I've been running a campaign with a few house rules to give each the same versatility. Technomancers can network a pan through their living personas and get a sustainable complex form that emulates a device that can run a number of programs equal to it's force. Deckers on the other hand can use complex forms in the guise of viruses and hot patches, where the drain is doubled to becomes an availability pool rolled against them as they try to program it. I tried to make a parallel between virus to complex forms and alchemical preparations to spells.
Well if you have functional house rules that fix techno please put'em up here in mechanical detail. Can you please explain that last sentence in detail, what did these things do?
If you want the specifics this is what I introduced. Technos got the following complex forms:
Living Network
Target: Persona
Duration: Sustained
Fade: L+1
Uses the resonance to funnel Matrix activity through the technomancer's Living Persona. Make a Software + Resonance [Level] test, for every hit the technomancer may slave 3 devices to their Living Persona as long as this form is sustained.
Living OS
Target: Persona
Duration: Sustained
Fade: L+1
The complex form creates a virtual system around the technomancer's Living Persona capable of running programs and holding files without any real world presence, similar to hosts. Make a Software + Resonance [Level] test, for every hit on this test the technomancer receives a program slot that they may use to load any files or programs except for agents.
And deckers get the following:
Infect
Complex Action
Marks Required: 3
Infect an Icon with malicious code. Infecting a system is an opposed test, Hacking + Logic [Sleaze] vs Intuition + Firewall. If successful the code is implanted and will remain in place for a number of minutes equal to any net hits on that test. After that time the system's firewall will have adapted to the virus rendering it ineffective.
Preparing a Virus
Viruses are based on complex forms that can be considered detrimental to their target. First choose a complex form you intend to copy, then select what rating (level) virus you wish to make and a trigger that will activate the virus. Both the rating and trigger will determine how difficult it will be to acquire the virus. The most basic trigger is 'upon infection', which will cause the virus to activate immediately once in place. Other triggers can delay activation until certain conditions are met, but more complex triggers will make the virus harder to program at the GM's discretion.
Creating the virus requires a Software + Logic [Attack or Sleaze] 1 hour test, versus twice the complex form's Fade Value + Trigger Modifiers. Matching the opposed roll gets the hacker the virus at the end of the hour, but each net success will reduce that time by half. A failed test results in wasted time and a glitch halves the time before the virus becomes ineffective.
Once activated, Viruses roll twice their rating versus their target's defenses and behave as described by the complex form they copy. With the Matrix constantly updating, viruses only have a 24 hour shelf life after creation before becoming ineffective.
Hot Patch
Complex Action
Marks Required: 3
Patch an Icon with experimental code. Patches must have a Rating at least equal to the Device Rating or appropriate Attribute of the target system to be affective. Patching a willing system is a Software + Logic [Data Processing] test versus Device Rating x 2. Patching an unwilling system is the same as trying to Infect that system and uses the appropriate test. If successful the code is implanted and will remain in place for a number of minutes equal to any net hits on that test. After that time the experimental code will begin to break down rendering it ineffective.
Preparing a Patch
Patches are based on complex forms that can be considered a boon to their target. First choose a complex form you intend to copy, then select what rating (level) patch you wish to make and a trigger that will activate the patch. Both the rating and trigger will determine how difficult it will be to acquire the patch. The most basic trigger is 'upon application', which will cause the patch to activate immediately once in place. Other triggers can delay activation until certain conditions are met, but more complex triggers will make the virus harder to program at the GM's discretion.
Creating the Patch requires a Software + Logic [Data Processing] 1 hour test, versus twice the complex form's Fade Value + Trigger Modifiers. Matching the opposed roll gets the programmer the patch at the end of the hour, but each net success will reduce that time by half. A failed test results in wasted time, a glitch halves the time before the patch becomes out of date.
Once activated, Patches roll twice their rating and behave as described by the complex form they copy. With the Matrix constantly updating, patches only have a 24 hour shelf life after creation before becoming ineffective.
Its worth explaining that technos must still pay for the programs and deckers must still spend karma to design their viruses.
These rules mirror the house rules for alchemy at my table, which I changed to cut down on the book keeping. Alchemical creations don't lose potency over hours, but they are only good for about a day. Also cut out the regent requirements just to make the process a little more streamline.