The Idiot's Guide To The Matrix Thread, Support for the Matrix-challenged Options

[Dashifen]

Okay -- sounds good. I'll go through the thread and see what's going on right now. I'll watch for the colors, too, so that I can sift through the comments and get right to the action. I'll probably be able to post a new action later today or tomorrow.

[Dashifen]

Okay, this is taking me longer than I thought it would. I printed the information out (yikes!) and I'm going to take some notes about what Lady Cheng has already done and figure out what hacking pool she has left, etc. Soon, I promise :)

[Thanos007]

Holychampion, you're not talking about the "Decker" program are you? If it's something diferent why not put the link in? So it's copyrighted. Can't I buy a copy too?

Thanos

[Synner]

I find it difficult to believe that any such program is copyrighted, since Shadowrun copyrights belong exclusively to Wizkids (and the RPG rights are licensed to FanPro). If any such program met with FanPro's approval I'd expect it would be linked on their website.

If it is the well-known and non-copyrighted "Decker" program, suffice it to say that it doesn't conform with SR3 rules, iconography is laughable and it doesn't allow for a number of decker tricks and tactics (for starters there's no such thing as Modes and Program Options) which this thread is all about. That being said it is a useful little tool if you really don't want to put the time and effort into getting acquianted with the Matrix rules and roleplaying that aspect of SR in depth.

Dashifen - No problem, I'm currently working on something else too so take your time. IIRC correctly Cheng has lost a couple of hacking pool dice so far (using the optional IC suppression rules from the Matrix sb) to avoid lowering her DF, however it's probably best to check.

[holychampion]

I really didn't want to inturpt this thread...
It is copywritten by the creator, I dont believe it is Licensed, I dont know that FASA or Wizkids even know of its existance and I dont know how to link it as its saved on my PC. Synner, e-mail me and ill try to send you the free download, then with your consultation maybe we can post something for those listed. btw it does contain SR rules incorporated, including iconography... but enough interruptions. holychampion@hotmail.com

[Dashifen]

Okay ... after about two days of reading through printouts, I think I've got everything ready. I didn't pay attention as much to the manifestation of Cheng's utilities when I was reading, so I appologize if I screw them up.

Here's a wrap up. Cheng has been moving along quite nicely for the moment and has control over the external cameras, deactivated the required section of electrical fence, controls the cameras on the approach from the fence to the building, and was trying to control the last round of cameras (at the doorway into the building I believe) when the host jumped to passive alert and she was jumped by Party IC. Inflicting a serious wound on the Blaster, she then evaded scoring 2 net successes giving her some breathing room for the moment.

My notes on the thread say that she's used three hacking pool to suppress a scout, blaster, and that spider ic back a few pages (I forget what the icon represented). The fourth IC she bumped into was the Tar pit which crashed and scrambled her one-shot attack utility, but doesn't need to be suppressed. Since this is the start of a new turn of combat, starting on phase 19 with Cheng's action, we'll kick this into high gear.

Knowing that the rest of the team is on approach, probably less than a minute out, Cheng needs to dispatch this IC quickly and then get control of those last cameras taking as little icon damage as possible. Spending a free action to maintain the previously edited slaves (monitored operations), Cheng spends a simple action to drop out of masking mode. This is somewhat risky because it lowers her deception factor from 9 to 6. However, it also raises her bod, which was decreased due to the mode, from 3 to 5. It will be easier for the system to detect my actions, but I don't really need to worry about that until after combat.

Then, with the second simple action for this round, Cheng is going to try and position herself for an attack on the blaster. Hopefully, with a good number of successes on this test (which pits Cheng's evasion of 6 against the host's sec. value of 10 - 5 for the cloak utility for a TN of 5). If Cheng wins the position maneuver, then she can either reduce her TN to hit the blaster with her next attack by the net success or increase the power rating. But, all that hinges upon the roll for the position attack:

Position Attack: 17 05 04 04 01 01 #D:6 TN:5 HR:17 S:2

Would have preferred more successes rather than one spectacular one, but we'll see what happens.

[bit_buckethead]

First I would like to say "Thank You" for this post. It not only has been very educational but just plain entertaining as well. Great story. I can hardly wait to see how it ends.

But I am fairly new to Shadowrun, and I am still trying to rap my head around the rules. So please bear with me while I ask some questions on the use of free actions in current cybercombat.

1. In the first round of combat on page 14 of this post, Lady Cheng rolls a 29 for initiative and the IC rolls 23 and 21, so Lady Cheng goes first. Now Lady Cheng declares that she is going to use one free action to maintain the ongoing monitored operations. Then she uses another free action to do a Analyze Icon operation in the same combat phase. Now my question is how is this possible? On page 105 of SR3 the book states that “Only one Free Action may be made by each character during any given Combat Phase.” and that “A character may NOT a Free Action PRIOR to his first Combat Phase in the first Initiative Pass”. As I see it shouldn’t Lady Cheng have only one free action? Is this different in Matrix combat?

2. Isn’t each Edit Slave and Control Slave operation a separate monitored operation and shouldn’t it require a separate Free Action to maintain? As I read it Lady Cheng has done 1 Edit Slave operation for the perimeter fence cameras, 1 Edit Slave operation for the alarm on the fence, 1 Control Slave operation to turn the juice off for the fence, 1 Edit Slave for the pressure pads, 1 Edit Slave for the shrub cameras and 1 for the wall and door bay camera. That adds up to 6 monitored operations and shouldn’t it require 6 free actions per initiative pass to maintain?
Now on page 105 of SR3 the book states that “A character may take a Free Action during their own Combat Phase and during the Combat Phase of any other character, as long as it is declared”. This seems to mean that in this situation there would only be 3 Combat Phases during the initiative pass 1 for Lady Cheng and 1 for each of the IC. So should there be only the possibility of only 3 Free Actions for Lady Cheng, and therefore not enough Free Actions to maintain all of the Edit Slave and Control Slave operations?

3. Is there any way of exchanging a Simple Action for 1 or more Free Actions?

Thanks for your time and efforts. Keep up the fantastic work.

[hobgoblin]

you can take any free action in place of a simple action. so you can take 1 free action and 2 simple action, 2 free actions and 1 simple action or in fact 3 free actions if you want to. page 105 sr3, under simple actions.

you may be on to something when it comes down to the number of monitored operations tho.

[Dashifen]

I agree with hobgoblin that you can exchange simple actions for free ones. I've always run it that you can monitor your previous operations as long as you say that you are -- it reminds people that they loose that free action. Mostly because I've seen deckers need to monitor between 5 and 10 slaves and that's impossible if you don't lump them all together. Synner?

[Synner]

Under a strict reading of the rules buckethead is correct. Monitored Operations take up a Free Action and you get a default Free Action per Action Phase.

However, I let Kurukami go ahead with this because I feel this is excessively neutering a decker. He's essentially limiting himself to one Monitored Operation at a time - which is okay in a simplified Host where all the cameras in a building might be on the same "feed", but isn't in the type of detailed system I normally put together.

I should have noted it before but overlooked it in the midst of the other stuff. My (personal) ruling on the matter (and your GMs may well disagree) is that while a Monitor Operation takes up a Free Action, it actually encompases any number of ongoing Monitoring operations up to the decker's Computer skill.

[hobgoblin]

or maybe make it intelligence :)

[Dashifen]

It would be interesting to consider adding a TN modification to actions for monitored operations -- maybe +1 for every 2 operations -- similar to how sustained spells provide a similar modification. Then you could add an edge called multitasking which could extend that to +1 for every 3 or 4 monitored operations ...

[hobgoblin]

or maybe a piece of cyberware that help you multitask your brain (maybe get realy stressed over time tho).

[gknoy]

[WolfJack]

A little *bump* to keep this thread accessable

-Wolf

[Abstruse]

Damnit, I've been spending 2 months reading this thread a little at a time..and it's such a let-down ending. Come on guys, don't let it die like this. If nothing else, start another demo run or something with someone else.

The Abstruse One

[hobgoblin]

it seems to follow the rest of the forum in a way. it to have mostly died save for people bitching about broken rules and how rules dont match real life...

[Synner]

Worry not. I have no intention of letting this thread die and I will be restarting my posts this weekend.

I have been caught up with something particularly important that could lead to violence against yours truly if I let it slip further. However, my involvement with that will be mostly out of the way by tonight and I will resume regular posts tomorrow.

As to the current state of affairs with the Forums, I agree that they do need a shot in the arm and a better dynamic. From my side I will continue on with this thread/project and the New Seattle Intelligencer as well as contributing to a couple of other projects.

I really hope others will take up the challenge of injecting some new energy into DSF. Personally I would like to see a similar thread for rigging (with examples of vehicle, drone and building rigging).

[Abstruse]

I know I certainly need one. I've never been able to figure out drone rigging...

The Abstruse One

[Synner]

So back to the sample run...

Before we continue I'll clarify something which may or may not retroactively alter Dashifen's choice here.

While I can't find an explicit canon reference at the moment I'm assuming that any Combat Maneuver directed against an IC means dropping back into Cybercombat and so cancels the effects of the Evade Detection, allowing IC to automatically reacquire the decker and forcing a new Initiative roll - this would includes a Position Attack maneuver, whether it was successful or not.
IMHO this interpretation seems both logical and practical; otherwise the decker could:
a) continue to run Evade Detection Maneuvers indefinitely at no risk (this way, he has to drop back into cybercombat -losing the Evade Detection effect - to attempt another Maneuver and risks losing initiative);
b) always drop into Evade Detection and pop back immediately with a double Attack to the IC automatically gaining a free action phase because he was Evading Detection.
Your GM's may interpret this differently so check with him.

Dashifen - any problem with this ruling?

If you do please edit your post accordingly and I will edit mine.

If not: The Host rolls it's Security Value (10) against Cheng's Evasion (5) and counts 2 successes (both 8's). Strictly speaking the decker should Position Attack against one of the IC in the Party cluster - I'll assume it was the wounded Oni-do IC. Cheng's Position Attack maneuver failed and the IC reacquires her and we roll initiative.


The Yamatetsu Host's sophisticated data recognition countermeasures detect the code disturbance as Cheng breaks cover of her Cloak behind the IC, enabling the Oni-do to swing round to meet her in a fountain of blood red code. Above the chrome hawk screeches it's reacquisition of the decker. Not at all what Cheng would have liked but Lady Fortune is fickle...

[Dashifen]

[Synner]

Kurukami was using my interpretation of the rules (decker skill for the roll and Program rating as Power). If you prefer the alternative (and to be honest, probably the default one most people use), there shouldn't be a problem since Cheng's current Program ratings equal her skill and we can roll with that. Just post accordingly.

Regarding the "breaking Evade Detection effect" and to clarify further, besides the fact that these are defined as combat maneuvers, my ruling also comes from the fact that all these maneuvers are Opposed Tests. Which means the IC has to have some sort of bead on you to roll the Security Rating vs. your Evasion.

Meanwhile in the YCAP Host...
The Oni-do IC rolls initiative (3d6 + Rating 8 - 3 from a Serious wound) and gets 17. The Raptor IC rolls and gets (3d6 + Rating 7) and gets a 19. Cheng goes first then the chrome hawk Trace and finally the wounded Oni-Do Blaster.

[Shockwave_IIc]

[Dashifen]

I go with the decking skill as the roll with the utility rating as the power, just as you all did previously (conveniently enough :)). So, we'll stick with that.

Seeing the hawk and the Oni-do swing around and reaquire, Cheng curses a moment before leaping into cybercombat. As her brain begins to process the action before her, she slashes in with her virtual katana at the Oni-do.

Knowing that the Oni-do is already seriously wounded, it should only take one more good hit to drop that icon. Since three hacking pool has already been used to supress previous IC, that leaves Cheng with a total of 5 hacking pool left. Since I'm hoping to drop the Oni-do icon this phase, I want to be sure that I leave at least one pool dice to allow me to supress it.

The first attack roll uses my computer (decking) skill of 7 as well as my task and/or hacking pool. I'll use my three task pool dice on this attack but save my hacking pool (I may have to improvise a defense if I can't drop one of the icons this phase). My roll of 10 dice gives me: 8, 4, 4, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1 which is really crappy :(.

I'll wait and see the results of my attack from Synner, but I expect that I will have to try and strike the Oni-do again for my second simply action. That attack will be my decking skill of 7 again with three pool dice, this time hacking pool, for a roll of: 14, 10, 8, 8, 5, 4, 3, 3, 1, 1. Much better than last time.

So, if the Oni-do goes down to my first simple action (attack) then the hawk gets hit with the second one. Or, if the Oni-do is still up after my first attempt, then I'll probably drop it with the second one. I still have two hacking pool dice left over to supress any IC with and I just have to hope that I can deal with any problems that come my way without pool dice until the end of this turn.

Over to you, Synner ......

[Synner]

Although that's only one success against the Oni-do IC, the absence of a Cybercombat equivalent of a Dodge roll (at least for IC) means the IC will have to soak it up with an Icon Damage Resistance roll using the Host's Security Value (SR3 page 226).

Cheng's luck streak seems to be peetering out though. The IC rolls an amazing three successes against the Attack program's Rating (6)and stages the damage down to a Moderate Wound rather than the Serious needed to vaniquish it.

Cheng's runesword flashes forward in a glittering arc sliding through a gap in the Oni-Do's defense, past the neon katana and biting deep into the IC's code. For a second the IC's routines lock and it's eyes flash with static as more leakage blocks vital codelines. Nonetheless it stubbornly remains standing. Cheng sighs and lunges again. This time the runesword flies straight for the glowing eyes, slicing deep into the construct's head and coming out the back in a shower of dark pixels. The IC flits and jerks for a nano-sec empaled on the corsair's sword and then begins to derezz.

Instantly Cheng drops a prepared codenet which launches the IC's failsafe alarm routines into loops before they reach the virtual floor, interface with the Host code and trigger an alert.

Cheng just used up another Hacking Pool die to suppress the IC, using the optional suppression rules in Matrix (page 26). Next up is the Raptor Trace IC. It's worth noting at this point that Party IC bonuses and modifiers remain in effect even when some components of the Party IC "cluster" are defeated (as is the case of the Oni-Do Blaster 8) per the rules for the Party Cluster Option on page 86 of the Matrix sb.