I can see your house from here

gravityab 21

Fun little deck I made to attempt to utilize Bandwidth.

Synergy with Crisium Grid

Unsure if Dedicated Response Team fires before removing the tag.

Wormhole can copy the subroutine for stronger ICE. But I may want to trash a program more if I have other rezed ICE out.

5 comments
9 Apr 2015 zithith

A nice deck you've got there. Fairly straight-forward tax set up with an interesting twist. Hadn't thought of the Bandwidth-Crisium interaction, that's nice!

A couple of notes though: the synergy above is also actually a nonbo with DRT (and checkpoint, but I'll come to that). For starters Crisium's effect has always been a nonbo with DRT as Crisium stops the run from being considered successful for all card effects ("when" is just as conditional as "if", just more assertive :p ). Secondly you mentioned being unsure about the bandwidth/DRT timing, and your correct in being wary as Bandwidth removes the tag on run success (when they decide to access, but before the action of) and DRT is triggered following the end of a successful run (after the access action).

Also on checkpoint: the wording on the checkpoint sub and the bandwidth sub are almost identical, so the combo you're relying on for crisium/bandwidth will scupper the bandwidth/checkpoint as well. Checkpoint is server-dependant however and looking at the numbers I guess you understood this, so the plan is to have each server with a bandwidth on also have either a crisium OR checkpoint? If it wasn't it should be ;)

Some more general points which lead to alteration suggestions:

  • you have cheap ice and EBC to make them cheaper which is great, but your economy seems pretty small - The Root needs at least a 5 credit investment even with EBC.
  • With that in mind, I would suggest just a slight boost to econ - Paywall Implementation is really great in Gagarin and will start to add more pressure on the runner to weigh up how much a successful run is worth
  • Mark Yale might also be plausible as you've already got Firmware Updates. He creates another tax-run target, but may be diluting things a bit.
  • Sub Boost could also be a consideration as it your barriers are all single-sub and can pull double duty by turning architect into a stopper
  • I guess Helium-3 is there for the Data Raven? if so, good old Atlas might be a better choice as getting H3 to fire at the right time would be hard.

In short my suggestions:

  1. -3 Helium-3 Deposit
  2. +3 Project Atlas
  3. -3 DRT
  4. +1 Scorched Earth

Your choice of the following in the last 2 slots:

  • PwI
  • Sub Boost
  • Mark Yale
  • +1 Checkpoint / +1 Crisium & +1 EBC (increasing the chance of having a bandwidth combo available on a key server and also giving more access to cheap rez and asset tutor)

You know, I may just give this a go!

9 Apr 2015 zithith

Actually, where I say "almost identical", I meant "almost interchangeable".

Also another possible swap: -1 Erand boy for +1 Archer? Worth a test

9 Apr 2015 zithith

And another one I forgot to mention:

Elizabeth Mills! If you're rezzing checkpoint, you're taking Bad Pub. this removes the Gagarin Tax in most cases, so loading some removal in here would be good. Other upsides: tutor-able with EBC, another asset that can be used to force runs

10 Apr 2015 gravityab

First of all, thank you @zithith for the in-depth analysis :).

Spot on about Helium-3 Deposit. That might fire when I got no Data Raven on the board. I was hoping to get it out as fast as possible either by mulliganing for it or having the runner face check Architect and get lucky, but that may be stretching it. The Data Raven and Dedicated Response Team was just too juicy. Project Atlas is probably the better fit. Definately like the Sub Boost on Architect idea!

The money problem... Yeah, I don't like Bad Pub... I think you already notice that with only 1 Checkpoint and no Hostile Takeover :). Definitely strongly considered adding Paywall Implementation. Having 2 Errand Boy kind of exposed how I feel this deck is with getting money haha. Maybe I'll just get rid of The Root and get Capital Investors instead /shrugs.

I only wanted 1 Checkpoint to make the Runner respect Wormhole and Orion. Committing to deckspace for getting rid of 1 bad pub with Elizabeth Mills might be nice. Definitely don't want to advance NAPD Contract 5 or more times to score.

10 Apr 2015 zithith

Glad I could help. :)

I noticed the Helium-3 issue as I have a gagarin deck that runs it (I love counter manipulation) but I run Snoops, Data Ravens, Docklands and IT Dept to make sure there are targets when it's scored, and even that's hard work!

You make good points about only having a singleton Checkpoint, stick with that (until testing proves otherwise) ;) .

I would definitely stick with The Root. In this situation it's just better than capital investors. With your current composition The Root will be the powerhouse engine to get you going, most notably because it's clickless, makes advancing super-cheap and means you will be spending f-a on ICE install/rez. It's also a much heavier trash cost (1+4 vs 1+2, I separate them for the case of Whizzard/Scrubber) + whatever ICE you'll protect it with, and one that you can rely on taxing the runner as it's an auto trash. The only thing Capital Investors has with it is that it may not be considered auto-trash by the runner, though with your deck so low on reliable income the point may be moot (caveat: clicking for credits is actually not detrimental in this deck atm). All I would say is keep The Root, but play it clever.

Just noticed... No Jacksons? Hmmm, I tried that, can be tough - especially in Weyalnd. But your influence choices do seem very well picked so where you would fit them is a mystery.

Maybe try a Searchlight somewhere? Double/Triple Advancing can bluff a Space ICE in a pinch, and can land a couple of surprise tags where they were expecting a Wormhole. I have found it a bit hit-and-miss though, YMMV...

Otherwise have some fun with the suggestions :)