[PapaR]

Is any essential hacking needed for infiltration? After looking through a list of program none of them seem to be really needed.

[CanRay]

Spoof.  Exploit.  Edit.

[PapaR]

why those exactly? They sound as if they'd be good for making a fake id or something a long those lines.

[KarmaInferno]

They're hacking utilities used to infiltrate and modify Matrix nodes and programs.

Most places a Shadowrunner might infiltrate also have security systems and computer networks, which are prime targets for hacking. If nothing else, you disable sensors, edit video feeds, and open doors remotely with good hacking skills.



-k

[kirk]

Slight disagreement: stealth, exploit, and analyze.

Stealth to give you time. Analyze to examine the door for traps. Exploit to get you in the door. Analyze again to find the paydata.

[UmaroVI]

Wait, are you talking about infiltration like "physical B&E" or are you talking about infiltration like Matrix infiltration?

To do physical B&E, you need Hardware and Infiltration, and it's probably a good idea to at least be competent at stuff like Climbing. You will also need help from someone who can hack - but you can't really half-ass hacking. It's doable to be a good mundane hacker and B&E character - take a look at the Combat Hacker in my sig for an example of one.

[Kontact]

You can get away with having a top-notch passkey in a lot of circumstances, but hardware skill is so much better that it's disgusting.  Or, you can just be a vent-crawler...

[ARC]

You can get away with having a top-notch passkey in a lot of circumstances, but hardware skill is so much better that it's disgusting.  Or, you can just be a vent-crawler...

Just remember if you are going to crawl through vents, you need rope.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Not usually.  Few buildings have vents so large you can't climb them via opposing friction, or places where your only option is to fall thirty meters.  It helps if you're an adept, though...

[rasmusnicolaj]

Not usually.  Few buildings have vents so large you can't climb them via opposing friction, or places where your only option is to fall thirty meters.  It helps if you're an adept, though...

Or can change shape into a small critter 

Rasmus

[ARC]

Wow, hasn't anybody seen The Boondock Saints?

[Xzylvador]

Gecko gear should be more than enough to get through vents no matter what size. Ropes help with a faster decent but that's about it.

[Sichr]

Wow, hasn't anybody seen The Boondock Saints?

Rope and a knife

Imo for infiltration Hardware is essential, breaking and entering tools wont work properly without it, and taping HW lines also.
About hacking and programs:
Not talking about standard legal set, from that Edit is a must:
Stealth + Trace + Spoof  - This may be enought to fool sensors, tap their signal or switch them to loop or something like that. But you will also need Scan and Sniffer (or you can buy Radio signal scanner instead)
Good thing is Telematics Infrastructure software, to show you the layout of security grid.
Exploit needs more hardcore skills, because with that you actually enter the node, so you became vulnerable to enemy attacks...means a full set of combat SW, or at least Armor and BFBF
And Electronic Warfare + Jammer and ECCM.

[Deliverator]

... There are GMs who actually build vents that can fit a person in them? Most buildings have vents no bigger than 6-8" tall, which would make traveling THROUGH those vents nearly impossible.

[CanRay]

Depends on the building...  Some are large enough in Shadowrun to require vents large enough to fit a small person in.

Gnomes, possibly.  Pixies, certainly.