Welcome to Netrunner!

Get ready for an intense battle between the Corporations and the Runners. This two-player game is all about pushing agendas and sneaking past security to steal them. Are you ready to prove your smarts, strength, and strategy?

Getting Started

First things first, you need to decide which side you want to play as. Will you be the Runner or the Corporation? Choose your role and place your identity card in your play area to show your decision. Once that’s settled, grab the deck that matches your chosen role.

So here’s how it goes: First, we create the token bank by putting all the tokens into separate piles. Make sure both you and I can reach them easily. Then, each of us collects five credits.

Next, we shuffle our decks. You can shuffle my deck too, just to be fair. After that, we both draw five cards from our deck to form our hand. If we think it’s necessary, we can shuffle the cards and redraw. Our decks are then placed face down on the side. And now, we’re ready to start the game!

GAMEPLAY

When playing the game, both the runner and the corporation have their own rules to follow. First, it’s the corporation’s turn. They can only take actions during their turn by using clicks. The corporation needs to spend three clicks to start their turn. Now, let me explain the different phases of the corporation’s turn: the draw phase, the action phase, and the discard phase. In the draw phase, the corporation draws the top card from their research and development pile. This phase doesn’t require any clicks.

Corporation’s Turn

During their turn, the corporation goes through three phases: the draw phase, the action phase, and the discard phase. In the draw phase, the corporation draws the top card from their research and development pile. This phase doesn’t require any clicks.

When I’m in the action phase, I have to spend clicks to do things. It’s the only time I can do actions. If I want to draw a card, gain a credit, install something, or play an operation, it costs me one click. If I want to advance a card, it costs me one click and two credits. And if I want to get rid of virus counters, it costs me three clicks. The cost of abilities on cards depends on the cards themselves.

I can only do one action at a time, and I have to finish it before I can do another one. So if I want to install a card, I can trash any cards that are already in the server where I want to install it. But if the corporation creates a remote server, the card goes face down in a secret location in their area.

Now, when it comes to agendas, I can only install them in a remote server. Once it’s installed, I can advance and score it. But if I want to install an agenda, I have to trash all the other cards in that server.

Let’s talk about different types of cards that you’ll come across in the game. First, we have assets. These cards can only be installed in a remote server. When you install an asset, you have to trash all other cards in the server.

Next, we have upgrades. Unlike assets, upgrades can be installed in any server. You can have as many upgrades as you want.

Ice cards are used to protect your server. Once placed, you can’t move them. You have to install ice in front of your server and pay a cost to do so.

Now, there are some cards that give the corporation additional abilities to block the runner. For example, they can spend one click and two credits to trash one of the runner’s resources. However, after the corporation takes their actions, they have to discard cards from their hand if they have more than their maximum hand size.

Now, it’s the runner’s turn.

When I’m playing as the runner, there are two phases I need to go through: the action phase and the discard phase. During the action phase, I have to use up four clicks. This is the only time when I can take actions. With one click, I have a few options. I can draw a card, get a credit, install something, play an event, remove a tag, or make a run. What I can do depends on the active cards I have.

Just like the corporation, I can only do one action at a time. I have to finish one action before I start a new one. I can install as many resources as I want, but when it comes to hardware, I’m limited to just one.

If I have an event card in my hand, I can choose to play it. I play it face up in my playing area, and its effect happens right away. I can also spend one click to go on a run against my opponent. I’m trying to steal their agendas and get rid of their cards.

Once I’ve used up all my clicks, it’s time to move on to the discard phase. Here, I have to get rid of some cards to make sure I don’t go over my maximum hand count.

Running can be risky, since I might take damage along the way. There are three types of damage I could face: meat damage, net damage, or brain damage. If I take more damage than I have cards in my hand, I’m out of the game, and the corporation wins!

The game keeps going like this, with each player taking their turn and going through their phases until it all ends.

GAME OVER

The game comes to an immediate end when a player scores 7 agenda points. That player is the winner! There are two other ways the game can end, too. If I get flatlined, the corporation wins. And if the corporation has no cards left and needs to draw, I win!