[DarkSpade]

When buying from the black market do you stick with cards for your roll or do you just grab the best card you can afford?

In my group we usually each stick to our own roles now, but we used to occasionally snag cards from others.  Seems like the game has gotten easier since we started focusing our decks, but I occasionally read about people mixing their decks so I'm wondering if we're missing something.

[The Tekwych]

we tend to look at what will assist with some of the currant obstacles we are facing, when we would need them, and how can afford them. Then buy accordingly.

[Moonshine Fox]

My group tends to stick to our main role, but we'll also grab a little bit from the others for diversification.

[Jamelfr]

In a 2 runners team (my usual set-up), I would prefer diversification. Sticking to the main rule would make some obstacles difficult to win.

I like to give to anyone the cards with an Assist ability since it helps the diversification.

In a dilemna, I would tend to prefer the choice that will defeat the obstacles quickly, since it is really important to slow the crosffire level progression.

I also think that some cards are best if they are bought for the main role. For example, Katana for the street samurai, Icon Grab and Retrieval Agent for the Decker, Deathtouch for the mage and Negotiation for the Face. Ymmv of course.

[iduno]

In a 4 player game, it is usually beneficial to play to your archetype. 6 black market cards doesn't give so many options to 4 players.

For example, Katana for the street samurai, Icon Grab and Retrieval Agent for the Decker, Deathtouch for the mage and Negotiation for the Face. Ymmv of course.

Mage also has to use spells to get more spells for some reason, samurai also monowhip (the enemy you pull can't attack if you play any other weapon card that turn). I don't think negotiate is affected by other cards. Face doesn't have any cards that I know of that benefit from focusing (maybe the expansion will fix that?), and push the advantage is slightly better if you don't. Maybe use the face to buy cheap cards to churn the black market more?

Having 4/7 cards of your type to start and 1 of the others doesn't sound like a huge difference, but even end-game the deck is probably around 15 cards. 3/15 is 20%, so it is a noticeable difference. Especially early game, and if you get those cards mentioned above.

Late game, grab whatever you can, usually an assist ability, to get the run done before someone goes down.

Edit: Wow, just re-read negotiation. Each skill card lowers cost by 1? Nice. I also saw a clarification post that says the ability also applies to purchasing negotiation, but I don't know where and it doesn't really make sense.