2024 In the Rearview

A look back and a look ahead.

Happy holidays everyone! I hope you enjoy a break from our regularly scheduled cyberpunk dystopia to enjoy time with friends and family. Today we’re going a bit light on the Standard format evolution despite the ban announcement (which hit very soon after I hit publish on my last piece, total coincidence, but not an unwelcome one). Maybe I’ll have more to say about it next week, but in the meantime, read up on Whiteblade’s take if you haven’t done so already.

Let’s start with a look back at my writing during the year- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

RWR Card Evaluation: Not Horrible

The year started with me looking at the RWR spoilers and assessing them after a lengthy blogging hiatus.

While I noted that Trick Shot was good, I also said it would see play out of faction which it basically has not. That is because Shaper has largest ability to turn those virtual credits into real credits, and the card is not a low enough influence cost to just jam into any shell.

I was too high on Kingmaking, Corporate Hospitality (a card that saw some play in the summer, but has been mostly ignored) and Amelia Earheart. The latter’s trigger condition requires substantial setup and the payoff is insufficient in a world of rapid econ recovery tools like Your Digital Life and Regolith Mining License. Cloud Eater has been played, although it didn’t end up as quite the powerhouse I expected- 10 credits does a lot to balance it and cheating the rez cost via something like Send a Message makes it lose a big part of its bite (surprise factor and the on-rez trigger).

I also have to talk about Sebastião which I was pretty high on during spoilers - In general, Anarch players still strongly prefer the raw power of Hoshiko, Esa, and Freedom to the (eventual) value-engine payoff of Sebastião. Nonetheless, Eli_b/Shishu made top 50 of Worlds with Council’s Sebastião so there’s yet hope for this ID to eventually end up Tier 1/1.5. One issue I’ve noted with the deck is that (in my experience) having a Solidarity Badge to passively clear tags is super important to really make the deck hum. One additional card like this (even out of faction) that can be played early might be enough to make this the preferred Crew delivery system. Friend of a Friend does indeed act as one of the glue cards that holds the deck together, and I noted it as a lynchpin in my spoiler review.

I also think I was correct about Jeitinho being a C+ card. I have not been assassinated all year long. This card desperately needed to do something, anything else to justify 3 deck slots.

The thing I was most wrong about: not noticing how bonkers Physarum Entangler is, particularly in Arissana: S-tier card in that ID despite the influence cost.

My Best Writing This Year

Looking back on the year, I think my best writing was in Learning to Lose (https://rapanui.substack.com/p/learning-to-lose). I stand by every last letter in that particular post, but particularly this bit:

One of the things I like about Netrunner is that more than almost any other competitive game, losing can be surprisingly fun. Netrunner has a somewhat high tendency compared to other CCGs to create “nail biter” end game states, where the winner of a match can boil down to access lottery or finding the right card with a few ‘click to draw’ actions or calling a bold bluff. Losing these can be (relatively) great, especially when I felt both my opponent and I played well and that my opponent totally understands that things could have gone very differently.

Fun is not zero sum.

Runner Up: There’s Always Money in the BANana Stand

I challenged myself to work in as many Arrested Development references as I could, and I think I did alright.

What Did the Readers Like?

My Full Worlds Report was opened by 61% of subscribers and viewed 484 times and hooked 4 new readers. People like tournament reports. I will do those as often as I can, and I will try to make them fun to read.

What Did the Readers NOT Like?

Spoilers and scoops discussion were by far the least viewed content, although that was at the start of the year when my blogging hiatus had just ended so its unsurprising. Point and Laugh was shit-tier content, so I’m not surprised it was also a nadir in readership- although to be fair I do disclaim it at the top of the post with a tl;dr, and I stand by the sentiment.

Inspired by Neon Static: FFG Retrospective

OK, now that we’re done with self-reflection, let’s look at the FFG card designs that will be leaving us soon(ish) with the release of Dawn. The sets going are:

1. Magnum Opus

2. Red Sands Cycle

3. Kitara Cycle

4. Reign and Reverie

5. System Update 2021

That’s 386 unique cards (although some are banned) that will no longer be in the game, and some have been metagame-defining for a while. Instantly, just by looking at that number, we can see that the card-knowledge barrier to entry for new players is going to drop substantially for Standard. FFG’s original Core Set had 113 unique cards, so assuming a similar number in Dawn, we’re looking at 200 fewer cards to learn. A smaller card pool usually also means a lower power level and slower format overall.

Now, let’s look at individual cards that are likely to need replacements. Let’s start with System Update 2021, since that has some very old foundational cards in it:

• Clot : the game will need some way of address “score from hand” as a strategy, hopefully whatever replaces this causes less clunky “Action?” questions after installs or advances.

• Imp: this is a crucial tool for metagames where disrupting Operations or Defensive Agendas is important.

• Inside Job: foundational crim card.

• Diesel: foundational shaper card. Probably the single most important rotating runner card from System Update 2021.

• Paricia: key shaper tool for tech-ing against assets in the metagame.

• Pawnshop: foundational shaper econ engine.

• Dirty Laundry: foundational reliable runner event econ.

• Earthrise Hotel: influence-free draw crutch for crim.

• Project Vitruvius: foundational Agenda for HB.

• Magnet: tech against trojans.

• Biotic Labor: foundational win condition (see also- Clot). Probably the single most important rotating corp card from System Update 2021.

• Jinteki: Personal Evolution: net damage ID.

• House of Knives: foundational net damage Agenda.

• Nisei MkII: foundational Jinteki agenda for glacier (and occasionally rush)

• Snare! : foundational Jinteki trap.

• Near-Earth Hub: foundational NBN asset ID.

• Project Beale: foundational NBN agenda.

• Hostile Takeover: foundational Weyland agenda.

• Project Atlas: foundational Weyland agenda.

• Punitive Counterstrike: cornerstone metagame card; foundational win condition. Metagame defining.

• Crisium Grid: cornerstone tech against run event punishment (DoF) or win conditions (Deep Dive).

• Enigma: baseline neutral corp ice that’s been solidly playable since forever. Establishes a good baseline for ice in general.

• Rielle “Kit” Peddler: extremely unique ID ability that is not baseline econ- has been in the game forever and generally beloved by people like yours truly.

Of these cards, I am least sad to see Personal Evolution go, and that will surprise no one. The card I will most miss on this list is Nisei Mk2. I sometimes describe it to people as “the closest thing the Corporation gets to countermagic”, and it does feel that way to me even if you’re always playing with your Counterspell face up. “What about Biovault?” it’s not the same, I don’t know why. Don’t ask me to be consistent and make sense.

The biggest question mark (and I know it’s hanging over a lot of people’s head) is Punitive Counterstrike. Punitive is a cornerstone fork card of the current meta, and a powerful wincon. But it’s also like.. I don’t know… Really harsh on beginners? Even if you know the card exists, and you know its in their deck, it can be surprisingly difficult to play around, and the math is highly demanding when considering multiples and non-trivial credit pools on both sides. Some of the play patterns this fork encourages (sit around and make boatloads of money) are anti-interactive. But, it’s not inherently unbalanced. You can beat Punitive through careful play or with tech cards like Stoneship Chartroom, and the Corporation should be able to punish the runner for going broke on a run that doesn’t end the game.

Moving on- let’s talk about Reign and Reverie:

• Miss Bones – This card has been (almost) single-handedly keeping asset spam in check in the meta. Yes, an early Paricia can sometimes do a pretty good impression, and Freedom/Imp stuff can also check those kinds of decks, but Miss Bones is so good that she is often seen out of faction. I strongly considered taking Kill NEH to Worlds, but something about just losing 20% win rate every time my opponent dropped one of these on the board made very shy about that. Now, part of it is that some FFG assets and upgrades had absolutely bonkers trash costs because they were designed with Wh1zz4rd in mind, but a few powerful NSG assets are also quite expensive (e.g. Wage Workers, Powers that Be, Prana Condenser, Svyatogor Excavator), so the Crim faction might need a boost in this department.

• DJ Fenris and Lady Liberty – Gonna miss these on purely aesthetic grounds, but they are also good cards that help buttress certain strategies.

• Gatekeeper – This is probably the single most important card rotating from R&R. Gatekeeper is a metagame powerhouse and singlehandedly makes rush archetypes feasible. A lot of PD’s and Asa’s win % comes from the fact that this card provides value on both early game facechecks (via subs) and mid/late game (via tax). HB will need some type of early game replacement for this if PD is going to remain Tier 1.

Next up- Kitara cycle:

• Anansi – This has been Jinteki’s S-tier threat for 7+ years now. Every face down ice from the faction needs to be carefully considered, because a run where Anansi fires all its subs isn’t just huge tempo value for the Corp, its also potentially instantly game-losing. With Anansi gone, running against Jinteki facedown ice without a Killer installed at least enters the landscape of consideration (at least until the Corp hits Snake money, ie 10 credits)

• Degree Mill – Banning agendas always constricts Corp deck building and the banning of Bellona (and unlikely unbanning, although you never know) meant that this has been the only defensive 5/3 option for NBN. It’s good enough, but its rotation means that whatever replaces it needs to be at least as good in order to encourage including 5/3s in an NBN shell.

• Amani Senai – Good riddance, and I say that having enjoyed nuking the runner’s board over and over again; but this one is pretty close to zero sum fun.

• Urban Renewal – One of Weyland’s wincons… this one is balanced and because the subgame happens face up, gives the runner time to decide whether to mitigate it, or play to win before it fires.

• NGO Front – Classic run misdirection. This card has been a solid include and lends itself to non-NPE Yomi games. Will be missed.

• Rashida Jaheem – Probably the single most important corp card leaving the game, period. Since its printing Rashida has helped Corp winrates across the faction board. It basically reads: 1 click, 1 card: gain 3, draw 3. It can even be used as bait to tax 1 click or set the runner up for an Oppo Research. In combination with Spin Doctor, it helps the Corp deal with early Agenda flood and allows it to actually play a game of Netrunner. If there’s no straightforward replacement for this card, expect Corporation win-rate to drop at least 10%. Also expect more “blowout” games where you just flood and die.

• Diversion of Funds – Since the restart of Netrunner in 2013, the Criminal faction has basically always demanded that the Corporation either: ice HQ on turn 1, or drop 5 credits worth of assets on turn 1. Any other opening was extremely vulnerable to being instantly punished by an Account Siphon or Diversion of Funds which greatly decreased the chance to win the game. I suspect there will be a replacement for this effect, much like there is likely to be a replacement for Diesel in the Shaper faction.

Next: Red Sands-

• MCA Austerity Policy – Recently this card became a metagame pillar again, but here’s the thing: it’s always been good. Between being a win condition and a reasonable tax on the runner’s econ if they choose to go deal with it, this is one of the most reliable ways to convert HB’s efficiency into scored points. Playing against it can be a bit annoying, but it never crossed the line into full-blown NPE territory for me. Here’s hoping HB gets another way to bank clicks in the future.

• AgInfusion - This ID is basically just absolutely stellar game design. It’s a competitive ID that doesn’t give a flat econ advantage and instead must be leveraged tactically- I’m extremely fond of this type of thing when its good. Nonetheless, I think we’ve all had our fun getting slammed into Anansi, Saisentan, or Cloud Eater again and again and it’s time to say good bye. Recent results at Worlds show that A Teia can be constructed to be a glacier powerhouse, so Jinteki will still have reasons to build giant stacks of ice.

• Reeducation – Splinter Twin is banned. (No need to stockpile copies, it will not be back in 8 years.) Seriously though, this card is messed up, and I suspect many will be glad to see it gone.

• AR-Enhanced Security – This agenda was pretty important for some asset-spamming yellow decks and allows them to do a pretty good CtM impression at times. Not really gonna miss it, to be honest.

• Audacity – Lynchpin Weyland win condition. Very good due to its ability to close out games from near absolute poverty. Between Biotic Labor (see above) and this rotating out, fast advance plan will rely more heavily on things like Bass CH1R1B0G4, Slash and Burn Agriculture or weird “Greasing the Palm + tag” skateboard tricks. Nonetheless, I suspect we’ll see a replacement sooner or later.

• Maw – Extremely powerful console that can disrupt combo-based Corp plans. Sad to see it go, because when its good, it’s really good.

• Aumakua – The single most important card leaving from Red Sands. I’ve mentioned before that if Mavirus didn’t exist, Aumakua run engines would run roughshod over the metagame. It’s so good that even with Corp decks packing 1 copy almost by default (9/16 Corp decks at the World top cut had at least 1 copy of the card) its still very playable. It won’t just be Crims that miss it either, as anarch decks can use it in combination with leech quite effectively. I’ll miss Aumakua as a strong-but-counterbalanced AI breaker that rewarded carefully considered runs against unrezzed ice.

• Los: Data Hijacker – just kidding. Couldn’t help myself.

Magnum Opus only has two cards of interest since everything else is either banned or irrelevant.

• Border Control – This is a Corporation win condition by itself, and probably the single strongest Weyland ice ever printed. The design space here should be re-explored (and already has, out of faction, with M.I.C.) since it is quite interesting.

• Labor Rights – Recursion is covered by Ashen Epilogue, I don’t really think we want too many of these effects in the game that create deterministic end states.

Those are the 42 cards that really stand out to me from the rotating pool as potentially leaving a noticeable structural absence if they are not somehow replaced. I expect a lot of these gaps will be addressed by Dawn, but any that aren’t will cause shifts in the fundamental structure of the Standard meta. Obviously, other cards matter and affect what IDs and strategies will be viable, but these are the really big ones to me.

It’s worth noting that even with Dawn, the influence of the 2013 FFG reboot will not be entirely gone. Sure Gamble and Hedge Fund will still be around, as well as False Lead, Self-Modifying Code, Colossus and Cerebral Overwriter. These cards notwithstanding, NSG is definitely moving to remove any lingering overt FFG influence so that there’s a clean break (probably with regards to IP, not just design). Nonetheless, you can call those “homages” and as far as Standard is concerned, with Dawn we’re effectively entering the era of Netrunner 3.0.

What to Do With Old Cardboard

I’m hanging on to it in case I ever want to experiment with Eternal. I also just like having the old FFG cards for historical completeness (kind of like a collector’s irrationality) and nostalgia value. The FFG product developed its own aesthetic and vibe, and I think I’d like to hang on to it as long as the space in my gaming room permits.

Which card are you most going to miss? Which card are you eager to never see again? What do you think stands to shake the meta up the most if it is not functionally replaced? Let me know in the comments!

[AI GARBOSLOP IMAGE of sunrise over a cityscape.]