[Xenon]

Spellcasting targeting:
Cyber- or bioware visual enhancements that have been paid for with Essence count as natural.

Smartgun/smartlink bonus:
+2 if you’re using an augmentation for which you paid Essence


Q Do visual augmentations that you pay with capacity provided by cybereyes count as natural and/or give you +2 dice pool bonus to all attacks with the weapon?

On GenCon, yes, though it likely was houserules. The witness statement can be found elsewhere on this forum and I quoted it in one debate.

Was mostly referring to the part i marked in bold.

Let me shorten down the quote for visibility:

...If you can hold on until after Gen Con, you'll get a more official answer...

[Kincaid]

When increasing an augmented attribute with karma, is the starting value used to calculate cost the augmented or unaugmented value?

[Michael Chandra]

Unaugmented.

[spoiler]There was a debate on that a while ago, but while people are conflicted on Magic, nobody seems to think the augmented value is used for raising an augmented attribute.[/spoiler]

[Aaron]

Q Do Wired Reflexes 1 add +1d6 Initiative Dice even if you are using astral projecting, cold-sim VR or hot-sim VR (to a maximum of total 5d6 Initiative Dice)?

No.

Since there is no listed threshold I assume you don't make repeated rolls to accumulate the hits and instead [always] restart the test (no removal of dice on successive rolls) after just one roll with a full pool and no delay or penalty.

I see, so the "threshold zero" theory is an assumption on your part and not actually something in the rulebook that I was missing. Okay, thanks.

No, the threshold of the Extended Test isn't zero.

Does a stim patch remove (temporarily) stun damage from fading and drain?

Yes. Drain and Fading can't be healed except by time, but stim patches remove stun damage (albeit temporarily).

Does a stim patch rating 3 used on a character with 1 stun damage still cause 4 stun damage after 30 minutes?

Yep.

What happens when an effect removes a number of stun (or physical) damage greater than the amount on a condition monitor?
{edit to make separation of subject clearer}

The remaining effect is lost. You can't remove what ain't there, chummer. =i)

Can you have additional SINs loaded (but not active) on your comlink and switch between them like programs or do you need a separate comlink for each SIN?

The first thing.

Q: Detecting Hackers

If you succeed with an Attack action, your target becomes aware that it is under attack by another icon, but it doesn’t automatically spot you. It will most likely actively search for you on its next action...

Please describe what (if any) action the target has to use in order to spot the attacker?

This has been covered in great detail in another thread (if not already in this one). I'll just give quick answers here.

If in a Host/within 100 meters, is it automatic on their next turn?
If the attacker is Running Silently, does the target have to specify any pertinent information (i.e. Last Matrix Action An icon performed) or is it sufficient to just search for the icon that attacked them (i.e. Spot the Icon You Are Looking For). (I realize that is a compound question, but I hope you get the jist).

Yes, if the attacker isn't running silent.
"The guy who just attacked me" is sufficient for a Matrix Perception Test against an icon that's running silent.

Q: Gremlins Negative Quality

The NQ states that you are to reduce the number of 1s required for a glitch by 1 for each level of ths skill required. The glitch rules state that a glitch occurs when more than half of the dice rolled on a test come up as ones.

What happens if you have Gremlins (2) and a dice pool of 3? Normally, you would need two 1s to trigger a glitch. With Gremlins, this would be reduced to 0 ones required for a glitch. Does that mean that you always glitch in this situation? The text doesn't say "Reduce the number of 1s required for a glitch by one for each level of Gremlins, to a minimum of X" as some other qualities/skills/actions do. Thanks!

DOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!! Or rather, GLIIIIIITTTTCHHHHHHHH! Or more specifically, every roll is a glitch, and a critical glitch if you get no hits.

Spirits

Q: The Spirit Basics entry on p. 301 states:

When materialized, the spirit uses astral perception (its only perception) to perceive the physical world.

How does this work with Spirits who explicitly have Enhanced Sense powers? (e.g. Spirits of Man (Thermographic Vision), Spirits of Beast (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Smell))

The Enhanced Senses are above and beyond the default perception. These powers allow the spirit to perceive mundane things in addition to their astral perception.

In addition to the spirit post: all spirits have Perception, which would be useless, if the quoted sentence is correct.
Normally one could argue, that a materialized spirit is dual-natured and the dual-natured critter power stated that " that a dual-natured critter always senses both the physical and astral worlds". But with this quote specific would trump general and materialized spirits wouldn't be able to see colors, see through glass, hear words exactly (not muffled like from astral space), see photographs etc.

If you haven't already, I suggest you bring this up on the errata thread.

Question: can a materialized spirit see like a normal human can?

Not without a critter power or a spell.

To access and interact with Virtual Reality you need Direct Neural Interface (DNI) and a sim-module.
You can access and interact with Augmented Reality (AR) if you have an Image Link (in an imaging device or in eyes/cybereyes).

Q Do you need sim-module to access and interact with AR if you have DNI (and no Image Link)?

Nope. You can see and hear with just DNI, and you get the rest of the senses with a sim module.

Q Can a slaved device use both the mental attribute and the matrix attribute from a master device when defending against a matrix attack.

Yep.

[Aaron]

And in a related thread:

Q. Can a device that is wirelessly slaved to another device use the Device Rating of it's master to determine Noise modifiers and whether or not Wireless functionality is temporarily lost?

Nope, only when making defense tests.

Q: Can a device be connected to another device through a Universal Data Cable as per "Direct Connections"  on page 231 and still be considered "connected to the Matrix", as long as both devices have wireless functionality enabled and are not suffering from positive noise modifiers (i.e. disconnected)?

If both devices have their wireless active, they're both on the Matrix, regardless of whether they're also directly connected. The direct connection would be redundant in this case (assuming no noise modifiers as stated).

is it correctly understood that a character with the quality "natural immunity 10 jazz" can take a dose of jazz and gain its benefits of increased reaction and initiative dice, but not suffer addiction? as the quality makes the character immune to all ill effects (unless he ODs), but benefits are unaffected. Or does it only make him ignore automatic stun damage from cram, nitro and so on? with the relevant quality ofcourse.

Good question. Strictly speaking, the jazz would work fine, and the character wouldn't suffer the associated depression and disorientation when she comes down unless she takes more than one dose in six hours.

So - did we ever get any clarification from Gen Con... Did players get to take a defense test [of some sort] against grenades and indirect LOS (A) spells?

Yes we did: there's no defense test against grenades, indirect LOS (A) spells, and other "zones of damage." The defense against these attacks is to take precautions against them. This is really really really true, and been confirmed by multiple sources inside the company. So unless there's been a meeting somewhere to which I wasn't privy, you really really honestly and truly don't get to make a defense test against grenades or indirect LOS (A) spells.

Q Do visual augmentations that you pay with capacity provided by cybereyes count as natural and/or give you +2 dice pool bonus to all attacks with the weapon?

Yes, as long as the thing that provided the capacity was paid for with Essence.

[martinchaen]

Thanks, Aaron.

Followup on the Matrix stuff:
When taking a hostile action against a device that is not his (i.e. brute forcing an opponents commlink, or spoofing a drone), in which device does his persona reside?

This is important to determine when noise modifiers for items like Jammers apply. For example; character A (a street sam) is wielding a Rating 6 Jammer, and Character B (the decker) is attempting to (Brute Force/Crash Program/Data Spike/other harmful action that would be affected by Noise) A's commlink. In which of the following is B affected by Noise from A's Jammer, given that Noise = (Rating -1) / 5 meters from device:

A's Jammer is enabled and set to EXCLUDE his own commlink, and A is MORE than 30 meters from B (outside of Jammer range)
A's Jammer is enabled and set to EXCLUDE his own commlink, and A is LESS than 30 meters from B
A's Jammer is enabled and set to INCLUDE his own commlink, and A is MORE than 30 meters from B (outside of Jammer range)
A's Jammer is enabled and set to INCLUDE his own commlink, and A is LESS than 30 meters from B

And by the way, I presume that you meant to say "Nope, only when making defense and resistance tests"

Also, given the apparent ruling on AoE tests; what's with the -2 defense penalty when "defending against an AOE attack", then? When would that ever apply if you don't get a defense test?

[Kincaid]

Lots of rigger-related questions.

1. Page 264 mentions "other devices" as things that can be rigged and the security spider is reminiscent of the old CCSS rigger.  Is there a way for a rigger to get marks on a device so s/he can use the Control Device matrix action?

2. What does a rigger roll to drive a vehicle while using cold- and/or hot-sim?  Presumably not Reaction since the rigger is a rag doll.

3. Similarly, what does a rigger use for initiative while using cold/hot sim?  I'm assuming it's also Data Processing + Intuition (+dice as appropriate).

4. Can you give an example of a Matrix action that would share a bonus with a Vehicle action (p. 266, under "VR and Rigging")?  For example, does the +1 die to Vehicle and Matrix tests while using hot sim (p. 266) stack with the +2 dice to Matrix tests (p. 231) since "any bonus you get to Matrix actions also applies to Vehicle actions."

5. A rigger is running hot sim on his Optix-X2 scouting an area for potential threats.  Does he get to pick between Perception + Intuition [Sensor] (p. 270) and Electronic Warfare + Intuition [Sensor] (p. 445) for the roll assuming he's using his sensor array.  Is there any reason not to use his sensor array?

6. How are sensor arrays priced?  Are any eight functions from the table on p. 446 essentially free, but after-market modifications (a thermographic modification for your free camera (3), for example) out of pocket?  If the functions aren't free, where are the prices?

7. Going back to the interchangeability of Perception and Electronic Warfare in question 5, can a rigger use Electronic Warfare for a sensor test (p. 184)?

Non-rigger related question:

8. How does a dart of narcojet interact with armor?  Without a power or AP rating for the dart pistol/rifle, it's hard to know how to determine if the dart can deliver its payload.  A guy in full armor is going to be tougher to take down than a pedestrian.

[FastJack]

Okay, I can see that this thread is not going to stay on just clarifications on rules, but will be questions as well. As such, I'll merge it with the FAQ thread so we have everything in one place.

[martinchaen]

Q: What is allowed to be added to a helmet (i.e. using capacity)?
Trode nets and vision enhancements are listed specifically, and both have known capacity ratings, but what about other equipment like communications gear (jammer/headjammer, white noise generator, etc) audio enhancements, survival gear (respirator/gasmask, flashlight ala Aliens Marines), sensors, etc.

Q: What, if any, is the recovery time for installing cyberware that costs capacity instead of Essence, such as a cybergun or a commlink in a cyberlimb, and how does this affect training times?

[Xenon]

Is there a way for a rigger to get marks on a device so s/he can use the Control Device matrix action?

Being the owner of the device (or considered the owner, p.360).
Owner of the device invite marks to the rigger.
Jacking into the Matrix from a cyberdeck and steal marks using hack on the fly or brute force.

... in which device does his persona reside?

His persona reside on the Matrix. The decker's persona is his own icon and the device is its own icon. The two does not "merge" unless the persona Jumped Into the device (and the owner of the persona have a control rig, owner or 3 marks on the device, the device got rigger interface and nobody else is jumped into it at the moment) or if he use the device to Jack into the Matrix with (your persona icon merge with the commlink or cyberdeck icon you use when you jack into the matrix). The only time a decker "enter" another icon is when he enter a host.

If the decker is not on the jammer's exclude list then he will suffer noise when performing wireless matrix actions against a device that physically is in the jammer's area of effect (or if the decker's physical cyberdeck is within the jammer's area of effect -unless he use a direct cable to the device).


the -2 on the defense test table is an old legacy that will be changed in upcoming errata.

[Crunch]

Is there a way for a rigger to get marks on a device so s/he can use the Control Device matrix action?

Being the owner of the device (or considered the owner, p.360).
Owner of the device invite marks to the rigger.
Jacking into the Matrix from a cyberdeck and steal marks using hack on the fly or brute force.

If I recall correctly, Aaron (with all the usual caveats) indicated that a Comlink could be used to hack if edge was spent to push the limit for the absent Sleaze and Attack ratings. If that ends up being the case then I see no reason the same shouldn't be true of RCCs, which would allow a Rigger to spend edge to brute force or hack on the fly.

[martinchaen]

Xenon, so in all of my above examples the decker (B) would be affected by Noise generated by the jammer carried by A? Makes sense; didn't catch the part about hosts.

Another question that's been asked before (page 5) but that I'd really like an answer to:
P. 141/142, "Using Leadership" :
How long does the potential Initiative bonuses from the complex action "Rally" last?
1. Until the next combat turn as per the "Changing Initiative" rules on P160, or
2. Until combat ends as there is no duration stated, or
3. Something else

[Aaron]

Thanks, Aaron.

Followup on the Matrix stuff:
When taking a hostile action against a device that is not his (i.e. brute forcing an opponents commlink, or spoofing a drone), in which device does his persona reside?

The one providing the persona. In SR4, you could enter other people's devices. In SR5, the only thing your persona can enter is a host.

And by the way, I presume that you meant to say "Nope, only when making defense and resistance tests"

You're welcome to presume that, but you'd be wrong. Defense tests are the ones you use against actions (the bit after the "v." in the test description). Resistance tests are for things like resisting damage. Slaving helps with the former, but not the latter.

Also, given the apparent ruling on AoE tests; what's with the -2 defense penalty when "defending against an AOE attack", then? When would that ever apply if you don't get a defense test?

It would never apply because it's an error that I believe will be removed in the errata when it is released.

Lots of rigger-related questions.

1. Page 264 mentions "other devices" as things that can be rigged and the security spider is reminiscent of the old CCSS rigger.  Is there a way for a rigger to get marks on a device so s/he can use the Control Device matrix action?

2. What does a rigger roll to drive a vehicle while using cold- and/or hot-sim?  Presumably not Reaction since the rigger is a rag doll.

3. Similarly, what does a rigger use for initiative while using cold/hot sim?  I'm assuming it's also Data Processing + Intuition (+dice as appropriate).

4. Can you give an example of a Matrix action that would share a bonus with a Vehicle action (p. 266, under "VR and Rigging")?  For example, does the +1 die to Vehicle and Matrix tests while using hot sim (p. 266) stack with the +2 dice to Matrix tests (p. 231) since "any bonus you get to Matrix actions also applies to Vehicle actions."

5. A rigger is running hot sim on his Optix-X2 scouting an area for potential threats.  Does he get to pick between Perception + Intuition [Sensor] (p. 270) and Electronic Warfare + Intuition [Sensor] (p. 445) for the roll assuming he's using his sensor array.  Is there any reason not to use his sensor array?

6. How are sensor arrays priced?  Are any eight functions from the table on p. 446 essentially free, but after-market modifications (a thermographic modification for your free camera (3), for example) out of pocket?  If the functions aren't free, where are the prices?

7. Going back to the interchangeability of Perception and Electronic Warfare in question 5, can a rigger use Electronic Warfare for a sensor test (p. 184)?

Non-rigger related question:

8. How does a dart of narcojet interact with armor?  Without a power or AP rating for the dart pistol/rifle, it's hard to know how to determine if the dart can deliver its payload.  A guy in full armor is going to be tougher to take down than a pedestrian.

1. Yes, the same way that hackers do it. They can't jump into a device that doesn't have a rigger interface, though.

2. Reaction. It's the same medulla oblongata and motor cortex, it's just the signals go to different places than Mother Nature intended.

3. Data Processing + Intuition.

4. Yep, your example is correct. Rigging is awesome (until you get hacked or totaled).

5. Yep. Possibly, depending on the situation.

6. Single sensor functions cost Rating x 100¥, arrays of eight cost Rating x 1,000¥. Since your vehicle is big enough to not have to worry about sensor capacity, I suggest you buy them individually at your vehicle's Sensor rating.

7. I think this was already answered in 5.

8. Injection darts, p. 434, SR5.

Okay, I can see that this thread is not going to stay on just clarifications on rules, but will be questions as well. As such, I'll merge it with the FAQ thread so we have everything in one place.

Thanks, FastJack!

Q: What is allowed to be added to a helmet (i.e. using capacity)?
Trode nets and vision enhancements are listed specifically, and both have known capacity ratings, but what about other equipment like communications gear (jammer/headjammer, white noise generator, etc) audio enhancements, survival gear (respirator/gasmask, flashlight ala Aliens Marines), sensors, etc.

Sounds good to me. Check with your GM to be sure.

Q: What, if any, is the recovery time for installing cyberware that costs capacity instead of Essence, such as a cybergun or a commlink in a cyberlimb, and how does this affect training times?

The recovery is based on Essence cost. Since there's no Essence spent, there's no recovery time, and it doesn't affect training times.

Xenon, so in all of my above examples the decker (B) would be affected by Noise generated by the jammer carried by A? Makes sense; didn't catch the part about hosts.

Another question that's been asked before (page 5) but that I'd really like an answer to:
P. 141/142, "Using Leadership" :
How long does the potential Initiative bonuses from the complex action "Rally" last?
1. Until the next combat turn as per the "Changing Initiative" rules on P160, or
2. Until combat ends as there is no duration stated, or
3. Something else

The answer is 1. The Rally use of Leadership is an instantaneous bonus, added immediately the same way that taking an interrupt action reduces Initiative Score immediately.

[Kincaid]

Thanks for the reply--a quick follow-up/clarification regarding sensor cost.  Page 445 states, "most vehicles and drones come factory-equipped with a sensor array (at a rating listed with their stats)."  I took this to mean that all drones have a sensor array (3) as part of their off-the-shelf cost.  Since an array "includes up to eight functions listed on the Sensor Table," I read this as meaning that all drones have up to 8 things from the table at rating 3 for free, even though it's a little strange to have a 3,000 nuyen array in a 1,000 nuyen drone.  Drones have arrays, arrays are specific things, ergo drones have those specific things.

[Michael Chandra]

Q: When does Spell Defense apply vs AoE spells? Versus the Spellcasting roll, on damage resistance or not at all?

Also, just to be sure: Am I reading page 164 correct that it means that during your own turn, you can convert Simple Actions into Free Actions (for using during your own turn, not for during other people their turns)?