Fuji function 1.5 [2nd Australia East Nats]

The less exciting companion write up to my Gas gas gas! write up. Shout out to Diogene for the original list and wowarlok for the suggested changes that both Diogene and myself would end up using.

I wasn't originally planning on running the PE shell game for AusEastNats. After trying a few decks I had Santa's workshop as my meta backup list if I couldn't find something more original and/or fun to play. Eventually I settled on AnOddRadish's London's Bridge A Teia list which ran a fun filled Keeling-Prana Condenser fork that I really enjoyed piloting after spending a few weeks tweaking the list to my liking. Then, a little less than two weeks out from Nats we got the ban list came out and nuked the list from existence.

And just like that I was tilted af. I tried to dive back into finding a new list, but after struggling to learn the unique playstyle of London's Bridge I had little motivation to try something really different. So I looked for other kill decks. And after poking around punitive decks and tag and bag lists I ended up settling on this tried and tested classic archetype after watching it be played on stream with metropole grid. It had more lines to kill than I expected from what seemed like a one trick pony. And after grinding it aggressively for a week I was feeling confident that I had a good grasp on this one.

Then Diogene went 0-3 in NZNats with it.

But so close to the big day I wasn't about to course correct again and resigned myself to crashing out. Then a miracle happened, people started dropping like flies before the anxiety inducing forks of Cerebral Overwriter/Urtica Cipher and Clearinghouse and other Mitosis chicanery.

As has always been the case with the PE shell game. It preys on fast and loose runners that can't or won't play it safe but tends to crumble under the relentless scrutiny of seasoned runners that won't risk it. Stargate is also the skeleton key to this deck, opening RND and magically plucking agendas and avoiding traps. And with Anarch being the go to faction, it is not unreasonable to expect it. I just got lucky in most of my games.

With regards to sting vs blood in the water. In practice I never considered the later as it was 50-50 that I got a sting score at some point for the damage. But irl not even once did I manage it. So if you're comfortable with the increase of agenda density, I think being able extend the value from 4 damage from like 1 reaper and 1 double advanced Clearinghouse into a kill a bitw or two and a maybe a neurospike would be better and more inline with the decks kill lines. If I decide to run it again I'll definitely play test this to see if it's worth the risk.

Stand out moment was trick of the light mitosis counters from one card onto the other making a 6 net damage Urtica Cipher making a must check clearinghouse fork. Unfortunately the to be Champion drew up and checked it and lived. Talk about edge of my seat. Honestly a very fun list to play in person, making for some great banter and game states. Really got the blood pumping at times to be sure. Would not recommend to people with heart problems. It also got me best Jinteki and my first pin. :)

RIP Keeling my beloved, you died for AgInfusion's sins.