Why Train in Hacking When You Can Default?, Or: My Hermetic Can Outhack Your Hacker! Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[Neraph]

So as it turns out, the hacking skills (Electronics and Cracking skillgroups) are all tied to Logic, but Logic is not factored into any of the tests at all; they're all Skill + Program. So why is Logic even listed, you may ask? Why, in case you wanted to default the skill, of course!

But, defaulting is bad, isn't it, you may ask? No. I'll show you.

Let's assume a human. Your normal Logic is 6(9), but we can easily do better. If we get Genetic Optomization (Logic), Exceptional Attribute (Logic), and SURGE II (Metagenetic Improvement [Logic]), our new Logic is 9(14). So let's soft-max it to 8 in chargen and get a R2 Cerebral Booster, for a total of 8(10) in chargen. Now when we default, we have a 'skill' of 9, adding our program rating as normal. Beats the pants off of your hacker now, doesn't it?

But wait.

If the person is a Nosferatu instead, we have a natural Logic of 8(12). Using our above method, we can increase that to 11(16). Starting the game with a 10 Logic, and a R2 Cerebral Booster, that's now a 10(12). We can further use Essence Drain to get that to an 18 (or 16, I forget if Essence Drain breaks natural cap or not). And then add the program's rating to that.

We can also get an additional +2 from Hot Sim.

So, without any ranks in any hacking skill, we can get 22 dice for most skills just off of freeware.

The ONLY skill that this does not work with is Electronic Warfare. Thus, Electronic Warfare is the only hacking skill you should ever buy ranks in. Otherwise, Logic out homies.

As a result, it should be noted that all hermetic mages ever should double as the party's hacker. Using the above methods, minus the Exceptional Attribute, we can fit a mage in pretty well, getting something like a 7(9) Logic, not including your Willpower, making for a respectable 9 drain dice from just one stat, for the price of one point of Essence/Magic.