I have a couple questions about how remote servers run, that I couldn't really find much clarification for in the rulebook. I was hoping one of you may be able to help me.

1) Let's say I have an agenda/asset and piece of ice in my HQ, and just one click left. I don't want to risk the agenda by installing it with my last click. Can I use that to start a new remote server by installing ice on a new spot before I ever put the agenda or asset in place, or do I have to start a remote server with the agenda/asset?

2) Let's say I have an agenda installed, and 2 pieces of ice protecting it, and an upgrade behind it. The agenda is either scored and stolen, and moved into the score pile. Can I install a new agenda in that slot where the old one was, giving me a new agenda that's already being protected by 2 pieces of ice and an upgrade?

3) Once a piece of ice is rezzed, I don't need to pay it's cost every time I need it to defend my assets, correct?

4) I'm pretty sure I have this one right, but I want to make sure I understand everything perfectly. I have 2 pieces of ice protecting an asset, a barrier and a code gate, each with a strength of 3 and 2 subroutines. My oponent has 2 icebreakers, one for barriers and one for code gates, each 1 strength, that have the ability to break a subroutine for one credit, and add a strength for one credit. My opponent would need to spend 2 credits to get his icebreaker strong enough, then another 2 to break each subroutine of the corresponding ice, then declare he's useing his second icebreaker that matches the second ice's type, paying another 2 credits to get it strong enough to interact, then 2 more to break the subroutines, meaning an overall 8 credits to complete the run, correct? And it's also completely fair play to use as many programs as he needs to break through all my types of ice (assuming they're installed and he has the memory for them.), right?

5) Last one, I promise. I manged to trick my buddy into accessing my Snare! card tonight, dealing 3 net damage, an ability that took some setup and 4 credits to do. He paid the credit to use his 'Net Shield' declaring all damage void. Reading the card, it says it negates 'first net damage' a player takes in a turn. I read that as the first point of damage, he reads it as the first net damage attack, so all 3 points, since it was in a single blow. I'm relatively sure that Net Shield wasn't meant to block that much setup and cost on my part with a single credit, but I guess I could be wrong. Can anyone clarify what Net Shield negates, please?

Thanks in advance for all the help, guys, it's much appreciated!

1. Yes, you can create a remote server either by installing an agenda/asset/upgrade in it or a piece of ICE in front of it.
2. Yes, you can do that. Note that you do not have to indicate whether a card in a server is an agenda/asset or an upgrade (the first card installed in a server might be any one of the 3), you only have to be clear on the order in which they were installed.
3. No, once rezzed, a piece of ICE defends your server until it is unrezzed or trashed.
4. Yes, assuming he wants/needs to break all subroutines. The runner may choose to suffer the effects of any subroutine rather than break it.
5. As net damage is directly used with numbers on cards (as in "3 net damage"), the first net damage is only 1 point of net damage (I might also be wrong, so maybe you should send to question to FFG using the "Rules Questions" link at the bottom of the page).

You're welcome.

Your answer to number two raises one more question; is it legal to bluff? I did that earlier tonight, delcaring I was instealling an agenda as I put down the Snare! I mentioned in the OP. I realize that may be a little shady, but is it a legal strategy?

You are under no obligation whatsoever to announce what type of card you are installing, as long as you are following the rules for installing cards:

• ICE goes in front of servers
• agendas, assets go in remote servers
• upgrades go in any server (remote or central) - in central servers, they have to be separated from the normal content
• you may have only 1 agenda or 1 asset (not both) in a remote server

From this, it follows that the only times the runner knows what type of card the corp is installing is:

• when the corp installs ICE
• when the corp installs an upgrade in a central server

You can say whatever you wish and the runner can even believe you

Khudzlin said:

Khudzlin is correct regarding all of these. Question 5 is answered in the FAQ:

Okay, so, new question, one that I'm almost positive I know the answer to, but my friend won't drop it unless he gets clarification from the community;

Magnum Opus does not stack, right? The way I read it, it would be redundant to install multiples, as each one would would take one click to make two currency, but he sees it as if he has two, they stack, giving him four currency per click.

I'm almost positive two of them is redundant, but I figured I'd ask to drop the issue once and for all.

Seems like your friend just can't get enough and is determined to read rules and cards in the way that favours him most. You are right on this point: each click spent can only be used for one. If he has a $5 bill, wants to buy stuff and there are 2 shops, does he get to buy a $5 product in each shop? This is how ridiculous his position is.

I figured as much. And yeah, you should see him playing MTG.

It's pretty poor form to outright lie to an opponent. In a tournament you would likely get called on poor sportsmanship for it.

Now bluffing an opponent, by installing something behind a couple pieces of ice and advancing it is different. What ever assumptions they make is their own fault.

Secran said:

That's why I asked if it was even legal. It did feel kinda shady. At any rate, thanks! Now if only I could find a tournament around here.

Secran said:

I wouldn't consider saying that a Snare was an agenda when I legally installed it is in any way poor sportsmanship. If you're going to lawyer that interpretation, I'd have to say that the "agenda" of my deck is to flatline the runner, and the Snare is a key part of that agenda. Murk certainly, and ultimately up the TO, but hardly an abusive situation.

It is against the rules to lie about information that the game mandates open (even hiding that is illegal), like number of credits, cards in hand, what cards are face up in Archives. It is not against the rules to hide information that the game does not mandate open, like what cards are in hand, what cards are face down, and so on.

The bottom line is: the runner is not entitled to know the exact type of cards installed in remote servers. He can only assume the corp followed the rules and make inferences from his behaviour. Bluff is very much part of this game.