Faust Food v1.0

Ralphus1701 87

So everyone has been working on new Armand builds. Everyone is of the consensus that he runs with the Thieves Tools Icebreaker kit, but most have been running with Overmind as the secondary breaker. I thought to myself that maybe Faust might be a better fit with him. As he can break through most ICE without spending credits when he gets to the server, thus preserving his credits for Trashing and breaking Tags. Drive By is in the deck to help keep the Corp honest, while Armand checks HQ and RnD every turn. In order to ensure all the parts worked properly I couldn't find room to add Legwork or The Maker's Eye to the deck. But having reliable access to the servers early game should keep this deck in pace to dominate with heavy econ late game.

The issue I'm foreseeing is having too much money with nothing to do with it. Since none of the programs require credits to break ICE, you would only spend your money on trashing and playing cards, you might end up credit flooded. Vamp or another form of credit dump might need to be subbed into the deck. Card Draw cards like Diesel and Quality Time could be used to feed Faust to break larger ICE when needed, those would also be apt substitutions.

6 comments
29 Jun 2015 GammaCodeX

Does faust trigger Geist's abillity? The fact that one uses the trash symbol and the other is trashing cards from the hand could be reason for a ruling otherwise, but i genuinely havent followed the game for a while so i have no idea if that is the case

29 Jun 2015 MTUCache

I'm working on (yet another) Feist, and agree that Faust may be a better fit than Overmind. I'm also loving the Grappling Hook/e3 combo, as you'll want the e3 anyway with ICE with over 3 subs.

Not sure I'm sold on the drip econ yet, with DF/UWC and Desperado. It appeals to me to have a consistant, non-click econ that can last throughout a longer game, but at the same time it feels like this deck is built for a short game and very few, targeted runs on remotes (neither of which make a lot of sense with DF/UWC/Desperado).

With that limited number of accesses in mind, I feel like multi-access is a must. You really can't be burning multiple B&E tools to get into a central one time, hoping to pull an agenda. You've got no incentive to make the Corp work whatsoever unless you can pressure them (either long-term or deep digs), which isn't going to work with disposable breakers.

I've got a feeling B&E Geist's big downfall is going to be his influence... If you're running 3xCloneChip and 1xLARLA by default, you've got only six influence points to figure out your "backup" breakers (which, to me, is why Overmind is a better option even if it's weaker).

I'm going to start mine with a 1xCreeper, 1xZu, plus an RDI... but I'm not sold on any of this fitting together yet, and will probably change my mind entirely after a few games. :p

29 Jun 2015 Ralphus1701

@GammaCodeX Unfortunately no, it doesn't but using the other programs during the run, you could effectively power Faust or protect yourself from net/meat damage during the run, when you can not effectively draw cards normally.

@MTUCacheI feel you on the multi-access bit. I'm normally a Shaper player and haven't figured out Criminal Econ beyond Account Siphon. Having the B&E programs begs for the extra Link, and if you are going to have two Link, you might as well have Underworld Contact, and if your programs don't cost any MU, then you should be running Data Folding being the logical conclusion. This is why I was seeing a lot of Overmind in decks, but I couldn't figure out the economy behind it, so I decided to build a deck that didn't use credits to break ICE unless you use e3 Feedback Implants to get through.

A big concern of mine was Blacklist, since much of the deck will end up in the Heap, that card could effectively shut this deck down, another reason I wanted Faust in there. I wanted to be able to get to Blacklist if I'm low on cash if it's an emergency.

29 Jun 2015 MTUCache

Yep, agree entirely.

The synergy is so strong between the link/cloud/MU, etc that the Data Folding, Underworld Contacts, Overmind, etc all just spill right into each other. Programs like Crescentus and Grappling Hook play right into your draw ability, work so well with Shutdowns and Siphon/SOT denials, and then e3 makes so much sense.... you get stuck into this rabbit hole that suddenly fills up 30+ cards in your deck and you really haven't put together a complete toolkit yet.

Without in-faction recursion though, you're never going to be able to make more than a dozen or so runs in a game, no matter how much money you build up, especially against any type of glacier build that's going 3+ deep. They may start slow, but you're not going to be able to keep their econ down forever, and eventually you'll be locked out with no tools left to cycle.

I'm dying to see this guy in action now... something tells me there's a happy medium in here that will make his draw ability bonkers and not depend on him constantly recycling stuff from his heap. Otherwise, I'm going to end up reverse-engineering this build into an Exile ID. :D

Best of luck! Hope to hear big things from Geist!

17 Aug 2015 Vimes

Too much money an issue? Have you tried Drug Dealer?

17 Aug 2015 Ralphus1701

@Vimes I have tried it with anything out Old Hollywood yet. I've put Armand "Geist" Walker: Tech Lord and Faust on the back burner while I play around with The Professor: Keeper of Knowledge. Definitely a good suggestion though.