are are totally in line with one another. Good design.
@Spaulding: Rime is usually better for that purpose; it's Startup-legal, costs 0, and is mythic, meaning that you can't get rid of it to reach the ICE inside even using two Hippos. It also costs more to break if the Runner is using Bukhgalter. Tithe is better against other <b>killer</b>s, though.
— callforjudgementIn an Anarch meta where MK Ultra is the Killer of choice this card is value town as it's 1 to rez, 3 to break. Also, against Bukhgalter you can stack this cheaply with other sentries to mitigate the 2 credit refund.
— Rahrhino
In Startup, you also can put these on the outside to defend against the ubiquitous Inside Job, (especially effective in Jinteki and HB, where there is no 1 cost ice), as well as Rielle "Kit" Peddler: Transhuman.
— Spaulding