Unsmiling Tsarevna

Unsmiling Tsarevna 4[credit]

Ice: Sentry - AP
Strength: 2
Influence: 2

When you rez this ice during a run against this server, you may have the Runner gain 2[credit]. If you do, during each encounter with this ice for the remainder of that run, the Runner cannot break more than 1 of its printed subroutines.

[subroutine] Give the Runner 1 tag.

[subroutine] Do 2 net damage.

[subroutine] You may draw 2 cards.

Illustrated by BalanceSheet
Decklists with this card

Parhelion (ph)

#117 • English
Startup Card Pool
Standard Card Pool
Standard Ban List (show history)
Printings
Parhelion
Rulings

No rulings yet for this card.

Reviews

Here is a rez effect that you want. Give the runner 2 to break only one sub. Usually, the runner will chose to break the 2 damages sub, allowing you to draw 2 cards and give a tag. A great card in NBN: Reality Plus.

At 4 for 3 subs and strenght of 2, it is quite a reasonable price to pay. Bukhgalter will have to pay 2 and most other killer will have to pay 3. Of note, MKUltra would need to pay a whooping 6 to break all of it (the runner will probably let you draw 2 cards). So, it taxes reasonably.

This is a fun addition to the NBN ice suite. It is a good facecheck and a good tax, but will not stop the runner ultimately. At 2 influences, it is actually worth it to use out of faction, when the game plan is around taxing the runner rather than stopping the runner. With 3 subs, it is taxing for Endurance and Botulus to pass.

Unsmiling Tsarevna refers to the wife of the successor for the tsar. Putting the "unsmiling" push the concept of not being able to break all the subs (in a certain sense).

The art is nice and the color give the character a distinctive (if somewhat old) virtual feel. However, the strong colors makes the lines less defined. I think it is a deliberate choice and it reinforce the feeling of a virtual guardian. Well done.

(Parhelion era)
4173

On subsequent runs, will the runner be able to break all the subroutines?

@wafflesatdawn - Yes. Tsarevna's ability says "If you do, during each encounter with this ice for the remainder of that run..." Once the run in which you rezzed Tsarevna is over, its first ability is no longer applicable, and the Runner can break all 3 of its subroutines.