OK, this question came up today when determining my Technomancer's future (I.E. if I'd actually play him or not).

With submersion and Echos a Technomancer can get extra IPs in Meatspace (translating to extra IPs in AR). Just take Biowire and Acceleration Echos.

So the theory I had was that at Submersion level 2 I could get 4 IPs in Meatspace. (Basic 1+Submersion 1 = Biowire and Acceleration for another 15 Karma = 2 IPs + Submersion 2 = Acceleration and Acceleration again for another 15 Karma = 4 IPs).

This would enable me to the 4 IPs for AR actions. BUT, what happens when you meet up with Black IC in AR?

Technos are Hotsimed when in VR so they'd take Physical Damage from attacking Ice in VR (due to always being hotsimed). BUT, they're not hotsimed when in AR. So what happens when you get hit by IC in AR? Do you now take Stun instead of physical? Or do you take nothing ala normal hackers in cold-sim?

Can't find the answer in the book. It says:



But doesn't say anything about AR encounters with IC. Did I just miss it somehow?

I believe that you are always attacked for physical damage even in AR.

Technos just use AR so they don't take the penalties for acting in realspace.


That being said, my GM has ruled that in AR I have an icon like everyone else, and do not suffer physical when in AR, but that is just a houserule.

Black IC against you in AR can't do much of anything. They can crash your comm. They could keep your connection open, making you more likely to be traced...but you won't be suffering any Stun or Physical damage in AR, ever.

You would take no damage in this case as stated on page 233 of SR4A:



You are in AR, and so it does not work. This is because the attack is significantly different than the standard Attack program, it's trying to do something else. AR is AR no matter what device you're using to do it. Technomancers are only really limited in that they do not have a natural cold sim option.

Wait. Is it just me or does that make Paladins even more useful than I first thought. Have a Paladin use Castling on you when you are up against Black IC and all Biofeedback is shunted to the Paladin, which causes no damage because a Sprite is not effected by Black IC in anyway.

I love Paladin sprites so much. Thank god I didn't houserule them, my GM would ban them outright if I had

Remember, though, that a TM takes Stun damage from a regular Attack program, in AR or VR.

Only the second part of that is a houserule (if your rule of "not physical" is "no damage" then it is straight RAW). There is nothing really "special" or "different" about AR. It is simply a different method of controlling your Persona in the Matrix. Your Persona (or "icon") is still present in every Node that you have a Subscription to and it can be attacked by other AR or VR users that also have a Persona in that Node.

Sorry, Castling takes your damage and applies it to the paladin sprite. You have still taken the damage, and thus for purposes of being locked into the matrix, you have still been hit, and the paladin is taking your damage, not the original blackhammer damage.

Remember he's talking about his technomancer here. TMs can and do take damage in AR - the house rule they're using is (I think) that this damage is limited to Stun. Or something.

I'm pretty sure one of the devs (Tiger Eyes?) said the opposite in a thread on here - Castling redirects the whole attack, not just the damage. I know the text specifies damage, but.

This...

Actually in the game we are playing (Orcus plays in our Group), Technomancers have an actual persona like Hackers do... It is very much a Houserule in that the Persona takes damage that is not neural feedback damage (like that from Black IC).. enough damage and the Persona Crashes, not the Technomancer himself...

Doesn't that remove one of the primary weaknesses of the Technomancer? I consider the fact that the Matrix is so dangerous for them the sole reason that they should be allowed to have the capability of threading up massive CF ratings.

Yeah... it does... But then again, I am not playing the Technomancer, so I don't really care that much... I am the 5th Wheel, so to speak, I am the Hacker of the Group (well, the Communications Specialist actually, but you know)...