HBFA - Platinum Edition

Nordrunner 4158

I am excited to show everyone this deck. I can count on 1/2 of a hand how many games I have lost with this deck (@spags grrrrr).

I believe this is HBFA at it's finest. All ETR ICE, plenty of program trashing, taxing ICE (NEXT adds up!!!), lots of draw, money, and recursion. Total recipe for winning.

In the past, "HBFA" was more like "HBS(low)A". Having to always wait for Adonis and/or Eve to trickle away until a scoring server was usable. With cards like Blue Level and Green Level, you can make money while you seek out the cards you need. You are able to shorten the game quite a bit if you can make money while you draw cards. Score behind ETR barriers and code gates and once they get their breaker, kill it with Archer and/or Roto. Using Domestic Sleepers for Archer is optimal, but even saccing a 2 pointer if often worth it if it opens a major scoring window. Fast track will help you leverage these scoring windows and archived memories is there for biotics, SanSan, Fast Tracks, or anything else you may need.

It is a fabulous deck if you play it fast and aggressive. Enjoy!

23 comments
11 Jul 2014 spags

Yeah, this really puts the FA back into HBFA. I always called the old version HBSA, though it scored from hand (hence, the FA part), it was anything but fast. That's why I ran the 1 Troubleshooter at Worlds. This build could almost get away with it, as well. (maybe for a Fast Track)

I love that they need to steal 4 Agendas, but you only need to score 3 and a DS. GREAT card.

11 Jul 2014 spags

Also, liking AM over Reclamation? Just a bit faster? RO for your money cards seems hot. Another thought would be dropping a SanSan for a third Howard, and another Archer, an Inazuma, or a Tollbooth.

LOVE the build. One of my faves.

11 Jul 2014 Nordrunner

Funny you mention all of those variations, as I have played with all of the suggestions at one point in time or another. I think they are all great ideas that give you different kinds of advantages. As far as AM or RO. I find I am also never recursing econ unless it's with Jackson. Archived memories are almost always for the power cards like SanSan, Fast Track, Biotic Labor, or perhaps an agenda. Much easier to make power combo plays as well, like if I have 2 biotics and a bunch of money. I can play 2 Biotic, AM for an agenda and then score it. My opinion is that I find RO's 2 clicks a little cumbersome, and often times I don't even want more than 1 of a card anyway.

11 Jul 2014 Nordrunner

Funny you mention all of those variations, as I have played with all of the suggestions at one point in time or another. I think they are all great ideas that give you different kinds of advantages. As far as AM or RO. I find I am also never recursing econ unless it's with Jackson. Archived memories are almost always for the power cards like SanSan, Fast Track, Biotic Labor, or perhaps an agenda. Much easier to make power combo plays as well, like if I have 2 biotics and a bunch of money. I can play 2 Biotic, AM for an agenda and then score it. My opinion is that I find RO's 2 clicks a little cumbersome, and often times I don't even want more than 1 of a card anyway.

11 Jul 2014 Nordrunner

Sorry, IDK why that duped.

12 Jul 2014 rahmal

this guy always repeats...because its that important! ;-)

14 Jul 2014 xper

Hey Nord, just wanted to give a shout out to you and your builds. RedCoats got me going in Netrunner after I had been struggling, and I recently been getting into FA. And now you post this HBFA! Mad props, gonna try it out and see how she flies. Keep up the good work! Oh, and will we be seeing this deck on your youtube channel anytime soon?

14 Jul 2014 skaterforsale

AM is definitely the right call here, often times you only need one piece at a time to score next turn whether that's getting back SanSan or BL (in my version it's also shipment) which leaves you two other clicks to money up and/or protect which RO would not allow. For this same reason, Green Level is the better choice as well over Blue.

14 Jul 2014 Nordrunner

@xper Thanks man, it's always tempting to keep these decks all to myself, but comments like yours are why I post. Good chance I will be playing this in some of my youtube games, especially if they are competitive games.

@skaterforsale Shipment is cool also, has some synergy, especially if you are playing efficiency committee. I don't think it's clear cut between Green and Blue Level Clearance. They are both awesome in a deck that is highlighting speed, which this deck definitely is.

14 Jul 2014 xper

@skaterforsale yeah I agree with nord on blue level, it's an incredibly efficient card. You get to draw more and get more credits than the saved click with green level would give you. If you're not in a scoring window, card draw and credits is what you want, plus the third click for installing or whatever you might need. And since you mention shipment, wouldn't that be the perfect turn, you blue level and then shipment? ;)

23 Jul 2014 stoppableforce

I think I'm going to have to give this a shot. Watching your one demo video for it on your Youtube channel reminded me of how I used to play HBFA - I always did it rush style, hyper-aggressive.

24 Jul 2014 skaterforsale

@xper I was pretty much assessing my judgement of Blue Level based on how it works with HBFA without upstalk cards. This version which is fully immersed in new cards seems to work wonderfully which is more than the Efficiency Committee/Shipment version which often relies on scoring EF early to stride through the rest of the game. Domestic Sleepers really is a fantastic addition to this archetype in HB which is a welcomed sight amongst a sea of glacier style decks.

28 Jul 2014 wiley15

Thanks for posting the deck nord, gave me some ideas about direction to take my HB:FA . Would you happen to have a game-play video? Specifically, I'm wondering what is done with the 2/4 agendas? Do you attempt to advance behind some etr ice (sorta of mixing the FA with quick advance) ? Does it matter if it's early or later in game for decision? Usually, I'm comfortable doing that with stronger ice (or Ash or something) or, maybe, in more traditional HB decks where can bluff an adonis/eve. Just wonder if you go the advance-behind-ice or try san/biotic + biotic on them.

2 Aug 2014 evilgaz

Great deck - my only concern is that your ice looks super-susceptible to Parasite recursion. Have you played against an aggressive deck of this type?

27 Aug 2014 Masterkira

yes i think parasite recursion it's a problem...i lost with this deck only against noise parasite/sucker recursion...

6 Feb 2015 Fl3xbyts

Hi @Nordrunner. Just curious, do you think this deck is still playable presently. I like playing rush decks and have just started playing the game a few weeks ago. Not sure what a viable rush deck today could be, if it's even a viable strategy.

Can you please give some feedback regarding rush decks in the current meta? Thanks!

6 Feb 2015 Nordrunner

@Fl3xbyts This deck is playable although I wouldn't play it as is. I'd go a different route with ICE and agendas for todays game. I think I'd also want to cram a couple Daily Business Show for more speed. After playing this awhile, the ICE to agenda density is not the best. To easy to lose in R&D. Cards I'd consider on rebuilding - Eli, Architect, Daily Business Show, at least 17 ICE, no Domestic, no Archer...

6 Feb 2015 sruman

I played it at store championships a week or so ago and went 3-3 . No domestic sleepers or archers, just NeXT and taxing bio-roids + viper. Went with adonis' as well for extra cash as usually was creating a san-san protection/taxing server anyway. Parasites definitely hurt but that's always true (it'll get worse with cutlery). DBS definitely a good include, better if you can protect it otherwise just trash-tax at worst. 3rd jackson probabyl worth it too. Post-O&C probably have to think about some of -- crisium grid, wrap-around, or swordsman -- I'd say since this deck is fast but not fast enough to consistently outraise the eater/keyhole / siphon crowd. Might be able to tax them to a win, but iffy I'd say. Just splashing 2 cards can be a help (especially if DBS there to find them). Tried out NEH FA for the first time at next store championships ( several in Toronto) and went 7-1 but ... really my heart's still with HB. At the very least you don't have to watch criminals running around security testing everywhere or (now everyone) dropping their imps and destroying stuff for cheap.

The shell is still definitely competitive, Jesse Marshall was 12th at worlds in November with an HB:FA deck I believe (different, smaller ice I think).

6 Feb 2015 Fl3xbyts

@sruman I'm in Toronto as well!

I'd be curious to see your NEH FA deck. My heart is moreso in with NBN, but I don't know how it can compete with its weak ICE against all the Keyhole+Eater decks.

7 Feb 2015 sruman

The weak-ice is a big problem, but going maximum wrap-around can help ( or splash a swordsman but it's such crappy ice otherwise) slow things down. Trying to work out a version of Hobo NEH:FA that can score from very low money ( shipment from san-sans, etc. ) if it has too. It's that or go Weyland Blue Sun like I think many people will. HB:FA might have the taxing ability to do it though ( with bio-roids over NeXT I'd say).

8 Feb 2015 sruman

Well tried to put my money where mouth is and played an HB:FA at store championships today. It went 4-2 on the day and I ended up 2nd place (for the 2nd time in 2 weeks ... 2-2-2 :). Deck link posted below with write-up if you're curious.

netrunnerdb.com

9 Feb 2015 Fl3xbyts

Thanks for keeping this conversation going @sruman. I'll check out your deck list.

10 Feb 2015 sruman

No problem, HB has always been my favourite faction. You might also want to check out the BGG Android Netrunner forum as there was a tournament report there today about a 1st place HB:FA deck finish over the weekend.