The Netrunner Teaching Deck Project - Now With Core Decks too!
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So I've seen many requests on the Android: Netrunner boards asking for beginner or teaching decks.
There have been some suggestions, but I thought it might be nice to build a complete set of teaching/beginner decks. The decks will follow the pattern of video game tutorials - starting with decks that teach the most introductory concepts, to be followed by match-ups that gradually introduce more features and archetypes.
The items will be organized as matchups - pairings between two (mostly) balanced rivals rather than single decks.
To get the most out of these decks, I highly recommend playing both sides of each matchup before moving on. It's really hard to fully understand how to play the corp until you've taken a serious crack at the runner, and likewise. So be patient, integrate every concept, then move on. If you reach the end, I cannot promise you'll be ready for Nationals, but you will definitely have a strong grounding in the game. Look to the "strategy" tab on the Netrunner homepage to continue your studies.
Obviously I had to make a choice about what sets (and how many of each card) I would include. After some thought, I decided that while I would stick with 1 Core set, I will also be using cards from the Genesis cycle of expansions (well, those that have been released at this point). It's pretty clear to me - at least from a design point of view - that the Core set and Genesis cycle compromise the "real" base of this game. Nevertheless, when possible, I've taken cards from the first expansion or two to attempt to minimize the initial investment.
Please, please note that these decks are NOT meant to be tournament ready, extremely efficient or even particularly strong. They are meant to teach the game, that's it. So if you see some card choices that strike you as odd, I probably had a reason for my decision. Similarly, don't bother with the "hey, why not substitute X for Y?" Nevertheless, please feel free to make suggestions if you see any room for improvement; I'll either integrate your ideas or sneer at the screen.
Above all, remember that these are just my own suggestions and do not represent gospel or canon regarding beginner decks. If you like the first couple of matchups, let me know and I might be tempted to complete this project more quickly
Jump straight to a match-up:
1. Shaper Kate vs. Weyland Corp.
2. Criminal Gabe vs. HB Corp.
3. Shaper Chaos Theory vs. NBN Corp.
4. Noise vs. HB fast advance - coming soon!
5. Andromeda vs. Jinteki - coming soon!
Edit: After careful consideration and input from comments, I've modified the Corp. in the first match-up; this version should be final. The changes give the Corp. a bit more sting (though as I pointed out in the comments, the runner definitely still has an edge, as it should be for new players), and I've removed the Private Security Forces, which I never really liked for this set (as their power relies on Tag).
Update II By popular demand, the first Core Set only match has been posted below. Enjoy!
Jump straight to a Core-only match-up:
1. Shaper Kate vs. Weyland Corp.
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- Edited Wed May 8, 2013 7:14 pm
- Posted Fri May 3, 2013 3:23 pm
- [+] Dice rolls
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