Enemy Deck Rankings — Fun, Progression Fit & Counterplay
Generated: 2026-07-01 21:30 UTC. Source: reports/data/runs.ndjson (gold-standard chained runs, 300 trials/starter/sector, seed 7). Regenerate: python3 scripts/rank_enemy_decks.py.
Launch point: starter × battle win rates
From starter_progression_matrix_report.md (same sim batch):
| Signal | Finding |
|---|---|
| Energy sector | 0% full-clear — entire sector dies MidTier (MidTier 2 at 0–14% conditional WR). Enemy decks untested at MegaCorp. |
| Healthcare MegaCorp boss | 15–20% conditional WR — appropriately brutal end gate. |
| AI sector | Healthiest curve; Tech Founder 27% full-clear. Family/MidTier bosses land near targets. |
| Family bosses | Large starter spreads: Mom & Pop (Healthcare), Mr. & Mrs. Watts (Energy) — identity collisions, not difficulty. |
| Pacing outliers | Orbital Coordinator (Nurse 25t avg win), Mom & Pop (Nurse 18t) — stall not loss. |
This report maps those signals onto individual enemy decks and ranks them for challenging but winnable fights that teach sector mechanics and allow multiple solutions.
Scoring criteria (0–100 composite)
| Component | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet spot | 35% | Pooled win rate vs tier band (Family 75–95%, MidTier 45–75%, MegaCorp 35–70%) |
| Fairness | 25% | Starter win-rate spread — penalizes >50pp identity collisions |
| Pacing | 15% | Avg turns on wins (cap: 15 Family / 20 later) — penalizes stall |
| Variety | 10% | Unique cards in deck — rewards distinct archetypes |
| Death budget | 15% | Death rate fits role (bosses 30–65%, grunts <35%) |
Hard penalties: Family fight unwinnable for any starter (−40); non-boss >98% win (−20).
Overall rankings
Higher = better fit for progression fun. Low scores flag broken, trivial, or unfair decks.
| Rank | Sector | Tier | Enemy | Win% | n | Turns | Spread | Death% | Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | energy | MidTier | Nuclear Physicist | 61% | 327 | 12.4 | 6% | 39% | 89 | Swingy — high spread, long games |
| 2 | healthcare | MidTier | The Regional CEO (The Heavy Hitter) | 59% | 256 | 8.3 | 31% | 41% | 81 | Strong boss — pacing outlier on Nurse |
| 3 | energy | MidTier | Pipeline Foreman | 67% | 312 | 5.1 | 8% | 33% | 80 | Gear check — not fun |
| 4 | healthcare | MidTier | The Shredder (Document Destruction) | 65% | 221 | 4.2 | 25% | 35% | 76 | Best Healthcare MidTier grunt — model deck |
| 5 | healthcare | MidTier | The Lobbyist (The Tempo Killer) | 57% | 242 | 6.0 | 34% | 43% | 71 | Good concept, Nurse-hostile |
| 6 | healthcare | Family | Nurse Sister | 89% | 900 | 3.3 | 30% | 11% | 68 | Strong Family 2 — near target |
| 7 | energy | MegaCorp | Grid Controller (GRID-CTRL) | 61% | 38 | 7.3 | 31% | 39% | 66 | Unreached — likely another wall |
| 8 | energy | MegaCorp | Reactor Core (CORE-X1) | 48% | 33 | 6.1 | 39% | 52% | 65 | Unreached — high burst elite |
| 9 | energy | MidTier | Grid Security Officer | 73% | 353 | 9.1 | 10% | 27% | 63 | Best Energy MidTier fight |
| 10 | ai | MegaCorp | Protocol Handler (PROTO-CTRL) | 89% | 118 | 8.8 | 5% | 11% | 62 | Easy control wall |
| 11 | ai | MegaCorp | Backup Node (NODE-7) | 96% | 101 | 7.9 | 3% | 4% | 62 | Trivial wall |
| 12 | healthcare | MegaCorp | Maintenance Drone (MAINT-7) | 97% | 72 | 5.5 | 4% | 3% | 61 | MegaCorp tutorial — too easy |
| 13 | ai | MegaCorp | Data Miner (MINE-3) | 88% | 109 | 5.6 | 6% | 12% | 61 | Good aggro check |
| 14 | healthcare | MegaCorp | Data Harvester (HARV-3) | 95% | 64 | 6.1 | 10% | 5% | 60 | Trivial — bleed theme without teeth |
| 15 | ai | MidTier | Ethics Officer | 98% | 293 | 8.1 | 5% | 2% | 59 | Trivial — wasted slot |
| 16 | energy | MegaCorp | Fuel Extractor (FUEL-3) | 44% | 32 | 5.9 | 29% | 56% | 59 | Unreached — likely fine on paper |
| 17 | ai | MidTier | Platform Architect | 92% | 314 | 5.9 | 6% | 8% | 59 | Slightly easy but fair |
| 18 | ai | MidTier | Product Manager | 81% | 298 | 4.9 | 8% | 19% | 58 | Strong MidTier 1 — target band |
| 19 | healthcare | MidTier | The Head of HR (The Deck Shredder) | 75% | 240 | 5.8 | 17% | 25% | 58 | Solid attrition fight |
| 20 | ai | MidTier | VP of Engineering | 47% | 500 | 6.6 | 23% | 53% | 57 | Strong boss — near sweet spot |
| 21 | ai | MegaCorp | Attack Vector (VECT-X1) | 42% | 114 | 5.0 | 21% | 58% | 57 | Harsh but interesting — spread problem |
| 22 | energy | MegaCorp | Repair Relay (RELAY-7) | 82% | 34 | 7.2 | 12% | 18% | 57 | Unreached in sim — design review needed |
| 23 | healthcare | MidTier | The Claims Adjuster (The Wall) | 95% | 219 | 3.7 | 9% | 5% | 57 | Trivial wall — wrong tier tension |
| 24 | energy | MidTier | Field Geologist | 78% | 327 | 5.9 | 10% | 22% | 57 | Miserable wall — one-note |
| 25 | ai | MidTier | Data Scientist | 90% | 284 | 4.5 | 11% | 10% | 56 | Too easy |
| 26 | healthcare | MegaCorp | Surgical Unit (SURG-X1) | 81% | 78 | 8.3 | 18% | 19% | 56 | Good MegaCorp elite — near sweet spot |
| 27 | energy | MidTier | Drilling Director | 27% | 291 | 4.8 | 9% | 73% | 51 | Data insufficient — likely broken |
| 28 | healthcare | MegaCorp | The Core Mind (CORE-∞) | 14% | 129 | 11.4 | 1% | 86% | 51 | MegaCorp boss — appropriately brutal, low variety |
| 29 | energy | Family | Mr. & Mrs. Watts (Owners) | 76% | 899 | 6.0 | 25% | 24% | 49 | Broken identity collision — sector killer |
| 30 | ai | Family | Mom & Pop Founders | 70% | 882 | 3.9 | 28% | 30% | 48 | Decent boss — better than Healthcare/Energy |
| 31 | ai | MegaCorp | The Singularity (SING-∞) | 85% | 141 | 11.3 | 18% | 15% | 46 | Good boss — slightly easy |
| 32 | healthcare | Family | Mom & Pop (Owners) | 64% | 801 | 6.3 | 42% | 36% | 44 | Identity collision — gatekeeper, not fun puzzle |
| 33 | healthcare | Family | The Son (Junior Associate) | 100% | 871 | 4.2 | 1% | 0% | 43 | Too easy — tutorial filler |
| 34 | healthcare | MegaCorp | Orbital Coordinator (ORB-COORD) | 99% | 79 | 14.4 | 6% | 1% | 42 | Pacing bug disguised as challenge |
| 35 | energy | Family | Energy Consultant (Daughter) | 100% | 900 | 4.7 | 0% | 0% | 42 | Free sustain tutorial |
| 36 | energy | Family | Junior Technician (Son) | 100% | 900 | 2.7 | 0% | 0% | 42 | Free fight — sector onboarding gap |
| 37 | ai | Family | Junior Dev (Son) | 99% | 897 | 3.9 | 1% | 1% | 41 | Easy — acceptable tutorial |
| 38 | energy | MegaCorp | The Grid Nexus (NEXUS-∞) | 12% | 24 | 9.0 | 20% | 88% | 41 | Unreached — boss review |
| 39 | ai | Family | UX Designer (Daughter) | 99% | 900 | 3.4 | 3% | 1% | 40 | Easy — acceptable |
Tier targets vs actual (pooled)
| Tier | Target WR | Avg actual | In-band | Too easy (>target) | Too hard (<target) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family | 75%–95% | 88% | 2/9 | 5 | 2 |
| MidTier | 45%–75% | 71% | 8/15 | 6 | 1 |
| MegaCorp | 35%–70% | 69% | 4/15 | 9 | 2 |
Battle-by-battle assessments
Each entry: sim stats, deck snapshot, design intent, counterplay routes, and critical notes.
Family
Healthcare
Mom & Pop (Owners) (Boss)
Identity collision — gatekeeper, not fun puzzle · 80 HP · Optimal · 11 cards · pooled 64% (n=801) · score 44/100
Fantasy: Mom & Pop as scrappy block-scaling owners.
Deck: 3× Standard Consultation, 2× Asset Liquidation, 2× Hostile Takeover, 2× Sterile Shield, 1× Stock Buyback…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 86% | 299 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 44% | 206 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 54% | 296 |
Counterplay routes: Hustler bursts; Nurse/Plague need bleed or Hostile Takeover answers.
Notes / ideas: 41–46% Nurse/Plague vs 82% Hustler is a 41pp spread — worst Family boss. Trim Regulatory Stranglehold or swap one Sterile Shield for telegraphed damage. Nurse wins stall to 18t avg — add a soft enrage or cap block scaling.
Nurse Sister (Grunt/Elite)
Strong Family 2 — near target · 50 HP · Defensive · 7 cards · pooled 89% (n=900) · score 68/100
Fantasy: Sustain duel with light bleed pressure.
Deck: 2× Injection, 2× Generic Rx, 1× Bedside Manner, 1× Sterile Shield, 1× Pandemic Boost
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 100% | 300 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 70% | 300 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 99% | 300 |
Counterplay routes: Burst before heal stacks; bleed punishes Bedside Manner loops.
Notes / ideas: Nurse starter at 64% is the intended tension. Consider one fewer Injection so Plague Doctor isn't also at 99% — differentiate 'heal wall' from 'bleed check'.
The Son (Junior Associate) (Grunt/Elite)
Too easy — tutorial filler · 50 HP · Aggressive · 6 cards · pooled 100% (n=871) · score 43/100
Fantasy: Overcaffeinated intern trading HP for tempo.
Deck: 2× Quick Fix, 1× Unchecked Math, 1× Coffee Crash, 1× Placebo Shot, 1× Overtime Shift
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 100% | 300 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 99% | 271 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 100% | 300 |
Counterplay routes: Any line wins: burst, bleed, or block-and-poke.
Notes / ideas: Raise to 55 HP and add a second self-damage payoff (e.g. Overtime Shift already helps — lean into 'crashes after turn 3'). Family 1 should teach reading enemy self-harm, not be a free card.
Energy
Energy Consultant (Daughter) (Grunt/Elite)
Free sustain tutorial · 50 HP · Defensive · 7 cards · pooled 100% (n=900) · score 42/100
Fantasy: Fuel Injection sustain wall.
Deck: 4× Fuel Injection [Enemy-Scaled], 1× Ground Wire, 1× Battery Pack, 1× Solar Subsidy
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 100% | 300 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 100% | 300 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 100% | 300 |
Counterplay routes: Burst through Fuel Injection scaling.
Notes / ideas: 100% pooled. Four Fuel Injections teach surge economy but fight ends before lesson lands. Add Surge threshold payoff card.
Junior Technician (Son) (Grunt/Elite)
Free fight — sector onboarding gap · 50 HP · Aggressive · 7 cards · pooled 100% (n=900) · score 42/100
Fantasy: Reckless overclock kid.
Deck: 2× Overclock, 2× Spark Plug, 2× Fuel Injection [Enemy-Scaled], 1× Volatile Surge [Enemy-Scaled]
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 100% | 300 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 100% | 300 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 100% | 300 |
Counterplay routes: Race — he burns himself.
Notes / ideas: 99% in 2.5t. Fine as Family 1 if Family 2/boss teach energy mechanics — they don't enough.
Mr. & Mrs. Watts (Owners) (Boss)
Broken identity collision — sector killer · 70 HP · Optimal · 8 cards · pooled 76% (n=899) · score 49/100
Fantasy: Family bosses with refinery sustain.
Deck: 2× Fuel Injection [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Controlled Burn [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Refinery [Enemy-Scaled], 1× Grid Shield, 1× Insulation
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 88% | 300 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 79% | 300 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 63% | 299 |
Counterplay routes: Wildcatter should burn fast; Grid/Nuclear should out-sustain.
Notes / ideas: 69pp spread (11% Wildcatter vs 80% Grid Operator). Wildcatter dies 75% of Energy deaths here. Refinery ×2 + Controlled Burn walls aggro completely. Split boss deck: reactive phase for aggro (less Refinery, more Brownout) or nerf enemy-scaled Fuel Injection on Wildcatter matchup.
Ai
Junior Dev (Son) (Grunt/Elite)
Easy — acceptable tutorial · 50 HP · Aggressive · 7 cards · pooled 99% (n=897) · score 41/100
Fantasy: Agile spammer.
Deck: 2× Cache Hit, 2× Agile Sprint, 2× Obfuscate, 1× Neural Strike
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 100% | 300 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 99% | 300 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 100% | 297 |
Counterplay routes: Block Obfuscate turns, race.
Notes / ideas: 99% — fine for Family 1. Hacker at 97% is slightly low; check if Glitch answers are missing from starter.
Mom & Pop Founders (Boss)
Decent boss — better than Healthcare/Energy · 80 HP · Optimal · 9 cards · pooled 70% (n=882) · score 48/100
Fantasy: Vaporware hype founders.
Deck: 3× Vaporware Pitch, 2× Growth Hacking, 2× Model Collapse, 2× Hype Cycle
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 73% | 299 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 82% | 293 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 54% | 290 |
Counterplay routes: Hype removal, race Model Collapse, survive Growth Hacking.
Notes / ideas: 66% pooled, 26pp spread. Hype theme finally works. Tech Founder at 84% vs Hacker 57% — add one non-hype damage card so control decks aren't soft-locked.
UX Designer (Daughter) (Grunt/Elite)
Easy — acceptable · 50 HP · Defensive · 7 cards · pooled 99% (n=900) · score 40/100
Fantasy: Defensive debugger.
Deck: 2× Obfuscate, 2× Neural Strike, 2× Debug Mode, 1× Cache Hit
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 100% | 300 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 99% | 300 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 97% | 300 |
Counterplay routes: Burst through Obfuscate, ignore Neural Strike chip.
Notes / ideas: 98% — mirrors Nurse Sister role. OK.
MidTier
Healthcare
The Claims Adjuster (The Wall) (Grunt/Elite)
Trivial wall — wrong tier tension · 75 HP · Defensive · 11 cards · pooled 95% (n=219) · score 57/100
Fantasy: Denial paperwork fortress.
Deck: 4× Incomplete Form, 4× Injection, 2× Standard Consultation, 1× FDA Filing
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 97% | 115 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 100% | 40 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 91% | 64 |
Counterplay routes: Bleed, percent damage, or ignore-block — but fight ends before puzzle matters.
Notes / ideas: 95% pooled at MidTier 1 is a wasted slot. Incomplete Form ×4 + Injection is bleed-teaching, not block-wall. Either commit to 'wall' (restore FDA Filing density) or pivot to bleed-conditional block like Policy Auditor variant.
The Head of HR (The Deck Shredder) (Grunt/Elite)
Solid attrition fight · 120 HP · Defensive · 12 cards · pooled 75% (n=240) · score 58/100
Fantasy: Performance reviews and deck pollution.
Deck: 3× Performance Review, 2× Placebo Shot, 2× Standard Consultation, 2× Non-Compete, 2× Layoffs…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 77% | 132 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 61% | 33 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 76% | 75 |
Counterplay routes: Lean deck, burst through Layoffs turns, bleed through block.
Notes / ideas: 77% is slightly high for MidTier 2 but spread is tight (4pp). Good template for 'multiple solutions'.
The Lobbyist (The Tempo Killer) (Grunt/Elite)
Good concept, Nurse-hostile · 110 HP · Optimal · 12 cards · pooled 57% (n=242) · score 71/100
Fantasy: Influence and draw advantage.
Deck: 3× Campaign Donation, 3× Injection, 2× R&D Subsidy, 2× Closed-Door Meeting, 2× Backroom Deal
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 74% | 119 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 42% | 38 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 40% | 85 |
Counterplay routes: Campaign Donation energy tax — play fewer cards or hoard energy.
Notes / ideas: 33% Nurse vs 71% Hustler. Influence isn't modeled harshly enough for Nurse's Optimal rhythm OR too harsh — pick one. Reduce Injection copies (3→2) so bleed isn't the only threat vector.
The Regional CEO (The Heavy Hitter) (Boss)
Strong boss — pacing outlier on Nurse · 115 HP · Optimal · 14 cards · pooled 59% (n=256) · score 81/100
Fantasy: Heavy hitter scaling premiums and bleed.
Deck: 4× Chronic Malady, 3× Premium Hike, 2× Premium Bleed, 2× Technicality, 1× Clinical Trial…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 61% | 157 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 75% | 36 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 44% | 63 |
Counterplay routes: Cleanse Chronic Malady, burst before Premium Hike snowballs.
Notes / ideas: 55% pooled is ideal boss rate. Nurse at 73% but 22.9t avg suggests stall sub-route — trim one Chronic Malady or add CEO enrage at turn 12.
The Shredder (Document Destruction) (Grunt/Elite)
Best Healthcare MidTier grunt — model deck · 100 HP · Aggressive · 12 cards · pooled 65% (n=221) · score 76/100
Fantasy: HR paperwork that shreds your hand.
Deck: 3× Layoffs, 2× Non-Compete, 2× Mandatory Fun, 2× Coffee Crash, 2× Incomplete Form…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 70% | 119 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 44% | 36 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 67% | 66 |
Counterplay routes: Layoffs/Non-Compete reward lean decks; Chronic Malady rewards cleanse or burst.
Notes / ideas: 67% pooled, fair spread. Keep. Optional: one Mandatory Fun → Glitch card to telegraph the pollution theme earlier.
Energy
Drilling Director (Boss)
Data insufficient — likely broken · 110 HP · Optimal · 10 cards · pooled 27% (n=291) · score 51/100
Fantasy: MegaCorp-tier boss appearing at MidTier.
Deck: 2× Nuclear Meltdown [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Supernova [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Fusion Reactor [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Power Surge [Enemy-Scaled], 1× Peaker Plant…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 26% | 124 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 32% | 102 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 23% | 65 |
Counterplay routes: Unknown — 0% in 31 samples.
Notes / ideas: 0% win in sim (n=31). Boss deck (Fusion Reactor, Supernova) may be mis-tiered. Verify HP/damage scaling; consider moving burst cards to elites, leaving director as synergy boss.
Field Geologist (Grunt/Elite)
Miserable wall — one-note · 85 HP · Defensive · 7 cards · pooled 78% (n=327) · score 57/100
Fantasy: Refinery block stacker.
Deck: 2× Refinery [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Carbon Credits, 2× Fuel Injection [Enemy-Scaled], 1× Heat Shield
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 78% | 125 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 83% | 108 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 73% | 94 |
Counterplay routes: Bleed doesn't exist in Energy — only burst.
Notes / ideas: 6× Refinery is monotonous and 30% pooled. Replace 3 Refinery with Carbon Credits + damage mix. Energy sector needs a bleed/surge-answer card in rewards before this fight.
Grid Security Officer (Grunt/Elite)
Best Energy MidTier fight · 120 HP · Defensive · 10 cards · pooled 73% (n=353) · score 63/100
Fantasy: Security lockdown — Fracking + shields.
Deck: 4× Fracking Op [Enemy-Scaled], 3× Grid Shield, 1× Power Surge, 1× Circuit, 1× Blackout
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 79% | 136 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 70% | 125 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 68% | 92 |
Counterplay routes: Surge thresholds, Blackout timing, burst windows.
Notes / ideas: 72% pooled, 3pp spread — exemplary. Model other Energy grunts on this.
Nuclear Physicist (Grunt/Elite)
Swingy — high spread, long games · 120 HP · Aggressive · 9 cards · pooled 61% (n=327) · score 89/100
Fantasy: Meltdown risk/reward scientist.
Deck: 4× Nuclear Meltdown [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Reactor Core, 2× Peaker Plant, 1× Heat Shield
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 61% | 133 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 64% | 112 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 59% | 82 |
Counterplay routes: Race meltdown turns, Heat Shield play-around.
Notes / ideas: 50% pooled but 46pp spread and 15–18t averages. Meltdown ×4 can end runs unfairly OR stall — add visible charge counter.
Pipeline Foreman (Grunt/Elite)
Gear check — not fun · 80 HP · Aggressive · 8 cards · pooled 67% (n=312) · score 80/100
Fantasy: Aggressive fracking rush.
Deck: 2× Heat Shield, 1× Fracking Op [Enemy-Scaled], 1× Fuel Injection [Enemy-Scaled], 1× Oil Derrick, 1× Natural Gas…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 71% | 104 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 67% | 114 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 63% | 94 |
Counterplay routes: Block Fracking Op turns, race Drill Site.
Notes / ideas: 14% pooled, 86% death rate. MidTier 2 at 0–8% in progression matrix. Either foreman is overtuned OR Energy starters lack MidTier tools — likely both. Reduce Fracking Op to ×1, add telegraphed big turn.
Ai
Data Scientist (Grunt/Elite)
Too easy · 100 HP · Defensive · 9 cards · pooled 90% (n=284) · score 56/100
Fantasy: ML block stacker.
Deck: 3× Machine Learning, 2× Neural Network, 2× Data Scrape, 2× Hype Cycle
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 85% | 97 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 96% | 113 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 91% | 74 |
Counterplay routes: Burst, Hype exploit.
Notes / ideas: 93% — reduce Machine Learning to ×2, add Data Scrape punishment for card-heavy decks.
Ethics Officer (Grunt/Elite)
Trivial — wasted slot · 120 HP · Defensive · 10 cards · pooled 98% (n=293) · score 59/100
Fantasy: Compliance wall.
Deck: 3× Memory Leak, 3× Quantum Firewall, 2× Technical Debt, 2× Ransomware
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 100% | 99 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 98% | 112 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 95% | 82 |
Counterplay routes: Any.
Notes / ideas: 99% — worst-in-tier. Memory Leak ×3 without damage = timeout, not challenge. Swap Technical Debt for DDoS or Ransomware damage.
Platform Architect (Grunt/Elite)
Slightly easy but fair · 120 HP · Defensive · 10 cards · pooled 92% (n=314) · score 59/100
Fantasy: Infrastructure denial.
Deck: 3× Distributed Systems, 3× Server Load, 2× Compute Cluster, 2× Cloud Backup
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 90% | 115 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 95% | 124 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 89% | 75 |
Counterplay routes: Burst, play around defensive shell.
Notes / ideas: 91% — acceptable MidTier 2. Could add one Glitch card.
Product Manager (Grunt/Elite)
Strong MidTier 1 — target band · 100 HP · Aggressive · 9 cards · pooled 81% (n=298) · score 58/100
Fantasy: Feature creep rush.
Deck: 3× Neural Strike, 2× DDoS Attack, 2× Agile Sprint, 2× Feature Creep
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 78% | 103 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 85% | 122 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 79% | 73 |
Counterplay routes: Lean deck, burst Feature Creep turns.
Notes / ideas: 68% pooled — best AI MidTier grunt. Keep as template.
VP of Engineering (Boss)
Strong boss — near sweet spot · 130 HP · Optimal · 11 cards · pooled 47% (n=500) · score 57/100
Fantasy: GPU/Zero-Day raid.
Deck: 3× GPU Burst, 3× Zero-Day Exploit, 2× Neural Network, 2× DDoS Attack, 1× Quantum Firewall
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 42% | 168 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 59% | 209 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 36% | 123 |
Counterplay routes: Block burst turns, cleanse setups, HP race.
Notes / ideas: 51% pooled — good. Hacker 35% / VC 42% may be too harsh for starters but OK for built decks. Slight telegraph on Zero-Day turns.
MegaCorp
Healthcare
Data Harvester (HARV-3) (Grunt/Elite)
Trivial — bleed theme without teeth · 135 HP · Aggressive · 13 cards · pooled 95% (n=64) · score 60/100
Fantasy: Aggressive bleed/data harvest.
Deck: 3× Chronic Malady, 2× Blood Draw, 2× Premium Bleed, 2× Non-Compete, 1× Undeclared Side Effect…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 96% | 45 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 90% | 10 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 100% | 9 |
Counterplay routes: Cleanse or race — built decks have both.
Notes / ideas: 99% pooled. Strong theme (bleed suite) but arrives too late to matter. Raise HP to 150 or add Hemorrhagic Collapse telegraph at 50% HP.
Maintenance Drone (MAINT-7) (Grunt/Elite)
MegaCorp tutorial — too easy · 110 HP · Defensive · 11 cards · pooled 97% (n=72) · score 61/100
Fantasy: Automated denial bot.
Deck: 4× Injection, 3× Incomplete Form, 2× Standard Consultation, 1× FDA Filing, 1× Quarterly Growth
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 96% | 45 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 100% | 9 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 100% | 18 |
Counterplay routes: Outscale block or bleed — trivial with built deck.
Notes / ideas: 96% after MidTier grind undersells MegaCorp entry. Add one punish card (Undeclared Side Effect or Glitch) to signal sector escalation.
Orbital Coordinator (ORB-COORD) (Grunt/Elite)
Pacing bug disguised as challenge · 140 HP · Defensive · 14 cards · pooled 99% (n=79) · score 42/100
Fantasy: Orbital control — Influence, block, Injunction.
Deck: 4× Closed-Door Meeting, 3× FDA Filing, 2× Campaign Donation, 2× Backroom Deal, 2× Hostile Takeover…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 100% | 44 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 94% | 18 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 100% | 17 |
Counterplay routes: Bleed, multi-turn burst, Injunction play-around.
Notes / ideas: 98% win but Nurse averages 25t (stall_risk flagged). Closed-Door Meeting ×4 + Injunction creates non-lethal grind. Cut one Meeting, add damage clock. Do NOT just trim HP.
Surgical Unit (SURG-X1) (Grunt/Elite)
Good MegaCorp elite — near sweet spot · 175 HP · Optimal · 14 cards · pooled 81% (n=78) · score 56/100
Fantasy: Precision burst surgeon.
Deck: 4× Predictive Pricing, 3× Efficiency Filter, 2× Performance Review, 2× Terminal Diagnosis, 2× Quick Fix…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 80% | 51 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 73% | 15 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 92% | 12 |
Counterplay routes: Efficiency Filter punishes spam; Terminal Diagnosis rewards closing fast.
Notes / ideas: 70% pooled, fragile totem matchup for Plague Doctor (documented). Keep shape — this is what MegaCorp 2 should feel like.
The Core Mind (CORE-∞) (Boss)
MegaCorp boss — appropriately brutal, low variety · 200 HP · Optimal · 19 cards · pooled 14% (n=129) · score 51/100
Fantasy: Algorithmic raid boss.
Deck: 4× Predictive Pricing, 2× Efficiency Filter, 2× FDA Filing, 2× Terminal Diagnosis, 2× Hostile Takeover…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hustler (aggro/glasscannon) | 14% | 81 |
| The Nurse (balanced/sustain) | 14% | 21 |
| The Plague Doctor (bleed) | 15% | 27 |
Counterplay routes: Burst phases, play around Efficiency Filter/Injunction.
Notes / ideas: 18% pooled matches matrix (15–20% boss). 19-card bloat hurts identity. Trim to 16 focused cards; add phase telegraph (e.g. Algorithm Override at 66% HP only).
Energy
Fuel Extractor (FUEL-3) (Grunt/Elite)
Unreached — likely fine on paper · 135 HP · Aggressive · 11 cards · pooled 44% (n=32) · score 59/100
Fantasy: Combustion aggro.
Deck: 3× Controlled Burn, 2× Oil Slick, 2× Flare Stack, 2× Brownout, 1× Grid Failure…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 25% | 16 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 54% | 13 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 100% | 3 |
Counterplay routes: Cleanse Oil Slick, race Flare Stack.
Notes / ideas: Untested. Themed correctly for aggro check. Ensure Brownout punishes turtle decks when sector is fixed.
Grid Controller (GRID-CTRL) (Grunt/Elite)
Unreached — likely another wall · 150 HP · Defensive · 10 cards · pooled 61% (n=38) · score 66/100
Fantasy: Resource denial / surge pricing.
Deck: 4× Fuel Injection [Enemy-Scaled], 2× Surge Pricing, 1× Power Grid, 1× Grid Shield, 1× Pressure Valve…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 47% | 15 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 64% | 14 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 78% | 9 |
Counterplay routes: Surge management, Blackout timing.
Notes / ideas: 8× Fuel Injection [Enemy-Scaled] mirrors Field Geologist mistake at higher HP. Diversify before sector is playable.
Reactor Core (CORE-X1) (Grunt/Elite)
Unreached — high burst elite · 155 HP · Optimal · 13 cards · pooled 48% (n=33) · score 65/100
Fantasy: Surge/meltdown burst.
Deck: 3× Power Surge, 2× Nuclear Meltdown, 2× Supernova, 2× Turbine, 2× Overclock…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 40% | 10 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 69% | 13 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 30% | 10 |
Counterplay routes: Block burst turns, cleanse meltdown.
Notes / ideas: Untested. Power Surge ×4 may be too spiky — watch one-shot risk.
Repair Relay (RELAY-7) (Grunt/Elite)
Unreached in sim — design review needed · 140 HP · Defensive · 10 cards · pooled 82% (n=34) · score 57/100
Fantasy: Defensive surge battery.
Deck: 2× Grid Shield, 2× Fuel Injection, 2× Emergency Protocol, 2× Power Surge, 2× Surge Pricing
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 90% | 10 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 78% | 18 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 83% | 6 |
Counterplay routes: Surge threshold burst, outscale Fuel Injection.
Notes / ideas: No run reached Energy MegaCorp (0% sector clear). Relay's 8× Fuel Injection/Surge wall is untested live — preemptively cut duplicate Fuel Injection to ×2.
The Grid Nexus (NEXUS-∞) (Boss)
Unreached — boss review · 250 HP · Optimal · 17 cards · pooled 12% (n=24) · score 41/100
Fantasy: Infinite energy finale.
Deck: 3× Overclock, 2× Fusion Reactor, 2× Controlled Burn, 2× Power Surge, 2× Supernova…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Grid Operator (defensive/sustain) | 20% | 5 |
| The Nuclear Engineer (scaling/risk) | 14% | 14 |
| The Wildcatter (aggro/surge) | 0% | 5 |
Counterplay routes: Race Infinite Energy, survive Overclock chains.
Notes / ideas: Untested. Infinite Energy ×1 is great capstone — build toward making runs reach this.
Ai
Attack Vector (VECT-X1) (Grunt/Elite)
Harsh but interesting — spread problem · 150 HP · Optimal · 11 cards · pooled 42% (n=114) · score 57/100
Fantasy: Hype/DDoS burst elite.
Deck: 3× DDoS Attack, 3× Zero-Day Exploit, 2× Neural Strike, 2× GPU Burst, 1× Hype Cycle
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 33% | 36 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 53% | 53 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 32% | 25 |
Counterplay routes: Hype strip, burst between GPU Burst turns.
Notes / ideas: 38% pooled, 44pp spread (Hacker 6% vs Founder 50%). Fragile for control, fair for aggro. Add one defensive turn telegraph so Hacker can survive.
Backup Node (NODE-7) (Grunt/Elite)
Trivial wall · 145 HP · Defensive · 12 cards · pooled 96% (n=101) · score 62/100
Fantasy: Firewall turtle.
Deck: 3× Obfuscate, 3× Firewall, 2× Quantum Firewall, 2× Cloud Backup, 2× Neural Strike
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 97% | 35 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 96% | 49 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 94% | 17 |
Counterplay routes: Outscale or glitch through.
Notes / ideas: 99% — Firewall ×5 with no clock. Add Technical Debt timer or DDoS punish for slow decks.
Data Miner (MINE-3) (Grunt/Elite)
Good aggro check · 135 HP · Aggressive · 12 cards · pooled 88% (n=109) · score 61/100
Fantasy: Ransomware/data theft.
Deck: 4× Data Scrape, 3× Memory Leak, 2× Ransomware, 2× Prompt Injection, 1× Technical Debt
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 84% | 25 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 90% | 67 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 88% | 17 |
Counterplay routes: Race, lean deck vs Memory Leak pollution.
Notes / ideas: 91% — slightly easy but theme is clear. Keep for variety.
Protocol Handler (PROTO-CTRL) (Grunt/Elite)
Easy control wall · 165 HP · Defensive · 14 cards · pooled 89% (n=118) · score 62/100
Fantasy: Glitch/Injunction handler.
Deck: 3× Bandwidth Throttle, 3× Obfuscate, 3× Algorithm Override, 2× Zero-Day Exploit, 1× Quantum Firewall…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 86% | 29 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 91% | 68 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 86% | 21 |
Counterplay routes: Glitch cleanse, play around Injunction.
Notes / ideas: 92% — control theme without damage clock. Cut FDA-style duplication, add Glitch damage.
The Singularity (SING-∞) (Boss)
Good boss — slightly easy · 250 HP · Optimal · 18 cards · pooled 85% (n=141) · score 46/100
Fantasy: Convergent ML superintelligence.
Deck: 4× Machine Learning, 4× Neural Network, 4× DDoS Attack, 2× Quantum Firewall, 2× Total System Failure…
| Starter | Win% | n |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker (control/defensive) | 84% | 37 |
| The Tech Founder (balanced/scaling) | 89% | 83 |
| The Venture Capitalist (hype/aggro) | 71% | 21 |
Counterplay routes: Burst phases, survive Total System Failure.
Notes / ideas: 81% is high for MegaCorp boss (matrix: 62–84%). Neural Network ×4 + ML ×4 is coherent. Add enrage at turn 15 or reduce healing if any.
Priority fixes (ranked)
- Mr. & Mrs. Watts (Energy Family boss) — 69pp starter spread; Wildcatter identity collision. Sector cannot progress.
- Pipeline Foreman + Field Geologist (Energy MidTier) — 14–30% pooled WR; MidTier 2 matrix at 0–14%. Rework before MegaCorp.
- Mom & Pop (Healthcare Family boss) — Nurse stall (18t) + 41pp spread. Soft enrage or block cap.
- Orbital Coordinator (Healthcare MegaCorp) — 98% WR but pacing bug; Nurse 25t avg. Damage clock, not HP trim.
- Claims Adjuster + Ethics Officer + Backup Node — >92% at intended challenge tiers. Trivial slots.
- Attack Vector (AI MegaCorp) — interesting elite marred by 44pp spread; Hacker near-unwinnable.
- Energy MegaCorp pool — unblock sector progression so Relay/Grid Nexus can be sim-tested.
Model decks to copy
| Deck | Why |
|---|---|
| The Shredder (Healthcare MidTier) | 67% WR, tight spread, hand-disruption theme with multiple answers |
| Grid Security Officer (Energy MidTier) | 72% WR, 3pp spread — only Energy fight in band |
| Product Manager (AI MidTier) | 68% WR, teaches lean-deck vs Feature Creep |
| VP of Engineering (AI MidTier boss) | 51% WR — proper boss tension |
| Surgical Unit (Healthcare MegaCorp) | 70% WR elite with efficiency-punish identity |
Reproducing
python3 scripts/generate_sim_reports.py # refresh runs.ndjson
python3 scripts/rank_enemy_decks.py