Wal-Mart [Intro Deck]

I've used this as a teaching deck for new players' first few games of Netrunner. I pair it with Hacking 101, and I will always have the new player run first. I discuss this deck and teaching in general in Episode 5 of my podcast Shipment from ChiLo.

There is nothing in here that is really punishing for the runner to encounter, and so it gives them a "safe" way to play the game without feeling like they got burned just because they didn't know a card existing. Therefore, running against this deck teaches new players that it's okay to run, something they are often scared of.

PADs are there to show the concepts of assets and remotes. Experiential Data is there to show how upgrades work. Research Station demonstrates the roots of centrals.

GRNDL Refinery is the "trap" card that baits the runner through the expensive remote. The baited run becomes the punishment, as opposed to a Junebug or Aggressive Secretary that might scare them away from checking remotes. The penalty for not running it is giving your opponent all the money they need to rez ice.

When Matrix Analyzer or Shadow get rezzed, you have to explain traces and tags. At that point I say "When you're tagged, I can spend 2 to trash a resource. Also, I have a card in my deck that makes you lose all your money, but I can only play that if you're tagged. So you should remove the tag." FYI, there's no Scorched so I don't have to explain damage during the first game.

Burke Bugs is there to show that ice can be rezzed for free, how traces work, and that you can let trace subs fire if you think you can pay them. Matrix Analyzer shows how I can make runs more taxing by pumping the strength of Shadow or Ice Wall. The runner is on Pipeline, and their counter to me pumping Shadow is The Personal Touch. Also, if a Shadow got to be super high strength, they'd realize they can just pay through the trace.

I wouldn't recommend using this for more than about a half dozen games. It lacks any real flair and has minimal ways of threatening the runner. In short, it's not very good. Beginner players will quickly get tired of the lack of threats this deck has.

EDIT: If you're looking for a deck that is both Core 2 savvy and MWL 2 legal, try these changes:

• -2 Experiential Data
• -1 Research Station
• -2 Blue Level Clearance
• -2 Restructure
• -2 Matrix Analyzer
• -2 Burke Bugs
• +3 IPO
• +2 Green Level Clearance
• +2 Midway Station Grid
• +2 Caduceus
• +2 Errand Boy