Waiver

Waiver 5[credit]

Ice: Code Gate - Tracer
Strength: 5
Influence: 2

[subroutine] Trace[5]. If successful, the Runner reveals the grip. Trash each card revealed this way with a play or install cost of X or less. X is equal to the amount by which your trace strength exceeded the Runner's link strength.

"It's amazing how small we can write the fine print these days."
Illustrated by Lili Ibrahim
Decklists with this card

The Liberated Mind (tlm)

#91 • English
Startup Card Pool
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  • Updated 2024-06-26

    UFAQ [Damon Stone]

    When resolving the trace on Waiver, by how much does the Corp’s trace strength need to exceed the Runner’s link strength in order to trash cards with cost X, such as Angel Arena and Bribery?

    The Corp’s trace strength only needs to exceed the Runner’s link strength by 1 to be considered successful and trash cards with cost X. A printed cost of X is considered to be 0 when referenced outside of paying that cost to play/install the card.

Reviews

Poor Waiver. NBN's very own hand-wiping ICE alongside Komainu and Brainstorm, this little piece of bureaucracy has made shockingly little impact to the NBN ICE suite. This is a shame because it has a lot of things going for it.

Pros

5 strength code gates are always welcome

At a reasonable cost, too! 5 rez is one less than Fairchild 3.0, but you lose 2 subroutines and the bioroid weakness.

Ridiculously high face-check value, can be a devastating setback for a runner holding key pieces in hand

Even if you don't wipe their whole hand, you still get to snoop into the runner's grip and make informed decisions about your next move...

Possibly following up with Salem's Hospitality or a freshly rezzed Ibrahim Salem. A Neural EMP kill is also possible.

Cons

Is a Tracer, which can be invalidated by high link strength

Runner has control over what you trash, may spend only up to their most expensive card, this is mitigated by the fact that you can see their hand still.

Pretty weak to D4v1d, but taxing for other breakers

(Crimson Dust era)
1632
And don't forget, it also wipes any 0 cost cards if it gets to fire. There's quite a few of those common in decks. —
Unless the Runner pays so their link strength is 1 more than the trace strength. —
Actually, upon further inspection, it wouldn't wipe the 0 cost cards, since the trace is not successful when the runner matches the trace strength. —
You're quite right, good catch. —