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Is Wireless worth it?

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Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #15 on: <04-07-20/1250:38> »
well, the risk analysis must include a risk assessment.  As in, what actually IS the risk of getting hacked? As in, how likely is it to happen?

For example, is your stuff actually getting hacked more or less likely than say encountering a dragon?  For example, in the Chicago SRM campaign, my experience was encountering three dragons (including the CMPs...) yet someone only ever tried to hack my stuff once.
« Last Edit: <04-07-20/1252:52> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Redwulfe

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« Reply #16 on: <04-07-20/1306:36> »
I can see that. I don't have enough data on the current amount of use of deckers and spiders in Missions play at this point though. It felt though that every mission had a spider decker/spider in opposition at some point in the mission though we tended to avoid them as we never really went in Loud.

Decker, as Michael pointed out, should be rare but I am not sure they are rarer than mages and we see them a lot in missions play. I will look at some of the missions I have and see how often they seem to come up. If it is not that often then I could see it more likely that I would use wireless of certain devices to gain the free minor actions. I find action economy being more useful for this character than the +1 dice pool.
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Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #17 on: <04-07-20/1311:32> »
Well the thing about spiders is the host event horizon.  Inside the host, you can't see outside the host; outside the host, you can't see inside the host.  The spider in the host won't see your cyberware/guns/armor because he CANNOT see those icons outside the host.

Sure, there could be an EXTRA spider (or EW drone, or Agent running on a Sec Guard's commlink, or etc) tasked with watching the matrix airwaves rather than defending the host.  Can't say I've ever seen that written in, though.  But yes, it COULD happen any/every time, as well.  But DOES it?
« Last Edit: <04-07-20/1314:26> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Redwulfe

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« Reply #18 on: <04-07-20/1325:36> »
Host event horizon is not something I thought of, thank you. That does make a big difference in infiltration.
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Shinobi Killfist

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« Reply #19 on: <04-07-20/1334:53> »
I'd say it basically depends on the GM.  And it is probably something that should be gone over before the game starts. For me security deckers and not that common, but much more so than mages. But, once the alarm is tripped, or there is a reason for them to look at you.  There is a limited range of things they can attack, its kind of like a mage on the astral, they have a small list of options.  So, they will use those options all they can.  One of those all they got is a hammer, so they see a lot of nails things. So, if your run is in places where security deckers are a thing, expect to get hacked.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #20 on: <04-07-20/1340:57> »
Note that in 6th edition, hosts are much more reliant on spiders than in 5e.  (i.e. you don't sub in Host Rating for missing mental attributes on defense tests, and you use a spider's instead.  No spider... well then the host rolls 0 dice for willpower or intuition....)

On one hand you're more likely to have spiders, on the other you're more likely to have multiple hosts for a single site than in 5e.  You'll likely have more hosts than spiders... so hopping around between them to keep tabs on everything should keep them too busy to scan for the odd piece of gear that is not standard corp-issue.*  Assuming the spiders are even onsite.. if they're telecommuting from a data center on the other side of the world, then naturally they can't see your matrix icons inside the facility you're penetrating...


*Edit:  of course, a smart thing for a black-trenchcoat style game might be to discern what sorts of gear the employees/guards DO have issued, and acquire that kind of gear yourself.  "oh, there's a Fichetti Security model 600 pistol detected in the restricted area?  Well, DUH.  The guards use those..."
« Last Edit: <04-07-20/1346:42> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.

Hobbes

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« Reply #21 on: <04-07-20/1347:30> »
Well the thing about spiders is the host event horizon.  Inside the host, you can't see outside the host; outside the host, you can't see inside the host.  The spider in the host won't see your cyberware/guns/armor because he CANNOT see those icons outside the host.

Sure, there could be an EXTRA spider (or EW drone, or Agent running on a Sec Guard's commlink, or etc) tasked with watching the matrix airwaves rather than defending the host.  Can't say I've ever seen that written in, though.  But yes, it COULD happen any/every time, as well.  But DOES it?

Depends on the GM.  I've played in a few Missions games where the local GM had Matrix overwatch looking for silently running gear during the infiltration.  I doubt it was explicit in the Mission description.  It was "on-site" Matrix security where there was a Decker there in meat space doin' stuff.  Like watching for silently running Icons. 

The one where you're trying to steal the barge on Lake Michigan.  One of the Vegas CMPs, and one of the CMPs set in Indiana (or was it Cincinnati..?  eh... I forget).  So I think it's much more GM dependent.   

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

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« Reply #22 on: <04-07-20/1354:18> »
Totally.  It's completely plausible, imo, for a corp to find the budget for a simple Agent program to run on some device inside the facility and to scan 24/7 for a black list of probable runner gear (silent running icons, chameleon suits, sleeping tiger armor, wired reflexes cyberware (if corpsec doesn't use them), etc).

But if that's not written in, I wouldn't add it.  Unless the team's got a strong matrix game.

Just like if the team's got a strong magic game, then you get extra wards, spirit patrols, some guards become adepts, etc.  Matrix security can be "plussed" up in the same way, and naturally your odds of getting your drek hacked goes up if the matrix game is stepped up.
« Last Edit: <04-07-20/1356:32> by Stainless Steel Devil Rat »
RPG mechanics exist to give structure and consistency to the game world, true, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting dragons with algebra and random number generators.