Design-wise, the first sub is a great way to let Jinteki safely draw cards mid-run. Draw 1 card. You may add 1 card from HQ to the top of R&D. is a strictly-better Look at the top card of R&D. You may draw 1 card.. In non-Jinteki Corp, it could be Look at the card of R&D. You may draw 1 card..

• If you don't want the card you drew (like an agenda into an unprotected HQ), then you just “undraw” it right back.
• But you can also poison R&D mid-run (like with a Snare!), harden R&D with an untrashable card (ICE/Operation), tuck an agenda to be milled or shuffled away (like by Spin Doctor), and so on.
• CF. Flower Sermon.

In gameplay, it's “relevant but resolvable”, interesting for both players.

As the Corp:

• Protecting R&D, you can (before the breach) tuck a non-agenda.
• Protecting HQ, you can (before the breach) tuck away an agenda.

As the Runner:

• Even with a Killer, Phoenix can let it fire to Sabotage 1 (as well as save a credit or two).
• With Revolver, you can let it fire to “save a bullet”; and thus, break it a third time (not just twice).
• With Botulus, you can let it fire to “save a biofilm”; and thus, break it once every two turns (not just every three).

Still, the facecheck is mostly Do 3 net damage. Give the Runner 1 tag. (AKA. the Empiricist “Snare!’s” you.)

• NSG is printing more Jinteki ICE with incidental single-tagging (like Phoneutria, also an AP - Observer), which works with punishment like Mindscaping, and which adds another, non-flatlining effect to its taxing ICE (adding to credit-zapping).
• With its 5s/3↳ stats, the damage, and the deck-manipulation, it feels like a much “milder Anansi”.
• BTW, it's templated as ↳ Do 1 net damage. Give the Runner 1 tag. and ↳ Do 2 net damage., not ↳ Give the Runner 1 tag. and ↳ Do 3 net damage.. This double-triggers AU Co. or a Prāna Condenser (and is relevant for direct-subroutine-resolution like Mycoweb).

Flavor-wise, an Empiricist (🥼🧪) works under research and development, keeping whatever passes the experiment in headquarters, letting go of whatever in headquarters couldn't be replicated.