Penrose

Penrose 3[credit]

Program: Icebreaker - Decoder - Fracter
Memory: 1 • Strength: 2
Influence: 2

Interface → 1[credit]: Break 1 barrier subroutine. Use this ability only if this program was installed this turn.

Interface → 1[credit]: Break 1 code gate subroutine.

1[credit]: +3 strength. Use this ability only by spending a credit from a stealth card.

Look at the problem from a different angle.
Illustrated by Kevin Tame
Decklists with this card

Uprising (ur)

#89 • English
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Printings
Uprising
Rulings
  • Updated 2020-03-10

    After the turn when Penrose is installed ends, does Wraparound get +7 strength?

    No. Penrose always has the fracter subtype, even after it loses its ability to break barrier subroutines.

Reviews

Flavor review!

Roger Penrose (born 1931), alongside Leonhard Euler and Carl Gauss are the suite of mathematician breakers in the Ashes cycle, which each have a bonus on the turn you install the program. Among Penrose's large body of work, the one that is displayed here most prominently in the art for the card is the Penrose Triangle - which he worked with his father on - what is known as an "impossible object", a type of optical illusion.

But...

Scott Penrose (born 1969), alongside Harry Houdini, Dai Vernon, Isaac Fawkes, and Harry Blackstone Jr are all magician breakers, which each use stealth credits to boost and break. Penrose is a former president of The Magic Circle, and has worked on a number of films and shows, and even appeared on QI to give Stephen Fry his membership to The Magic Circle.

What a cool intersection of two cycles, in both mechanics and flavour!

(Parhelion era)
513

Penrose is a stealth breaker quite comparable to Refractor if we ignore its ability and increased cost. In fact, it is the exact same, so we can consider we are paying an extra 2 credits for its ability. This is actually pretty decent. The ability to only need 2 breakers to get through a server and surprise the corp is very significant. In fact, we can see this similarity between using Kit to add the codegate subtype to a barrier, and getting through that way. The benefit here is that this breaker does it more than once on the same turn, and it's limitation can be mitigated as its ability can be refreshed for the other turns you need it via cards like Simulchip, Scavenge, and Rejig. Pairing this with a sentry breaker & a Cloak or the new Mantle would mean you could Stimhack the corps server with an SMC as Smoke and threaten any server, given you have enough stealth credits. This certainly does provide a solution to the common problem stealth faces, with some considerable set up required. And, after the ability on Penrose expires, you could just wait till you find your real barrier, or refresh Penrose if necessary. This card's versatility should not be underestimated, and might be common in stealth decks.

(Uprising Booster Pack era)