[Sichr]

I see, I didnt knew the odds are like this. Well, so we will find some way to lower their defenses

[Thermo]

Storm is a tactician, and she'll definitely want to do some surveillance on the target before we approach. Need to see if there are wards, spirits on patrol, paracritters, etc. Once we find a way in, Storm can either be a distraction (by being seductive, scary, or by blowing something to smithereens) or she can act as a face to try and steal credentials. If we choose a purely B&E method, she can buff Zach and provide magical overwatch while Stake provides electronic cover and hacks anything he can.

@Inca: Storm would like to become an initiate. Understanding that this will take some time, how would you like to proceed with this? Can I declare it now (and reserve the 13 karma) with the intent of completing the process during the next mission?

[Ren]

Stake is everything but stealthy so if we go to B&E, he can only try and provide overwatch, as well as prepare a chokepoint on the main exit route. As for going in a more overt method, is Storm able to disguise herself? If you have footage of the drones you shot down, they also might have footage of you, and I don’t know how much the hospital and the drones are connected, but I would take the least possible amount of risk.

[inca1980]

@Everyone:
In order to avoid confusion let me summarize some matrix concepts as I understand them (from reading RAW and what official moderators say on Catalyst forums).  There are areas that are quite contradictory in RAW but we'll just house rule those things for now until further books and errrata come out:

-Just remember that noise is calculated by the physical distance between your deck and the device you're interacting with.  In 4e your persona would travel out of the "node" of your commlink and into other nodes.  In 5e your persona IS your cyberdeck.  There are no longer any such things as nodes.  You can't "go inside" of a commlink or a deck anymore.  The distance a device appears to  you in the Matrix is only loosely connected to the physical distance but the noise level is directly connected to the physical distance. 

-The only thing you can go "inside" of are hosts.  There is no noise between your deck and a host.  Likewise there is no noise between your deck and a device slaved to a host if you are inside the host.  These are big matrix constructs that can be the size of a small building to the size of a big city.  Imagine the office building where Neo worked in the movie the Matrix, or even the whole city he lived in if the host were of a AAA.  IC would be like the Agent Smiths and they can't travel outside the host to get you.  Spider's however can travel outside of hosts to get you, so watch out for those. 

-5e book says that the innerworkings of a host will be better described in future books.  For the time being, my concept of hosts is that they can be super complex and real.  A whole alternate game could be played just inside a host, but for the most part you will be either trying to find a file, or access a device slaved to a host. 
Finding a file:
Once inside the host you do a Matrix Search action with a search time of 1 minute divided by the number of net hits over the difficulty threshold.  When you have a Mark on the host you are a legitimate user but the thing you gotta watch out for is Patrol IC that periodically will do Matrix Perception tests and if they see you doing something illegal they will scramble Probe IC and maybe other IC.  Occasionally Spider's or agents belonging to Spider's will also cross reference the Mark you have on them with the list of Personas that have an invitation to mark the host, and when they see the discrepancy, they will know you're not legit.  So don't just sit around a host hanging out. 

Controlling a device (camera, drone, machinery, etc.): 
If a device is slaved to a host and you have a mark on the host, you still need to get marks on the slaved device through Hack on the Fly or Brute Force in order to control it.  The advantage is that there is no noise between you and the device if you're inside the host it is slaved to.   The reverse of this though is that one of the best ways to get a Mark on a host is to jack in a universal connector line to the actual physical device if you can get to it and then the Mark you get on the device gives you a mark on the host. 

@Stake:
You don't take wound modifiers if you are VR.

@Thermo: 
For UB I'll let you ignore learning times and we'll just say you can advance in the interim between runs, even if in game time it's a few hours or days.  So to initiate just pay the karma and choose your metamagic..

[Ren]

@Stake:
You don't take wound modifiers if you are VR.

According to the book, you do, it never states you don't. It only says that Matrix damage doesn't convey any wound modifiers. This is supported by the example on p. 253, where a technomancer suffers Stun damage from Fading and the example states wound modifiers will apply for future actions.

Another thing. In the Rules clarifications and FAQ thread i read that augmented maximum doesn't apply to cyberlimbs. I know you ruled differently, i just wanted to ask if you still would like to play it that way. (I have no problem with that, i see the balance issue if it doesn't apply.)

[Sichr]

As for the approach to the hospital...Zach recalls quite clearly what happened last time when he was too far ahead.Like I say...we would have to make some surveilllance to find the best way in. Wel..
It is a hospital.
Stake is wounded.
Won`t it be natural for wounded man to visit a hospital?

But so far Zach have only little to no idea what are we searching there...

[Thermo]

I like that idea, a wounded dwarf being admitted to the hospital and then hacking it from inside. Going to be challenging for us to provide him with support, aside from anything we can do from a distance (including protection should the calvary arrive).

@Inca: Storm is going to Initiate and will get the Quickening metamagic (13 karma), leaving one karma point left

[Ren]

I’m not too fond of the idea of getting into a hospital officially with gunshot wounds. First thing they do after checking me and seeing I’m not in immediate danger is call the Knight Errant, and then I’ll be in for a few very uncomfortable questions, a ridiculously thorough ID check. Thanks but I’ll pass on that.

[Sichr]

If you prefere some stab wounds, Zach may be of service. Also...you may be a victim of traffic accident, we can arrange that. And also you can be hit by lightning. Our repertoir is rich

[Thermo]

+1 to Zach 

[Sichr]

BTW Yesterday I was on concert in Brno, CR.
It was almost as in this videoclip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyoSfusaXhg

[inca1980]

@Sichr:
Nice!

[Ren]

I appreciate the enthusiasm of you guys However, it might be better to send in someone who can convincingly sell some kind of story about how he/she got hurt. I’m not sure Stake would be able to do that. Even if it is not me, I may be able to get inside access via a data tap.

OK, i think we should try to agree on a course of action. I say take it slow and cautiously. Stake needs about 3-4 hours to prepare himself and his deck, try to crack the protected file again (which could contain vital information on our next target), maybe run some data searches on the hospital (like pictures from the inside).

[Thermo]

@Inca: scratch that on the initiation for Storm, she's got some other ideas instead.

Frag, I should really initiate. Help get me off this Psyche drek. Let me sustain my spells with my mind and my talent, not some drug made in a third-world basement. Not some wonderful drug that helps me think, and concentrate, and be POWERFUL, without really even trying very hard. I don't need it. At least, once I initiate I won't need it. I just need a few more runs before I'm ready to kick the habit. Get it out of my system, you know. Yeah, a little longer and then I'm ready to kick it once and for all. In the meantime, I should really concentrate on practicing my spells so I can melt those robotic bastards. Need something to give them an extra kick. Maybe some Psyche will help me concentrate.

Ahhhh.... thats the stuff.... mellow at first, that was a good batch, ohhhhhh crap it's coming on strong...............

nowletsgettoitletmethinkithinkicanalignthemanaribbonsandletthemtwistandWOWthatmadethingsgoBOOMmuchbetterthanbefore!!!HAAAtakethatyoulittlefuckers!!!!!


Storm is going to buy a Concentration in Spellcasting[Combat] and will also buy a new spell. Haven't decided which one yet, I'll pick shortly. Finally, Storm is going to learn how to actually ride her bike and gets Pilot Groundcraft(1).

[inca1980]

Ok, started up UB 10.  You all start up in the tiny safe-house room.  Everyone is all healed up and Edge is all refreshed.   
It's the following night.

@Storm:
Sounds good!  Decide the spell you want to learn in the first IC post.