Pokey Things Hurt

This is one of the most fun, and probably my favorite, of the decks that I've made. It takes PE down a slightly different path towards the goal of flatlining the runner. You use the various cards in the deck to boost Prana Condenser throughout the game to get it to have more counters than the runner will have at the end of their turn. Here's how you do it!

Key cards used

Prana Condenser - Before you use this card, you should understand that you can only prevent one damage per source of net damage. This card functions as the kill piece, so it doesn't function as much else through the course of the game...with its damage potential. The bigger part of this card is that when you prevent the net damage, you gain 3 credits. THREE! And since you add a counter to the net damage later, you're essentially getting paid 3 credits to do a net damage at a later point in the game. This is absolutely huge when the runner is going down a server you can't immediately afford to rez ice in. Say you have 5 credits, and the runner approaches Anansi. Fire a House Of Knives and prevent it, now you have the net damage on Prana AND you can now rez Anansi. If you rez ice that they can't break that's even more counters.

Snare! and Urtica Cipher - These can be seasoned to taste, but I like them at 3 and 2, mostly because they are more likely to be accessed from HQ or R&D. Urtica Cipher can be used as an agenda bluff, and runners are put in a very difficult place if they run it. It also works great when paired with a Sting! on the board :D

Preemptive Action - To get those traps and upgrades back!

Georgia Emelyov - This card is a sleeping giant in the deck. Once you install one it's darn near impossible for the runner to get rid of her, unless they run Political Operative. She deals that net damage whenever you end a run, which is the point of this whole deck. She should be firing quite a few times, because of all the end the run options (Data Loop, Border Control, Bio Vault, Nisei MK II). It can be used if the runner carefully calculates when they run and aren’t expecting it. Prepare for runner displeasure.

Bio Vault, Border Control, Nisei MK II - These all work with Georgia, and generally keep the runner out of places you want kept safe.

Data Loop - Special note, this makes them put 2 cards back to the stack. Bypass effects and Hunting Grounds can neuter it, but you have multiples in the deck. Stack 'em for more fun!

Mganga - Looks weird at first, but if you include it with your server of pain it can do a real number. If you manage the two net damage, you can apply it as needed to keep the runner out. Very few outs will exist for it.

Konjin - Throw the runner at another Data Loop or Anansi!

House Of Knives - One ping triggers 3 credits with Prana Condenser, so if the runner makes multiple runs you can get up to 9 credits from one House Of Knives, and 3 counters of Prana. You may need to sew deeper pockets for your credits.

Sting! - This can trigger Prana twice, once for the agenda and once for the ID ability. You can also just throw them out on the board whenever and let the runner steal them. It can make you scoring one later even more painful. If you get one or two scored first, the runner, in the words of the universally loved Jar Jar Binks, is gettin' very VERY scared!

Changes

You can swap out the ice to suit your preference, but I would highly suggest leaving the Data Loop, Mganga, and Border Control.

Longevity Serum gives some recursion, but if you prefer a different flavor of agenda you could throw another 2 pointer in there.

You could also take out Preemptive Action and include something else, should you believe that they aren't necessary. I like to include them because it allows me to be more aggressive with installing on the board, which can cause the runner to overextend beyond a safe hand size when running.

Starting Hand

Money, a Sting!, and ice that is hopefully not one of the end-the-run options. If you start with a Prana, consider keeping that hand as well to ensure a head start on the race to the flatline.

Happy hunting!!