[Banshee]

Banshee,

Thanks for the Information.
I have a question regarding  Brute  forcing Access to a PAN.
You wrote that the guard is full aware of A Hacker being present in bis PAN.
Why would he Not Reboot his Commlink in his Next Action,  to deny the Access for the Hacker?

Best regards,
Slingshot

In previous edition access were on individual devices and you could reboot an individual device to clear marks from that specific device. In this edition access is on entire network, rebooting a single device in a network will not change the fact the hacker is still in your network.

But yes, one solution could have been to reboot the entire PAN (and perhaps this is what actually what happens if you reboot the device you used to access the matrix with, that I think Banshee have to answer).

But in my example Bob actually had three specific reasons why he didn't reboot his entire PAN (I considered it):

• Action economy. In the first action phase, when Bob noticed that his gun was under attack, he used his actions to both turn off the gun and to also do a full matrix defense. On his next action phase he opened up a communication channel with Tattoo via the Send Message minor action while refreshing his full matrix defense.
• Bob was currently communicating with Tattoo over the matrix when Mungo invaded his network, this call would have been terminated if Bob had decided to reboot his PAN
• It would only been a single Major action for Mungo to brute force his way into Bob's network after the reboot anyway

And also, we wanted to showcase how to resolve an eavesdropping on an outgoing call  by using the Snoop action ;-)

ok, so ... yes rebooting your network (the PAN itself not a singular device, though this will usually mean rebooting the device used to actually connect to the matrix ... in this case Bob's commlink) does remove access for anyone on the network (legal or not), but as Xenon pointed out sometimes the secondary effects and/or action economy makes that a not always a go to choice.

[Lethrendis]

I think the Guide is great. I don't like only one thing - I don't think it's necessary to renumber commlinks, because it's another errata. It's easier to say that the ones offered in CRB are trash for wageslaves and in some next book put a new table with safety commlinks (with the same device ratings, but with better numbers F/D and at a higher price).

[dougansf]

Thanks very much for all your work, this is a great help.

Other than initiative and taking physical damage instead of stun, I'm not seeing a difference between using Hot or Cold VR. Since the Cyberjack adds dice to Matrix initiative, it allows the Decker to avoid Hot VR from the safety of Cold VR (or even AR). Is this intentional? Are there other benefits I'm missing?

I was very confused by the CRB definition of Slaved Devices, and had built a PAN with enough Slave Slots to cover all my Deckers gear, and his team. Apparently that's not really needed. Thanks.

The Networked range is DP x 100 meters, but what's the range of Slaved Devices? How does that combine with the Sattellite Link?

Your suggested skill spec list:
You have Control Device, Hash Check, and Jump Into Rigged Device under Cracking when the CRB has them labeled as Electronic actions.
Similarly, Disarm Data Bomb is a Cracking action.

I suggest siting the appropriate specs in your examples.

One thing I was curious about that was not covered: Drones.
Drones can have an EWarfare Autosoft that allows it to use the Cracking skill "for jamming and overcoming ECM." I'm not sure what actions the second part covers.
 
Could a Decker/Rigger perform Matrix Actions through a drone (when Jumped In or when Controlling Device)? How does Noise apply, especially in combination with an RCC's ability to reduce Noise?

[Michael Chandra]

Each die means a Minor Action. If a Cyberjack grants bonus dice, it means you can reach 6 Minors, aka 2 Majors + 2 Minors.

ECM is a Rigger-book thing (at least it was in SR5), it's basically a form of jammer.

What SR5 mentioned explicitly, SR6 simply notes you do it all through the Matrix, is that every action you take when rigging through the matrix, is a Matrix Action. So ALL those actions face Noise. You want to drive a car with static on the line, you take a penalty.

[Banshee]

Thanks very much for all your work, this is a great help.

Other than initiative and taking physical damage instead of stun, I'm not seeing a difference between using Hot or Cold VR. Since the Cyberjack adds dice to Matrix initiative, it allows the Decker to avoid Hot VR from the safety of Cold VR (or even AR). Is this intentional? Are there other benefits I'm missing?

yes it is intentional, but remember extra initiative also means extra actions!

I was very confused by the CRB definition of Slaved Devices, and had built a PAN with enough Slave Slots to cover all my Deckers gear, and his team. Apparently that's not really needed. Thanks.

The Networked range is DP x 100 meters, but what's the range of Slaved Devices? How does that combine with the Sattellite Link?

slaved devices have no range limit except for noise

Your suggested skill spec list:
You have Control Device, Hash Check, and Jump Into Rigged Device under Cracking when the CRB has them labeled as Electronic actions.
Similarly, Disarm Data Bomb is a Cracking action.

I suggest siting the appropriate specs in your examples.

will need to double check I guess ... that was copied from another discussion and I didn't look at that to be honest but it was something people were asking about

One thing I was curious about that was not covered: Drones.
Drones can have an EWarfare Autosoft that allows it to use the Cracking skill "for jamming and overcoming ECM." I'm not sure what actions the second part covers.
 
Could a Decker/Rigger perform Matrix Actions through a drone (when Jumped In or when Controlling Device)? How does Noise apply, especially in combination with an RCC's ability to reduce Noise?

I didn't do the drone stuff .... so ... 1st as MC said all drone rigging is done through the matrix so technically all they do is matrix actions. the difference is what you are limited to with the device at hand, a RCC is not a Deck. A RCC cannot be combined with a Deck, and does not have Attack or Sleaze attributes so cannot be used for any actions linked to those attributes. While a Deck can be used to communicate with a drone, it does not have the sharing or noise reduction so it best used for single drone.

EWarfare ... jamming should be an opposed test or at least have a threshold to overcome, so that's what the autosoft helps with

[Xenon]

Other than initiative...

Initiative dice give you minor actions. Which is pretty huge. But not always needed.

Since the Cyberjack adds dice to Matrix initiative, it allows the Decker to avoid Hot VR from the safety of Cold VR

More initiative dice still give you more minor actions.

If you have +1 initiative dice from your cyberjack and enter hot sim you will have 1 major action and 5 minor actions to spend on your turn. If you switch to cold sim VR you will only have 1 major action and 4 minor actions...

...but what's the range of Slaved Devices?

Regular noise and device rating limitations apply here.

How does that combine with the Sattellite Link?

As long as your device rating can handle the noise you can connect to your drones no matter where in the world they are located.

Could a Decker/Rigger perform Matrix Actions through a drone (when Jumped In or when Controlling Device)?

Not sure I follow, but you typically perform matrix actions through the device you used to connect to the matrix with.

If you connect to the matrix via your RCC and remote control a drone you will measure noise due to distance based upon the distance between your RCC and the drone.

If you want to spoof a command a guard's smartgun you will measure noise due to distance based upon the distance between your RCC (not the distance from the drone) and the guard's PAN.


Slipped by Banshee while typing this response....
(His answers supersede mine in case they happen to be different).

[dougansf]

Thanks all.

I am aware that initiative dice provides Minor actions. My point was that having a good Cyberjack providing Init dice is no different than Hot Sim providing Init dice.
So the question remains: is there another reason to go Hot? It feels like going Hot should always be something a Decker would want to do, but when they get a good enough Cyberjack, it becomes less of a priority.

If you connect to the matrix via your RCC and remote control a drone you will measure noise due to distance based upon the distance between your RCC and the drone.

If you want to spoof a command a guard's smartgun you will measure noise due to distance based upon the distance between your RCC (not the distance from the drone) and the guard's PAN.

That is what I was looking for, thank you.
That does lead to the follow up question: Why? Shouldn't it be the range to the device you're using to see with?
What about jumping into the Drone? Then you are the drone, and the range is nullified. Right?

[Xenon]

It feels like going Hot should always be something a Decker would want to do, but when they get a good enough Cyberjack, it becomes less of a priority.

I am assuming you are talking about reaching 1 major action and 4 minor actions that you can trade into a second major action?

There are still advantages of having an extra minor action beyond that. Matrix perception, for example. Or Send Message. Or brute force user access to a host, entering the host and then still have a major action that you may use inside the host before your turn is over...

But yes, if you invest into a cyberjack then you can get 2 major actions without going hot sim.

Or from another perspective... if you wish to get 2 major actions and you don't invested into a cyberjack then you need to risk it by going hot sim.

That does lead to the follow up question: Why? Shouldn't it be the range to the device you're using to see with?

Think of it as noise due to distance representing extra latency / signal loss / lower bandwidth you get when connecting via wifi over the matrix compared to if you would connect directly via a cable.

What about jumping into the Drone? Then you are the drone, and the range is nullified. Right?

You are not actually physically inside the drone, even if it feels that way when controlling the drone in this manner. You are still connected to the matrix via your RCC and you are then, from your RCC, connecting over the matrix to the drone.

Remote connecting to devices wireless over the matrix might cause extra latency / signal loss (noise).

This is one of the reasons why wheelman riggers sometimes connect directly to their vehicles, using the retractable cable that their control rig implant comes with...

[Michael Chandra]

More actions means you can both double-Major AND use some Minors for defensive stuff.

Jumped-in still means you face distance penalties. Streaming your consciousness elsewhere is costly bandwidth-wise.

[dougansf]

I am assuming you are talking about reaching 1 major action and 4 minor actions that you can trade into a second major action?

I'm talking about the +5d6 to Init cap (which also affects how many Minor Actions you gain).
+1D6 Base, +1D6 for Cold VR, +3D6 for an R5 or R6 Cyberjack.
Going Hot VR would add 1D6 more, which would exceed the cap.

Sounds like the answer is "No there are no other benefits."

Think of it as noise due to distance representing extra latency / signal loss / lower bandwidth you get when connecting via wifi over the matrix compared to if you would connect directly via a cable.

Remote connecting to devices wireless over the matrix might cause extra latency / signal loss (noise).

Noise from distance can be negated through a comination of Satellite Link and RCC of DR 5+ (3+ if you use Signal Scrubber). So the connection between the pilot and the drone would be 0 Noise (at least due to Range).

Let's take noise and range out of the equation for a minute.
One of the key things elements to hacking something is that if you can see the icon, you can hack it. If the drone can see icons (and there's no reason I can see why it wouldn't) then the pilot should be able to hack those icons. So slave your RCC to your Cyberdeck and start hacking your way around the block from the comfort of your couch.

Now let's bring noise and range back in.
If the pilot doesn't have any noise cancelling, then the normal noise for range between the RCC and the Drone applies to all checks made to or through the Drone. If they apply the proper mods to reduce the range noise to 0, then they're hacking their way around the planet.

That is, until they hit a zone of noise that isn't based on Range.

[MercilessMing]

The Matrix Init Bonus for cyberjacks is the extra dice you get when in VR.

So deck-and-jack hackers will have between +3D6 and +5D6 init dice in VR depending on VR mode and jack model, while technomancers will get +2D6 or +3D6.  This power delta is intentional?

[Banshee]

Noise from distance can be negated through a comination of Satellite Link and RCC of DR 5+ (3+ if you use Signal Scrubber). So the connection between the pilot and the drone would be 0 Noise (at least due to Range).

Let's take noise and range out of the equation for a minute.
One of the key things elements to hacking something is that if you can see the icon, you can hack it. If the drone can see icons (and there's no reason I can see why it wouldn't) then the pilot should be able to hack those icons. So slave your RCC to your Cyberdeck and start hacking your way around the block from the comfort of your couch.

Now let's bring noise and range back in.
If the pilot doesn't have any noise cancelling, then the normal noise for range between the RCC and the Drone applies to all checks made to or through the Drone. If they apply the proper mods to reduce the range noise to 0, then they're hacking their way around the planet.

That is, until they hit a zone of noise that isn't based on Range.

Just added a note about this in the FAQ, I do not allow a RCC and deck to be combined. That was never the intent and I was overridden.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

On the topic of using a cyberdeck and RCC simultaneously... we've had this conversation already so I know I'm not convincing you of anything here    Just want to opine for the readers at large that personally, I do like that the combination is allowed in the CRB.  Without a Sleaze attribute of your own, the Rigger can't realistically pull off running their drones silently.  It doesn't feel right to me to be dependent on the Hacker for cover on this. In fact, I like the notion of a Rigger being the matrix overwatch specialist.  Adds more to the archetype, and even allows more flexibility in team makeup without HAVING to have a hacker for matrix defense.

[MercilessMing]

If the argument against combining RCC + cyberdeck is about noise reduction... well that doesn't seem like a problem unique to RCC's does it? 

[MercilessMing]

Giving Cyberjacks extra initiative dice also seems to greatly devalue Hot Sim for deckers.  If you can get +3D6 and four minors in cold sim, then hot sim doesn't look so good in risk vs reward.  It actually makes me want to use Hot Sim as a tactical advantage Edge generator.  Matrix is hurting for non-AR/DR generation sources anyway.  I'd move the VCR edge generator to hot sim too.