Introduction

Mono tech counts as a race, right? Mono tech cards tend to be more useful than racial cards because 3 races can use them natively and you can often splash for them. Here are the mono-tech uncommons you should grab 4 of if you can. I’m going to put these cards in order by tech, but just so you know: Infinity Drive is number 1.

Order

Barrier Shields OR Magnetic Inverter

Sometimes defense is the best offense, and these cards can give your ships a ton of defense. Barrier Shields give 5 more shielding than Magnetic Inverter, but MI has an awesome activated ability. The classic combo of Barrier Shields + Death Ray is still great, and BS goes well with Shrieker as well. In a Kej deck it combos with Regenerative Shielding, Raise Shields or Simplification.

Bergauldt Rays OR Bergauldt Flare

Being able to remove enemy modifications any time can often be key to winning. Although it's rare for an opponent to place more than one modification on your/his personae, having the option to target people as well as ships is key to Berg Rays’ greatness. In a similar vein, Bergauldt Flare is still the ONLY card that removes modifications from players or the galaxy. This can be key to defeating cards like Secret Police or Spreading the Message.

Mind

Infinity Drive

The undisputed king of uncommons. This card has won me more games than most rares I can think of. It has many uses, and should never be scoffed at. It can keep your scouts safe as they ferry citizens around the galaxy or let a bomber wander through enemy lines like they weren’t there. Many tournament-quality decks pack Irradiation just to counter this card. Three thumbs up.

Power Broker

Although this card sees less use in the days of Field Agents, it's still a powerful, multi-purpose card. Unlike many political mods, this card can target both citizens and heroes. I especially like dropping this on my starting hero. As an added bonus, it can be used on enemy personae you don’t want leaving the Star Chamber. This is especially useful when playing Thrass (set them up for Brain Burrower), and it combos with Censure and Treasonous Implant when played on enemy personae.

Life

Arcology

The best local influence card around, short of Underground Resistance. It ties the influence boost to the planet rather than a particular persona, so even if all your personae there get destroyed the bonus will still apply to any new persona you bring. The bonus is very difficult for opponents to remove.

Veteran Crew

One of the most useful and powerful ship buffs around. Not only does it keep a ship alert for a mere 1L (giving attacking scouts +4 damage and cruisers +10), it also reduces damage by one per shot AND increases shield regeneration! It doesn’t get much better than that.

Cyber

Engine Upgrade

Still the best speed boost in game; few things more feared than an Android Cruiser with an Engine Upgrade. An instant +3 jump gives any ship enough move to make almost any jump lane in one turn.

Perimeter Observation Post

This is a Cyber version of Landing Party, if the landing party had rocket launchers. It keeps influence at your captured planets and helps defend your territory too. Combos well with Defensive Conversion, Ularium Enrichment and Neural Graft Interface.

Entropy

Irradiation

One of the best ways destroy ships remotely, can be better even than Entropic Burst (because it can destroy ships with mods). You should pack at least two of these in any high Entropy deck.

Proton Cannon

Pound for pound this card is still one of the best weapon mods in the game. 7 cannon gives the modified ship and extra 21 damage, and since the only restriction is hull it can be put on any kind of ship. Combos best with Scrapyard Scavenger and War Dog.