FFG: Netrunner Rules Update: “NAPD Most Wanted”
The Netrunner Organized Play scene is getting a new Restricted/Banned list going into effect October 1st!
Fantasy Flight Games has been doing a great job staying on top of the Organized Play side of things for all of their games. Netrunner’s version of a Restricted/Banned list is called the NAPD Most Wanted List. The list is updated quarterly as the developers evaluate the state of the game and attempt to curb any cards that “often create situations that are not enjoyable to play against.”
This list has changed and evolved over time, even the way they are limiting cards has changed. But this latest versions has a much simpler solution as cards fall into two catagories: Restricted and Removed.
Restricted
“Some cards, while powerful on their own, are only truly problematic in relation to other cards. This is where the Restricted section of the Most Wanted List comes in. Up to three copies of one card from the restricted section may be included in your deck, meaning that bothersome combinations will no longer be an issue.”
Removed
“Other cards, however, have simply proven to be oppressive on their own. Luckily, we now have the Removed section of the Most Wanted List! No cards from the removed section may be included in any deck.”
If you’d like to read up on why these cards were selected or the philosphy behind the list you can read FFG’s full breakdown HERE.
Some folks might question why these cards were even created in the first place if they are on the Removed list. “Shouldn’t the play-testers or the developers have caught them?” Perhaps – but when the card pool gets this massive it becomes almost impossible to balance. That’s why FFG is doing things like releasing a new Core Set and rotating out older Data Cycles. Those are what I’d consider pruning the tree so that healthy growth can continue. Eventually, many of these cards will rotate out one day. Heck, after certain cards drop out of rotation, these might not need to be Restricted or Removed. But that all depends on the health of the game.
Keep in mind these cards are only impacting players who want to build decks for Organized Play Events – if you want to use them with your friends in friendly games then go for it! In the mean time, if you haven’t played Netrunner, go pre-order the Revised Core Set and PLAY! It’s a fantastic asymmetrical card game.
What do you think of these changes? Do you agree with them for the” Health of the Game?”
