Elevation is a pivotal set for Null Signal Games. It’s our opportunity to lay a foundation of core effects that articulate our design principles and define NSG’s Netrunner.
While there are a couple of nearprints in the set, most of the takes on classic designs in Elevation are informed by lessons learned from over a decade of Netrunner. At the highest level, we want to increase tension and uncertainty to make both running and scoring more interesting for both players, and we want those big moments to be fueled by skills-testing economy options. Throughout preview season you’ll see that philosophy in action. Here, we’ll take a closer look at the ideas and goals we have for Shaper economy.
The Shaper cards in Elevation are special to me because they’re my fellow designer Lilli’s first faction assignment. We lived together for much of this set’s design, so we got to jam prototyping games and talk through the cards extensively (at some cost to my sleep schedule). I’m proud of these new cards, and of the entire design team for their collective efforts.
High-Level Economic Principles
With the opportunity we have to redefine economy on both a game level and faction level, we’ve established some goals.
At the broadest level, we’d like our economic options to be varied, our game pace to be dynamic with significant fluctuations in credit totals, and for each faction’s economy package to have clear specialties and weaknesses. This means moving some effects out of general availability and into specialty roles.
One prominent example is bounce-back economy: now only Criminal and NBN can start a turn broke and be up and running (literally, in Criminal’s case) by the end of the turn. As Weyland moves out of that space, they become more specialized in rich-get-richer economy that leverages their credit pool. Anarch moves towards more committal options where timing is everything. So where does that leave Shaper?
Shaper Strengths and Weaknesses
Shaper’s basic identity works well. The faction specializes in long-term economy, engine-building, and card draw. This skill set provides a resilient long game, creates board states greater than the sum of their parts, and keeps the cards flowing. But this power comes at the expense of explosiveness, and can leave them slowly recovering after a costly run or two.
We hope this combination of traits create a unique and distinctive contour of economic power over the course of a game. A savvy Corp can exploit this pattern by baiting costly runs, then leveraging the scoring window that opens up when the Runner needs a couple turns to recover. But Corp pressure is only one obstacle Shapers will need to overcome. They may also need to go the extra mile to keep the credits rolling in.
Ongoing Economy
Engine-building is a Shaper specialty, and we are excited to maintain that tenet of the faction’s identity. However, economic engines on the Runner side are typically more powerful than their Corp counterparts. That’s because assets have inherent counterplay: the Runner can always try to trash them. This difference is why Rezeki is banned and PAD Campaign is binder fodder.
To make up for the absence of this inherent weakness, we want to ensure that ongoing Runner economy asks more of the player, whether that’s in deckbuilding, setup time, interaction requirements, or all three. That kind of skill expression makes an archetype more satisfying to build and pilot.
What do you get when you apply these principles to a classic Shaper engine piece? You get “Knickknack” O’Brian:
⬩ “Knickknack” O’Brian
Shaper Resource: Connection
Play cost: 2 – Influence cost: 3
The first time each turn a run begins, you may trash 1 of your other installed cards. If you do, gain credits equal to its printed install cost and draw 1 card.
There are a hundred currencies in the undercity, and Knickknack takes them all. Creds and rupiah get you noodles. For his secret menu, he’ll take your burnt-out rigs, your sterilized virii. But to taste his smoked vatchicken stew, bring him what he values most: your story.
Illustrated by Alecia Doyley
While O’Brian may bear a resemblance to a certain sketchy pawnbroker, there are significant differences that create a distinct game-feel. The run requirement may be the first aspect that sticks out, creating an interactive element. Or maybe it’s the card draw, providing sale-ready cards for future turns. But my favorite element is the payout based on the trashed card’s install cost.
A static payout encourages playing a bunch of 0-cost cards, with little concern for the text on them. O’Brian isn’t interested in your Stoneship Chartroom, but if you try Rigging Up something a bit more costly, you can sell it for a tidy profit. Throw in a DZMZ Optimizer or two and the value just keeps adding up. I’m so excited to see what the playerbase does with this card, and with all the cards in Elevation!
Join us in Kota Kalimantan when Elevation releases on April 24th 2025!
