Theory of Simplicity 4.0

Feisty 2281

Sim·plic·i·ty: noun. the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do

AKA Build a big ol' cussing rig and score the points.

This is the 4th attempt at the Theory and by far the strongest. After tons of play testing and local tournament practice we are now left with the most consistent deck I've created.

The Basics:

3 Multithreader... this card. This build used to run Cyberfeeder and The Toolbox but too often they would sit in hand and not do anywhere near as much impact as Stimhack and Astrolabe.

2 Stimhack. Having two of these makes me feel so confident as the runner. Most corp players don't expect the second and allows me to use one early to set up a rig and one later to score a win.

GS Shrike M2. I used to run with Garrote but it wasn't doing enough for me and I needed the influence for the extra Stimhack. Instead Shrike with Multithreader results in efficient sentry clear.

I'm surprised every game how quickly my rig is set up and ready to cut through any server. The combination of Personal Workshop and Modded get's everything out for cheap. I'll often just Modded out every Multithreader I see and load of my Personal Workshop for a big Stimhack install.

There is no secret technique to this deck. Super self explanatory and efficient.

Early game: It is super rare to have a "bad hand" with this deck. I've rarely had to mulligan. Install Daily Casts and draw for Magnum Opus. Stimhack early game to eatheer blow up a server or, more often use the 9 to pop a couple SMC's and get that rig out.

Mid Game: Install all the things. Nothing is useless and game specific so if you can Modded out Multithreader, Do It! This point of the game is all about taking a relatively slow deck and making it fast. Diesel first click and Personal Workshop everything drawn is a common turn.

End Game: Your Time. Running is free and HQ and R&D are doomed. The Corp has lost the fun in rezzing ice, knowing that it will be free for you to break it. This deck has skipped through many a Blue Sun server with ease.

Replacements: I've cut the Feedback Filter for a Plascrete Carapace or Atman in the past, I just had enough of Personal Evolution and Cybernetics Division hurting my brain and the Atman would just sit in my hand most of the time. Daily Casts is the next weakest card and have swapped it for Dirty Laundry in the past.

As Always, any advice is appreciated. Thank you for all your help thus far!

-Feisty

57 comments
22 Sep 2015 ScaryFencer

Looking much stronger. Well done mate! Can't wait to try it out.

22 Sep 2015 gammanet

including a few Test Runs is the only potential change i could see, it just helps increase the chance of first turn magnum and can be used to tutor smc if needbe(also good for recursion, and Quality Time can increase you speed a bit due to Personal Workshop and Modded

only question is how do you deal with HB FA or hybrid? those servers are always a huge pain, and architect will always be an expensive ice for not Mimic(given you eviscerate Ichi 1.0 for a mere 4 credits)

22 Sep 2015 sruman

Looks solid. I'd say -1 legwork, -2 astrolabe, +2 box-e (and then consider akamatsu's swapped in for cyber-solutions). Gets you all the memory this rig craves and mitigates the stimhack dmg.

22 Sep 2015 gammanet

@sruman I disagree, ive been bouncing between Box-E and Astrolabe for a long time, and generally Astrolabe is better for consistency, as its ability helps with challenging matchups, and if you dont draw your memchips, you can still just use breakers and one multithreader, and if no labe or memchip, you still have money and breakers which can win you plenty of games. also, legwork is incredibly important at two at least nowadays, as astroscriptor remains ever prevalent.

23 Sep 2015 Daine

Study Guide seems like a great fit with multithreader. Have you tested it over Gordian?

23 Sep 2015 Number1gun

I really enjoy this deck type. I've been running a variation of it, and my group hates it. One change I made, which probably isn't totally optimal, is running Omni-Drive. It can be a bit clunky to set up, but the extra recurring credit (and extra ) is cool. Keep up the awesome work!

23 Sep 2015 Feisty

@gammanet Great suggestions. I've definitely played a few games where opus was no where to be found. In those games, Modded out everything and load up a Personal Workshop / Stimhack run. I get Opus so consistently that I don't see a reason to include Test Run. Curious how it works for you though.

As for HB FA matches, I've had great success running this rig. Like I said, if you're drawing enough and installing aggressively the rig is set up so fast! Use the Stimhacks aggressively.

23 Sep 2015 Feisty

@Daine I've tried Study Guide. It may just be me but I find myself playing too passive when I have one out, wanting to pump it to infinity and then run.. Other times I take a big econ hit trying to break a Crick over HQ trying to be aggressive. So far Gordian Blade has been faster and more my personal play style but I can definitely see it fitting in.

23 Sep 2015 Feisty

@sruman You really need the second Legwork and I'm really not afraid of the brain damage. I've dumped Feedback Filter for many things depending on the meta.. Brain Cage, Plascrete Carapace, etc.. I'm interested to see if your substitution work out for you. Thanks for the suggestion.

23 Sep 2015 Feisty

@Number1gun I had a similar idea when I used to run Cyberfeeder / The Toolbox. A bit slow but I totally get the attraction.

23 Sep 2015 gammanet

I originally copied the Chaos Without brain from worlds(http://netrunnerdb.com/en/decklist/10691/chaos-without-brain-10th-place-at-worlds-), there are just some games where it fetches opus or it fetches smc(or femme, but youre not running her, so thats kinda irrelevant if theyre trying to rush an agenda) mathematically running 3 test runs with opus allow for something like a 75% chance of opening an out to opus(not counting your mulligan) whereas without test run you run something like a 57%. however you have daily casts which allows you some flexibility, adn without femme i can see the lacklusterness of it. (i generally run only 2 test runs, which comes out to like 70%)

24 Sep 2015 Dydra

"End Game: Your Time. Running is free "

How is that? 6c from Multithreader is enough for you to run free everywhere?

24 Sep 2015 Feisty

@Dydra "Free" is an exaggeration obviously but the 6 credits a turn combined with Opus economy makes the biggest servers less scary.

26 Sep 2015 LynxMegaCorp

Is there a reason not to swap the Legworks with HQ Interface? They can be cheaper with Modded and Personal Workshop and can provide multiple accesses throughout the game.

26 Sep 2015 Feisty

@Lynx Kuroneko I've ran HQ Interface in the past. I've had more success with the surprise Legworks.. usually as a late game score. I've tried 2 interfaces and found that it's too slow in the current meta, since I prefer Modded out Multithreader early game. I've also tried one of each and in the end I've found more consistency running two Legwork.

27 Sep 2015 LeonardQuirm

Useful tip for playing this deck, based on facing off against it on Jinteki.net: if you don't have Net Shield installed, don't Stimhack a Jinteki R&D with three cards in hand. Snare! makes you sad...(and your opponent laugh a lot!)

27 Sep 2015 LeonardQuirm

I meant Feedback Filter, not Net Shield obviously.

27 Sep 2015 glaivemaster

Some interesting choices that I don't necessarily agree with based on my own Stimshop testing, but I'll definitely give this, or a similar version, a try. Really enjoy playing this classic deck.

27 Sep 2015 SQUIDwarrior

I love this kind of deck. No weird tricks, no janky combos. Just a solid rig that can slice it's way through anything.

27 Sep 2015 BTrain

@Feisty I love this deck, my friend! I mean - love it. You've built a winner. I'm curious though, have you tried Film Critic over Feedback Filter? At least in my meta, net damage isn't too prevalent (plus you can't prevent the brain from Stimhack), and with so many on-access agendas now hitting the field, Film Critic seems like a pretty solid include.

27 Sep 2015 Sixtyten

What happens if you get programs trashed? I'm guessing clone chips are mainly for clot recursion in the current NEH meta? A double aggressive secretary looks pretty scary to this build.

27 Sep 2015 Flipmaester

I would maybe consider Indexing over Maker's Eye in this deck, especially since you have those double R&DI's and have the economy to supplant multiple R&D runs to fetch the cards you want. Indexing is also awesome against Jinteki/any other deck running traps, allowing you to filter away the bad stuff and get what you want.

27 Sep 2015 gammanet

``@Sixtyten` what do you mean? same thing that Kate does when she hits a double advanced aggressive secretary, you lose 2 programs, and win without em,or clone chip em back.

@BTrain Film critic with this deck only helps with The Future Perfect, you can keep pace with midseasons/Blue Sun decks, and Napd is 2 clicks either way.(2 magnum clicks=4 credits) he has feedback filter to deal with fetal if its a problem, otherwise its just PE, any decent player should be able to deal with the net damage.

27 Sep 2015 BTrain

@gammanet Film Critic stops far more than NAPD. To date, it will deal with TGTBT, 15 Minutes (keep it on FC till you're ready to score), Quantum Predictive Model, NAPD, Award Bait, Explode-a-palooza, Fetal AI, and Future Perfect. And those are just the ones you need to take at face value. Get ready for NBN decks with Media Blitz that can't wait for you to steal Restructured Datapool so they can drain your cash. Not to mention FC also shuts down Argus, PE, and Haarpsichord. And while you might be able to keep pace with Blue Sun, you're hardly going to be able to stay toe to toe with a Team Sponsorship Butchershop deck if you spend an entire turn clicking for 8 because you're afraid the Midseasons.

27 Sep 2015 gammanet

With magnum econ, you can trash butchershops assets, keeping it poor and reliant on event econ, very quickly you can get ahead of them economically, or at least keep pace. Clot also slows that deck down considerably. TGTBT is not a problem for the average runner, 15 minutes is only 1 point, if they want to waste a valuable click to shuffle it back, fine with me, you can go find it again with multiaccess. award bait and explodeapalooza are really meh, but if you have issues with those decks, feel free to slot the Film critic. personally I like being reckless and choose my second silver bullet to be Plascrete Carapace

28 Sep 2015 Feisty

@BTrain I agree that Film Critic is a current meta call and the Feedback Filter would be the swap. Like I mentioned in the description, Cybernetics Division: Humanity Upgraded was getting s little annoying in my current meta. Glad you like the deck though, thanks for the input!

28 Sep 2015 Feisty

@Flipmaester Indexing is a great substitute! Thanks for the suggestion, totally fits and I can see it being potentially stronger than The Maker's Eye.

28 Sep 2015 Sixtyten

@gammanet kate usually has more backup breakers and a levy. Neither of these things are here. A program trash/chronos/blacklist deck will rip this to pieces. Perhaps they're not around in your meta, but singleton breakers seems like a risk to me.

28 Sep 2015 mendax

I'm amazed that you've found that corps don't expect a second stimhack, since this is basically a stimshop shell and that deck traditionally runs 3 stimhacks.

28 Sep 2015 daytodave

If you can free up one slot, I recommend 1x Study Guide and 1x ZU.13 Key Master or Cyber-Cypher as decoders. Study Guide + Multithreader is absurdly powerful in that it guarantees you'll get your Multithreader credits every turn, and neuters some of the most expensive ice that sees play (Tollbooth, Wormhole, and Archangel). Zu.13 will get you in early and ease that feeling of needing to hold back with Study Guide.

28 Sep 2015 daytodave

@Feisty Also, a single Bookmark can play the role of both Feedback Filter and Film Critic, with the added benefit stopping 24/7 News Cycle into double Scorched.

28 Sep 2015 gammanet

@Sixtyten a kate deck generally isnt using the levy for the breakers, and while kates have some specific silverbullet breakers(deus x, cyber cypher, sharpshooter), they will suffer about the same fate as blacklist behind some ice as they also generally have 1-ofs of their gordian/zu and mimic. to be fair, you dont see alot of Aggressive Secretary out there, and with striker, not many sentries are going to rain on your parade.

29 Sep 2015 Doomrager

Awesome deck - been looking for some ideas about improving my own similarly themed Chaos Theory deck. Why Multithreader as opposed to Sahasrara?

29 Sep 2015 Doomrager

Scratch that - I missed that Sahasrara is for Installing and Multithreader is for Using.

29 Sep 2015 daytodave

@Doomrager Multithreader also helps you install with SMC.

30 Sep 2015 formerteen

it's so clean and aesthetically-appealing. almost looks like a good beginner runner deck.

30 Sep 2015 formerteen

are all 3 Clone Chips definitely necessary? unless you hit program destruction, clot is the only great synergy you'll get off of it. wouldn't 2x suffice? you could make room for another maker's eye or test run or something. i guess you're assuming they'll be necessary, since you have only 1 of each breaker?

30 Sep 2015 gammanet

you definitely can get away with 2(not my deck, but ive been messing with stimshop for a while)(chaos without brains update does), however they are useful in speeding up setup. they definitely could be another makers eye or another silver bullet

1 Oct 2015 mharris717

Dumb question, but you can use Multithreader credits to feed Personal Workshop, yes?

1 Oct 2015 sruman

@mharris717 Multi-threader is great but not that great :) Cannot use it for PW or any resource. But can use for smc, study guide, atman ( think, have to check ), etc.

1 Oct 2015 mharris717

Ha, duh it's a resource. I should probably learn to read. Thanks @sruman

9 Oct 2015 formerteen

if one were to drop the Clot, what would be a good use of the influence? another Legwork? and, on that note, why Legwork but no love for The Maker's Eye? is there a particular reason for it? is it just that R&D Interface is doing most of its work?

9 Oct 2015 formerteen

i also wonder if Technical Writer would make itself worthwhile.

16 Oct 2015 aero

Testing this deck is so fun, and it's amaaaazing against NEH. Maker's Eye does work, Legwork does work, Stimhack definitely is amazing, and Clot comboing with Personal Workshop and Clone Chip can keep the corp from ever scoring out of hand. I found the Daily Casts to be a bit clunky, but other than that, very very solid deck. A+. @Feisty, great work on all your testing, I've tried your previous iterations and this one definitely takes the cake.

16 Oct 2015 aero

Also, @formerteen I think you're onto something w/ Technical Writer, it might be a bit slower but could replace daily casts (unless you really want the early game economy other than M. Opus).

21 Oct 2015 aero

Had another thought, is it foolish to think Dinosaurus could replace Astrolabe to host Shrike? It seems nice to break 3 strength sentries without having to boost.

22 Oct 2015 Feisty

@aero Astrolabe is too good to swap. I'm a huge fan of Dinosaurus... but it looks a little too slow in this deck.

22 Oct 2015 Feisty

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, glad you're enjoying it.

I've made a few meta calls lately and the new build has the following substitutions. First, @aero, I agree that Daily Casts are too clunky so I substituted them for 1 Film Critic, 1 Plascrete Carapace, and 1 Indexing. Really, any meta substitutions are fine here. Econ is fine with Magnum Opus and Personal Workshop that other econ cards were redundant and.. again, "clunky."

I've really tried to like Study Guide, but have found Gordian Blade to be more consistant. Nothing hurts worse than spending multiple turns to pump it just to have Marcus Batty or Keegan Lane send it to the heap. I'll say it again, it's too slow.

31 Oct 2015 lolpaca

Any thoughts on fitting in an Employee Strike or two?

2 Nov 2015 Feisty

@lolpaca I love that card, and used to run it for Jinteki: Replicating Perfection. I'm not sure what to cut to make room for it and it just sits in my hand against any other corp.

3 Jan 2016 shimya

@Feisty How do you deal with rush decks? This deck seems beastly, but I feel like it laks more draw. What are your experiences?

4 Jan 2016 futureguy

@lyn I found the same problem with draw but I think it may be because I was not actually drawing enough myself - I need to draw more aggressively I think.

4 Jan 2016 aero

Sacrificial Construct for Clone Chip now that the list is out?

5 Jan 2016 shimya

@futureguy Issue with drawing aggressively is that you actually need those clicks for economy (MOpus + PW) and applying pressure. I think that Earthrise Hotel would be more efficient in terms of click compression.

7 Jan 2016 Feisty

@lyn I'm drawing pretty aggressively in the early game and Diesel is plenty. After that, Clot. This deck has been out long enough now that I see it pretty consistently online and at shops. . Super Flattering BTW!! The biggest mistake I'm seeing is turtle-ling until a big Stimhack play. Early game clicks should be spent 1 run, 1 install, 1 draw, 1 mopus.

Quick corp decks are definitely the biggest threat I've seen but as long as you run enough, you should keep up.

Thank ou everyone for your feedback! I really appreciate it!

7 Feb 2016 Ch40s Th30ry

What changes would you make to make it tournament legal again?

11 Feb 2016 lolpaca

I'd probably either drop a Legwork, either a Stimhack or a Clone Chip, and add 2 The Maker's Eye.

Probably the Clone Chip, you don't really need all 3 and Stimhack's always a nice surprise.