Echo Chamber Valencia

In Netrunner, as in life, there’s nothing new under the sun. Valencia Blackmail recursion decks definitely had their moment to shine, but people quickly learned that no matter how much recursion the Valencia player has, you can run them out of it, and that there are cards (specifically Elizabeth Mills, Executive Boot Camp, and Accelerated Beta Test) which can make Valencia a sad girl.

However, when I saw the spoiler for DDoS, I thought to myself “Oh, this card can’t be real. Inside Job every server for the entire turn, and you can pre-load it so it doesn’t even cost you a click on the turn you use it? Surely that can’t be real”. But it is real, they printed it, and when you combine it with the previously Folder Fodder card False Echo, it can do really, really disgusting things.

HOW TO PLAY THIS DECK:

Mulligan into some kind of Resource based econ and start building up credits while installing Same Old Things, Clone Chips, Imps, and the like. Make sure you draw at least 2 cards per turn – you have a big deck, and you want to hit your key cards ASAP.

If the Corp should arrogantly decide that they are going to install agendas in remotes, be sure to point out to them that Blackmail is a good card which means they shouldn’t do that. Install Plascretes and Film Critic when you find it because nothing loses you the game harder than being dead. You don’t need your money for breakers, so why not spend it on protecting yourself instead?

Find yourself a DDoS, a False Echo, and some Clone Chips. Install a couple of Mediums or a Keyhole. Play an Amped Up, or two, pop your DDoS, and run at their unrezzed R&D ICE. Fly past the first piece of ICE they can’t rez, trash False Echo to bounce it into their hand (because they can’t choose to rez it because of DDoS). The next piece of ICE is now the outermost, and DDoS says it can’t be rezzed. Clone Chip back a False Echo and bounce that if necessary. Repeat until they have 1 unrezzed ICE on R&D. Keyhole or Medium it as many times as you have clicks or you need to in order to win. If that doesn’t win you the game, use Déjà Vu, Same Old Thing, and Clone Chips to set up and do it again. Repeat until victorious.

CARD CHOICES AND MATCHUPS:

Seriously, install your Plascretes. Not having to worry about economic advantage against deck that wants to make you go boom is well worth it. When you take 5 points out of R&D on a sequence of Medium digs, Punitive can make you a sad panda.

If you think your opponent has a bunch of Snares, go for Keyhole over the Mediums.

There are 3 ‘traditional’ ICEbreakers in this list because I am a coward. Another approach is to drop those for an Eater, a Mimic and an Earthrise Hotel (which was the original list before I wussed out on the day) and switch to Eater/Keyhole if they manage to get ICE rezzed on R&D.

Blacklist is a bummer. If you suspect or see Blacklists, make sure to hang on to a Blackmail so you can get in and give it the business on the turn where you want to go digging. See also: Executive Boot Camp.

Nerve Agent is there in case you do get locked out of R&D so you can at least check their entire hand with your DDoS shenanigans.

If you decide to go the non-traditional ICEbreaker route, you can drop the Film Critic and have enough INF for a Levy (I don’t think you need it, if you really feel this deck needs more recursion, Trope is fine) or a Gang Sign if you are feeling particularly saucy.