Netrunner Comprehensive Rules

Null Signal Games

This rules document is to be used as reference material. It is not intended to be read straight through. If you

still have questions after consulting this document, please ask us online via email or Twitter.

This version of the Comprehensive Rules document is effective 12 December 2022.

Summary of Changes

To see this document with a complete list of changes and with new material highlighted, please visit the

Comprehensive Rules Hub at <nullsignal.games/comp-rules>.

● Added rules in section 4.6.6 to clarify the interpretation of “this server” and “another server”.

● Expanded rule 9.1.8g to cover a broader set of zone changes.

● Added section 9.1.9 to clarify the rules of gaining and losing abilities.

● Added rule 9.8.10 to clarify the source of a subroutine resolved due to Tsakhia "Bankhar" Gantulga.

● Added rule 9.12.1d and rule 9.12.1e to clarify how simultaneous static and lingering effects with

dependencies interact.

● Simplified rule 9.10.3 regarding choices that are maintained for a single turn.

● Added rule 9.12.2e to clarify that “X” variables are 0 by default.

● Updated the rules on self-referential card text and moved them to rule 10.1.5.

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Table of Contents
Summary of Changes
Table of Contents
Game Concepts
1. General
2. The Golden Rules
3. Symbols
4. Deck Construction
5. Extra Cards
6. Starting the Game
7. Ending the Game
8. Cards
9. Counters and Tokens
10. Credits
10.5. Recurring Credits
11. Clicks
12. Objects
13. Host, Hosted, and Hosting
14. Ownership and Control
15. Targets
16. Costs
17. Score, Scoring, and Stealing
18. Advancing Cards
19. Trashing
20. Memory
21. Card Visibility
Parts of a Card
1. Name
2. Unique Symbol
3. Play Cost, Install Cost, or Rez
Cost
4. Advancement Requirement
5. Agenda Points
6. Trash Cost
7. Strength
8. Memory Cost
9. Base Link
10. Starting Memory Limit
11. Minimum Deck Size
12. Influence Limit
13. Faction Affiliation
14. Influence Cost
15. Card Type
16. Subtypes
17. Text Box
Card Types
1. Identities
2. Agendas
3. Assets
4. Ice
5. Operations
6. Upgrades
6.5. Regions
7. Events
8. Hardware
8.5. Consoles
9. Programs
9.5. Icebreakers
10. Resources
Game Zones
1. General
2. Deck
2.7. R&D
2.8. Stack
3. Hand
3.8. HQ
3.9. Grip
4. Discard Pile
4.6. Archives
4.7. Heap
5. Score Area
6. Play Area
6.6. Servers
6.7. Central Servers
6.8. Remote Servers
6.9. Protecting a Server
7. Bank
8. Set Aside
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9. Removed from the Game
Turns
1. General
2. Actions
2.7. Corp Actions
2.8. Runner Actions
3. Draw Phase
4. Action Phase
5. Discard Phase
6. Steps of the Corp’s Turn
7. Steps of the Runner’s Turn
Runs
1. General
2. Position
3. Initiation
4. Approach Ice
5. Encounter Ice
5.7. Fully Break
5.8. Bypass
5.9. Forced Encounters
6. Movement
7. Success
8. Run Ends
9. Steps of a Run
Accessing Cards and
Breaching Servers
1. Accessing Cards
2. Steps of Accessing a Card
3. Breaching Servers
4. Determining Candidates
5. Steps of Breaching a Server
Card Manipulation
1. Faceup and Facedown Status
2. Card Movements
3. Arranging and Rearranging
Cards
4. Drawing Cards
4.5. Steps of Drawing N
Cards
5. Installing and Uninstalling Cards
5.14. Steps of Installing a Card
6. Playing Events and Operations
6.6. Steps of Playing an Event
or Operation
7. Searching for Cards
8. Swapping Cards
Abilities
1. General
2. Timing and Priority
3. Interpreting Card Text
4. Static Abilities
5. Paid Abilities
5.6. Steps of Using a Paid
Ability
6. Conditional Abilities
6.14. Steps of Triggering and
Resolving a Conditional Ability
7. Play Abilities
7.2. Steps of Resolving a Play
Ability
8. Subroutines
8.11. Steps of Resolving a
Subroutine
9. Interrupts and Replacement
Effects
10. Lingering Effects
11. Identifying Instructions
12. Other Rules and Terminology
12.1. Simultaneous Effects
12.2. Quantities and Sets
12.3. “Must”
12.4. “Repeat this process”
12.5. “Persistent”
Additional Rules
1. General
2. Information
2.2. Hidden Information
2.3. Open Information
3. Checkpoints
4. Damage
5. Tags
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6. Bad Publicity
7. Link
8. Traces
8.6. Steps of Resolving a
Trace Attempt
9. Load and Empty
10. Charge
11. Mark
12. Sabotage
13. Infinite Loops
Appendix: Timing Structure
Reference
1. Overview
2. Timing Structure of Turns
2.1. Corp’s Turn
2.2. Runner’s Turn
3. Timing Structure of a Run
4. Timing Structure of Breaching a
Server
5. Timing Structure of Accessing a
Card
Acknowledgements
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1. Game Concepts

1.1. General

These rules are compatible with cards from the game ANDROID: NETRUNNER by Fantasy Flight

Games. ANDROID: NETRUNNER is a game about the cyber-struggle between massive

Corporations and subversive hackers known as Runners.

1.1.1. The game is played between two players. One player takes the role of the Corp

(Corporation) and the other takes the role of the Runner. This rules document will

frequently refer to a player interchangeably with their game role.

1.1.2. Each player needs a legal deck, an identity card for their role, and any extra cards used

from outside their deck. They also need a supply of tokens as described in section 1.9.

The constraints that define the legality of a deck are defined in section 1.4, and the

cases where cards outside the deck and identity can be used are defined in section 1.5.

1.2. The Golden Rules

1.2.1. If the text of a card directly contradicts these rules, the text of the card takes precedence.

1.2.2. If a rule or ability directs something to happen, but another effect states that it cannot

happen, the “cannot” ability takes precedence.

a. If a “cannot” effect prohibits all of the effects of another ability, that ability cannot be

triggered.

b. If a “cannot” effect prohibits only part of another ability, that ability can be triggered,

but the prohibited steps of resolving that ability are not carried out.

Example: During a run, Lockdown’s subroutine resolves, preventing the Runner from

drawing cards for the remainder of the turn. The Runner has a Diesel and a Process

Automation in their grip. For the remainder of this turn, they cannot play Diesel as its

entire ability is prohibited, but they can play Process Automation. Even though cards

cannot be drawn through Process Automation, the Runner can play it to gain 2[c].

1.2.3. If an instruction includes the words “if able,” it can only be carried out fully or not at all. If

any part of the instruction is not possible to carry out, the entire instruction is ignored.

1.2.4. If an instruction does not include the words “if able,” as much of that instruction as

possible is carried out. Any parts of the instruction that are not possible to carry out are

ignored.

1.2.5. A player can only take an action or use an ability if its effect has the potential to change

the game state. This potential is assessed strictly by what the action or ability can be

expected to accomplish, without regard to the consequences of paying any costs to

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initiate that action or ability and without regard to any other abilities that may meet their

conditions in the process of initiating or resolving that action or ability.

Example: The Corp has one unrezzed piece of ice installed and Liquidation in HQ. As

Liquidation requires the Corp to have at least one rezzed card to trash, the Corp cannot play

Liquidation as it cannot change the game state.

Example: The Corp has one rezzed piece of ice installed and Liquidation in HQ. Because the

Corp has at least one rezzed card that could be trashed (which would change the game state),

they can play Liquidation, spending a click and paying its play cost. The Corp then chooses any

number of their rezzed cards to trash, which could be zero cards.

Example: The Runner is playing Armand “Geist” Walker and has Forger installed. The Runner

can only trash Forger and trigger Geist’s ability when they are about to take a tag (which Forger

could avoid) or while they have a tag (which Forger could remove). Using Forger at any other

time has no potential to change the game state.

1.3. Symbols

1.3.1. Several non-English symbols appear on cards and in this rules document. This section

serves as a basic guide to those symbols.

1.3.2. When this document is presented in a format without images, plaintext replacements are

used. These replacements are listed along with the symbols themselves for reference.

1.3.3. The symbol [c] (plaintext: [c]) stands for “credit”. It always appears with a numeral, such

as 1[c], which means “one credit,” or 3[c], which means “three credits.” See section 1.10

for rules about credits.

1.3.4. The symbol [click] (plaintext: [click]) stands for “click”. Multiple clicks can be represented

either by multiple symbols, such as [click][click], or by a numeral and symbol, such as

2[click], both meaning “two clicks.” See section 1.11 for rules about clicks.

1.3.5. The symbol [recurring] (plaintext: [recurring]) stands for recurring credit. It always

appears with a numeral, such as 1[recurring], which means “one recurring credit,” or

3[recurring], which means “three recurring credits.” See section 1.10.5 for rules about

recurring credits.

1.3.6. The symbol [link] (plaintext: [link]) stands for “link”. It is always used with a quantity, such

as 1[link], which means “1 link.” See section 10.7 for rules about link.

1.3.7. The symbol [MU] (plaintext: [MU]) stands for “memory unit”. It always appears with a

quantity, such as 2[MU], which means “2 memory units.” See section 1.20 for rules about

memory.

1.3.8. The symbol [sub] (plaintext: [sub]) stands for “subroutine”. Each symbol marks a single

subroutine on a piece of ice. See section 9.8 for information about subroutines.

1.3.9. The symbol [trash] (plaintext: [trash]) stands for “trash this card”. It is used as a

self-referential cost in card text, such as “[trash]: Draw 2 cards,” which means “Trash this

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card to draw 2 cards.” See section 1.16 for rules about costs, and section 1.19 for rules

about trashing cards.

1.3.10. The symbol [interrupt] (plaintext: [interrupt]) stands for “interrupt timing”. It is used to

designate abilities that resolve immediately before other abilities. See section 9.9 for

rules about interrupt abilities.

1.4. Deck Construction

1.4.1. Each player’s deck is associated with a single identity card that determines the faction,

minimum deck size, and influence limit of that deck. The identity card may also stipulate

other variances from the standard deckbuilding rules.

a. The identities The Catalyst and The Syndicate from the System Gateway Starter

Pack are intended for use only with the decks included in that pack. They are not

legal for play under the full deck construction rules.

1.4.2. Each deck must meet all requirements in this section to be legal for play.

1.4.3. The deck must contain at least as many cards as the minimum deck size indicated on

the corresponding identity.

a. Identity cards, extra cards that begin the game outside the deck, and player aid

cards are not part of the deck and are not counted towards the size of the deck.

b. There is no maximum deck size.

1.4.4. Decks cannot contain identity cards, player aid cards, cards from the wrong side (Corp

cards in a Runner deck or vice-versa), or out-of-faction cards that lack influence costs.

1.4.5. Neutral cards and cards that belong to a faction other than the corresponding identity’s

faction are all considered out-of-faction. The total influence cost of out-of-faction cards in

the deck must not exceed the influence limit of that identity.

a. The total influence cost of out-of-faction cards is counted by copy and not by name.

Example: Including a single copy of Diesel in a non-Shaper deck adds 2 to the total

influence in that deck, while including two copies of Diesel in a non-Shaper deck adds 4

to the total influence in that deck.

1.4.6. A Corp deck must contain agendas totalling a certain number of agenda points, as

determined by the total number of cards in the deck.

a. A deck with 40 to 44 cards must contain 18 or 19 agenda points.

b. A deck with 45 to 49 cards must contain 20 or 21 agenda points.

c. A deck with 50 to 54 cards must contain 22 or 23 agenda points.

d. A deck with more than 54 cards must contain 22 or 23 agenda points, plus an

additional 2 agenda points for every full 5 cards in the deck over 50.

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Example: A 66 card deck requires 6 additional agenda points, since it includes 3

sets of 5 cards beyond 50. This gives a final requirement of either 28 or 29 agenda

points.

1.4.7. The deck cannot contain more than 3 copies of any single card, by name. Some cards

stipulate alternative copy limits in their card text.

1.4.8. Tournament play may impose other restrictions or requirements on the legal

configurations of identities and decks.

1.5. Extra Cards

1.5.1. Some abilities allow for the use of additional cards from outside the deck.

1.5.2. One Corp identity, Jinteki Biotech: Life Imagined, has the ability, “Before taking your first

turn, you may switch this card with any copy of Jinteki Biotech.” There are 3 versions of

this identity, which have different abilities on their reverse side.

a. A player playing Jinteki Biotech as their identity may bring any number of copies of

that identity along with their deck. After completing game setup, that player may

choose any copy they own to be their active identity for the duration of the game. All

other copies are placed outside the game.

1.5.3. One Runner identity, Adam: Compulsive Hacker, has the ability, “You start the game with

3 different directive cards installed (these cards are not considered part of your deck).”

a. A player playing Adam as their identity must bring at least 3 differently named cards

with the directive subtype along with their deck. The player may bring any number

of directive cards over the required 3.

b. After players reveal their identities, the player playing Adam selects exactly 3 of

their provided directive cards. Those cards begin the game installed in the play

area. All other directives the player brought this way remain outside the game.

c. A player playing Adam can also include directive cards in their deck. The cards

chosen to be installed at the beginning of the game do not impact the deck’s

influence requirements or the maximum allowed number of copies of those cards.

d. Once the game has begun, the cards installed this way are treated exactly as any

other installed cards. Abilities that move these cards to other zones function

normally, including shuffling them into the stack.

1.5.4. Two cards, Rebirth and DJ Fenris, make use of identity cards other than the one

selected by the player during deck construction.

a. A player may bring any number of additional Runner identity cards along with their

deck. These cards are kept in a pile outside the game. The Runner may look at

these cards at any time.

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b. When an ability refers to an identity other than the Runner’s current identity, it refers

to the cards provided this way. If an identity card leaves the play area, it must be

returned to the pile outside the game.

c. In a tournament, all identities brought to the game this way must be legal for players

to use as their actual identity in that tournament.

d. One Runner identity, Hoshiko Shiro, is double-sided (see section 3.1). If the Runner

switches their identity with Hoshiko, it enters play with the front side faceup. If the

Runner switches Hoshiko with another identity, the new identity enters play faceup

regardless of Hoshiko’s current status.

1.6. Starting the Game

1.6.1. The players decide who will play as the Corp and who will play as the Runner. Each

player places an appropriate identity card for the side they are to play faceup in the play

area, then supplies a corresponding deck, placing it facedown in the play area, and any

appropriate extra cards.

a. Some identity cards have abilities that affect setup. Even though cards are not

active until the game begins, these identities still alter setup at the appropriate step

as indicated by their text.

b. Some identities are double-sided (see section 3.1). If a player is playing a

double-sided identity, it begins the game with the front side faceup.

1.6.2. If a player’s identity has an ability that affects setup or the start of the game, and that

ability does not directly correspond to a setup step outlined in this section of the rules,

that player makes any necessary decisions and changes for their identity’s special setup

or start of game abilities at this time. If both players have setup or start of game abilities

at this time, the Corp resolves theirs first.

1.6.3. The players create the bank by gathering all types of tokens described in section 1.9.

1.6.4. Each player takes five credits from the bank, placing the credits in their credit pool.

1.6.5. Each player shuffles their deck.

1.6.6. Each player draws 5 cards from the top of their deck to form their starting hand.

a. After drawing starting hands, the Corp may choose to take a mulligan; then, the

Runner may choose to take a mulligan. To take a mulligan, the player shuffles their

starting hand back into their deck, then draws a new starting hand. They must keep

the second hand as their starting hand.

1.6.7. The game begins and the Corp takes their first turn.

a. If the Corp’s identity has an ability with instructions for “before taking your first turn,”

the Corp resolves that ability immediately before taking their first turn, and thus

before the game starts.

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1.7. Ending the Game

1.7.1. The game ends when a player meets one of their win conditions.

a. If both players would simultaneously satisfy their win conditions, the game ends in a

draw.

1.7.2. Each player has two possible win conditions available.

a. Either player can win by collecting agenda points in their score area (usually done

by scoring or stealing agendas; see section 1.17). A player with a score of 7 or

more wins the game.

b. The Corp wins if the Runner is flatlined. The Runner is flatlined immediately if they

suffer more damage than they have cards in their grip. The Runner is also flatlined

if, at the beginning of their discard phase, their maximum hand size is less than 0.

See section 10.4 for more information about damage.

c. The Runner wins if the Corp is required to draw a card from R&D but cannot

because R&D is empty.

1.8. Cards

1.8.1. There are six types of Corp cards: agendas, assets, ice, identities, operations, and

upgrades. All cards except the identity card are shuffled into the Corp’s deck at the

beginning of the game.

1.8.2. There are five types of Runner cards: events, hardware, identities, programs, and

resources. All cards except the identity card are shuffled into the Runner’s deck at the

beginning of the game.

1.8.3. Cards that are ACTIVE are able to affect the game through their abilities.

a. Runner cards that are installed and faceup in the play area, Corp cards that are

installed and rezzed, events and operations in the play area, agendas in the Corp’s

score area, and both players’ identities are active.

b. Unless otherwise stated, Runner cards become active as part of the process of

playing or installing them.

c. Unless otherwise stated, Corp cards other than operations are installed unrezzed,

and thus inactive, into the play area. Assets, ice, and upgrades become active

when they are rezzed; agendas become active when they are scored. Operations

become active as part of the process of playing them.

d. Identity cards become active when the game begins.

1.8.4. Cards that are INACTIVE are unable to affect the game or have most of their abilities

used.

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a. Cards are inactive in R&D, HQ, Archives, the heap, the grip, the stack, the Runner’s

score area, while set aside, and while removed from the game. Facedown cards in

the play area are also inactive.

b. Inactive cards in most zones retain their printed characteristics (name, card type,

faction, cost, subtypes, influence, etc). Facedown installed Runner cards have no

characteristics.

1.8.5. For a player to DRAW 1 or more cards is to take that many cards from the top of their

deck and put them into their hand. Section 8.4 provides more details about drawing

cards.

1.8.6. Most abilities are active if and only if the card they appear on is active. Section 9.1.8

details the cases where abilities on inactive cards are still active.

1.8.7. Abilities can convert cards from one type into another type, or even from a card into a

counter. Rules 10.1.3 and 10.1.4 explain the details of card conversion.

1.9. Counters and Tokens

1.9.1. COUNTERS and TOKENS are game pieces (or equivalent) that track various resources,

effects, and statuses of players and their cards.

a. The terms “counter” and “token” are interchangeable.

1.9.2. The BANK is the supply of counters not yet in play. Counters in the bank are available to

both players to take and use as dictated by the game rules and card abilities. Players do

not control counters in the bank and cannot spend them. The bank is an unlimited

supply; running out of game pieces to track a type of counter does not prohibit a player

from gaining counters of that type or placing them on cards.

a. If an instruction directs players to place counters on a card without designating

where those counters come from, take those counters from the bank.

b. A condition or restriction that looks for counters being placed on a card can be met

by either counters from the bank or counters moved from another location.

1.9.3. Some abilities can convert a card into a counter. A counter put into play in this way is

tracked with the card acting as a game piece. See rule 10.1.4.

1.9.4. Some abilities can cause a player or card to have or be “considered to have” 1 or more

counters or additional counters without placing or giving those counters. A counter

considered to exist in this way conveys all the same information and effects as a counter

of the specified type would, except that it cannot be moved or removed from the card or

player it belongs to, nor can it be spent to pay a cost.

1.9.5. There are ten types of counters: credit counters, click counters, tag counters, bad

publicity counters, core damage counters, advancement counters, virus counters, power

counters, agenda counters, and condition counters.

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a. CREDIT COUNTERS are used to track the number of credits each player has in their

credit pool; they can also be placed on cards. Rules for credits, the credit pool, and

other related concepts are in section 1.10.

b. CLICK COUNTERS are a gameplay aid used to track the clicks the active player has

spent or has left to spend during their turn. Rules for clicks are in section 1.11.

c. TAG COUNTERS are used to represent tags on the Runner. Rules for tags are given

in section 10.5.

d. BAD PUBLICITY COUNTERS represent bad publicity the Corp has earned. Rules for

bad publicity are in section 10.6.

e. CORE DAMAGE COUNTERS are a gameplay aid used to track core damage the

Runner has suffered. Each point of core damage the Runner suffers forces them to

take a core damage counter. See section 10.4.

f. ADVANCEMENT COUNTERS are a counter used primarily on installed agendas to

track the Corp’s progress toward being able to score them.

g. VIRUS COUNTERS are a generic counter, used primarily by virus programs, that

can be removed by the Corp purging them. See rule 10.1.2.

h. POWER COUNTERS are a generic counter used by a variety of cards. They have no

special rules.

i. AGENDA COUNTERS are a generic counter used primarily on scored agendas. They

have no special rules.

j. CONDITION COUNTERS are counters that have rules text. Their abilities are active

as long as they are hosted on a card.

1.10. Credits

Each of the Runner’s credits represents enough money to upgrade some basic parts for their

console, have a meal at a decent restaurant, or buy a ticket and some concessions for a night at

the sensies.

Each of the Corp’s credits represents enough money to manufacture a run of computer parts,

buy out a decent restaurant, or film a low-budget sensie.

1.10.1. A CREDIT ([c]) is the basic unit of currency. Players spend their credits to pay for various

costs, card abilities, traces, etc. Credit counters most commonly represent 1[c] each, but

can represent larger denominations if clearly marked.

1.10.2. Each player has a CREDIT POOL where they keep a supply of credit counters matching

the credits they have available to spend. The number of credits in a player’s credit pool

is open information.

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1.10.3. Credits enter and leave a player’s credit pool as that player gains, loses, or spends

credits.

a. A player GAINS credits whenever credits enter their credit pool from any location.

b. If a player is required to LOSE credits, that player is forced to move the specified

number of credits from their credit pool to the bank. Players cannot lose credits

from cards.

Example: If a subroutine on DNA Tracker resolves, the Runner must lose 2[c] from their

credit pool, or 1[c] if that is all they have. If the Runner’s credit pool is empty, the effect

does nothing.

c. To SPEND or PAY credits, a player puts the specified number of credits back into the

bank. By default, the credits must come from the player's credit pool. Abilities can

also allow players to spend credits hosted on their cards under certain conditions. If

any such abilities apply, the player chooses how to divide the credits they are

spending from among the allowed locations. The terms “spend” and “pay” are

synonymous.

Example: The Runner may use the credit from Cyberfeeder to pay for Atman’s first

ability.

Example: The Runner may use credits from Ghost Runner when secretly spending

credits to resolve a Psi ability (such as The Future Perfect).

Example: The Runner must use credits from Ghost Runner if this is the only way for

them to pay 3[c] when resolving the “when encountered” ability on Tollbooth.

1.10.4. Abilities can place credits on cards, as discussed in section 1.13. Credits on a player’s

card are not in that player’s credit pool; the player can only interact with those credits as

instructed by card abilities.

a. If a player is instructed to TAKE credits from a card, they remove that many credits

from that card and gain those credits.

b. If an ability specifies how a player is allowed to spend credits from a card, they can

be spent from that card as if they were in the player’s credit pool for the specified

actions or abilities.

c. If an ability specifies a time period during which a player is allowed to spend credits

from a card, they can be spent from that card as if they were in the player’s credit

pool for any purpose (other than losing credits) as long as the specified time period

is active or the specified duration has not expired.

d. Spending credits from a card is considered “using” the card that allowed those

credits to be spent. See section 9.1.6.

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1.10.5. Recurring Credits

a. RECURRING CREDITS ([recurring]) place credits on a card repeatedly. The text

“N[recurring]” means “When this card becomes active, place N credits on it. Before

abilities meet their trigger conditions for your turn beginning, if there are fewer than

N credits on this card, place credits on it until there are N credits on it.”

b. Recurring credits are first placed on a card as soon as it becomes active. This

occurs at step 8.5.14e of installing the card if it is installed active, step 8.6.6c of

playing an event or operation, or as soon as the card is turned faceup or scored, as

applicable.

c. Recurring credits are refilled during step 5.6.1c of the Corp’s turn and step 5.7.1c of

the Runner’s turn, before other abilities that apply at the start of the turn resolve.

d. Recurring credits do not accumulate. They are refilled only up to the indicated

number.

Example: The Runner installs Spinal Modem, which has 2[recurring]. 2 credits are

placed on Spinal Modem now. The Runner spends 1 of those credits later in their turn. At

the beginning of the Runner’s next turn, the credits on Spinal Modem should be

replenished up to 2[c], so 1 more credit is placed on it.

1.11. Clicks

Working a job, making connections, and especially jacking in—everything you do takes time,

and it always goes by faster than you think. A click represents an abstract amount of time spent

on a particular activity, either several hours all at once or scattered across the day.

1.11.1. A CLICK ([click]) is the basic unit of activity. Players spend their clicks to perform actions

and trigger abilities. Each click counter represents 1 click.

1.11.2. As the first step of a player’s turn, they gain an allotted number of clicks to spend during

the action phase of that turn. See section 5 for details about the procedures of player

turns.

a. The Corp receives 3[click] on each of their turns.

b. The Runner receives 4[click] on each of their turns.

1.11.3. Players can gain, lose, or spend clicks.

a. A player GAINS clicks whenever the number of clicks they have is increased.

b. If a player LOSES or SPENDS clicks, the number of clicks they have is reduced by

that amount. The terms “lose” and “spend” are not synonymous for the purposes of

meeting conditions and restrictions of card abilities.

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c. Paid abilities that begin with [click] are actions and have special timing rules (see

section 5.2). Aside from taking actions, there are no special restrictions to how or

when a player can spend their clicks during their turn.

1.11.4. Some cards have the subtype priority and the text, “Play only as your first [click].” A

player can only play a priority card using the basic action to play an event or operation,

and only if they have not spent any other clicks that turn. Losing clicks does not affect a

player’s ability to play a priority card.

1.12. Objects

1.12.1. An OBJECT is an occurrence of a card or counter existing in a particular zone. When a

card or counter moves from one zone to another, it becomes a new object.

1.12.2. Restrictions and effects on a card or counter only apply for as long as that card or

counter remains the same object. Cards and counters have no memory of the objects

they were in the past.

Example: The Corp uses the first ability on Vaporframe Fabricator, which specifies that it can

only be used once per turn, and trashes Vaporframe Fabricator during the installation process.

Then the Corp plays Restore, reinstalling the same copy of Vaporframe Fabricator from

Archives. Even though it is the same physical card, the reinstalled Vaporframe Fabricator is a

new object, and its “once per turn” ability is available to be used this turn.

Example: The Runner accesses Ganked! from the root of a server they are breaching. The Corp

uses Ganked!’s ability to trash it and force the Runner to encounter Drafter. While resolving

Drafter’s subroutines during that encounter, the Corp reinstalls the same copy of Ganked! from

Archives into the same root. Since the Ganked! card left and reentered the zone it was

accessed from, it is now a new object, and the Runner must access that object before

completing the breach. Thus, if the Runner does not interfere (such as by breaking Drafter’s

subroutines), the Corp could repeat this sequence of events several times.

a. An ability that moves cards can identify the new objects that those cards become

and continue to act on them.

Example: The Corp plays Priority Construction, installing a piece of ice from HQ. That ice

is now a new object in the play area, but Priority Construction’s second instruction can

still find it and place advancement counters on it.

1.12.3. A card that moves from its location to a hidden or secret location becomes a new object,

even if the new location is in the same zone.

Example: The Corp scores Accelerated Beta Test, looks at the top 3 cards of R&D, and installs

and rezzes a piece of ice from among them. As a chain reaction, the Corp then uses The

Foundry: Refining the Process to search R&D, with the result that the other cards currently

being looked at by Accelerated Beta Test are shuffled along with the rest of R&D. Since the

cards were moved to an unknown location in R&D, Accelerated Beta Test can no longer act on

them, so those cards can no longer be looked at and will not be installed or trashed.

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Example: The top card of R&D in the current game state is an object. So is the 2nd card from

the top of R&D, the 3rd card, and so on. If the Corp plays Precognition and rearranges the top 5

cards of R&D, the Runner will not know which cards correspond to which objects in the previous

order, so the cards become new objects under their new order.

1.12.4. A card or counter that moves to a known location in the same zone is still the same

object.

Example: The Runner has chosen a piece of ice with Femme Fatale, and the Corp uses

Thimblerig’s ability to move that ice to another location. But the ice has not left the play area, so

it is still the same object and the Runner can still use Femme Fatale’s ability to bypass it.

1.12.5. A card that is turned faceup or facedown is still the same object.

Example: The Corp uses Vaporframe Fabricator, installing a piece of ice at no cost, and then

plays Divert Power to derez Vaporframe Fabricator and rez their newly-installed ice at a

discount. The Corp can rez Vaporframe Fabricator again, but since it is still the same object, its

“once per turn” ability cannot be used again this turn.

1.12.6. When a card or counter becomes a new object, its previous object ceases to exist, but

can still be remembered by rules or abilities that refer to past game states.

Example: The Runner plays Bravado. During the run, a piece of ice that the Runner has already

passed is trashed. When the run ends, Bravado’s ability must determine how many pieces of ice

the Runner passed during that run. It does this by reviewing the game history and counting each

distinct ice object that the Runner passed. Even though the object corresponding to the trashed

ice no longer exists in the present game state, Bravado can still count it.

Example: The Runner trashes the top card of R&D while accessing it. The object corresponding

to that card in its location on top of R&D ceases to exist, but still counts against the number of

cards the Runner can access from R&D during this breach.

1.13. Host, Hosted, and Hosting

1.13.1. Whenever an object is “placed” or “loaded” onto a card, a host relationship is created

between those two objects. The object placed on top of a card is HOSTED on that card.

The card onto which the other object is placed is the HOST.

a. Only cards in score areas and the play area can host objects.

1.13.2. The state of being hosted is distinct, but not exclusive from, the state of being installed. If

an ability instructs a player to host a card from an inactive state without reference to

installing it, the hosted card remains inactive.

1.13.3. An object can only be hosted on a single card at any given time.

1.13.4. A card can host any number of other objects, except where explicitly restricted by a card

ability.

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1.13.5. Any card in an eligible location can act as a host, but a host relationship can only be

created or permitted by a card ability.

a. If a card has an ability describing the types and/or numbers of cards it can host, but

it does not have an ability that directly hosts cards onto itself, then the card is

permitted as an eligible installation destination for the types of cards listed, up to the

number specified. A host card is chosen as an installation destination during step

8.5.14b of the installation process.

Example: Off-Campus Apartment has the ability, “Off-Campus Apartment can host any

number of connections.” This means that whenever the Runner installs a connection

card, they can choose to install that card into the play area hosted on Off-Campus

Apartment or as normal directly into the play area.

b. If a card has an ability describing cards it can host, but also one or more abilities

that can create host relationships onto itself, then it only allows cards to become

hosted on it through those abilities. A card cannot be installed directly onto the card

through an unrelated install effect.

Example: Glenn Station reads, “Glenn Station can host a single card”, but also has a

paid ability that hosts a card on itself. Therefore, Glenn Station only lets the Corp host

cards through that paid ability, not through an install action.

c. If a card has an ability stipulating that it can only be installed hosted onto another

card, then during the installation process a player that wishes to install that card

must choose a valid destination matching the description provided. If no such

destination exists before the installation process begins, the card cannot be

installed.

Example: Egret states, “Install only on a rezzed piece of ice.” The Runner can only install

Egret if there is an installed, rezzed piece of ice available before the installation process

begins; otherwise, it is illegal for the Runner to install Egret.

d. Some operations and events convert themselves into condition counters and install

themselves hosted onto other cards. An operation or event can never be installed

through an install effect; it can only become an installed counter through its

conversion ability. See rule 10.1.4.

1.13.6. Cards can be hosted faceup or facedown.

a. Unless otherwise specified, a card that is hosted while it is being installed is hosted

onto the destination card in the same faceup or facedown status it would normally

be installed in.

b. Unless otherwise specified, a card that is hosted without being installed is hosted

faceup.

c. Like other facedown installed cards, installed cards hosted facedown are distinct.

The order in which they were installed (or turned facedown) is open information.

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d. Cards hosted facedown without being installed must be kept in distinct groups

according to their host. Cards within such a group are not ordered and can be freely

arranged by their controller.

1.13.7. Once a card is installed, hosted or not, a player cannot change that card’s hosted status

unless a card ability explicitly directs it to be hosted onto a new card.

1.13.8. Host relationships are not transitive. If card A is hosted on card B, and card B is hosted

on card C, card A is not considered to be hosted on card C.

Example: If the Runner installs a Leprechaun hosted on a Dhegdheer, programs hosted on

Leprechaun do not have their install costs reduced because they are hosted on Leprechaun and

not on Dhegdheer.

1.13.9. If an ability on a card refers to a “hosted” card or counter, that ability only references

objects hosted on that card.

1.13.10. Hosted objects can be removed or spent from their host without affecting the host.

1.13.11. If a host card changes zones, all objects hosted on that card (and all objects hosted on

those objects, and so on) are trashed during the next checkpoint. This cannot be

prevented. See section 10.3 for details on checkpoints.

1.13.12. Condition counters are the only type of counter that can host other objects. Hosting on

condition counters follows the same rules as hosting on cards.

1.14. Ownership and Control

1.14.1. The OWNER of a card is the player who provided that card at the start of the game as

their identity, part of their deck, or an extra card along with their deck.

a. A card that is converted into a counter retains its owner.

b. No player owns counters that are not converted cards.

1.14.2. The CONTROLLER OF AN OBJECT is the player responsible for that object.

a. The controller of a card in the play area is the player who installed or placed it

there.

b. The Corp controls each agenda in the Corp’s score area. The Runner controls each

agenda in the Runner’s score area.

c. Cards in other zones are controlled by their owner.

d. Each player controls the credits in their credit pool.

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e. The Corp controls each bad publicity counter. The Runner controls each tag

counter. However, see rule 10.5.5 and rule 10.6.3 regarding paying costs that

involve tags and bad publicity, respectively.

f. The controller of a counter hosted on a card is the player who controls the host

card.

g. Click counters and core damage counters are gameplay aids only and have no

controller.

1.14.3. A player can only pay costs using objects they control.

1.14.4. The CONTROLLER OF AN ABILITY is the player responsible for that ability. By default, this

is the player who controls the ability’s source. See also section 9.1.3. A player can only

use abilities they control.

a. Unless specifically stated otherwise, abilities on agendas are controlled by the

Corp, even for agendas in the Runner’s score area.

b. Some abilities state that they can only be used by a specific player. The specified

player controls each such ability, even if they do not control its source.

1.14.5. Unless otherwise noted, the controller of an ability carries out its effects and makes any

choices required. If a player is specified to perform all or part of an effect, the specified

player carries out that part of the effect and makes any choices required instead.

Example: Rototurret’s first subroutine reads, “Trash 1 installed program.” Since Rototurret is a

Corp card, the Corp chooses which installed program to trash. Conversely, Bulwark’s first

subroutine reads, “The Runner trashes 1 installed program.” Since the Runner is specified to be

carrying out this effect, they choose which of their installed programs to trash.

a. Some trigger conditions care about effects performed by a particular player. These

conditions are only met when that player is the one to carry out the relevant effect.

Example: The Corp has a rezzed Hostile Infrastructure. Apocalypse does not specify who

trashes the cards, so the Runner is responsible for the trashing and Hostile Infrastructure

meets its trigger condition.

Example: Alice Merchant states that “the Corp must trash 1 card from HQ”, so the Corp

carries out this effect even though Alice Merchant is a Runner card, and therefore Hostile

Infrastructure does not meet its trigger condition.

1.15. Targets

1.15.1. Many abilities require players to choose 1 or more objects or subroutines to affect. Each

object and subroutine chosen for an ability is a TARGET of that ability.

Example: Top Hat reads in part, “you may choose 1 of the top 5 cards of R&D and access it.”

The target of this instruction is the card in R&D the Runner chooses.

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Example: One of the subroutines on Colossus reads in part, “Trash 1 installed program and 1

installed resource.” The targets of this subroutine are the two cards that will be trashed.

Example: Trick of Light reads, “Choose 1 installed card you can advance. Move up to 2

advancement counters from 1 other card to the chosen card.” The targets of this operation are

the advancement counters to be moved and the destination card. If 2 tokens are chosen, they

must be hosted on the same card.

Example: The Runner is encountering a barrier and uses Cleaver to break subroutines. The

targets of Cleaver’s interface ability are the 1 or 2 subroutines that it will break.

a. Cards found during a search are not considered targets of the instruction that

performs the search. Players do not need to announce what card(s) they expect to

find before the search actually takes place. See section 8.7 for rules about

searching.

b. Only objects and subroutines are announced as targets. If an instruction directs a

player to choose (or "name") a number, a card type, a subtype, a card name, a

server, or one of a specified set of effects, that choice is not made until the

instruction resolves.

1.15.2. Immediately before an instruction becomes imminent, the player resolving that

instruction must first choose the targets required by that instruction. For each time the

instruction requires a player to choose 1 or more objects and/or subroutines, that player

ANNOUNCES appropriate targets. Once players are finished announcing targets for an

instruction, the instruction becomes imminent, and players have the opportunity to

modify the effects of that instruction with interrupt abilities before it resolves. See section

9.9.

a. When a player announces a card as a target, they indicate clearly which card is

being chosen without changing its facedown/faceup status or location.

b. The player resolving the instruction can only choose targets that are valid for that

instruction. A target is valid for an instruction if it meets any specified requirements

of that instruction or can otherwise be acted upon by that instruction.

c. Unless an instruction explicitly specifies the zone from which an object must be

selected as a target, only counters in the play area and installed cards are valid

targets for that instruction.

Example: The Corp resolves a subroutine that says “[sub] The Runner trashes 1

program.” The Runner must trash 1 of their installed programs and may not trash a

program from their grip or stack.

d. Some effects allow a player to choose multiple cards as targets for a single

announcement. Section 9.12.2 contains rules about resolving effects involving sets

of cards.

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e. A player may announce the targets for an instruction in any order, but each object

or subroutine can only be chosen as a target once for each announcement. If there

are not enough valid targets available, then that player chooses as many distinct

targets as possible and the remaining targets are not announced.

Example: The Runner accesses an Aggressive Secretary with three advancement

counters on it. The Runner only has two installed programs, so the Corp chooses both of

those programs for Aggressive Secretary. After the programs have been chosen, they

are both trashed simultaneously.

f. Targets cannot be chosen for an instruction at any other time. Even if the game

state changes due to interrupt abilities while the instruction is imminent,

unannounced targets remain unchosen.

1.15.3. At the time an instruction resolves, if any of its targets either have become invalid or

were not announced, as much of that ability resolves as possible without acting on the

unannounced or invalid targets, following rules 1.2.3 and 1.2.4 of the Golden Rules. A

target can be invalid because the chosen object or subroutine no longer exists or

because the target no longer meets other requirements specified by the targeting ability.

1.15.4. After the resolution of an instruction that chose a particular target, subsequent

instructions of the same ability can continue to act on that target without needing to

select it again, even if the ability moves the target or changes its properties. See also

section 1.12.2.

Example: Howler’s ability targets a card in HQ. Its first instruction installs that card, and its

second instruction creates a delayed conditional ability that refers to that card in the play area.

The latter ability can find and act on the card as long as it is still installed.

1.16. Costs

1.16.1. In order to use an ability or apply an effect, a player may be required to pay a cost. A

cost can take the form of any card, counter, or other item a player must spend; an effect

a player must resolve; or other type of requirement a player must meet. If a player

cannot pay the full cost of an action or ability all at once with cards and counters they

control, they cannot use the effect associated with that cost.

a. The act of paying a cost cannot be modified or cancelled by optional interrupt

abilities.

Example: The Runner can trash Clone Chip to trigger its paid ability, but cannot use

LLDS Energy Regulator to prevent Clone Chip from being trashed this way.

b. If a static ability or a mandatory conditional ability interrupt would prevent the steps

of paying a cost from being carried out if they were performed as an effect, that cost

cannot be paid.

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Example: The Runner cannot pay the additional cost to steal Obokata Protocol while

Guru Davinder is installed, because the Runner could not currently take 4 damage if

instructed to: Guru Davinder’s first ability would prevent the damage.

Example: The Runner is playing as Jesminder Sareen and encounters Funhouse,

without any other tag-related effects resolving earlier in the run. Since Jesminder’s ability

would prevent taking 1 tag, the Runner cannot take 1 tag to pay the nested cost in

Funhouse’s ability. Funhouse will end the run.

c. If triggering an ability or resolving an effect is subject to both costs and other

restrictions, the cost cannot be paid unless all such restrictions are met, and cannot

be paid in a way that would result in any restriction no longer being met.

Example: The Runner controls Zer0 and Clan Vengeance, and wants to accumulate

more power counters on Clan Vengeance. Zer0’s ability has the restriction “Use this

ability only once per turn.” If the Runner has already used the ability this turn, they

cannot suffer additional net damage by attempting (even unsuccessfully) to use the

ability again.

Example: The Corp installs Azef Protocol in the root of a server with a rezzed SanSan

City Grid and advances Azef Protocol twice. Since SanSan City Grid reduces Azef

Protocol’s advancement requirement to 2, the Corp now meets the restriction necessary

to score Azef Protocol, but must also pay its additional cost to score. The Corp cannot

trash the SanSan City Grid to pay this cost, because paying the cost this way would

return Azef Protocol’s advancement requirement to 3, and the restriction to score it

would no longer be met.

d. A cost of 0 can still be paid by a player, even though no items are paid. Costs of 0

are not paid automatically. A player pays a cost of 0 by explicitly announcing they

are paying it.

Example: The Runner accesses a Beanstalk Royalties from R&D and announces that

they are using the ability of Freedom Khumalo: Crypto-Anarchist to trash the Beanstalk

Royalties. Even though the Runner does not remove any virus counters from any cards,

they have still paid the cost.

1.16.2. The actual contents of a cost can be dependent on the game state. Abilities can modify

their own costs, modify costs of a certain type or that meet certain criteria, or include

costs that need to be calculated.

a. If a quantity in a cost is subject to effects modifying its value, determine the final

value of that quantity by taking its default value, applying each effect that increases

the cost, and then applying each effect that lowers the cost. Finally, if the value

determined by this process is less than 0, set the value to 0.

b. Some abilities calculate a quantity using phrases like “for each”, “for every”, or

“plus”. Any time such a calculation appears in a cost, the result of that calculation is

determined at the time the cost is to be paid. The result is taken as an aggregate,

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so that paying the cost is a single instance of whatever was paid. Note that

additional costs (section 1.16.11) are not aggregated with other costs. See also

section 9.12.2 for rules about calculated quantities that appear in other contexts.

Example: The Runner approaches a server protected by 3 advanced pieces of ice and

with a rezzed Cayambe Grid in its root. They pay the nested cost in Cayambe Grid’s

ability. This cost is 1 payment of 6[c], not 3 payments of 2[c], so this only meets the

trigger condition for 1 instance of GameNET’s ability.

c. Some costs contain the variable X. Before a player pays such a cost, they choose

and announce a positive integer or 0 to be the value for X. The chosen value must

follow any applicable restrictions.

Example: Psychographics is an operation with a play cost of X. It also has the ability, “X

must be equal to or less than the number of tags the Runner has.” If the Runner has 3

tags, the Corp can choose 0, 1, 2, or 3 as the value for X when they play

Psychographics.

d. If an ability needs to know the value of a cost in a context where that cost is not

being paid, treat any X that appears in that cost as 0.

1.16.3. After a player pays a cost, a checkpoint occurs. See section 10.3.

1.16.4. There are six main types of costs: install costs (found mainly on hardware, programs,

and resources, and incurred when installing ice), play costs (found on operations and

events), rez costs (found on assets, upgrades, and ice), paid ability trigger costs,

additional costs, and nested costs.

a. Install costs, rez costs, and play costs are all costs that are inherent properties of

cards. These costs are automatically applied to any ability that performs the

corresponding effects (installing, rezzing, or playing) unless that ability stipulates

otherwise. See also section 2.3 (for more about these costs as they appear on

cards) and section 8.5.11, rule 8.1.2d and section 8.6.2 (for more about paying

costs to install, rez, and play cards).

b. The presence of an install cost, rez cost, or play cost does not change the optional

or mandatory status of an ability. If an effect directs a player to install, rez, or play a

card, they must pay the associated cost if able. If they cannot, the card is not

installed, rezzed, or played.

c. If an effect directs a player to install, rez, or play a card, but doing so has an

additional cost, the player is not forced to pay the additional cost. If they decline to

do so, they do not pay the install, rez, or play cost either, and the card is not

installed, rezzed, or played.

d. When a player takes an action that plays or installs one or more cards and has no

other effects, the play cost or install cost of each of those cards is considered to

have been spent to take that action, even though other steps take place between

initiating the action and paying that cost.

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Example: The Corp has Jeeves Model Bioroids rezzed, and uses the basic action

"[Click]: Play an operation." to play Blue Level Clearance. Both the click spent for the

cost of the basic action and the click spent for Blue Level Clearance's additional cost

count as clicks spent to take the "[Click]: Play an operation." action.

1.16.5. Some abilities direct a player to ignore certain costs when performing particular effects.

a. If a player is directed to ignore 1 or more of the 6 main types of costs, the specified

costs are removed from the total cost that must be paid. Any other costs (usually

additional costs) that are not specified to be ignored still apply normally.

b. If a player is directed to ignore “credit costs”, any credits to be paid from any type of

cost are removed from the total cost. Any costs that do not consist of credits still

apply normally.

c. If a player is directed to ignore “all costs”, all elements of the relevant cost are

removed, including additional costs, so that the total cost becomes 0.

1.16.6. The INSTALL COST of a card must be paid to install that card.

a. The install cost of a program, resource, or piece of hardware is listed on the card

itself.

b. The install cost of a piece of ice is a number of credits equal to the number of

pieces of ice already protecting the server that ice will be installed protecting.

c. There is no cost to install an asset, upgrade, or agenda.

1.16.7. The PLAY COST of an operation or event must be paid to play that card. It is listed on the

card itself.

1.16.8. The REZ COST of an asset, upgrade, or piece of ice must be paid in order to rez that

card. It is listed on the card itself.

1.16.9. The TRIGGER COST of each paid ability is the first part of that ability’s text. It is followed

by a colon (:) and then the ability’s effect. See section 9.5 for more details on paid

abilities.

1.16.10. An ADDITIONAL COST adds something to the regular cost of initiating a particular game

effect. A player must pay all additional costs along with any regular costs in order to

initiate an effect.

a. If a player would be forced to carry out a game effect, but doing so has an

additional cost, that player may decline to pay the additional cost, even if they are

able to pay it, thus preventing that effect from occurring.

Example: The Runner accesses Obokata Protocol. Normally the Runner must steal

agendas that they access, but because Obokata Protocol has an additional cost to steal,

the Runner can decline to suffer the net damage and not steal the agenda.

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b. A player must pay all additional costs simultaneously with the cost that is being

added to, even if multiple cards or abilities are adding separate additional costs. A

player cannot pay the original cost or any of the additional costs individually. If they

cannot pay for all of the costs at once, then they do not pay any of the costs and the

corresponding effects cannot occur.

Example: The Runner accesses Obokata Protocol while Ben Musashi and Predictive

Algorithm are both active. The Runner must be able to pay 2 credits and suffer 6 net

damage all at once in order to steal the Obokata Protocol, even though each of the three

costs are from different card abilities. After all costs have been paid, abilities that meet

their trigger conditions from the paying of any of those costs, such as I’ve Had Worse or

Order of Sol, can then resolve as applicable.

c. If an additional cost is required for an effect that does not normally require paying

any cost, the additional cost is paid and a checkpoint is resolved before performing

the usual procedure to carry out that effect. See also rule 10.3.4.

Example: The Corp is playing Ob Superheavy Logistics and initiates scoring Azef

Protocol, which has an additional cost to score of “trash one of your other installed

cards.” If the Corp trashes a rezzed card, meeting the trigger condition for Ob’s ability,

this ability will resolve following the checkpoint associated with paying the cost. This

happens before Azef Protocol is added to the Corp’s score area or any trigger conditions

related to scoring an agenda are met.

1.16.11. A NESTED COST is a cost appearing within an ability’s instructions that must be paid

while the ability is resolving in order for some or all of the rest of the effects of that ability

to resolve.

a. Nested costs are usually written in the format “[player] may [cost] to [instructions]”

or “[player] may [cost]. If [you/they] do, [instructions].” If the indicated player pays

the indicated cost, the indicated instructions are resolved. Otherwise, that part of

the ability is not resolved.

b. Nested costs can also be written in the format “[instructions] unless [player] [cost]”

or “[player] may [cost]. If [you/they] do not, [instructions].” If the indicated player

pays the indicated cost, the indicated instructions are not resolved. Otherwise, that

instruction is resolved.

Example: A subroutine reading “End the run unless the Runner pays 1[c].” contains a

nested cost. If the Runner chooses to pay 1[c], the subroutine will not end the run.

c. An ability that reads “If [you/they] do” or “If [you/they] do not” without a preceding

“may” does not indicate a nested cost.

d. Some abilities use the word “otherwise” to indicate that different instructions should

be resolved depending on whether a nested cost was paid or not. In an ability with

a nested cost of a form described in rule 1.16.13a, treat “otherwise” as an “if

[you/they] do not” clause attached to the same cost. Conversely, in an ability with a

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nested cost of a form described in rule 1.16.13b, treat “otherwise” as an “if

[you/they] do” clause attached to the same cost. Note that “otherwise” can also

appear in the context of other types of conditions, and does not by itself indicate a

nested cost.

1.17. Score, Scoring, and Stealing

1.17.1. The sum of all agenda points on agendas in a player’s score area is that player’s

SCORE.

1.17.2. If at any time a player’s score is greater than or equal to 7, they win the game at the next

checkpoint. See section 1.7 regarding winning the game, and section 10.3 for details

about checkpoints.

1.17.3. Players add agendas to their score areas by SCORING or STEALING them. The Corp can

score an agenda to their score area as an option during certain paid ability windows on

their turn. The Runner can steal an agenda to their score area while accessing it.

a. The ADVANCEMENT REQUIREMENT of an agenda restricts when the Corp can

score it. The Corp can only score an agenda that has advancement counters on it

greater than or equal to its advancement requirement. See section 1.18.

b. The Corp is not required to score an agenda immediately upon satisfying its

advancement requirement.

c. Scoring an agenda does not cost [click] and is not an action.

d. The Runner cannot decline to steal an agenda they access, unless there is an

additional cost to steal that agenda and the Runner cannot or does not wish to pay

it. Section 7 details accessing, and section 1.16.10 details additional costs.

e. If an effect directly adds an agenda to a score area or otherwise moves an agenda

from any zone to a score area, that agenda is not considered scored or stolen.

f. If an effect causes another card to be added to a score area “as an agenda”, the

newly converted agenda is not considered scored or stolen. See rule 10.1.3.

1.17.4. Agendas are always added to the score area faceup, regardless of their previous

faceup/facedown status.

1.17.5. If an installed agenda is scored or stolen, it becomes uninstalled. Any advancement

counters on the scored or stolen agenda are returned to the bank. See rule 1.13.11.

1.17.6. Some agendas and other cards have abilities with a trigger condition related to an

agenda being scored. These abilities become pending after the Corp moves the agenda

from its current zone to their score area.

1.17.7. Some agendas and other cards have abilities with a trigger condition related to an

agenda being stolen. These abilities become pending after the Runner moves the

agenda from its current zone to their score area.

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1.17.8. If an ability meets its trigger condition from an agenda being scored or stolen, the

agenda’s last known number of advancement counters before being scored or stolen is

used for any references to the number of advancement counters in the effects of that

ability.

1.18. Advancing Cards

1.18.1. To ADVANCE a card is to place an advancement counter from the bank on it. The Corp

typically advances cards with a basic action during their action phase, but card abilities

can also advance cards.

1.18.2. Resolving an instruction that directly places an advancement counter onto a card is not

the same as advancing a card. Likewise, resolving an instruction that moves an

advancement counter from one card to another is not the same as advancing a card.

Example: The Corp plays Mushin-no-Shin, choosing to install an Oaktown Renovation.

Because the three advancement counters were placed on the card directly, the Corp

does not gain any credits from the ability on Oaktown Renovation.

1.18.3. The Corp can only advance certain installed cards. Agendas can always be advanced. If

a card other than an agenda says that it “can be advanced” or that “you can advance”

that card, the card can be advanced even while it is unrezzed. There is no limit to the

number of times a card can be advanced.

1.18.4. An “advanced card” is a card with 1 or more advancement counters hosted on it.

1.19. Trashing

1.19.1. TRASHING is the act of moving an object to its owner’s discard pile.

1.19.2. During access, the Runner has the opportunity to pay the trash cost of the accessed

card to trash it. See section 7.1.5.

1.19.3. A trashed card is not considered to have been discarded, and vice versa. Cards that

prevent a card from being trashed cannot prevent a card from being discarded.

1.19.4. The symbol [trash] represents trashing the object it appears on. It is used as a cost for

certain abilities.

Example: Fall Guy’s last ability reads “[trash]: Gain 2[c].” The cost to trigger this ability is to trash

Fall Guy.

a. “A [trash] ability” refers to a paid ability that includes [trash] in its trigger cost.

b. Some paid abilities have multiple options for their trigger cost, separated by “or”. A

player triggering such an ability only “used a [trash] ability” if the actual cost that

was paid includes [trash].

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1.20. Memory

1.20.1. A MEMORY UNIT (MU) is a space available to the Runner to install programs. Memory

units always appear with a quantity, such as 2[MU], which means “2 memory units.”

1.20.2. The Runner’s MEMORY LIMIT is the total number of memory units the Runner has. If the

Runner’s identity card does not specify a starting memory limit, their starting memory

limit is 4[MU]. Card abilities that indicate +[MU] apply that increase to the Runner’s

memory limit.

Example: The Runner has Astrolabe installed, which has the ability “+1[MU]”. The Runner can

therefore have up to 5[MU] worth of programs installed.

1.20.3. Programs have a MEMORY COST that is continually applied against the memory limit.

Section 3.9.3 details how the Runner’s installed programs are constrained by the

memory limit.

1.21. Card Visibility

1.21.1. Cards in the play area and other public zones are either FACEUP or FACEDOWN. Faceup

cards are freely visible to all players. Facedown cards are oriented so that the face

containing the card’s information is not visible.

a. Cards in hidden or secret zones (see section 4.1) are neither faceup nor facedown.

b. Some effects host multiple cards on an object at the same time or set aside multiple

cards at the same time. Facedown cards that enter a zone at the same time by the

same effect are treated as a group. See section 1.13.6 and rule 4.8.7, respectively.

1.21.2. When a player LOOKS at a card, they are allowed to see the front face of the card even if

the front face would not normally be visible to them. A player should look at that card

without showing it to the other player if it is not normally visible to that player.

a. A player may look at facedown cards they control at any time.

1.21.3. To REVEAL a card is to show its front face to all players, then return it to its previous

state.

1.21.4. Some abilities instruct the Runner to EXPOSE one or more cards. To expose a card is to

reveal it, except that only installed, unrezzed cards can be exposed.

1.21.5. Effects that instruct a player to look at, reveal, expose, or access a card are not the

same, even if they would be performed similarly at times. See section 7 for more

information on accessing.

1.21.6. If a resolving ability directs one or both players to look at or reveal a card or set of cards,

each such card remains visible to the relevant player(s) until the entire ability is finished

resolving or the card moves to a different location.

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1.21.7. The ability “While the Runner is accessing this [type] in R&D, they must reveal it.” is a

static ability that applies for the entire duration of the access. This is also the case for

cards with the older wording, “If [this card] is accessed from R&D, the Runner must

reveal it.”

2. Parts of a Card

2.1. Name

2.1.1. The identifier of a card is its NAME, alternatively referred to as its title. It is written along

the top of the card for identities, agendas, ice, operations, events, and resources, or

immediately below the art box in the case of assets, upgrades, hardware, and programs.

2.1.2. Identities have a subtitle written immediately below the main title line. Their full name is

the combination of their main title and subtitle.

2.1.3. When a card refers to its own name, it is a self-reference. See section 10.14.

2.1.4. When a card refers to “copies of” cards with a particular name, it refers to any card with

that name.

2.2. Unique Symbol

2.2.1. Some cards are UNIQUE, and have a unique symbol (◆) before their name to designate

this. See rule 10.1.1.

2.3. Play Cost, Install Cost, or Rez Cost

2.3.1. The play, install, or rez cost of a card is a number that appears in the top-left corner of

most card types. Play and install costs appear within a large circular icon, while rez costs

appear within a small octagonal icon.

2.3.2. Play, install, and rez costs on cards are all paid in credits. Section 8 details how cards

are played, installed, and rezzed.

2.3.3. Events and operations have a play cost.

2.3.4. Hardware, programs, and resources have an install cost.

a. Ice also has an install cost, but it does not appear on the card. The install cost of ice

is determined by the configuration of other installed ice rather than being intrinsic to

the card. See section 1.16.6.

2.3.5. Assets, ice, and upgrades have a rez cost.

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2.4. Advancement Requirement

2.4.1. The advancement requirement appears only on agendas. It is a number in the top-right

corner of the card, within a small circle.

2.4.2. Section 1.17 details how agendas are scored and the purpose of the advancement

requirement.

2.5. Agenda Points

2.5.1. The agenda point value appears only on agendas. It is the number in the center-left of

the card, on top of a graphic depicting three pillars.

2.5.2. The agenda points in a player’s score area contribute toward that player winning the

game. See section 1.7.

2.6. Trash Cost

2.6.1. Assets, upgrades, and some ice and operations have trash costs. A trash cost is a

number appearing in the lower-right corner of the card within a [trash] symbol.

2.6.2. Section 7.1.5 details how the Runner can trash a card they access by paying its trash

cost.

2.7. Strength

2.7.1. Strength is a number appearing on ice and on icebreaker programs. It appears on the

bottom-left corner of the card within a large semicircle.

2.7.2. Non-icebreaker programs have a dash (–) in the bottom-left corner instead of a strength

value.

2.7.3. Section 3.9.5 discusses the interaction between ice strength and icebreaker strength.

2.8. Memory Cost

2.8.1. Memory Cost is a number appearing only on programs. It appears to the right of the

install cost, within an [MU] symbol.

2.8.2. Section 1.20 discusses the topic of memory, and rule 3.9.3 details how programs interact

with the Runner’s memory limit based on their memory cost.

2.9. Base Link

2.9.1. Base link is a number appearing in the top-left of Runner identity cards.

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2.9.2. The Runner’s base link contributes to their link value. Section 10.7 defines how the

Runner’s link value is calculated, and section 10.8 explains how it contributes to

contesting trace attempts.

2.10. Starting Memory Limit

2.10.1. Starting memory limit is a number appearing near the top-left of Runner identity cards,

within the [MU] symbol.

2.10.2. The Runner’s memory limit is checked against the total memory cost of programs they

have installed. This value is calculated by applying any active modifiers to the Runner’s

starting memory limit. See section 1.20.

2.11. Minimum Deck Size

2.11.1. Minimum deck size is a number shown as the uppermost of two small boxes in the

lower-left of Corp identities and the lower-right of Runner identities.

2.11.2. Section 1.4 details the rules for building a deck, including the requirement to adhere to

the minimum deck size of the deck’s associated identity.

2.12. Influence Limit

2.12.1. The influence limit is a number shown as the lowermost of two small boxes in the

lower-left of Corp identities and the lower-right of Runner identities.

2.12.2. Section 1.4 details the rules for building a deck, including the requirement that

out-of-faction cards in the deck adhere to the influence limit of the associated identity.

2.13. Faction Affiliation

2.13.1. Cards are divided into ten factions: four Corp factions, three Runner factions, and three

Runner mini-factions. Factions and influence restrict deckbuilding options, allowing each

faction to have distinct play differences from one another.

a. The Corp factions are Haas-Bioroid, Jinteki, NBN, and the Weyland Consortium.

b. The major Runner factions are Anarch, Criminal, and Shaper.

c. The Runner mini-factions are Adam, Apex, and Sunny Lebeau.

2.13.2. A card’s faction can be identified by the color of its background, as well as a faction logo

in one of its four corners. This logo also appears as a watermark behind the text box. If a

card has a white background and no logo, it is neutral.

2.13.3. Each identity is associated with one faction. Section 1.4 details how factions affect

deckbuilding.

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2.14. Influence Cost

2.14.1. A card’s influence cost, or influence value, is represented in a bar with 5 circular slots

near the bottom of most cards. The influence cost is the number of slots that are filled

with a blue circle, and can range from 0 to 5.

2.14.2. Some cards cannot be played out of faction, and therefore do not have an influence

value, which is different from an influence cost of “0”. These cards do not have the

influence bar at all.

2.14.3. Some Corp cards have the subtype alliance and text defining adjustments to their

influence costs. The ability adjusting the influence cost of an alliance card applies only

when determining the legality of an already constructed deck and does not have any

effect during gameplay. The ability references other cards included in the deck to

determine whether the card should apply its printed influence cost or 0 against the

deck’s influence limit.

2.14.4. Section 1.4 details how a card’s influence cost (or lack thereof) affects deckbuilding.

2.15. Card Type

2.15.1. A card’s types appear as a line of text across the center of non-ice cards above the text

box. For ice, they run along the left side of the text box, rotated 90° from the rest of the

text.

2.15.2. Each card has one card type, which can be identity, agenda, asset, ice, operation,

upgrade, event, hardware, program, or resource. It is written in bold at the beginning of

the type line.

2.15.3. While inactive, a card is still considered a card of the type printed on it, with the

exception of facedown installed Runner cards. See section 8.1.4.

2.15.4. Abilities can change a card from its printed type to an agenda. See rule 10.1.3.

2.15.5. Counters never have card types.

2.16. Subtypes

2.16.1. Cards may have one or more subtypes, which are written following the primary type.

Subtypes are card descriptors that can be referenced by card abilities. Cards that share

a subtype often share a distinct characteristic or ability.

a. The subtypes region, console, and icebreaker have special rules, discussed in

sections 3.6.5, 3.8.5, and 3.9.5 respectively. Other subtypes have no intrinsic rules

meaning.

2.16.2. In card text, subtypes are always referenced in bold text. If a word or phrase that is also

a subtype appears in a card’s text but is not in bold text, that word or phrase does not

reference the subtype.

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2.16.3. Some abilities reference cards by a lack of subtype, such as “non-virus”. These abilities

can only affect cards that do not have the specified subtype, regardless of any other

subtypes the cards do have.

2.16.4. A card has all of its subtypes at all times, even while inactive, with the exception of

facedown installed Runner cards. See section 8.1.4.

2.16.5. Abilities can add or remove subtypes. The number of times a card has, gains, and loses

each subtype is tracked as a running total, but the result is binary: if the total number of

instances of the subtype exceeds the number of times it is removed, the card has that

subtype. Otherwise, it does not.

Example: The Runner plays Tinkering on a Lycan hosting 1 advancement counter. Lycan has

two instances of sentry, one printed and one from Tinkering, and has lost one instance of sentry

from its own ability. Thus it is still a sentry.

2.16.6. If an effect requires a player to choose a subtype, that player must choose a single

subtype that has been printed on at least one card. If a player is required to choose a

subtype belonging to a specific card type, they must choose a subtype that has been

printed on at least one card with that type.

2.16.7. Below is a list of all subtypes.

a. The identity subtypes are Bioroid, Clone, Corp, Cyborg, Digital, Division, G-mod,

Megacorp, Natural, Police Department, Stealth, and Subsidiary.

b. The agenda subtypes are Ambush, Expansion, Initiative, NEXT, Psi, Public,

Research, Security, Sensie, and Source.

c. The asset subtypes are Academic, Advertisement, Alliance, Ambush, Beanstalk,

Bioroid, Cast, Character, Clone, Corporation, Executive, Facility, Government,

Hostile, Illicit, Industrial, Political, Psi, Region, Research, Ritzy, Seedy, and

Transaction.

d. The ice subtypes are AP, Advertisement, Ambush, Barrier, Bioroid, Code Gate,

Deflector, Destroyer, Grail, Harmonic, Illicit, Morph, Mythic, NEXT, Observer, Psi,

Sentry, Tracer, and Trap.

e. The operation subtypes are Alliance, Black Ops, Condition, Current, Double, Gray

Ops, Illicit, Lockdown, Psi, Reprisal, Terminal, Transaction, and Triple.

f. The upgrade subtypes are Advertisement, Alliance, Ambush, Beanstalk, Bioroid,

Character, Clone, Enforcer, Executive, Facility, Hostile, Off-site, Orgcrime, Psi,

Region, Ritzy, Seedy, Security Protocol, Sysop, and Unorthodox.

g. The event subtypes are Condition, Current, Double, Job, Mod, Orgcrime, Priority,

Run, Sabotage, Stealth, and Terminal.

h. The hardware subtypes are Chip, Companion, Console, Consumer-grade,

Cybernetic, Gear, Link, Mod, Stealth, Vehicle, and Weapon.

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i. The program subtypes are AI, Caïssa, Cloud, Daemon, Decoder, Deep Net, Deva,

Fracter, Icebreaker, Killer, Stealth, Trojan, Virus, and Weapon.

j. The resource subtypes are Clan, Companion, Connection, Directive, Genetics,

Government, Job, Link, Location, Remote, Ritzy, Sabotage, Seedy, Source, Stealth,

and Virtual.

2.17. Text Box

2.17.1. The TEXT BOX is the central area on a card containing any abilities the card has. Abilities

usually only apply when the card they appear on is active. Rule 9.1.8 details exceptions.

2.17.2. Many cards have italicised text written after their game text. This is FLAVOR TEXT, and

has no effect on the game or the function of the card, nor can other abilities reference or

interact with it.

2.17.3. Some cards have italicised text in parenthesis. This is REMINDER TEXT, and has no

effect on the game or the function of the card, nor can other abilities reference or interact

with it directly. Reminder text simply summarizes a rule that may apply to that card text.

3. Card Types

3.1. Identities

3.1.1. Each player starts the game with a single identity active in the play area. See section

1.6.

a. Some identities are double-sided. Only the front side of a double-sided identity will

have values for its minimum deck size and influence limit. Only the side of a

double-sided identity that is currently faceup is active at any given time.

b. Identities are not installed.

3.1.2. Only identity cards have minimum deck sizes and influence limits. These values do not

apply during the game; instead, they determine deckbuilding constraints for decks

associated with that identity. See section 1.4.

3.1.3. Only Runner identities have a base link. This value is used in calculating the Runner’s

link value. See section 10.7.

3.1.4. The Corp’s identity card is used to mark the location of HQ. See section 4.3.8.

3.2. Agendas

Agendas represent valuable pieces of Corporate data. When the Corp advances and scores

agendas, it represents completion of critical Corporate projects. When the Runner steals

agendas, it represents their acquisition of secret Corporate data.

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3.2.1. The Corp may install agendas only in the roots of remote servers. There can be only one

agenda or one asset installed in the root of any given remote server at a time. See

section 4.6.8.

3.2.2. Only agendas have advancement requirements and agenda points. See section 1.17.

a. An agenda’s advancement requirement is the minimum number of advancement

counters that must be on that agenda for the Corp to score it.

b. The agenda points on an agenda contribute to a player’s score while the agenda is

in their score area.

3.2.3. Agendas cannot be rezzed and are inactive while installed. Agendas are active in the

Corp’s score area. Agendas are inactive in the Runner’s score area unless the agenda’s

card text specifies otherwise. See section 4.5.

a. Some agendas may be installed faceup or turned faceup through card abilities.

Faceup agendas are neither rezzed nor unrezzed. If an agenda’s printed text

directs the Corp to install it faceup, that agenda’s abilities are active while it is

installed.

b. Some agendas modify the requirements for stealing or scoring them. These abilities

are always active, according to any restrictions or requirements specified. See

section 9.1.8.

3.2.4. Agendas can always be advanced. See section 1.18.

3.3. Assets

Assets represent various resources and connections at the Corp’s disposal.

3.3.1. The Corp may install assets only in the roots of remote servers. There can be only one

agenda or one asset installed in the root of any given remote server at a time. See

section 4.6.8.

3.3.2. Assets are among the card types that have rez costs. They are installed unrezzed and

remain inactive until the Corp rezzes them by paying their rez costs during a paid ability

window. See section 8.1.

3.3.3. Assets are among the card types that have trash costs. If the Runner accesses an asset,

they may pay the trash cost to trash that asset. See section 7.1.5.

3.3.4. One asset, Lady Liberty, has the subtype region and the text “Limit 1 region per server.”

See section 3.6.5 for rules governing region cards.

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3.4. Ice

Ice are sophisticated security systems that protect Corporate servers through a variety of

means. “Ice” has been suggested to stand for a variety of expressions, but is most commonly

expanded as “Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics”.

3.4.1. “Ice” and “piece of ice” are synonymous.

3.4.2. Ice are the only type of card installed protecting servers. Ice are not installed in the roots

of servers. See section 4.6.9.

a. Ice protecting a server are laid out horizontally in front of that server, with the

outermost piece of ice furthest from the server.

b. When the Corp installs a piece of ice, they must install it in the outermost position

protecting a server. See section 8.5.

3.4.3. Ice are among the card types that have rez costs. They are installed unrezzed and

remain inactive until the Corp rezzes them by paying their rez costs. See section 8.1.

a. Unlike assets and upgrades, ice can normally only be rezzed while being

approached during a run. See section 6.4.

3.4.4. Ice are among the card types that have strength. An ice’s strength determines which

icebreakers are allowed to interface with it. See section 3.9.5.

3.4.5. Some ice have trash costs. If the Runner accesses an ice with a trash cost, they may

pay the trash cost to trash that ice. See section 7.1.5.

a. Unlike assets, upgrades, and agendas, ice are not normally accessed while

installed. Encountering a piece of ice does not entail accessing that ice and does

not give the Runner an opportunity to pay its trash cost.

3.4.6. Ice are the only Corp cards with install costs. The install cost of a piece of ice is not a

printed value but instead a calculated value based on the number of other ice already

protecting the relevant server. See section 1.16.6.

3.4.7. Ice are the only cards with subroutines. See section 9.8.

3.5. Operations

3.5.1. Operations are the only Corp cards that are played. Operations are never installed.

Playing an operation causes its abilities to become active, and once those abilities are

fully resolved the operation is trashed. See section 8.6.

a. Some operations have the subtype condition. As part of their abilities, condition

operations convert themselves into condition counters and install themselves. A

condition operation cannot be installed by an install effect; it can only be installed

through its own conversion ability. See rule 10.1.4.

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b. Some operations have the subtype current. As part of their abilities, current

operations prevent themselves from being trashed until another current operation

or event is played or the Runner steals an agenda. When one of these occurs, the

active current is trashed during the next checkpoint. See section 10.3.

c. Some operations have the subtype lockdown. As part of their abilities, lockdown

operations prevent themselves from being trashed until the start of the Corp’s next

turn after the operation is played. Once the Corp’s turn begins, this effect expires

and the operation is trashed during the next checkpoint, before any conditional

abilities marked pending at that time can be triggered. See section 10.3.

3.5.2. Operations are the only Corp cards with play costs. An operation’s play cost is the

number of credits the Corp must spend to play the operation. See section 8.6.

3.5.3. Some operations have trash costs. If the Runner accesses an operation with a trash

cost, they may pay the trash cost to trash that operation. See section 7.1.5.

3.6. Upgrades

3.6.1. The Corp may install upgrades in the root of any server. Upgrades are the only card type

that can be installed in the root of a central server.

3.6.2. There is no limit to the number of upgrades that can be installed in the root of a single

server.

3.6.3. Upgrades are among the card types that have rez costs. They are installed unrezzed

and remain inactive until the Corp rezzes them by paying their rez costs during a paid

ability window. See section 8.1.

3.6.4. Upgrades are among the card types that have trash costs. If the Runner accesses an

upgrade, they may pay the trash cost to trash that upgrade. See section 7.1.5.

3.6.5. Regions

a. Some upgrades have the subtype region. All regions have the text “Limit 1 region

per server.”

b. The region limitation applies only to cards with the subtype region that are

installed or in the process of being installed in the root of a server. It does not apply

to cards in central servers, and it does not apply to ice.

c. The region limitation applies to all cards as specified in rule 3.6.5b, regardless of

the active or inactive state of those cards.

d. When the Corp installs a card with the subtype region into the root of a server that

already has a region, they must trash the already-installed region. See section 8.5.

e. The Corp cannot swap a region card with a non-region card in another location if

there is another region card already installed in the destination location.

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3.7. Events

3.7.1. Events are the only Runner cards that are played. Events are never installed. Playing an

event causes its abilities to become active, and once those abilities are fully resolved the

event is trashed. See section 8.6.

a. One event, On the Lam, has the subtype condition. As part of its abilities, it

converts itself into a condition counter and installs itself. This event cannot be

installed by an install effect; it can only be installed through its own conversion

ability. See rule 10.1.4.

b. Some events have the subtype current. As part of their abilities, current events

prevent themselves from being trashed until another current operation or event is

played or the Corp scores an agenda. When one of these occurs, the active

current is trashed during the next checkpoint. See section 10.3.

3.7.2. Events are the only Runner cards with play costs. An event’s play cost is the number of

credits the Runner must spend to play the event. See section 8.6.

3.8. Hardware

The Runner’s hardware are the physical tools at their disposal: the computers, chips, and other

machinery that make up their rig.

3.8.1. “Hardware” and “piece of hardware” are synonymous.

3.8.2. The Runner installs hardware into the play area.

3.8.3. Hardware are among the types of cards with install costs. The Runner installs a

hardware faceup and active by paying its install cost. See section 8.5.

3.8.4. There is no limit to the number of hardware the Runner can have installed.

3.8.5. Consoles

a. Some hardware have the subtype console. All consoles have the text “Limit 1

console per player.”

b. If a player ever controls more than one installed console, all but the most recently

active console are trashed. Trashing cards this way cannot be prevented.

c. This limitation applies only to hardware with the subtype console.

d. This limitation applies only to active consoles. A player can have multiple copies of

a console, and even different consoles, in their deck.

3.9. Programs

Programs are digital tools at the Runner’s disposal, primarily used as a means of intrusion.

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3.9.1. The Runner installs programs into the play area.

3.9.2. Programs are among the types of cards with install costs. The Runner installs a program

faceup and active by paying its install cost. See section 8.5.

3.9.3. Programs are the only card type that have a memory cost. A program’s memory cost is

the number of memory units that program requires while it is installed.

a. Installing a program does not permanently consume memory. The program claims

its designated quantity of memory units until it becomes uninstalled, at which point

those memory units become available for use by other programs.

b. When the Runner installs a program that would increase the total memory cost of

installed programs over their memory limit, they must trash one or more installed

programs such that the total memory cost of installed programs including the new

program will not exceed their memory limit. See section 8.5.

c. If the Runner’s memory limit decreases below the total memory cost of installed

programs, or if the total memory cost of installed programs increases above the

memory limit for any reason other than installing another program, the Runner must

trash one or more installed programs such that the total memory cost of the

remaining programs does not exceed their memory limit. This occurs during the

next checkpoint after the memory limit is exceeded. See section 10.3.

d. A program’s memory cost is not a cost. It cannot be increased, lowered, ignored, or

otherwise modified by abilities that affect costs to install programs.

3.9.4. Programs are among the card types that have strength.

a. Programs with the subtype icebreaker have a printed numerical strength value. An

icebreaker’s strength determines which ice it is allowed to interface with. See

section 3.9.5.

b. Programs without the subtype icebreaker do not have a strength value. A dash (–)

is printed on non-icebreaker program cards in the place where strength is printed

on icebreaker program cards.

3.9.5. Icebreakers

a. Some programs have the subtype icebreaker. Icebreaker programs have strength

and abilities that interface with ice.

b. Paid abilities on an icebreaker that modify that icebreaker’s strength implicitly

have a duration of “for the remainder of the current encounter”.

Example: Corroder has the ability “1[c]: +1 strength.” Since no duration is specified, this

strength increase applies until the end of the current encounter.

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c. If an icebreaker’s paid ability specifies another duration for modifying its strength,

that modification lasts until both the stated duration and the implicit encounter

duration have expired.

Example: Gordian Blade has the ability “1[c]: +1 strength for the remainder of this run.”

This ability applies until the end of the current run, whether it is triggered during an

encounter or another step of the run. If the ability is triggered during an encounter that

takes place outside of a run, the strength increase applies for the duration of that

encounter.

d. If an icebreaker’s paid ability modifies its strength outside of an encounter and

does not specify another applicable duration, the modification expires during the

next checkpoint.

Example: If the Runner uses Corroder’s ability to increase its strength outside of an

encounter, it applies only until the next checkpoint.

e. All icebreakers have abilities that INTERFACE with ice, sometimes referred to as

“interface abilities”. These abilities are indicated by the “interface” flag preceding the

ability’s text.

f. The Runner can only use an interface ability during step 6.9.3b of an encounter,

and can only choose the encountered piece of ice and its subroutines as targets for

the ability’s effects. See section 1.15 for more information about targeting.

g. The Runner can only use an interface ability on an icebreaker if the icebreaker

has strength greater than or equal to the strength of the encountered ice.

h. If an interface ability specifies that it affects a particular subtype of ice, then that

ability can only be used on a piece of ice that has the specified subtype. If an ability

on an icebreaker does not specify a subtype of ice that it affects, that ability can be

used on any piece of ice.

3.10. Resources

Resources are a wide variety of connections and skills that aid the Runner.

3.10.1. The Runner installs resources into the play area.

3.10.2. Resources are among the types of cards with install costs. The Runner installs a

resource faceup and active by paying its install cost. See section 8.5.

3.10.3. There is no limit to the number of resources the Runner can have installed.

3.10.4. While the Runner is tagged, the Corp may spend [click] and 2[c] to trash an installed

resource as a basic action. See section 10.5.

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