Bartleby's Prison [Startup]

Bartleby the Scrivener answers the question 'Do you want to let the runner access this server?' with "I would prefer not to." Bartleby's list is glacial, control, prison. It wins through attrition, not Punitive Counterstrike or Jinteki damage checks or fast advance. Runners crash against Tributary or other, stronger ice only to have to do it again if we've scored Sisyphus Protocol, wasting resources only to then be cast into the Anoetic Void or shut down.

Why Jinteki: Restoring Humanity? Why not A Teia: IP Recovery? RH gives us steady drip income to help pay for expensive ice that will exhaust runner's econ. It incentivizes runners to target archives to try to (1) make sure we aren't hiding agendas there and (2) deny us that income. That means they're paying (icebreaker costs, resources, cards, what-have-you) for minimal gain. And if they aren't, that minimal gain accrues over time.

Bartleby Allstars: Cohort Guidance Program and Subliminal Messaging are powerhouses. Cohort does it all: bins agendas if they are clogging our hand (to shuffle back in with Spin Doctor if the runner prioritizes HQ), helps score 4-advance agendas the turn after installing, and keeps the credits flowing. Subliminal is so good I had to run 2. Not only are runners often needing to take a turn off after crashing into the growing glacier of Strong Ice and thus giving us improved recurring (and free!) economy, but pitching Subliminals to Hansei Review or Cohort means we aren't losing anything too valuable--they'll come back eventually. With our corp id and Subliminals, Hansei is a single click for 6 credits (and the drawback is minimal since the card can recur!).

Mulligan: Look for Tatu-Bola, Hansei Review, or Regolith Mining License to get the early credits to rez ice. Protect centrals first, archives usually only with porous but punishing ice.

Important note: Mindscaping serves a utility role. Not only does the first option let you sculpt your hand and control R&D topdeck while being slightly credit positive, but if the runners let tags float against your Cloud Eater and/or Seraph, you can occasionally surprise them with 6 points of damage from the hand. Even 3 points of damage can snag important cards, and every card counts in the attrition wars. If they see Mindscaping, it also means they may start burning clicks and credits removing tags (all the more in your favor!).