We must begin with a bittersweet announcement: Laury “CaKnuckleguy” Plant has stepped down from the Balance Team. Laury was a long-time veteran of the Balance team, joining all the way back in 2019 when the group was still known as the MWL Committee. From the very start, Laury experienced the high-impact decisions that the position entails – his very first balance update involved the banning of Liza Talking Thunder – and he was a constant watchdog for the impact of balance changes on less-competitive decks and alternate win conditions. Thank you for all your help, Laury!
Although they are big shoes to fill, fill them we must: the Balance Team is recruiting a new member. As a Balance Team Member, you will help ensure the health of competitive Netrunner formats via the Standard Ban List. You will discuss potential changes with and digest feedback from Null Signal Games playtesters, help with communicating balance changes to the wider Netrunner community, and keep a close eye on the overall health of Netrunner formats to help inform the Balance Team’s decision-making. You will work primarily with the Balance Team, the Development Team, and Netrunner playtesters.
The Balance Team is currently investigating the Startup format. Although it is optional, if you have special interest in Startup and want to work on potential balance changes for that format, be sure to mention it in your application.
This is a role with a high profile and a great deal of potential impact – the Balance Team’s decisions affect all official Netrunner tournaments, and, as such, the experience of Netrunner players as a whole.
This role requires you to have in-depth knowledge of the competitive Netrunner metagame. It does not require you to be a high-level player yourself – the Balance Team already contains several high-level players, and players with a broader perspective on the game may offer something unique and helpful to the team.
This role places a great emphasis on communication skills – a large portion of the job of the Balance Team is discussion with playtesters and other Balance Team members. Opinions on balance decisions often differ or even clash, so being able to clearly and effectively communicate is essential. For the same reason, being “plugged in” to the wider Netrunner community offers an additional advantage – the wider the range of opinions on the game you can easily consult, the more holistic a perspective you can bring to the Balance Team’s decision-making.
To apply to join the Balance Team, please fill out this form by October 16, 2022.
Duties:
- Contribute to decision-making on future ban lists for the Standard format
- Help with communicating the Balance Team’s decisions to the community via blog articles
- (Optional) Keep an eye on the Startup format for possible ban list action in the future
Skills:
- In-depth knowledge about the competitive meta of the game (not necessary to be a high-level competitive player)
- Strong communication skills
- “Plugged in” to the Netrunner community to gather feedback from community members of various skill levels
NOTE: This is a volunteer (unpaid) position, as are all positions in Null Signal Games.
