Jinteki (PE) - Shell game (Deck from Single Core Set)

Just like everyone else, I started learning to play A:NR with Jinteki Vs. Kate (as the rulebook suggests). I played too many games as corp only with a single runner friend (playing Kate of course) and I always felt so poor. Not many ways to make credits other than clicking for it or Hedge Fund if I'm lucky enough, while on the other side there was a juicy Magnum Opus for up to 8cr per turn. Frustrated as I was, I started researching for my first deckbuilding. Rules were simple enough regarding Agendas and Influence, but I still couldn't make my core Jinteki deck rich enough. How can I protect myself if I can't pay 4 for a Snare! or advance a Project Junebug? I figured Jinteki mindgames are not for beginners and went exploring other factions. The glacier approach seems like the safest most reliable route, build an ICE fort and advance. HB] became my favorite, followed by Weyland. NBN feels very awkward, no traps for shell game, no money for big forts...lots of tags and little punishment....

Jinteki is a different beast. It's all about taking risks, lots of bluffs and trying to flatline the runner. It doesn't need much ice, just a few punishing ones for central servers and a lot of unprotected remotes; there could be traps or agendas.

There are plenty of assets in this deck for a shell game to work and there are two types of runners. Those who check everything and those scared to fall prey to a trap and wait for a cue, or play infiltration. If they run everything, don't install open agendas and set a small scoring server with 1-2 ETR ice. They won't have enough credits because they've been occupied trashing all the assets or recovering from trap damages and/or they didn't set up the breaking suit yet. For those scared to run naked remotes, you can bluff agendas and advance them alongside Project Junebug or Aggressive Secretary. Advancing & scoring isn't Jinteki's go-to move though. Whenever I focus on winning by scoring with PE, I lose.

There are a few combos you can use to kill the runner, keep the flatline plan as a priority.

• Chum over Neural Katana or Wall of Thorns.
• Neural Katana over Data Mine protecting a Snare! or an advanced Project Junebug.
• Boost a Neural Katana with Corporate Troubleshooter so the won't be able to break it.

etc....

Even if they steal an Agenda, that's 1 net damage and you can seal the deal with Neural EMP. For the runners that don't respect tags and keep them upon hitting a snare or by siphoning you, there's a surprise Scorched Earth in the deck that goes really well with EMPs and Private Security Force.

Unfortunately, Jinteki along NBN are the poorest corporations. I splashed a couple of Beanstalk Royalties and an Adonis Campaign to help the situation. Hopefully you can use Melange Mining Corp. 1-2 times before they get to trash it. PAD Campaigns work like a charm. Even if they trash it, they lose 4. Archived Memories can recur a bit of economy, but they're mostly for bringing back traps or trashed Agendas by that Noise vandal.

There are a few in-faction cards I left behind, as they never helped me won a game. Cell Portal...what a useless card. Jinteki can't pay 5 to force the runner pass Neural Katana for a 2nd time...and all this hustle for an expensive ice to be derezzed again. Precognition is an awesome card, especially if you get R&D locked but we're not going for scoring and it seems like a waste of clicks. Play the shell game and the combo pieces will slowly come.

Not much ICE in this deck, focus more on the traps than protecting/advancing and if you don't like the flatlining plan, use the following deck or a different faction:

Agenda (9)

• 3x Nisei MK II (Core Set)
• 3x Priority Requisition (Core Set)
• 3x Private Security Force (Core Set)

Asset (13)

• 3x Adonis Campaign (Core Set) ••••• •
• 2x Melange Mining Corp. (Core Set)
• 3x PAD Campaign (Core Set)
• 2x Project Junebug (Core Set)
• 3x Snare! (Core Set)

Operation (10)

• 3x Beanstalk Royalties (Core Set) •••
• 3x Hedge Fund (Core Set)
• 2x Neural EMP (Core Set)
• 2x Precognition (Core Set)

Barrier (7)

• 2x Ice Wall (Core Set) ••
• 3x Wall of Static (Core Set)
• 2x Wall of Thorns (Core Set)

Code Gate (7)

• 2x Chum (Core Set)
• 3x Enigma (Core Set)
• 2x Tollbooth (Core Set) ••••

Sentry (3)

• 3x Neural Katana (Core Set)

15 influence spent (max 15)
21 agenda points (between 20 and 21)
49 cards (min 45)
Cards up to Core Set