Hayley Kaplan, Queen of Bullshit

lukifer 1304

The Shaper Bullshit is strong with this one. In addition to Hayley's click compression, she is the only Shaper whose grip is online for installing mid-run or on the Corp's turn, which makes it even easier to throw down a surprise Clot.

Recently went undefeated over 5 rounds at a casual tournament at TEG in Broomfield, CO.

The Plan

  • Get ProCo online ASAP, and dig dig dig.
  • Use Hayley's ability to spam out cheap resources/hardware/Caches to sell to Aesop's.
  • Apply early pressure using SMC, Faerie, or your face. You don't need to get early accesses, just force the rez and slow the Corp down.
  • Primary win condition is R&D Interface lock.

Once the combo is set up, most turns are: pawn something, ProCo twice, double-install, run somewhere. (Though not always in that order.)

The econ engine in this deck is nuts. It can typically outpace Midseasons, and I end many games with 20-30 credits.

Try to trigger Hayley's ability every turn, but don't be afraid to let it go to waste at a key strategic moment (setting up ProCo, installing SMC to counter a rush play).

Also try to double-install on the Corp's turn when you can, especially if you're planning on using Clone Chip or SMC anyway. This can also be a great way to burst econ with Cache + Aesop's when the Corp thinks they have a scoring window.

Specific Cards

  • Faerie: I'm told I'm crazy for running this in Shaper, but it does a lot of work when it comes to applying early pressure, or surviving an Archer. Late-game, it can be pawned to Aesop's if you don't need it.

  • Parasite + Datasucker: I try to blow up ice as much as possible, rather than break it. This deck is built to make most runs very cheap, and Parasite is great for dealing with anything too taxing of credits or Lady counters.

  • Same Old Thing: As the deck runs light on events, these are primarily here for Aesop-food, although it can be worth saving the last one as a Levy backup.

  • Ice Analyzer: Also Aesop-food, but sometimes worth keeping around during early game to build a rig while face-checking. I prefer to sell SOTs before Analyzers, unless the rig is already built.

  • Cyberfeeder: In additional to cheap installs for Cache and other viruses, this functions as a "poor man's stealth", protecting your credit pile by making runs cheap. With this rig, icebreakers often don't need to be pumped, so getting into a 3-deep server for only 2-3 real credits is not unusual.

  • Study Guide: I'm torn here. Fantastic for late game, but I often don't play it, as Cyber-Cypher + Parasite is usually enough. Combines great with Cyberfeeder, though.

  • Clot: This card is vital to surviving fast-advance, and you should play it aggressively (with a free Cache/SMC from hand, when possible!).

  • Akamatsu Mem Chip: These are mainly here for SMC breathing room, and combo-installing with real hardware. They usually get pawned during mid-to-late game. Could probably be 2x without any problems.

  • Sure Gamble: These were originally Daily Casts for efficiency, leaving Levy AR Lab Access as the only Event, but with the tempo hit of installing ProCo, this deck needs opening burst econ too badly to not use Gambles.

Problems/Improvements

  • Cyberfeeders do a lot of work, but the econ engine is strong enough that they may not be needed. If I were to cut anything for influence, it would be these, in order to make room for some mix of Stimhack, Femme Fatale, Scheherazade, or Street Peddler. (The last of which is particularly tempting, as it combo-installs easily, and creates another way for Hayley to fast-install from her grip).

  • I have yet to test much against RP, as my meta is a litte bored with it. I think this deck would do okay, but the extra required run and asset trashing definitely screws with its desired rhythm. Making room for Scrubber or even Paricia (which is good Aesop-food anyway) would not be the worst idea. There's also not a great answer to Caprice besides pressuring other servers, and winning psi games.

  • Not packing any HQ multi-access. Usually runs are cheap enough that single accesses do the job; the Clot threat can make agendas pile up in hand.

  • This deck hates Cybernetics Division with a passion. As the hand shrinks, targets for Hayley's's ability diminish. If I saw it in the meta frequently, I'd probably add a single Brain Cage.

4 comments
22 Jul 2015 Marimbist11

+1 for Street Peddler in Hayley. Literally my favorite card to run with her. Its just another way to speed up her installs, especially due to being usable on the Corp's turn.

22 Jul 2015 Pinkwarrior

@lukifer Have you though about changing Sure Gamble for Daily Casts it'll activate your ability and with Aesop's Pawnshop will give you abit more cash than SG downside you lose some burst econ but you have Cache for that still.

23 Jul 2015 sruman

Nobody likes net dmg, but you do have a levy and clone chips, so I would think the Faerie is mainly there for high-strength sentries you face check. Couldn't sharpshooter serve a similar role in-faction? Seems like 3 inf that might be better used elsewhere.

23 Jul 2015 lukifer

@Pinkwarrior I've tried Daily Casts, and it works well, but it can also create a tempo problem when it comes to installing Professional Contacts ASAP. Gamble + SMC also lets you pose a threat early if none of the combo pieces show up.

@sruman The Faerie isn't strictly necessary, but I think it's worth the influence, and it's done work in most of the games I've played. Its big job is to break an early Architect for cheap (3 creds with SMC rather than 7 for Mimic). And though there's enough recursion to recover from Cortex Lock/Komainu, losing an early ProCo or Aesop's is a huge blow to setting up the engine.

That said, a Sharpshooter wouldn't be a bad replacement, depending on the meta; I'd probably use the influence for an Imp and a Scheherazade.