Android: Netrunner - My Journey in a Dystopian Future - Part 10: Humanity's Shadow

Humanity’s Shadow – the fifth data pack in this cycle and it would add a certain lady named Kati to the mix, with terrific results.

Runner

1. Andromeda
A new identity for Criminal – one that gives you a starting hand of 9 cards. This is great for setting up a strong economy on the first turn and if you didn’t get what you wanted in your first draw, you can mulligan into another 9 cards. Of course, this is only a starting hand, so when you reach the first discard phase, you’ll need to discard down to 5 cards. Ideally then, you’ll want to be playing four cards in the first turn to make the most of this. 










2. Kati Jones
The second lady of this data pack and she has made a big impact on the game. Played for 2 credits, you can spend a click to place 3 credits from the bank on her. For one click you can take all the credits off Kati and she doesn’t get trashed afterwards. A brilliant economy card with only a couple of drawbacks – You can only use her once per turn and she is a Resource, so she is vulnerable to trashing if you get tagged.

 









3. HQ Interface
A pretty simple card, but very effective if your deck is based on assaulting the Corp’s HQ.

Corporation

1. Whirlpool
If you can get this set up before the Runner has put out any Icebreakers that can break Traps, Whirlpool can deny their chance to jack out of a run and drag them through some nasty Ice and ultimately into a damaging trap installed at the end. It’s Jinteki all over and at 2 influence could certainly find it uses elsewhere. It may be too situational for some, but great if you can pull it off.

 







2. Eve Campaign
Costing a credit more than Adonis Campaign, you place 16 credits on Eve when you install it (12 credits on Adonis) and take 2 credits off at the beginning of your turn (3 for Adonis). It has trash cost of 5 compared to Adonis’ 4, so really it’s whether you want that slower but longer drip-feed of money with a higher cost to play, but less chance of being trashed, compared to Adonis’ quicker and higher return for a cheaper cost, but one that doesn’t last as long and is slightly easier to trash.

 







3. Hokusai Grid
An upgrade that will cause a single net damage whenever a Runner makes a successful run on this server. It’s where to put this that is the real conundrum here. If the Runner is low on cash it may be useful behind R & D or HQ – servers that get regular hits. But as soon as the Runner does  have enough cash, he’s going to trash this (at a cost of 4).
I could be wrong, but I don’t see this card getting much play outside of Jinteki, as it works well with the original Identity – punishing the Runner when stealing an agenda.


 

Onto Future Proof – the final data pack in the Genesis cycle.

Runner

1. Mr. Li
A 3 cost Criminal Resource with 2 influence, Mr. Li, for a click, allows you to draw two cards, add one of them to your hand and place the other at the bottom of your deck. This is a great way to cycle through your deck with having to trash cards and works particularly well if you have the means to then go and get the card you just placed at the bottom.

 

2. Indexing
A free Shaper event that triggers a run on R & D. Instead of accessing cards, the Runner looks at the top 5 cards and then arranges them in any order. This is best played when you can afford to break into R & D several times. Eg. Play this on your first click, arrange the cards, then make another run or two to go get the Agendas you just placed at the top of the pile.

 








3. Data Leak Reversal
Providing the Runner is daring enough to take some tags this card will force the Corporation to trash cards – great for setting up a subsequent run on Archives.

Corporation

1. Eli 1.0
One of the best pieces of Ice in the game. Yes the Runner can click through the subroutines as it is a Bioroid, but this is a 4 strength barrier at a rez cost of 3 with two End the Run subroutines. And it’s just 1 influence, so this can appear in any deck.

 

2. Project Beale
Another example of an Agenda that benefits from being advanced beyond its score requirement. Project Beale for NBN, will give you 1 additional point for each Agenda counter on it. The problem is keeping it safe in play long enough to get those counters on it.

 

3. Ronin
With 4 influence this will be rarely seen outside Jinteki, but Ronin can be deadly if combined with Neural EMP and other net damage cards, to set up the flatline. Once 4 advancement tokens are on Ronin, it gains click and trash to do 3 net damage. Ouch.

 












And so the Genesis Cycle draws to a close and it has added some amazing cards to the game. Up next will be my review of my second Netrunner tournament and soon we’ll be delving into the cards from the first deluxe expansion – Creation and Control.