Midnight Sun breaks new ground for Netrunner by introducing three keyword mechanics; one for each Runner faction. We showed you sabotage, mark, and charge last week, but you might have been left with lingering questions about how each mechanic works. Have no fear—we’ve got an explainer for you.
Sabotage
When it comes to disrupting a Corp’s plans, the Runners of Midnight Sun have a new option: sabotage. Sabotage could be quietly working to undermine a Corp from the inside, organizing a protest action, sinking a transport ship, or simply inspiring others with a silver tongue. An act of sabotage at just the right moment can severely limit the Corp’s options and force them into making difficult decisions.
How Sabotage Works
When you “sabotage N”, the Corp must trash a total of N cards from HQ and the top of R&D.
The Corp decides which cards to trash from HQ, but they only get to choose how many cards to trash from the top of R&D. All of the choices are made first, and then everything is trashed simultaneously. The trashed cards enter Archives facedown, and the Corp may not look at the cards they trashed from R&D until the sabotage effect is fully resolved.
If there are fewer than N cards in HQ or R&D, the Corp must make their choices in a way that trashes the full N cards. If there are fewer than N cards in HQ and R&D combined, the Corp trashes all of the cards from both zones.
Mark
A savvy Runner is always ready to take advantage of an unexpected windfall or moment of vulnerability: an unguarded shipment, a sudden tip-off from a trusted friend, an inattentive guard, or merely an unsecured PAD. Many Runners refer to these opportunities as marks, and pursue them for access and profit.
How Mark Works
When an ability instructs you to “identify your mark”, choose a central server (HQ, R&D, or Archives) at random. That server becomes “your mark” for the remainder of your turn. A server being your mark doesn’t do anything on its own, but cards can make use of it in a variety of ways.
If you already have a mark this turn and are instructed to identify your mark again, don’t randomize a new mark. The same server remains your mark.
Midnight Sun contains a set of three “central server” cards you can shuffle and deal to randomly identify your mark.
Charge
A Runner’s life is one of fluidity and adaptation: their rig is in a constant state of repair or upgrade, hideouts change, and belongings come or go. With creativity and skill, a Runner can apply their personal touch to get more out of their tools and resources than anyone else would think possible.
How Charge Works
To “charge” a card, if it has at least one power counter on it, simply place one more power counter on it.
Most charge effects let you charge any of your installed cards. You can choose any card with a power counter as the target for these effects. You can never charge a card that does not have any hosted power counters.
The card Rigging Up allows you to install a card and charge that particular card. Resolve any “when you install” abilities before attempting to charge the card you installed.
What’s Next
Worried the next point of net damage might knock all this out of your memory? That’s okay, your copy of Midnight Sun will come with reference cards containing all this information.
If you have further questions regarding the rules of Midnight Sun, look out for Comprehensive Rules v1.6, launching alongside the set, as well as the card-by-card rulings and clarifications that will be uploaded to NRDB shortly after release.
Midnight Sun will be released on July 22, 2022, as physical cards via NISEI’s print partners and pay-what-you want files for downloading and printing at home!
