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In Android: Netrunner, there are several Events that specify that a Runner make a run on a particular server. For instance, Account Siphon:

Make a run on HQ. If successful, instead of accessing cards you may force the Corp to lose up to 5 [Credits], then you gain 2 [Credits] for each credit lost and take 2 tags.

or, The Maker's Eye:

Make a run on R&D. If successful, access 2 additional cards from R&D.

How are these runs affected if the run is moved to a different server before it's finished? For instance, using an effect like the only subroutine on Bullfrog:

You and the Runner secretly spend 0 [Credit], 1 [Credit] or 2 [Credits]. Reveal spent credits. If you and the Runner spent a different number of credits, move Bullfrog so that it is the outermost piece of ice protecting another server (the Runner continues the run from this new position and is now running on this new server).

or, the ability on Copycat:

Whenever you pass a piece of ice, you may trash Copycat. If you do, choose another rezzed copy of that piece of ice protecting any server. The run continues as if you had just passed the chosen piece of ice (you are now running from the new position).

What happens if I play Account Siphon, and then a Bullfrog moves me onto Archives? What if the run is successful, but on Archives? Do I still trigger the effect?

What happens if I play The Maker's Eye, and Copycat onto a remote server? If it's successful, do I access the cards in the remote, as well as two cards from R&D? Just the remote, and The Maker's Eye is wasted?

I'm assuming/hoping these answers will have some central ruling in common that will allow me to intuitively make rulings on similar interactions in the future.

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As CrystalBlue commented, the latest copy of the FAQ (PDF) addresses this (page 2):

“If successful...”

Whenever there is an “If successful...” effect tied to the outcome of a run, the run itself must have been successful against the specified server(s), if applicable. If the Runner initiates a run against the specified server but ends the run on a different server, the “If successful...” effect does not resolve when the run is successful.

Example: The Runner plays Demolition Run on HQ. During the run, a Bullfrog moves the Runner to a remote server. Even though the run is successful, the Runner cannot use the “If successful...” effect on Demolition Run because the run was not successful against R&D or HQ. If the Bullfrog moved the Runner to R&D, the ability would trigger when the run was successful.

If the “If successful...” effect does not specify a server, then it does not matter if the attacked server is changed during the run ,and the ability resolves as normal.

In summary, if a run ability specifies a server (or servers), the "if successful" effect only triggers if the run is actually successful on one of those servers. As the example in the FAQ mentions, it does not need to necessarily be the actual server the run was initiated on though.

For Account Siphon and Maker's Eye, if the run does not finish on HQ and R&D respectively, the special ability is wasted (and the run essentially just becomes a normal run).

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    Interestingly Demolition Run doesn't actually have a "if successful" wording on it. Does this mean Demo run triggers on any server you are redirected to?
    – Nick
    May 2, 2014 at 10:47
  • @Nick I had the same reaction actually. Accessing is intrinsically part of a successful run, but it's odd that it doesn't use that precise wording. I guess that's why they used it as the example, to also confirm that it applies here too.
    – Johno
    May 2, 2014 at 12:08
  • The latest version of the FAQ seems to have replaced Demolition Run with Legwork as the example, which makes sense. Since DR has no "if successful" clause, I say that its effect would still apply even if the run is moved. DR says "Make on a run on HQ or R&D." Full stop. Then, "You may trash, at no cost, any cards accessed." Even if moved later on in the run, the "Make a run on HQ or R&D" part of the card's condition would still have been met.
    – user30903
    May 8, 2016 at 6:38
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For Account Siphon, you do not get to trigger the effect. As you mention, AS states when "If successful, instead of accessing cards..." - so you have may have made a successful run (first condition, check), but you are not accessing any cards from HQ so you cannot siphon (but you can access cards in the server you end up in).

The same holds for Maker's Eye - if you are warped away from R&D, then your run is a success but the trigger for Maker's Eye is not fulfilled (which is "Make a run on R&D. If successful..."), the "if successful" requires the run to actually hit R&D not any server.

Interestingly, if you play Maker's Eye (which forces you to run R&D), and the Corp rezs and triggers Bullfrog, and places you on a remote server, after you pass the next ICE on that server, you could Copycat back to R&D to fulfill the ME condition!

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    You can find the answer to the Account Siphon question here, officially. fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/android-netrunner/support/… Basically, the FAQ shows a precedence. If the card says "Make a run on X", it actually should say "Make a run on X. If the run on X is successful...". So, for the future, I would use that as the precedence going forward, until told otherwise. Mar 28, 2014 at 18:17

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