Steve and Loup KISSING (Americas Continentals)

Thanks a million to Ed, with whom I am in a powerful testing group, for collaborating with me on this list, this write-up, and providing several of the card justifications.

For Continentals, I decided to play a deck built around my main Netrunner accomplishment this year:

Successfully pressuring NISEI to acknowledge Steve Cambridge and René "Loup" Arcemont's relationship as canon with this comic:

To commemorate werewolf love and the fact that this mechanically delightful ID is finally interesting thematically, I played this deck at continentals, in which every card is a celebration of Steve/Loup.

Card Rationales and a 0-5 rating for how well the card fit the theme

• 0: No business in the deck. Antithetical to the theme, if anything.
• 1: An extremely threadbare justification.
• 2: The justification works and is only a bit of a reach
• 3: Perfectly at home in the theme of the deck but it wouldn't be an essential element
• 4: A pleasing thematic include. Quite resonant.
• 5: Absolute essential element to a Steve/Loup deck. Would be tragic to leave it out.

Events

Bravado: A little bit of swagger is key to any sexy relationship. (3.5/5)

Dirty Laundry: Our initial justification for this card is slightly sex-negative, unfortunately, but we can also justify it as a reference to taking off clothes, which is a wholesome thing you do if you want to be naked with someone. (3/5)

Diversion of Funds: Unlike your copy of Pokémon Moon, this works better if you drop the ds. (1.5/5)

Exclusive Party: A pleasing combination of Wylder-Loup's party instincts and the criminal ability to get exclusive access. (4/5)

Hot Pursuit: Your head-canon as to who is doing the pursuing is equally valid, but I like to think it is somehow both. (4/5)

Inside Job: I think this might be some kind of sexual reference? I sincerely forgot what I was thinking. (1/5)

Sure Gamble: Ed provided this bit of copy which really helped this deck's paltry econ:

"Loup looked into Steve's eyes, 'take a chance on me'

At that moment Steve knew it was a....

Sure Gamble" (1.5/5)

The Maker's Eye: A reference to a solid episode of one of my favorite Netrunner podcasts. A bit crasser than would be my preference, though sometimes desperation for multiaccess has you make bad decisions. (1/5)

Hardware

Boomerang: "Is that a Boomerang in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" (2/5)

Carnivore: You can tell that NISEI clearly planned Steve/Loup by how beautifully Loup's console works with Steve. Carnivore is powerful HQ disruption but is extremely card hungry. Guess who gives you cards for running HQ? (5/5)

Resource

Daily Casts: I put this card in as a reference to Ed's twitch series in which Ed, along with Pádraig, originally broke the news about Steve/Loup. (4.5/5)

DJ Fenris: Lets Steve and Loup go on a date during your game. Always pick Loup. (5/5)

Earthrise Hotel: Somewhere for Steve and Loup to have a romantic getaway. (4/5)

The Class Act: Different members of the testing group provided different justifications for this card. We have:

"A hallmark of a good relationship is that you don't lose your relationships with your friends. And so some number of stock criminal connections is justified."

OR

"clASS act" (2/5)

Programs

Abagnale: Everyone brings something to a healthy relationship! Steve brought his one standard-legal icebreaker. (3/5)

Aumakua: Loup is a chef and he made some fancy turtle soup for Steve. (1.5/5)

Bukhgalter: Not everyone is into wolfmen. It's okay if you aren't. There's no accounting for taste.

Truthfully, this is my most shameful include. I just wanted a sentry breaker. (0.5/5).

Cleaver: Using your partner's icebreaker is incredibly romantic, don't you think? (3.5/5)

Endless Hunger: A reference to insatiable appetites of all kinds. (4/5)

Sneakdoor Beta:

Image courtesy of 0thmxma. (5/5).

How did the deck do?

Absolutely great. The date got off to a rocky start but it ended strong:

What edits can I make if I want to crush MY next Continentals

Here are a few cards that didn't quite make the cut, but maybe if you re-tool the deck, you could find room.

Heartbeat: Just a romantic card, y'know?

Always Have a Backup Plan: A reference to Kati Jones who I think might have some kind of relationship with Steve?

Safety First: A good public health message for 3 influence.

Harbinger: No thematic resonance whatsoever, but fuels Endless Hunger. (0/5).

Fear the Masses: See The Class Act.