The Magical Maze

Image courtesy of Matthew Nixon aka "4420"

This is a deck designed to go infinite with Cell Portal (which results in a dead runner from infinite net damage subroutines. In reality, they just survive a few encounters and then die as an eventuality.)

That alone should alert you to the fact that this is in fact pure jank.

So how does it work?

Part 1: The Pledge: (All optional)

• Make friends and influence people by installing lots of empowering team synergy exercises asset/econ spam.
• Score out a Labyrinthine Servers if possible. You can win without it, but that will simply be due to an unbreakable server, rather than trapping them in a lethal one. Side effect: Your opponent will be very confused, and probably assume you forgot The Future Perfect existed. This is where you earn the "Jank" Scout Badge.
• Score Braintrust with a counter, or put one on it with Genetic Resequencing. Because in this deck, it actually matters.
• Start recycling Marcus Batty's using Executive Search Firm and Museum of History, blowing things up with Cobra/Komainu/Negotiator.

So far, a bit strange, but each piece is at least somewhat justified, like if you don't own Honor & Profit but really wanted to play Jankteki. (Quick, Komainu, hide!)

Part 2: The Turn

• The cards start to come together. Choose a server, probably your scoring remote, maybe a new one, possibly R&D. You are now dedicating yourself to completing the combo on that server. (The key is not running out of money on recurring Cell Portal rez's, with punishing/money ice in front of it.) Either plant a Cell Portal close to the inside of the server, or set up Midori to swap it into that slot when they actually end up running it.
• Use Executive Search Firm to grab all those sweet Sysops you want for the combo.
• Establish some sentries in front in that server. You'll need at least one money producing sentry if possible, unless you managed to score a bunch of counters on Braintrust, in which case you win the "Intimidation" Scout Badge for them not running your servers.
• Throw in a Valley Grid if you can.
• Pretend things aren't working out. Or pretend everything is coalescing magically, if you're absolutely hopeless. Maybe you can psych them into giving you infinite time to assemble your combo. Maybe you can trick them into killing themselves. Half the fun of jank is bluffing how things are going!
• Never rez Cell Portal unless they have seen it already, or it's absolutely necessary. Never show anyone... as soon as you give it up... you'll be nothing to them.

They'll be paranoid of Marcus Batty by now. Any asset/upgrade you install behind ice could be Batty. Any ice you rez could kill them with Batty. Their breakers are in endless peril. But what is your plan!? Why are you running such absurd cards, like Errand Boy and Negotiator in Jinteki? They will be scrambling to find and keep their AI/sentry breakers.

Part 3: The Prestige:

• Okay, so you have a server that will let you rez Cell Portal repeatedly (e.g. Errand Boy + Akitaro Watanabe)? You have a kill mechanism in place in that server (e.g. Cobra)? The stars have aligned? The stoplight on your opponent's forehead is green to go? Good.
• Give your opponent a reason to run that server. Probably by installing an agenda there and advancing it.
• Watch as they run through your maze. If you have Labyrinthine Servers scored, use a counter. Or use two, that's twice as good, right? Rez Valley Grid immediately. This way, they can only (fully) break 5 ice or they kill themselves. (In case they have a sentry breaker.)
• Pop a Marcus Batty or two to trash their code gate breaker, or their sentry breaker, whichever prevents them from ending the cycle.
• Laugh maniacally at the foolish mortal that attempted to run that server and is trapped there... forever. End the game with them getting bitten to death by Cobra or Komainu.
• Or, if you didn't have a Labyrinthine Servers scored, just keep scoring agendas behind that remote until you win. Be aware that I am sorely disappointed in you for not achieving the great combo.

For the combo:

Braintrust counters = 1 reduction per.

Akitaro Watanabe = 2 reduction.

Negotiator = 0 or 2 generated depending on the situation.

Errand Boy = 0-3 generated depending on the situation.

Ideally, you assemble at least a total of 5 reduction + generation, but that's only necessary to go infinite. Sometimes it's good enough to run them through the server, say, 5 times. Usually you just need at least 3 total reduction and generation, which even a single Errand Boy can provide, so long as another punishing card is in the server.

Case 1: No breakers.

• Your credits / (5 - Total Reduction and Generated) = number of potential runs through the server.

Case 2: They have a Killer, say Mimic.

• At worst: Your credits / (5 - Reduction), until Their credits / Generated is spent to 0. Then it goes back to Your remaining credits / (5 - total).

• At best, they run out of money and you go infinite.

Case 3: They have a decoder.

• KILL IT WITH FIRE

The question remains... Where does it go?

I'd tell you, but then I wouldn't be a magician.