Data Ward

Data Ward 6[credit]

Ice: Barrier
Strength: 8
Influence: 3

When the Runner encounters this ice, they take 1 tag unless they pay 3[credit].

[subroutine] End the run if the Runner is tagged.

[subroutine] End the run if the Runner is tagged.

[subroutine] End the run if the Runner is tagged.

[subroutine] End the run if the Runner is tagged.

Illustrated by Caroline Elizabeth Huss
Decklists with this card

Intervention (in)

#75 • English
Startup Card Pool
Standard Card Pool
Standard Ban List (show history)
Printings
Intervention
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No rulings yet for this card.

Reviews

Data Ward is a ten-meter metal door ready to lock the Runner in forever once you find the right lock and, in the meanwhile, it's a ten-meter metal door that isn't easy to get through. It's a one-card solution to at least three or four problems NBN usually has and wants to solve.

1) It completely locks the Runner out after Midseasons/HHN. There are no "easy" ways around it and it will stop glory runs while you wait for your Boom.

2) It can be used to create very powerful remotes with a small investment in both credits and slots. Data Raven into Data Ward isthe most obvious one but it can also be combined with IP Block or even Turnpike for a similar effect. This allows NBN, for example, to score bigger agendas, create extremely taxing SanSan trashing runs and play Reversed Accounts.

3) While not overly efficient on its own, a 3 credit tax that punishes facechecking is not bad and can be a good way to get the ball rolling. For example, Ward into Reversed Accounts is a 6 credit swing, enough to enable Hard-Hitting News or Stinson at the earlier stages of the game.

4) It's resilant. It cannot be passed by D4v1d, it's not cheap to bypass with Femme Fatale and has both a high number of subroutines and a high-strenght, making it almost impassable with Faust alone (7 cards). It's also a barrier, making it easy to protect to Cutlery and making it impervous to Yog. It just works.

One of my new favourite pieces of ICE for sure.

(Daedalus Complex era)
2044
Slapping a Bandwidth in front of it is a pain in the ass too, and probably the cheapest ICE to combine it with —

This card is deliciously evil. NBN has had a history of crappy barriers, but this one blows the others out of the water. Overall it is similar to Pachinko. It is a barrier with a conditional end the run. Pachinko suffered from positonal ICE issues. Data Ward still has some of those issues, but at least it still taxes the runner 3 to avoid dealing with it if you don't happen to have a Data Raven or Bandwidth on hand. Some may claim "Dude it's basically a suckier Tollbooth", and it kind of is. If the runner pays thru the cost, you basically have a blank Tollbooth you just rezzed for six. Those subs mean nothing. Unless you happen to be running the other card released in this pack that deals with unbroken subroutines..... Hey Chief Slee! With Chief Slee on the board, this, and many other NBN Ice suddenly have teeth. Little Engine, Resistor, and even Pop-up Window become must breaks. Overall, I think this is a good card and I know at least a few SYNC or New Angeles Tax decks who would love to run this.

(Intervention era)
If you can get a Data Raven in front of it... —
With this, Bulwark, and the soon to be released IP Block, Hunting Grounds is looking better and better, especially if you are running an AI. —
A sub boost would require them to break the last subroutine, which makes this a better tollbooth. —
NBN has a history of getting better barriers than Weyland (Wraparound, Resistor). It's frustrating & this card is crazy strong, as is the upcoming IP Block. —
Femme Fatale hate card, Tollbooth's revenge. —
I think the thing is that this is merely CRAPPY without support, while Pachinko is USELESS without support. That, and it's a much stronger payoff than Pachinko which justifies investing more deck space in it. —