Power Grid Overload

Power Grid Overload 1[credit]

Operation
Influence: 1

Play only if the Runner made a successful run during their last turn.

Trace[2]. If successful, trash 1 installed piece of hardware with an install cost of X or less, where X is equal to the amount by which your trace strength exceeded the Runner's link strength.

Illustrated by Howard Schechlman
Decklists with this card

Trace Amount (ta)

#37 • English
Startup Card Pool
Standard Card Pool
Standard Ban List (show history)
Printings
Trace Amount
Rulings

No rulings yet for this card.

Reviews

I've never seen this card played and I can't understand why. Apart from the obvious combo of blowing up a plascrete and scorched earth a runner who thinks they are safe, it is also great at blowing up consoles, clone chips (MaxX hates this BTW) and other annoying hardware. It is played best in NBN making news IMO and at one influence pip is easily splashable.

(Breaker Bay era)
i think it is because the trace mechanic puts the control over what you can trash to the runner. Say if i wanted to blow something up with an install cost of 3, and i raise my trace by 6. The runner can ruin my plans by raising his link to 7. Now i can only trash things which cost 1 or 0. —
I run Power Grid Shutdown instead, as do many other players who want this effect. It's much cheaper. —
If you are playing this card, you should probably wait until the runner is low enough on credits to achieve the results. Power Shutdown makes the runner choose what to trash while powergrid overload is the corps choice. Both are good cards that have a slightly different effect on the game. —
"If you are playing this card, you should probably wait until the runner is low enough on credits to achieve the results." - I don't know what your opponents are like, but good players know to out-money Weyland Scorch decks, and most have enough money to avoid SEA Source just in case. If they are protecting themselves financially from Scorch, this has virtually no chance of landing unless early game. If you do land it, you're burning loads of cash you can't then spend to land SEA Source or Midseasons. It is a poor financial proposition and sees no competitive play for a reason. —