[Odsh]

As the title implies, how do you handle Convergence when hacking an offline host?
Technically, in that circumstance, I assume GOD is unable to track the hacker and to "zero in on his location".
What happens when the OS reaches 40 in that case? Is the offline host's own security ("demi-GOD"?) sufficient to achieve the same effect as a full Convergence? Does it have reduced effects, maybe depending on the host's rating?

[Banshee]

I tend to run convergence as more open ended and not so rigid as to always be GOD ... it's more about when the "system" has figured out they are being hacked and what the source is. For offline host this could mean a different response but there should be something.

Ultimately it depends on what you want to accomplish as the GM. Is it just a minor inconvenience or a true threat?

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

I tend to think of offline hosts as being exceptional and rare precisely because there's no bailout from GOD.

Of course if what you're doing is SO reprehensible that you can't afford even GOD getting a whiff of it... ok maybe then an offline host makes some sense

[Odsh]

Well it's a very particular case indeed, more of a facility where matrix threats are being quarantined and investigated without running the risk of them spreading to the matrix at large.

GM fiat in that case works fine of course. I'll think of something.

[Sir Ludwig]

Odsh,

I would think that an offline host is uncommon, but would fall somewhere between these two extremes. 

Low: A kid trying to hide “something” from their partners
High: Super secrete corps site. 

The average would be a Runner or concerned citizen/employee that doesn't want the government/corporation (maybe even aliens) knowing what all they have (See Shadowrun Conspiracy Theories). 

The threat level to the players would adjust accordingly but would still be up to the GM. 

Regards,
SL

Edit: Odsh, you apparently posted again while I was writing.

[MercilessMing]

You're totally in house rule territory, whatever the GM wants to do.  Anything offline I would treat it like there's no GOD, there's just whatever the offline host can muster.  If the offline host is important, it's up to the GM to put meaningful responses in.  This is what the matrix author does apparently so you're in good company. 

[Banshee]

You're totally in house rule territory, whatever the GM wants to do.  Anything offline I would treat it like there's no GOD, there's just whatever the offline host can muster.  If the offline host is important, it's up to the GM to put meaningful responses in.  This is what the matrix author does apparently so you're in good company.

Yeah, just to build off this ...
Technically an offline host does not have GOD and therefore does not have standard convergence... that part you are correct.
However as I said in my original reply... depending on how much of a threat you want the host to carry, there can always be a "private" version of GOD in operation

[Michael Chandra]

I can imagine someone so paranoid that they switch to offline mode entirely if the offline host hits Convergence and they can't spot / defeat the intruder, aka 'IC didn't keep it under control'.

"WARNING: SYSTEM INTEGRITY VIOLATED. ALL USERS, PROTOCOL JULIETT OSCAR. YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS TO COMPLY."

3 combat rounds later: Host reboots, dumpshock for anyone who did not Jack-Out.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Yep, fair!

I think nesting your sensitive host a bunch of layers deep ought to suffice most of the time (keeping access open on that many hosts at once will mean you're converged in only a couple rounds anyway once you reach the juicy stuff).  But when your paranoia outweighs "reasonableness" and you need absolutes... an offline host with a self-kill switch seems pretty viable too.