[dougansf]

I'm building a Decker in SR6 for the first time.

I'm trying to figure out what I could get to improve my Initiative dice in the Matrix.
The base Hot Sim only gets you up to 3d6 total, one away from being able to have a second action.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

For now, that's it.

More matrix init dice options will perhaps become available when the Decker book is published.

[Banshee]

For now, that's it.

More matrix init dice options will perhaps become available when the Decker book is published.

Well design wise the cyberjack initiative bonus is suppose to be dice and not a flat bonus. I have submitted this and honestly don't know why it was not shown that way or been errata

[Michael Chandra]

3d6 is 1+3 Minor Actions, so enough to get a second Major Action.

[Banshee]

3d6 is 1+3 Minor Actions, so enough to get a second Major Action.

Yes, I missed that in the OP

[Hobbes]

Do what the cool kids are doing and hack in AR and just get Wired Reflexes.   

[Finstersang]

Well design wise the cyberjack initiative bonus is suppose to be dice and not a flat bonus. I have submitted this and honestly don't know why it was not shown that way or been errata

Oh wow! Provided that this also means additional Minor Actions, that alone might be just enough to put the talk about Jacks not being worth their money (and Essence) to a rest. Being able to do 2 Majors in Cold VR (or an additional Matrix Perception test in Hot VR) is huge! It also buffs VR modes back into shape, which have have been nerfed quite badly with the lost initiative Dice and the missing +2 VR bonus.

The only problem here would be that the better Jacks would get you 3 Bonus dice, which would mean that they exceed the threshold of 5 Minor actions in Hot VR.

Or do they?

Because get this: In both my versions of the english CRB (the original one and the semi-errataed one from January), the Cyberjacks in the Matrix chapter (p. 177) offer a max. +2 Init Bonus - which would fit perfectly with Banshee´s original intent - while only the ones in the gear section (p. 284) go up to +3.

And curiously, while the Cyberjacks in the Matrix chapter haven´t been changed, there has actually has been made a small change to the progression in the the Initiative Bonus column.

Progression in:
Matrix Chapter (both):  1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2
Gear Capter (old):        1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3
Gear Chapter (new):     1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3

Which at first got me like this, but then I realized it: The best explanation for this weird sequence break in the newer version (BTW: Doesn´t show up in the Errata file  ) is that someone actually started to align it with the Matrix chapter - maybe because it is still supposed to be Initiative Dice after all?! - but only changed the value for the Rating 3 Cyberjack. And then got eaten by a gorilla or something.

Anyway, that´s it for me: I go with Banshee´s original version, with the table in the Matrix chapter and an Initiative dice bonus 

[Banshee]

Well design wise the cyberjack initiative bonus is suppose to be dice and not a flat bonus. I have submitted this and honestly don't know why it was not shown that way or been errata

Oh wow! Provided that this also means additional Minor Actions, that alone might be just enough to put the talk about Jacks not being worth their money (and Essence) to a rest. Being able to do 2 Majors in Cold VR (or an additional Matrix Perception test in Hot VR) is huge! It also buffs VR modes back into shape, which have have been nerfed quite badly with the lost initiative Dice and the missing +2 VR bonus.

The only problem here would be that the better Jacks would get you 3 Bonus dice, which would mean that they exceed the threshold of 5 Minor actions in Hot VR.

Or do they?

Because get this: In both my versions of the english CRB (the original one and the semi-errataed one from January), the Cyberjacks in the Matrix chapter (p. 177) offer a max. +2 Init Bonus - which would fit perfectly with Banshee´s original intent - while only the ones in the gear section (p. 284) go up to +3.

And curiously, while the Cyberjacks in the Matrix chapter haven´t been changed, there has actually has been made a small change to the progression in the the Initiative Bonus column.

Progression in:
Matrix Chapter (both):  1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2
Gear Capter (old):        1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3
Gear Chapter (new):     1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3

Which at first got me like this, but then I realized it: The best explanation for this weird sequence break in the newer version (BTW: Doesn´t show up in the Errata file  ) is that someone actually started to align it with the Matrix chapter - maybe because it is still supposed to be Initiative Dice after all?! - but only changed the value for the Rating 3 Cyberjack. And then got eaten by a gorilla or something.

Anyway, that´s it for me: I go with Banshee´s original version, with the table in the Matrix chapter and an Initiative dice bonus 

😄😄😄😄

[Michael Chandra]

3d6+2d6 still is 6 Minors, aka 1 wasted because when they upped from Xd6=>X Minors to X+1, they prolly forgot to up the limit of 5 to 6.

Since it's X+1, Jacks don't necessarily have to add extra dice since even without you can reach 2 Majors, but it would be an understandable buff.

[Banshee]

3d6+2d6 still is 6 Minors, aka 1 wasted because when they upped from Xd6=>X Minors to X+1, they prolly forgot to up the limit of 5 to 6.

Since it's X+1, Jacks don't necessarily have to add extra dice since even without you can reach 2 Majors, but it would be an understandable buff.

Yeah, I have my suspicions that this why ... but still that initiative boost is a big reason for the essence cost of the Cyberjacks

[dougansf]

3d6 is 1+3 Minor Actions, so enough to get a second Major Action.

1d6 base + 2d6 for Hot Sim = 3 Minor Actions.

So +2d6 from Cyberjacks fixes that perfectly. Thanks Banshee.

[dougansf]

Do what the cool kids are doing and hack in AR and just get Wired Reflexes.   

I figured the Synaptic Booster could apply, but not 100% certain.

[dougansf]

Progression in:
Matrix Chapter (both):  1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2
Gear Capter (old):        1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3
Gear Chapter (new):     1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 3

Yeah, I'd like to know which table is correct there. Especially if it's adding dice.

5d6 is Cold or Hot Sim ain't bad.

[BuddyJC]

3d6+2d6 still is 6 Minors, aka 1 wasted because when they upped from Xd6=>X Minors to X+1, they prolly forgot to up the limit of 5 to 6.

Since it's X+1, Jacks don't necessarily have to add extra dice since even without you can reach 2 Majors, but it would be an understandable buff.

I think that you technically get to have a sixth minor action IF your not going first in initiative order. Meaning that you get to use an anytime minor action.

According to page 107 0f the rule book you only loose your sixth action when you get YOUR turn:

Characters may never start a player turn
with more than 5 Minor Actions. If they
would have earned more through any circumstances,
that number is reduced to 5.

NOTE: i'm not a native english speaker, but that's how I interpret that sentence.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

3d6+2d6 still is 6 Minors, aka 1 wasted because when they upped from Xd6=>X Minors to X+1, they prolly forgot to up the limit of 5 to 6.

Since it's X+1, Jacks don't necessarily have to add extra dice since even without you can reach 2 Majors, but it would be an understandable buff.

I think that you technically get to have a sixth minor action IF your not going first in initiative order. Meaning that you get to use an anytime minor action.

According to page 107 0f the rule book you only loose your sixth action when you get YOUR turn:

Characters may never start a player turn
with more than 5 Minor Actions. If they
would have earned more through any circumstances,
that number is reduced to 5.

NOTE: i'm not a native english speaker, but that's how I interpret that sentence.

I read it the same way.  No limit on the number of minor actions you can have at the start of a ROUND.  But at the start of your TURN? Max 5.  Got more than that? Spend some anytimes before it's your turn.

And note that trading in 4 minors for one major is NOT a thing.  What you CAN do is spend 4 minors in place of spending a major.  Not at all the same thing.