“Knickknack” O’Brian

Shaper Resource: Connection

Install cost: 2 – Influence cost: 3

The first time each turn a run begins, you may trash 1 of your other installed cards. If you do, gain credits equal to its printed install cost and draw 1 card.

There are a hundred currencies in the undercity, and Knickknack takes them all. Creds and rupiah get you noodles. For his secret menu, he’ll take your burnt-out rigs, your sterilized virii. But to taste his smoked vatchicken stew, bring him what he values most: your story.

2 stars

With all the FFG cards going out, there was one in particular that I desperately wanted to see get a great reprint. We're saying goodbye to the goat, the OG, a piece of cardboard that my heart can't live without. Aesop’s Pawnshop is, in this girl's eyes, just the best. A real and true mf. Everything from mechanics and viability, to character, vibes and soul—this 1 credit Shaper staple is cut above everything. My absolute favorite card in the entire game.

On paper it lets you trash any card at the start of your turn to receive 3 credits. What it did actually, is it let you put in all kind of jank, off-color and niche trash, junk and (one could say) knick-knacks inside your deck at a promise that if you don't need it—you can always trade it away. And just that fact opened so many doors.

If something cost less than 3 and had a weak effect—it was worth looking at. Anything that doesn't self-heap at the end of its life becomes interesting just because of this simple interaction. It allowed for tech cards to be included in your list without feeling like you've made a bad decision. It even presented and enabled an alternate way to look at econ in green, turning you into a community-centric, mutual-aid runner roleplayer, if you were willing to hallucinate a little.

Plus dawg, that art. Just look how slick he is. The face of a guy who does not play games. No prejudice behind these eyes, no judgement, no questions. Won't ever let you down. He's gonna be there every morning, waiting for ya. He isn't interested in the actual value of what you bring, he's just happy to see you and chat, and the rest? We'll figure it out. The guy wants stuff, and for the stuff (your stuff), he has the coin. A piece of bloatware, your old toaster, ownership of your dying livestream account, even your own second-to-best friend - doesn't matter. Three credits. Take it or leave it and come back tomorrow. Glad to be doing business.

So obviously the replacement has big shoes to fill and in my eyes—it just doesn't. It barely even tries, actually. “Knickknack” O’Brian (if that really is his real nickname) lets you at the beginning of your first run to sell any card for the amount of money equal to its cost. And draw a card, I guess. Essentially, you get a refund. An effect both much less powerful (which was the point) and interesting (which I can't imagine was) compared to what the previous Junk Guy offered. No more is there a guarantee that my failed tricks will at least have some value. And while yes, there are some cards that you can install for a discount, they are nowhere near as numerous as straight up cheap ones. Its main use is to get your money back after you used up your expendable cards, which is not a lot. And Imp is dead. The Casts aren't daily, either! It's all gone! Naturally this makes it much more difficult to earn money through him, but even if it did, it forces me to run. I don't want to run, I want to build a weird engine first. It's not a free, clickless offering anymore and ends up feeling just like many other cards in the offering. I could (and many did) build a whole deck around Aesop's and even if I agree that it was too powerful - this effect is not a suitable replacement. It's just a completely different beast, rather than a simple nerf. Even the flavor doesn't tickle me, we're not even in a Location! And what a missed opportunity to call back to the peak ONR piece, first in a honorable line of pawnshops... I'm really having all the issues with this guy... I don't even want to look at his noodles, to be honest.

And the worst of all, he's lying to you! As the narrator protests in the YuGiOhian flavor text, “Bring him what he values the most: your story.”

His ass does not care about your story! The pricetag attached is the first thing he peeks at. Is your Gamedragon Pro worth 2 credits? Well I have a deal for you: 2 credits. And draw a card! Your Devadatta Drones when you're done playing? You paid 1 for it and you best believe you'll get 1 back and... draw a card!!

And true, yes, he'll pay any Timmy a nice round 10 clams (and a card!!!) for an Orca and it will feel great, but does his presence actually help me to get to that Orca? Probably not.

He is a trickster. A scamlord. Less of a gunk collector and more of a return-policy rep. He's here to make rich richer and I don't care for it! He's gonna trade you things of equal value, tease you with his soup and slip his business card in your pocket goodbye. “Get back to me when you make it big kid, heh heh.” No! I won't! I don't want to chill with him.

He's probably not even a mf either...

2/5 I wish Aesop's reopened.