[X] My Assistant

[eidolon]

[Naysayer]

I guess tactical/offensive use of a BTL could go something like that:
Malicious hacker does whatever it ultimately is in your game that he needs to do to make the target's commlink his bitch.
Then he selects his favourite BTL and pushes `play´.
Now, the target experiences a more-real-then-real version of "Martha Stewart presents: Better Living through Chemistry" and all his senses go wild.
As a GM, I'd apply a penalty for severe distraction (which I think is somewhere around -4, though I have no idea what makes me think that) for all tests for the target.
Either every IP or every turn, the target could probably make some sort of composure check to see if he manages to switch his commlink off/pull the plug, or if it just hurts too damn good.
Then, while the target is staring off into space, you shoot him in the face and take his stuff.

[Sma]

Some spoilers for old material included.


SR3 Psychotropic IC worked like Blackout and when your condition monitor pinged 10, you rolled a willpower test.
If you failed that test you got saddled with a variety of effects ranging from the impulse to buy something, to sending all your and your friends personal data to the corp in question on a regular basis.

Then there's Winternights Berserker Chip, which muted all fear responses made you want to blow stuff up, added two to Strength, Quickness, Willpower and +1d6 initiative while lowering intelligence and charisma and allowed you to ignore all damage like a pain editor. Removing the chip most likely makes you fall over dead.

Dreamchippers BTL's gave you a shitload of very high skills (up to rating 9, still required skillwires though) while requiring a semihard Willpower test to resist being subsumed by the personality encoded on the chip. Every time you used them you risked lowering your intelligence attribute.

[darthmord]

LOL... I wasn't referring to the band but I suppose that could work too. Slip the target some BTL and he starts jamming :D

[Naysayer]

I know what you meant, but I'm just a sucker for cheap laughs... : )

[imperialus]

One nasty trick I've wanted to try with BTL's is the always entertaining interegation portion of most runs. This requires 3 things.

1. A crap comlink modified for hotsim.
2. A trode net
3. A BTL personafix that makes the person scared of everything, and very trusting. This means that even if the scrawny STR2 CHA2 decker tells the subject that he knows how to systematically break every bone in his body and will do so until the subject talks the subject will belive he's capable and willing to do so and is completely terrified of the prospect.

Subdue the subject, put the trode net on, run the program then start asking questions and making threats. Repeat until all nessesary information is gathered. Adult dipers are also handy.

[Lagomorph]

Since most BTL and VR actions invoke RAS override, except for mental damage, you're mostly just going to get a convinient lump of person to move around.

There are quite a few different ways that chips can be used outside of RAS override though. Personafix chips could be used induce Stockholm syndrome for hostage and kidnapping situations.

I can't think of any other ones that haven't been said right now, but really, for BTL, you have 3 options, Brainwash, Incapacitate, Kill.

[kzt]

You can turn off the override at the simrig level.

[Lagomorph]

[kzt]

Same difference.

"This reticular activation system (RAS) override can also be disabled with a Hardware + Logic (5, 1 hour) Extended Test, at the user’s own risk." As I'm supplying the system, it will be hot sim enabled and RAS overide disabled.

[Gelare]

[kzt]

Terrified, cooperative and submissive interrogation targets.

[Lagomorph]

kzt: thanks for clarifying your post

Oh, you could use it on a boxer to fix a boxing match so that timed right the ras would turn on and be a KO.

gelare: well, it's not quite as good, but you could ramp up the levels on your virtual girlfriend program through a personafix chip, and make your virtual girlfriend not so virtual.

Assuming you can do it from range, you could induce a paranoia (co-workers) and memory (planning a bank robbery) into a bank teller then go in and act as accomplices to his masterful plan that he thought up.