A new take on hacker attributes, Intuition instead of Logic Options

[Tyro]

The houserule I normally see used for hacker attributes is Logic + Skill, hits capped by Program Rating. The basic concept is sound; hackers should need more than programs and a nice commlink. However, I don't think Logic is the best choice. It's good for *writing* programs, but the fluff never made sense to me even in SR3 when hackers using Intelligence was RAW. If you're totally immersed in a VR environment, you aren't going to be typing, you're going to be acting. Your programs help you to act. What if you used Intuition + Skill, hits capped by Program Rating? I think it represents the intuitive, action-oriented paradigm of a VR reality much better than Logic does.

[Yerameyahu]

Plus, it's hard to raise Intuition, and no sneaky nanite +3.

I dunno if this addresses any of the problems with Logic-hacking in the first place, though. Interesting anyway. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tyro]

Plus, it's hard to raise Intuition, and no sneaky nanite +3.

I dunno if this addresses any of the problems with Logic-hacking in the first place, though. Interesting anyway. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Also, it's a lot easier to roleplay 6 intuition than it is to roleplay 9 Logic *headdesk*

[Faraday]

Also, it's a lot easier to roleplay 6 intuition than it is to roleplay 9 Logic *headdesk*

7-9 logic is usually like RPing 6, but you're better at scholarly pursuits. Artificial brain matter is not an integral part of the personality.

[Tyro]

7-9 logic is usually like RPing 6, but you're better at scholarly pursuits. Artificial brain matter is not an integral part of the personality.

It can be. I should think it would depend on how long you've been augmented.

[Yerameyahu]

Lots of scifi movies tell us that your personality shifts drastically. To evil! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tyro]

Lots of scifi movies tell us that your personality shifts drastically. To evil! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

They have cookies. And dental!

[Faraday]

They have cookies. And dental!

I'm just here for Godzilla.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

They have cookies. And dental!

Hey, you got to go where the Perks are...

[tete]

Intuition make a lot more sense for "on the fly" stuff but less sense for proper data analysis.

[Epicedion]

Intuition really has nothing at all to do with hacking, other than anticipating others' actions (as with Initiative).

Any hacking action you take involves rapidly processing, analyzing, and responding to changes in data. That is entirely within the boundaries of Logic.

Further, having a high Logic does not necessarily mean you do everything logically. All it means is that you are faster and better at following logical processes, like mathematics, circuitry, and computer code.

To put it another way, Intuition covers real-world Perception, as well as being able to sort lies from truth and noticing social cues. Nothing would destroy the image of the socially awkward super-hacker than requiring Intuition as a major component of hacking.

[Yerameyahu]

It's totally arbitrary to say that Intuition isn't appropriate. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) The whole paradigm of SR4 hacking is that you're *not* using Logic, because humans are too slow. Given that your rules change that, there's no reason to declare someone else's change 'wrong'.

God forbid Shadowrun break a stereotype, right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I think 'perceptive/instinctual hacker' is a perfectly acceptable alternative, especially given that *Charisma* is used for your social awkwardness.

[KarmaInferno]

The rules never actually supported it, but they used to describe Decking as more cerebral and Rigging as more instinctual.

They even had fluff reasons why you saw Deckers with datajacks in their temples and Riggers with jacks in the lower back of the head - Decker jacks were more connected to the cerebellum/logic areas, Rigger jacks were connected more to the brainstem/animalistic parts. Of course, the actual game mechanics made no mention of any differences.



-k

[Belvidere]

They even had fluff reasons why you saw Deckers with datajacks in their temples and Riggers with jacks in the lower back of the head - Decker jacks were more connected to the cerebellum/logic areas, Rigger jacks were connected more to the brainstem/animalistic parts. Of course, the actual game mechanics made no mention of any differences.

I had always wondered why that seemed to be the case. Thank you

[Tyro]

The way I see it, if you're in a full VR environment, you aren't analyzing data - you're reacting to your environment. Your programs interpret your actions and translate them into code.

[Ascalaphus]

I've thought about that too. I would prefer that you need both.

Intuition is for taking shortcuts and surprising people. Logic is for making sure you leave no gaps in your defenses, and for systematic analysis and disassembling of obstacles.

I'd be inclined to use Intuition as the "to hit" Attribute and Logic as the "block" Attribute.

[redwulf25]

Plus, it's hard to raise Intuition, and no sneaky nanite +3.

I dunno if this addresses any of the problems with Logic-hacking in the first place, though. Interesting anyway. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

What are the problems with Logic hacking? I'm considering implementing the house-rule myself and would like to know the downside before I do.

[K1ll5w1tch]

The houserule I normally see used for hacker attributes is Logic + Skill, hits capped by Program Rating. The basic concept is sound; hackers should need more than programs and a nice commlink. However, I don't think Logic is the best choice. It's good for *writing* programs, but the fluff never made sense to me even in SR3 when hackers using Intelligence was RAW. If you're totally immersed in a VR environment, you aren't going to be typing, you're going to be acting. Your programs help you to act. What if you used Intuition + Skill, hits capped by Program Rating? I think it represents the intuitive, action-oriented paradigm of a VR reality much better than Logic does.

So if I read this right you don't use program rating for dice pool calculation. You use Skill + Logic with logic capped at what the applicable program program rating would be?

[Tyro]

So if I read this right you don't use program rating for dice pool calculation. You use Skill + Logic with logic capped at what the applicable program program rating would be?

Hits capped by program rating.

[Edit:] Oops, program rating * 2

[K1ll5w1tch]

Hits capped by program rating.

Wow that makes hacking alot harder. And removes any of need for a majority of the comm upgrades that increase dice pool modifiers on matrix actions.

[Faraday]

Wow that makes hacking alot harder.

Probably he means prog*2

[K1ll5w1tch]

Probably he means prog*2

I hope I had a hacker that had about 20 dice pool on fast hacks and could get over 6 successes easy. with 7 skill after specialization, 6 exploit with optimization and a few other exploit mods.

[Tyro]

Probably he means prog*2

Correct. Sorry, multitasking.

[K1ll5w1tch]

I like the idea but how would that work for TM's who would loose a lot of their mojo from threading higher rated programs.

[Tyro]

I like the idea but how would that work for TM's who would loose a lot of their mojo from threading higher rated programs.

This would just be for hackers, not technomancers.