
- BGG rank
- BGG #85
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Android: Netrunner
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2012

Rules assistance for Netrunner: Classic
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Netrunner: Classic is an expansion for Netrunner released in 1999 for 2 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Richard Garfield and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Action Points.
Classic or v2.2 is the second and last Netrunner expansion. It was released over 3 years after Proteus hit the stores. The set comprised only 52 cards, sold in 8-card boosters. This "mini-expansion" featured cards that were originally designed for the unreleased expansion "Silent Impact" that never saw the light of day due to WOTC's decision to discontinue the game. Classic introduced new card types. "Double Preps" and "Double Operations" took two consecutive actions to play but offered larger rewards that would speed up game play and make room for more powerful cards in deck design. In addition to that, a new ice type was added to the Corps arsenal. "Deflectors" now allowed the Corp to send the Runner down the wrong rabbit hole by sending them to another data fort. Hinting at other innovations to the game that will never be developed, this expansion sadly marks the end of WotC's Netrunner game. The set is highly sought after due to it extreme rarity.
Netrunner: Classic supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Netrunner: Classic is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Netrunner: Classic for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Netrunner: Classic has a complexity rating of 3.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Netrunner: Classic belongs to these categories: Card Game and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Action Points. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Netrunner: Classic are: Richard Garfield. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Netrunner: Classic as an expansion for Netrunner. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Netrunner to use it. Check that your edition of Netrunner is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.