In the “So you wanna…” series we introduce each of the major and minor factions that you can play in Netrunner. These articles survey common themes, flavor, mechanics, and strategies that these factions employ, as well as a brief overview of key cards in the faction. “So you wanna…” will help you find the right faction to play and prepare you to compete against every faction in the game!

Meet the Shapers

Greetings, aspiring Netrunner! Today we will be discussing the Shaper faction on the Runner side. Shaper is one of three core Runner factions. Their cards are bright green and feature identities such as Kate McCaffrey and Hayley Kaplan. Shapers love seeing their beautiful programs and hardware take shape in cyberspace. Shapers run because they can, and their talents are in creating efficient programs and hardware that can do anything. If there’s a problem to be solved, you can bet a Shaper has solved it with better gear!

Their strongest icebreakers are code gate Decoders. The Shaper central server of choice is R&D. Shapers often run the biggest, most flexible rigs in all of Netrunner, but that efficiency comes at the price of having to find and install that gear. To help defray this set-up, Shapers also have the best card draw efficiency, as well as the best program and hardware “tutoring” (card effects that allow you to search your stack for another card). Let’s take a look at some of their key tools!

Signature Cards

[Spend 1 Click]: Gain 2 [credits].

Unlike Criminals, Shapers aren’t just trying to make a quick buck and get out. They want to create, not destroy, unlike Anarchs. And so, they must find a way to fund their creations to showcase their talents at running. Magnum Opus lets them do so efficiently, sustainably, and reliably.

Magnum Opus sets the baseline for click economy in Netrunner. At 5 credits to install and taking up 2 memory units of your rig’s initial 4, Magnum Opus is quite the investment. But since programs are relatively hard to trash compared to resources, and Shapers are often installing more memory for their rigs anyway, the cost is certainly justifiable to a Shaper. Decks that rely on Magnum Opus frequently aim to get this card out by Turn 2, hopefully aided by burst econ like Sure Gamble and Modded.

[Spend 2 credits, trash this card]: Search your stack for a program and install it (paying the install cost). Shuffle your stack.

Haven’t drawn your cool icebreakers yet to get into that server? Looking for a way to quickly get your Magnum Opus out and start making the big bucks? Got 2 memory units to spare? Run some Self-modifying Code!

Self-modifying Code allows you to defer installing your programs until the moment is just right. It can be used during a run, on the Corp’s turn (getting double the value out of Kate or Hayley’s installation abilities!), or any time you have a paid ability window. Knowing how to maximize the use (or abuse?) of SMC is key to playing Shaper well.

[Trash this card]: Install a program from your heap (paying the install cost).

In addition to finding programs anywhere in their stacks, Shapers can also install programs from their heaps without spending a click! Clone Chip is far cheaper and easier on the rig than Self-modifying Code, and in fact it’s so efficient that the official tournament rules put Clone Chip on the Most Wanted List (-1 influence per copy).

Given the power of Shaper to defer installation until the last second from the heap and from the stack, it’s often the case when playing Shaper that your grip is the worst place for your programs! Keep this in mind when running as a Shaper.

Shaping Cyberspace

Shaper has possibly the strongest late-game of any faction on any side. If given enough time to set up, the rate at which Shaper economy and efficiency scales makes them nearly unstoppable.

Naturally, this efficiency comes at a price, and that price is largely giving up control of the early game. In most cases, your goal as a Shaper is to accelerate the pace at which you can complete setup, rather than contesting the Corp early like a Criminal, or disrupting them along the way like an Anarch.

This is not to say that Shaper doesn’t have the tools to contest an early remote play or disrupt attempts at rushing out. You can gain quick money with Sure Gamble and install a Self-modifying Code turn 1 to threaten nearly any singly-ICEd remote. Similarly, Clone Chip enables you to recur Clot over and over to stop fast-advance plans. However, spending your clicks and credits contesting early remotes, rather than setting up your unstoppable rig, is often worth a lot less to a Shaper whose objective is late-game dominance.

The general strategy for Shaper is to install enough of a rig to threaten any agendas in remote servers, whether through Clot and Clone Chip or just having an assortment of high-efficiency breakers. At this point in the game it’s worth also checking HQ just to be sure the agendas haven’t piled up. When it is clear the Corp is no longer able to score through their remotes, look to establish multi-access runs on R&D so that they never find an agenda before you do again.

Playing Shaper well means knowing how to pick the right tool for the job, how to get the most bang for your buck and your clicks, and how to get the most value out of every single run. Do you run now and risk going broke and popping Self-mod, to steal the 2 point agenda? Or do you instead see the agenda in the remote, calmly click 4 times on Magnum Opus, and the turn after they score, play The Maker’s Eye and hopefully score a bunch of points? If you like the sound of the latter, you might enjoy playing Shaper!

Playing Against Shaper

A Shaper with gear is a Runner to fear. Against Shaper, you are always on the clock to win before they find their tools. There are of course decks that can still beat Shaper by turtling up, like in the strongest glacier decks (large amounts of ICE, setting up a single big scoring remote). Usually, though, it is impossible for any Corp to stop a Shaper from running any single server with a big credit pool and an efficient rig.

If you play a fast Corp deck, aim to score out with just enough credits to get by. Don’t waste your time gaining credits. Trust your early gear checks and play aggressively enough (spamming assets, installing agendas behind single or at most two ICE) to force the Shaper to make those hard decisions: run now and potentially go broke, or give up scoring to set up instead.

On the other hand, if you plan to glacier up behind ICE, very careful placement according to an analysis of rig components is key to taxing out the Runner out. Place your ICE so they are taxing enough that they can’t run every turn. Experience and knowing the likely icebreakers they can install and how they interact with your ICE suite is key to victory.

Knowing the type of rig the Shaper is installing is vital to understanding their strategy. Generally, their target is your scoring server followed by centrals and of course R&D. Get by with token defenses on centrals until the Runner shows sure signs of multi-access on R&D, or is installing cards that target Archives or HQ specifically. Forcing a Shaper to install expensive breakers or trash assets in remotes, looking for ways to keep them out of R&D, and trying to outpace their econ are all ways to defend against a Shaper.

Is Shaper Right For Me?

Do you value flexibility and efficiency? Want to see how all your cool tools come together and interact to beat the Corp at their own games? Like to play decks that have direct answers to common problems, and some unusual ones too? Want to surprise the Corp and make them say “I didn’t think you could get into that server!” If you answered yes to any or all of these, you might be a Shaper!

If you’re looking for a strong deck that is competitive and legal to play as of the Flashpoint cycle, check out Turquoise Kate by dogstew and get a taste of running with the Shapers.

We hope you enjoyed this introductory article on the Shaper faction. Here at Levy University, your educational satisfaction is guaranteed, or your credits back!

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