So in my last game the PCs wanted to steal a van. Are there any rules about for doing this? How do cars start in the 2060s? Keys? ID/biometric scans?

I don't have book at hand but yes in the Rigger 3 book they have rules on breaking into cars. Getting past the maglock on the door and getting rid of the autonav so the poice can't follow you, and the termination chip so the police can't stop your ride while you are being chased.

There's a difference autotheft (cracking locks, hotwiring, etc.) and carjacking --> sticking a gun in a driver's face and snatching the keys.

-Siege

I'd probably say just use the intimidation rules from the main book. That or just shot some guy in the head and nick their car.

He used the wrong term I think, carjacking implies you are stealing a car from the driver while he is in it. But he asked about keys and biometric scans so I told him about the rules in Rigger 3.

Yes, but it's still important to know how they run: i.e., do I have to cut off the guy's hand so the car runs, or just take his credstick?

I would imagine that once the car has been started: either with number code, finger print or whathaveyou -- the same verification procedure that maglocks use.

Once the car has been started, it shouldn't need another thumb-scan until the car is turned off and needs to be restarted.

A Honda Civic probably has a keypad ignition, a custom Spider clocking at 250k probably has a biometric retinal scanner.

-Siege

Although someone with decent Electronics and Electronics B/R, and possibly vehicle B/R skills could probably remove or recalibrate those features given enough time.

Definitely -- it's just like cracking a maglock.

R3 has numbers for how car burglars work and what skills to use.

-Siege

You stand in front of the car, and the car will very likely stop. Then you push the triangle button, and your character will throw the person out of the car. You've got to drive away, or the driver might pull you back out.

If it's a cop car, you get it to stop, and then go the passenger door. Push the triangle button and run away (so the cop won't arrest you). Once you're far enough away, you double back and steal the car. But, I'm pretty sure you get a star for that.

Hmm, never had a character carjack anybody. Now, I've had a character carjacked, but the character in question got a quarter-mil out of that deal, when all was finished.

"Now tell me - what gave you the notion it was a good idea to carjack a vehicle with a Gremlin shaman driving, and Tir diplomatic plates?"

Simple solution

Conjurer with an ally spirit with appropriate shapes and appropriate skills

Tell the ally spirit to manifest inside the car and open the door from the inside, thus disabling the alarm (wards don't work since they pop out from a metaplane, besides, how many cars have wards?).

Thief Conjurer sits down in car and makes a Electronics B/R test for hotwiring the car and drives away.

Simple, Neh?

Contracting a mage to steal a car...

That must be one hell of a car.



-Siege

An expensive Limo perhaps, or a RIGGERS car perhaps.

Thats giving me a crazy idea about a car-jacking klepto ferret shamen...

The triangle button refers to Grand Theft Auto 3, for the Playstation 2.

Fantastic game

Like I've said before, 3 of our players have extensive GTA3 experience. Our GM doesn't. For this reason, 3 of the 6 players always assume it will be totally easy to carjack. But because our GM doesn't know how easy it is, things never go as planned.

For some reason, nobody ever locks their doors in GTA...