NEWS

Attacks Against Players in VR 6e

  • 4 Replies
  • 1141 Views

Winky

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 4
« on: <07-23-21/1900:54> »
Sorry if this is a basic question, but I couldn't find the answer anywhere. What happens to a character when they are in VR and get attacked? Are they able to roll React+Intuition and Body against it as normal?

My understanding is that a character in VR is effectively unconscious.

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #1 on: <07-23-21/1914:11> »
Sorry if this is a basic question, but I couldn't find the answer anywhere. What happens to a character when they are in VR and get attacked? Are they able to roll React+Intuition and Body against it as normal?

My understanding is that a character in VR is effectively unconscious.

That's a very good question.

I think it's illustrative to look at the Stilled condition (pg. 53).   The game effect of this state is -10 DR, and a nix on the otherwise "always available" defense test.  But even then, you still get Body to soak the damage with.  Therefore there is precedent inside 6e to deny an "always available" defense test, but still not one for denying a Body soak roll.

I think this nicely represents a physical attack on a comatose target employing VR, since being in VR is so much like a physical paralysis.  I wouldn't extend the other aspect of Stilled to being in VR though... as slumping into VR won't make your body stop burning if it was on fire :D
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.

Winky

  • *
  • Newb
  • *
  • Posts: 4
« Reply #2 on: <07-23-21/1926:50> »
Thanks, I appreciate the help!

As sort of a corollary, I'm a newish GM and I'm curious if I'm designing scenarios well with a rigger/decker in mind. Should I be forcing my decker/rigger player to be in the same physical location as the action is going on, or should I make it more feasible for them to operate from a safe base of operations nearby (either back at home base or in the van parked outside)? The major impediment to that seems to be the noise system. Is the idea that the decker/rigger will be right there in the middle of the action while the rest of the crew has to defend their VR-comatose body, or that the smart decker/rigger won't be in the way of combat to begin with?

Stainless Steel Devil Rat

  • *
  • Errata Coordinator
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 4572
« Reply #3 on: <07-23-21/1945:39> »
I'd say the best practice is to let your players figure that out for themselves.

For rigging, a common thing is the rigger sits in the soccer mom van in VR and jumps into the drones accompanying the the team.  That way when the team is ready to make their escape to the getaway vehicle, the rigger's already there...

likewise, many hackers might reason they don't need to worry about sneaking and athletics and combat skills if they spend their time in VR on matrix overwatch.  it's hard to say that's a wrong way to play!

As you intuited, Noise works as a mechanic to encourage matrix users to physically accompany the rest of the team.  In the case of hackers, there are additional tricks to "encourage" them to physically come along... like hardlined security devices (no wireless signal to hack...) and nested host architectures (you can make a shortcut to the end of the VR maze by establishing a direct connection to the right physical device...)

Note that hacking and drone controlling CAN be done in AR...no VR is absolutely necessary!  (ok, VR *is* absolutely necessary to jump in, but you CAN control a drone without jumping in!  That's why you paid for a RCC...)
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.

Xenon

  • *
  • Prime Runner
  • *****
  • Posts: 6467
« Reply #4 on: <07-24-21/0352:42> »
I'd say your physical body can't really defend against physical melee and ranged attacks while in full VR or Astral Projection, but that you still soak with body as normal (then again there is no "Unaware of Attack" modifier in this edition (in this edition you get to defend against attackers you don't see or attackers you are surprised against) so I am not sure what the actual intent is here...


An advantage of going with the team (besides that it is often more fun for everyone) is that you can Spoof commands to maglocks etc by using direct connection. No need to first gain access to, and enter, a host. Having said that, it have been clarified that devices still get to defend with matrix attributes provided to them from the network they are connected to (even if under attack from a direct connection) which kinda limit the usefulness of joining the team.

In this edition handshake range is no longer unlimited - noise doesn't only make it harder to hack, it also put a hard limit on the maximum distance you can be at (which mean hacking from a stationary base of operations might be tricky, but hacking from a mobile base of operations seem to be highly possible or perhaps even encouraged).
« Last Edit: <07-24-21/0355:46> by Xenon »