Creditz CTM 18@ Worlds (TheArete's Reality +)

As Worlds 2022 approached, I, like virtually everyone else I was testing with - was not just unsure what to play for corp, but palpably discouraged venturing on desperate, as we entered the Endurance dominated field. Since ice was no good... there were not many options available to fend of boated (if you can forgive the expression) runners. Sports seemed vulnerable to clot (and as it turned out, was very weak to freedom), and asset spam was out of the question with Apocalypse out in strength. I myself had no idea what to play, my best bet felt like PD with Activation Command, but I didn't feel particularly good about that selection as it seemed liked a known quantity.

In times of need - I can always count on TheArete to deliver something out of left field. Just for some background, I have been facing off with TheArete (Andre Nilson) since 2015 when Fastro was still a thing. 100s of games on JNET, (most of which I lost) broiled this face-off into a genuine rivalry. But when he finished top 16 in 2016, I realized I was not just dealing with just another troll on jnet, but an intelligent player who I might have something to learn from despite my reservations about conceding anything to his characteristically trash tactics!

When he gave me this list prior to the event, I was utterly unconvinced. Runners were rich, and more than happy to pay to clear tags. Stargate lock promised certain doom. I lambasted the deck for its flaws and high variance on the Friday leading up to the event. But Andre assured me that it would work. Since he lives in Bali, much too far to attend, I promised an old friend a compensation prize - I'd play his deck in the main event.

Somehow it paid off.

This is, as Neuropantser and Amavric observed on my stream game (Round 6 of Day 1 vs Funktor), is a CTM list packed into reality +. Why select this path? The credit recovery from the reality + ID effectively solves CTM's well known problem of running out of money, hapless to Stargate lock as the runner mad dashes your Bellona. The drago hate, including pinhole and no free lunch, does not compromise this deck's strategy.

The gameplan is fast and potentially deadly beginning on turn 1. Any prisec, AR, rashida / ice combo = a potentially very strong opening. I scored AR out on the first turn in four of my games. Once that is done, prisec because a serious threat. It pays for itself from the reality + discount, and if they trash it, they are down 2 tags. From there on out, the snowball begins. Psycho or boom for the win con. News teams and QPM to buy you time. SanSan to threaten the scoring option.

This deck was only strengthened by the Drago threat (not in the deck). Opponents felt obligated to check the remote, facing a range of unpleasant traps awaiting them including News Team, Snare, and Prisec. All of those upgrades can also be kept in hand as they are a pain to trash when accessed in HQ.

My favorite part of this deck is that it can operate effectively with very few credits to its name. I rarely had more than 6 credits in my games. But this was usually enough to survive the runner onslaught.

If I were to change anything I would take out the Surveyor and swap it with something else. Planogram might make sense. There is no real need for Market Forces although a case could be made for it.