[Kanly]

I vote for sloppy writing bc "beating" a treshold ie. having actual net hits is only relevant if they have an effect eg. some matrix legwork tests. Since levitate doesnt give you a bonus (could be that you can move the mass faster / further etc), net hits should be irrelevant, so you only need to meet the treshold in my opinion.

[Namikaze]

Yeah that section is a little confusing too.  I think of it like this:

Hits >= Threshold

That is to say that you need to roll enough hits to equal the threshold or exceed the threshold to succeed at a test.

[ZeConster]

What confuses things even more is some tests really requiring you to exceed the threshold, since you need net hits on them to get anything done.

[JackVII]

I searched through the FAQ using keyword "Device Rating" but didn't find the following question, so here goes:

Under the PANs and WANs section of the Matrix Chapter (p. 233), the following is stated:

Slaving gives a weaker device some added protection. Whenever a slaved device is called on to make a defense test, it uses either its own or its master’s rating for each rating in the test. For example, if your slaved smartgun is the target of a hacker’s Brute Force action, it would use your Willpower or its Device Rating, and its Firewall or your commlink’s, whichever is higher in each instance.

That seems pretty clear cut.

Later on in the Matrix Chapter, under the Matrix Actions section (p. 237) the following is stated:

When a defense test calls for a Mental attribute, use the owner’s rating. Even if she isn’t currently defending or even interacting with the device, her previous interactions and settings affect the defense test. If a device is completely unattended, the Device Rating stands in for any Mental attributes an icon needs but doesn’t have.

Which seems to contradict the PAN/WAN text somewhat.

Is the PAN/WAN text a specific rule? Is that one of the benefits of having a PAN?

Given a shadowrunner with a Willpower (1) and a weapon (DR2) wirelessly slaved to a Transys Avalon (DR6), which of the following is correct?

1) PAN/WAN rule: The gun defends against a Brute Force attack with 8 dice (The weapon's DR + the commlink's DR)

2) Matrix Action Rule (Light v1.0): The gun defends against a Brute Force attack with 7 dice (The shadowrunner's Willpower + the commlink's DR)

3) Matrix Action Rule (Light v2.0): The gun defends against a Brute Force attack with 3 dice (The weapon's DR + the shadowrunner's Willpower)

4) Matrix Action Rule (Heavy): The gun defends against a Brute Force attack with 2 dice (The shadowrunner's Willpower + the shadowrunner's Willpower due to both devices being attended)

TIA

[Michael Chandra]

2: Cannot be correct due to PAN/WAN rules.
3: Cannot be correct due to PAN/WAN rules.
4: Cannot be correct because Willpower cannot replace Firewall.

What confuses me more is why the smartgun can use its own DR if you're the owner of the gun and it should use your Willpower instead of its DR, period.

[Namikaze]

I would think situation 1 wins out.  It does seem a little silly to use the device's last user's mental attribute when there is a system in place for handling stats unattended.

[Tuoweit]

I would think situation 1 wins out.  It does seem a little silly to use the device's last user's mental attribute when there is a system in place for handling stats unattended.

I think the "use owner's willpower" clause is intended to reflect the owner's ability to put up with intrusive security measures and not bypass them for convenience, e.g. Windows Vista.

[Michael Chandra]

((Which is rather silly when it even applies to commlinks solely used for teamspeak, phonecalls and slaving.))

[Pontoark]

2) Matrix Action Rule (Light v1.0): The gun defends against a Brute Force attack with 7 dice (The shadowrunner's Willpower + the commlink's DR)

I think that this is the RAI and RAW IMHO...

My 10 cents is that the rule that actually needs addressing is the " If a device is completely unattended, the Device Rating stands in for any Mental attributes an icon needs but doesn’t have.", they should change it to use 1 as the mental attribute if a device is completely unattended

[All4BigGuns]

I would think situation 1 wins out.  It does seem a little silly to use the device's last user's mental attribute when there is a system in place for handling stats unattended.

The only way Willpower of a user should be used, IMO, is if it's somehow higher than the Device Rating. Very silly for a high Device Rating device designed for the average metahuman (which any device would be) to possibly suffer a security reduction when used by the average metahuman.

[RHat]

I would think situation 1 wins out.  It does seem a little silly to use the device's last user's mental attribute when there is a system in place for handling stats unattended.

The only way Willpower of a user should be used, IMO, is if it's somehow higher than the Device Rating. Very silly for a high Device Rating device designed for the average metahuman (which any device would be) to possibly suffer a security reduction when used by the average metahuman.

That's pretty normal for security, really - the human element is the weakest link.

[Namikaze]

That's pretty normal for security, really - the human element is the weakest link.

But the average joe wageslave isn't going to go and disable their security elements just because they have poor self-control.

[RHat]

That's pretty normal for security, really - the human element is the weakest link.

But the average joe wageslave isn't going to go and disable their security elements just because they have poor self-control.

Were that true (and I'd argue it isn't), even then the habits of said average joe will cause security trouble REGARDLESS of security elements.

[All4BigGuns]

That's pretty normal for security, really - the human element is the weakest link.

But the average joe wageslave isn't going to go and disable their security elements just because they have poor self-control.

Were that true (and I'd argue it isn't), even then the habits of said average joe will cause security trouble REGARDLESS of security elements.

For the purpose of game-play, it would be better for the assumption to be that the security software in devices was designed to compensate for that especially since the same would apply to the Mega-Corporate computer system security. As it stands, Jane Doe the secretary leaves work a couple hours late filing some paperwork, making her the last person to use the system. Under how things currently work, her average Willpower will replace the computer's rating, allowing a shadowrunner hacker easier access to the system.

[RHat]

That's pretty normal for security, really - the human element is the weakest link.

But the average joe wageslave isn't going to go and disable their security elements just because they have poor self-control.

Were that true (and I'd argue it isn't), even then the habits of said average joe will cause security trouble REGARDLESS of security elements.

For the purpose of game-play, it would be better for the assumption to be that the security software in devices was designed to compensate for that especially since the same would apply to the Mega-Corporate computer system security. As it stands, Jane Doe the secretary leaves work a couple hours late filing some paperwork, making her the last person to use the system. Under how things currently work, her average Willpower will replace the computer's rating, allowing a shadowrunner hacker easier access to the system.

Which makes sense, and frankly is better for purposes of gameplay.  It means if you're smart you can find vulnerabilities to make it easier to get in to the system, and it helps make things more about the characters and less about the gear.