Hey everyone!

I played my first game of Android: Netrunner last night, and loved it! I'm definitely sold on the game.

I have a couple questions, though, regarding encountering ice:

Ice has subroutines which need to be broken. I don't understand how ice with multiple subroutines work. How does a runner break a second or third (or further) subroutine? Do they still use the same icebreaker? If so, what's the point of having multiple subroutines if one icebreaker has already proven that it can break one subroutine on the ice? Isn't it then strong enough to break all of them?

The only thing I can think of is if you're only allowed to use an icebreaker to break one subroutine. Thereby using multiple icebreaker cards to break one ice card.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

If an encountered Ice does not have a subroutine that "Ends the Run," the Runner can pass through it and suffer the damage of each subroutine. If there is a subroutine that "Ends the Run, the Runner deals with the printed subroutines in order and then once he hits "Ends the Run" that stops the run at that central or remote server.

However, if the Runner has Icebreakers in play: First, if he chooses to use his tools, he must have the correct type of Icebreaker for the encountered Ice (e.g. Sentry or Codebreaker or Barrier). Second, the Runner must match or exceed the "strength" of the Ice with the "strength" of the correct type of Icebreaker [Note: most Icebreakers have text that allows the spending of credits to increase its strength to match the strength of the encountered Ice. However, a few Icebreakers do not -- in those situations, you will have to use other cards to work with those Icebreakers to lower the strength of the encountered Ice]. Third, most Icebreakers have text that allows the spending of credits to break subroutines (one at a time). In that way, you can spend credits to break the "End the Run" subroutine and move on to the next installed Ice. However, if you have spent all of your credits on the previous encountered Ice(s), rather than move on and encounter it, you may "jack out" and voluntarily end your run.

Hope that helps.

Steel Rabbit said:

One thing to clarify that will likely help you out. Abilities on icebreakers can be used multiple times same as all other abilities in Netrunner(unless stated otherwise on the card). So you could use the same icebreaker to break every subroutine on a piece of ice, assuming you have the credits to do so.

Essentially, more subroutines = higher credit cost to break all the subroutines.

Of course, it's also not needed to break them all, but that's a calculated cost to be made at the time of the run.

Hah! Thanks guys for your responses and your help, but it turns out I was reading the rules very, very, incorrectly.

I thought the strength of the icebreaker had something more to do with breaking ice than just allowing you to approach it. I thought the strength of the icebreaker was what you used to break the subroutines. I had got this in my head before I took a good look at any cards, and so didn't notice the abilities.

I now know that the strength of the icebreaker allows you to approach the ice, but then it's up to the abilities of the icebreaker to affect the subroutines on the ice.

Anyway, thanks again for the responses. This means I shouldn't have lost so horribly, and I can't wait for the next game!

Oh! Another question, though:

Can you use an icebreaker to break subroutines on multiple pieces of ice in a run? Like, if there're three pieces of ice protecting a server that all happen to be able to be affected by the same icebreaker can I use that icebreaker all the way through (provided I have the resources to do so)?

Steel Rabbit said:

Yes.

Big Borg said:

But remember that your icebreaker's strength resets at each ice, unless its strength boosts are "for the remainder of the run".

Awesome! Thanks again!

The basic rule of thumb is:

The Runner is going to suffer the effects of all subroutines encountered UNLESS THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

The Strength of the icebreakers you have doesn't affect your ability to encounter the ICE. That strength value governs an icebreakers ability to interact with and BREAK undesirable subroutines.

So if the ice has a trace of say three, is that considered a subroutine or is that both a subroutine and a trace that the runner has to bypass…

Also does the corporation have the option say im not going to trace you just break the subroutine or is that against what trace is all about?

Wait just answered my own question,

Basically it is a subroutine that i can break with out having to go through the trace. all you have to do is break the subroutine and then you'll be able to go forth with the run unless you are unable to break the subroutine and then have to go through with the trace, in which you most likely will loose because you were not able to break the subroutine in the first place.

odin2free said:

odin2free said:

Subroutines are represented by the Enter key symbol icon, some of them can initiate a trace. If you don't break it a trace would then start. Corp can boost the trace strength with their credits and the runner has to at least equal with their link + credits the trace strength to stop the trace. Trace goes off if the subroutine is not broken but corp can choose not to boost it.

Also, you may be unable to break the suroutine because you don't have an appropriate breaker. In that case, you might have enough credits to escape the trace. Alternately, you may be able to break the subroutine, but unwilling to do so because escaping the trace or dealing with the consequences is cheaper (or the game is going to end, so they don't matter).