NEWS

Internal Rrouter and implanted Cyberdeck

  • 21 Replies
  • 4252 Views

Hobbes

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Prime Runner
  • ***
  • Posts: 3078
« Reply #15 on: <02-03-19/2220:55> »
The Devs started the Arms race with the stupid dice pools they gave hosts.  Rating 8 Host has 19 Dice in it's best stat. 

Yes a Rating 8 Host is supposed to be rare and tough, but you need to succeed at 3 or 4 opposed rolls in a row. 

"I only fail when it's really hard" isn't exactly what most PCs are looking for.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #16 on: <02-03-19/2224:53> »
It's a fair point that hackers do tend to need bigger dice pools because of the need to succeed on more tests than the gunbunnies need to succeed on to win a combat.

Still, whether you can't be seen with 16 dice or you can't be seen with 20 dice or you can't be seen with 24 dice, the Host goes on alert at GM's whim/discretion anyway. It only takes one hit on an unopposed (i.e. your dice pool is irrelevant) perception test to know there's a silent running icon in the host. BAM that's potentially all it takes for a GM to say the whole damn facility goes on red alert, if he's got a mind to.

Edit: I kinda like running NOT silent when I'm hacking a host anyway.  You can't get in if you don't have a mark, so as far as the Patrol IC is concerned you're legit. But again, until such time the GM decides "no, the host goes on alert now" so fundamentally it's no different than running silent.  Only you don't suffer the -2 dice penalty :D
« Last Edit: <02-03-19/2235:56> 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.

kyoto kid

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 925
  • Bushido Cowgirl
« Reply #17 on: <02-04-19/0151:04> »
Sleaze 4 Erika, Smoke and Mirrors of 5, program carrier with Virtual machine running Stealth and Signal Scrub.  10 Sleaze.  6 Logic, 2 levels Cerebral Booster, Narco and Psyche.  20. 

Also to consider, Data Anomaly can add another 2.  Overclocker is another +1.  Could theoretically mod the deck for another +1 Sleaze.  24 Dice.  Just sayin.  Totally doable.  Mostly because Smoke and Mirrors is silly.

Gets easier with a Datajack plus as you don't need the program carrier and could stick a Vectored Signal Filter or something else on the deck. 

If +5 Sleaze isn't worth a Program slot I don't know what is.
...Vilolet's deck was already modded to include a programme carrier and Vectored Signal Filter the latter which improves noise cancellation by +2 as the CZ also has an ambient rating 2 noise factor. One can only add a second module slot to a deck.  Data Anomaly has one small drawback in that sprites can spot you as if you were not running silently at all. Wonderful if it was a fault sprite.
Forsaken daughter is watching you

Hobbes

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Prime Runner
  • ***
  • Posts: 3078
« Reply #18 on: <02-04-19/0825:17> »
It's a fair point that hackers do tend to need bigger dice pools because of the need to succeed on more tests than the gunbunnies need to succeed on to win a combat.

Still, whether you can't be seen with 16 dice or you can't be seen with 20 dice or you can't be seen with 24 dice, the Host goes on alert at GM's whim/discretion anyway. It only takes one hit on an unopposed (i.e. your dice pool is irrelevant) perception test to know there's a silent running icon in the host. BAM that's potentially all it takes for a GM to say the whole damn facility goes on red alert, if he's got a mind to.

Edit: I kinda like running NOT silent when I'm hacking a host anyway.  You can't get in if you don't have a mark, so as far as the Patrol IC is concerned you're legit. But again, until such time the GM decides "no, the host goes on alert now" so fundamentally it's no different than running silent.  Only you don't suffer the -2 dice penalty :D

Ditto, but that all depends on the Host.  Most Missions seem to have ghost towns for Hosts so hackers stick out. 

And a Hacker should be in and out of a Host pretty quick.  In, find the thing, hack the thing, leave.  If your plan involves hacking several things in a moderate to high rating host, you need a new plan.  Even a Rating 5 host is tossing 12ish dice and will potentially run your Overwatch score up fast. 

If the GM decides the Spider or IC does the "Check for Silently Running Icons" every few Seconds... yeah, the Host is going on Alert.  Absolutely nothing a PC can do about it, which is why GMs shouldn't do that and should be using the Data Trail chart on p. 86 to search specifically for the Hacker with an opposed Matrix Perception roll.  And also because the "Check the area for Silently Running Icons" is a hot mess of a rule and should be ignored, and the standard Matrix Perception Action should be used in all cases.

kyoto kid

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 925
  • Bushido Cowgirl
« Reply #19 on: <02-04-19/1803:34> »
...generally deckers I've seen in my years of missions play don't go directly up against a host (unless it is pretty weak), but instead look for that "back door" through a slaved device to sidestep the firewall and host rating, as yes, one needs to perform multiple tests usually to do what he or she does in the system.  Tests and matrix actions are also linked to skills other than hacking (like Computer and Electronic Warfare) and are capped by deck attributes (Limit) so one isn't going to necessarily be using his or her highest pool to perform the task or have use of all hits rolled unless pre-edging. Therefore all the more important to find that back door as a decent rating host can have a higher limit as well as dice pool than the decker.

Instead of Data Anomaly I would think Ninja Vanish would be a more helpful quality as should things get too hot to handle, you are out.
Forsaken daughter is watching you

Hobbes

  • *
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Prime Runner
  • ***
  • Posts: 3078
« Reply #20 on: <02-04-19/1954:09> »
There is no "Back Door" for Edit file.  It's all Host baby.  Control Device, Direct access is certainly an option.  Usually Direct Access is the best way to get into a host, and open Elevators or unlock doors.  But for Files, big dice pools is it.   

kyoto kid

  • *
  • Omae
  • ***
  • Posts: 925
  • Bushido Cowgirl
« Reply #21 on: <02-05-19/0130:35> »
...aiding the team is what I am referring to. As long as there isn't a data steal or insertion as a requirement of the mission, no need to deal directly with the host. 

One can also gain access through terminals as well (seen it done on several occasions), which does bypass the firewall.
Forsaken daughter is watching you