A shared card pool sounds like a dream until it becomes a cardboard junk drawer. The trick is to build a Netrunner community library that’s usable, not “technically large.”
This post is about what to print first, how many duplicates actually matter, and how to store everything so it stays playable. Because the real goal isn’t ownership. It’s getting more games in without arguing over who has the only copy of the one breaker everybody needs.
If you’re still early in the hobby, start here: Best Way to Build a Beginner Netrunner Card Pool Without Buying Singles. And if your group wants a clean, consistent pool without everyone doing their own DIY printing, the main hub is here: Print Your Netrunner Decks & Sets.
Decide what your library is for (teaching, casual, or competitive)
A Netrunner community library needs a job description.
Pick one primary goal:
- Teaching kit: a few balanced decks, clear cards, low rules friction
- Casual variety: lots of archetypes, fun builds, “try weird stuff” nights
- Competitive practice: decks aligned to the current format and meta, updated often
You can do all three, but not at the start. If you try to build “everything,” you’ll build a mess.
My suggestion: start with teaching + casual variety. Then add competitive structure once people are playing regularly.
What to print first (the 80/20 staples)
You don’t need the entire universe. You need the cards that make decks function.
When you’re building a Netrunner community library, prioritize:
- economy foundations (cards that just help you get credits/cards)
- core breakers and common ice types
- basic interaction tools (tagging, clearing tags, damage prevention, etc.)
- flexible neutral tools that slot into many decks
Then, once your “boring backbone” exists, print the fun archetype pieces.
A practical approach is to print:
- 2 complete Runner decks
- 2 complete Corp decks
- then 1-2 “variant decks” per side that share a bunch of cards with the first four
That gives you variety without requiring 8 separate full collections.
How many duplicates do you actually need?
This depends on how many people build decks at the same time.
Here’s a simple rule:
- If 2 players build at once: one full playset is usually fine.
- If 4 players build at once: you’ll want duplicates of universal staples.
The real pain point is cards that show up in almost every list. Those are the ones to duplicate.
A good baseline for a 4-person group:
- print extra copies of your most universal economy and utility cards
- keep archetype-specific stuff at one playset
- scale duplicates only after people are actually fighting over them
You can also reduce duplicate needs by keeping a roster of “ready decks” instead of letting everyone build from scratch every night.
Deck roster vs “open pool” (how to avoid chaos)
There are two library styles:
Style A: Open pool
Everyone builds from the whole library.
Pros:
- maximum creativity
Cons:
- cards disappear
- decks overlap
- somebody always needs the same staples
Style B: Deck roster
You maintain a set of ready-to-play decks.
Pros:
- fast setup
- better for teaching nights
- less sorting and loss
Cons:
- less freeform deckbuilding
Most groups end up hybrid:
- keep 6-10 ready decks
- keep a smaller “brew box” for people who want to build
For a Netrunner community library, roster-first is usually the move. It keeps game nights from turning into deckbuilding night by accident.
Storage that keeps the library usable
Storage is where good intentions go to die.
Here’s what works:
- Sorted card boxes with labeled dividers (by type and faction is easiest)
- Deck boxes for ready decks, labeled with deck name and date
- A small “quarantine” box for cards that need to be filed back in
Avoid:
- giant unsorted bins
- “we’ll remember where it goes”
- loose cards in bags
Labeling feels like overkill until the first time a deck is missing 3 cards and nobody knows where they went.
A simple check-out system (so cards don’t vanish)
You don’t need a library barcode system. You just need one habit:
- every deck has a printed decklist (even a basic one)
- at the end of the night, you match the deck to the list
- missing cards go into the quarantine box until fixed
If your group likes tools, a shared spreadsheet helps:
- deck name
- last updated date
- notes on what’s missing
- what got swapped recently
The boring admin work is what keeps the library fun.
Growing the library in waves
Don’t print everything at once.
Grow your Netrunner community library in waves:
- teaching core (2 decks per side)
- casual variety (add 2 more per side)
- format-aligned expansion (add sets or staples that match how you play)
- upgrades and polish (better storage, duplicate staples)
This keeps printing tied to actual play.
Wrap-up
A Netrunner community library is about reducing friction. Print the backbone first, keep a deck roster, store it like you mean it, and add duplicates only when you feel real pain.
If your group can go from “who’s got a deck?” to “shuffle up” in two minutes, you’ve built the right thing.