I'm posting this, my House Rules, for those who may be interested. Some of this is scattered on other threads, some of it is new and some of it has been reworded or reassessed.
Wireless Bonuses and Functionality:
Where Dice Pool + are the Wireless bonus and Limit+ is the standard function. Switch them.
Wireless functions that relay information about the Device function the same way if they are connected through DNI (or if they are Cyberware, in which case DNI is automatically assumed). The key example here being the Internal Air tank, however the character must have a method of viewing that information (image link etc). Information that has to have a broadcast element to it remains Wireless.
NOTE: It is assumed that Cyberware Devices are capable of an internal DNI Communication if a degree of logical thought suggests they should be able to do so. Some however may not as GM discretion. For which I propose the following Cyberware addition.
Internal Linking
Availability 3, Cost 500Y, Essence 0.05
These internal fibreoptic-neural overlay bundles allows Direct Cyber Interconnect (DCI) between otherwise unconnected Cyberware throughout the host's body.
Wired Reflexes and Reaction Enhancers stack (like they almost always have) but max out at the +4 Aug. To get them to go beyond this max, then you have to go Wireless (as they begin reacting in “bullet time” fashion with superfast realtime-realspace updates piped through the matrix). However using this interface can cause addiction similar to Hot Sim as it’s the Wires reacting and not You and the sensation could be considered “Overwhelming” or “Godlike” to surpass the limits of Man and Machine.
External Devices may be connected via wired DNI through a Datajack (although a datajack only has 1 cable, so multiple are needed for multiple devices). The Smartlink (for Smartguns) or a Trode Headset for which I am playing as having 2 cables.
A Device that has a Wireless bonus that reduces actions to activate, change-mode, ect gains the same bonus on the DNI wired link (also the Wireless for action reduction only works if you can sent a DNI wireless link if you’re running Wireless.) An Observe in Detail can be used to spot the Wires (Threshold/Conceal set by GM) and a Called Shot may be used to target the Wires to Disconnect the DNI. This cannot be attempted against Smartlink cyberware.
However. To retain some of the Wireless flavour a character may run their Devices Wireless with the following benefits instead: If employing Wireless Active devices then for the same action cost that the Wireless Bonus would have been the Character may Activate/Deactivate etc, a number of Devices = to their Intuition rating. This represents the “Active Assessment Program” governing the Devices and your immediate situation/desires and reacting faster that you’re conscious thoughts (or even instincts). If a device gets bricked though then along with the Hardware repairs the Software must also be reset with Software+Logic [Mental] (DR/1hour) extended test.
(Example, where a Wireless Activation bonus would have lowered a Complex Action to a Simple Action for one piece of ‘Ware, with this rule you can Activate (Intuition) pieces of ‘Ware with that single Simple Action).
New Toys for Getting through the Wired defenses:
So, to keep the Hackers in the game when everyone is running Paranoid and looped fibreoptics everywhere, there are some new gizmo’s to open up the Cyberware and Gear.
Nanite Uplink Intrusion Grenade:
Avail 12F Cost 1,000Y Blast 10m DR6
It’s an expensive way to work but sometimes it’s what is needed. This cylinder is around half the size of a flashbang and delivers a very different payload. Upon detonation this “grenade” releases a cloud of nanites running their own Wireless signal. They physically hack into any Device they come into contact with (an Opposed Device Rating vs Device Rating roll) and open up a Wireless connection. However this only lasts for 1D6 Combat turns before the nanites burn out and the connection drops.
Neural Intruder Transponder SlapPatch:
Avail10R Cost 300Y
Technically a Medical Patch like any other Slap Patch. The NIT activates the Wireless function on a piece of Cyberware. Designed as an emergency measure to allow access to Offline damaged Cyberware it can be used in combat with a “Called shot” action (Sr5 195, [patches rules 450]). This requires the called shot to place the patch either on the Cyberware itself or at a neural pathway (Spine meets neck region). If there is no external cyberware and the nerve trunks are covered then the patch cannot work.
New Cyberware
Jacks-On Five Datajack
Avail (as datajack) Cost 3,000Y Ess 0.2
The Jacks-On Five Datajack functions in all ways like a normal Datajack, but carries Five Fibre-Op cables for hard-linked DNI to Devices.
Smartlink “Elite”
Avail 10R Cost 6,000Y Ess 0.3
The “Elite” series of the ubiquitous smartlink cybernetic upgrade is the hottest must have item for the professional Street Samurai! As a Free Action you can switch between the benefits of +2 Limit or +2 Dicepool while running with wireless turned off. Turning the wireless on and the Elite functions just like a regular smartlink (ie: Both bonuses).
Magic Revisions
Binding as a skill is removed from the Skill Lists and any former uses there of are replaced by the Summoning Skill, Astral Combat becomes part of the Conjuring skill group to replace Binding.
Traditions
Returning to my SR1-3 roots and stepping away from the Universal Magic System
Hermetic Mages cannot buy Mentor Spirits and they must use Bound Spirits instead of simply Summoning to need (note: A Mage may use watchers freely).
Shaman must purchase a Mentor Spirit (at -1 to listed cost) and may not Bind Spirits having to Summon to need instead.
Adepts work as listed in the SR5 core book.
For the Traditions listed in Street Grimoire I'm pretty much wholesale porting in the Bonuses and Negatives from the same Traditions listed in Magic in the Shadows from 3rd Edition.
New use for Banishing
Complex Action "Suppress Focus": The learning and ability that lets a Mage or Shaman banish spirits can also be used to limit the power of an opponents Foci in a similar way to the effects of background count. The Mage or Shaman must be able to see the Focus they are targeting with this action in the Astral Plane. They then roll Magic + Banishing [Astral] vs Willpower + Focus Force. Each net hit Success means that the targeted Focus cannot be used for one round. There are risks with employing banishing in this way however; if the attempt fails the Banisher must resist Drain @ (Target's Net Hits -2) Stun minimum of 2, if the Banisher Glitched (regardless of otherwise success or failure) they suffer drain of (Total Hits-2) Stun minimum of 2. If it's a Critical Glitch then it's Total Hits in Stun minimum of 2. If the attempt to suppress a Focus is made against one with a Greater Force that the Banisher's Magic rating then all Drain is Physical.
Rituals
Every Mage and Shaman begins with the Watcher ritual for free, also the Watcher ritual requires no Reagents or Circle/Lodge and may be performed as a Complex Action. If the Ritualist takes a full minute to summon the Watcher he gains a +2 DP bonus.
Priority B Magic grants an extra Ritual for Free and Priority A grants two extra Rituals for free.
Any Ritual not 'known' by the Shaman or Mage can still be attempted at a -4 DP penalty.
Rituals are otherwise learned normally.
Artificing Rules Update:
Handcrafting Telesma: Use a profession Crafting skill roll (Skill+Logic [Mental] Vs 2xOR) each net hit reduces the OR for the Artificing roll.
Reagents may be spent after the minimum for Foci creation to set limit to a max of 2xFormula Force.
Reagents with Spells and Spirits:
They let you get around Limits of Force etc but they do come in cheap. Cheaper in fact than more common medical compounds and so forth. So…
Reagents now cost 200Y per Dram not 20Y.
Additionally when used in Spell Casting or Summoning rolls the maximum Drams of Reagents you can use is (Base Force x 2) +1. This keeps them Highly useful but prevents abuse of Low Force + LOTS of reagents to circumvent drain entirely but it also means that you’re still now more likely to summon a low force spirit.
Also I have added the Free Action “Use Reagents” as pulling out vials of Dragons tears and clumps of Awakened moss to add to your focusing of ambient mana flow really should be that bit more time consuming than regular casting.
Summoning
Totally taken from suggestions on a thread here: The Summoning Limit is the Astral Limit of the Mage or Shaman and NOT the Force of the Spirit.
Technomancer revisions :
Resonance Library:
Reduce all Fading values by 2 to eliminate the near impossibility of using some of the Complex Forms in opposed rolls without nearly killing the TM.
Submersion and Echoes:
Most remains as is with the following exception.
Resonance [Program] becomes Resonance [Programs]: Pick 3 Programs from the Common or Hacking programs list to copy the effects of whenever you tale this Echo.
This Echo may be taken up to 2 additional times (For a total of 3 giving access to 9 program copies).
New Echoes:
Resonance Harmony [CF]:
With the chosen Complex Form you may choose to take an additional Complex Action to Thread the Complex Form. If you do so you reduce the Fading Value of the CF by 1.
Sprite Sacrifice:
With this Echo, whenever a Technomancer would suffer Fade (after rolling to resist) he may willingly “Crash” (that is decompile/kill) a Non-Registered Sprite he controls (that is with him in the Matrix not on a remote duty) to resist 1 additional point of Fade. Yes this can be done multiple times if you have a lot of sprites with you.
Store Complex Form:
This Echo can be taken Twice. With this Echo a Technomancer can Thread a Complex Form but store the effect in his Virtual Persona for later use (The fading is dealt with at the time of Threading not release so you can Thread, Resist fade, Store and then use without any further risk later) making this Echo a powerful technique. However while a CF is stored in your Persona your Resonance is considered 1 lower. A CF can only be removed from this storage by activating it for it’s already rolled effect or letting it self delete from the Persona (a CF lasts for ½ Resonance in days before it self deletes). A successful storage of a CF can only be attempted once per day for every time you have this Echo (so maximum of 2).
NOTE: Failing to Thread a CF when attempting to use this Echo does not count as a Successful storage, so you can try again but getting a low result CF still counts so you cannot just use it and retry. The ‘day’ is 24hrs after you release the Stored CF.
New Resonance Action:
Facsimile Program
(Complex Action)
Test: Software + Resonance [Data Processing] vs Willpower + Firewall.
Effect: The Technomancer literally weaves the data streams around him into a temporary Facsimile of a Common or Hacking program. The Facsimile Program only lasts until the end of the Technomancer’s next Combat Turn. Each additional Net success after the first add 1 turn to the duration of the Facsimile Program for Common Program’s and every 2 Net successes after the first adds 1 turn duration for Hacking Programs.
These Programs count against the amount a Technomancer may have running at any one time (Device Rating).
New Sprite Service:
Share the Load
Much like sustaining a Sprite Power or Complex Form you may use a single Task for a Sprite to sustain a Program for you, meaning it no longer counts against your maximum number of Programs running. It can sustain this Program for a number of Combat Turns equal to its Level.
You cannot sustain a Facsimile Program with this service.
Some Love for the Cyberdeck and RCC:
Icons, PANs and Overwatch.
Just like the book says you can have Device Rating x3 other devices slaved to a Master (in the form of a CommLink or Cyberdeck) this forms a PAN. However the CyberDeck being the matrix cutting computer marvel that it is can instead of acting as a Master for a device can act as Matrix Overwatch for a number of PANs equal to it’s Device Rating. Each PAN slaved though removes the possibility of 3 individual devices slaved. (Example, a Device Rating 3 Deck can slave 9 devices, 3 PANs, 3 devices and 2 PANs or 6 devices and 1 PAN). Once the defence of the Deck Overwatch has been breached (By a Mark being successfully on a PAN protected by the Deck) the PAN must rely on it’s own defences until the friendly Decker can Erase the unwanted Mark.
Rigging, Decking and Electronic Warfare.
Anyone with access to a Commlink, RCC or a similar device that allows for encoding and access to the Matrix can attempt to protect their Devices and PAN using the coding portion of the Electronic Warfare skill. For Joe Citizen or Johnny Ganger such a thing typically doesn’t even occur to do. To Rent-A-Cop security it’s usually a hassle and expense that is often unwarranted. For higher rated private security, military operations and for Shadowrunners it’s the difference between success and failure.
A character can Encrypt their Device or PAN with an Extended Electronic Warfare + Logic [Fire Wall] roll. Each Hit adds a dice to any defence test for that Device or PAN against Hacking attempts. This roll has an interval of One Hour and the Maximum Hits achievable is [Fire Wall]. Due to the nature of its functionality an RCC has a Maximum Hits of [Fire Wall + Device Rating], this can make an RCC very difficult for a Decker to hack into if the Rigger has the time and talent to set up an EW Encryption.
An EW encryption can be broken with a Complex Matrix action of Electronic Warfare + Logic [Data Processing]. Each Hit reduces the Encryption by 1 until it is broken.
The Encryption is good until broken (it’s rating remains reduced if it has been partially decrypted) or until a new device is added to the RCC PAN or if the PAN is added to a Matrix Overwatch. Under all such cases the Encryption is considered voided and must be re-coded.
Qualities
SIN
In response to some discussions on the Corp SIN quality I present the SINner Negative Quality redux:
SINner (Points variable)
Pick a Base SIN registry and then pick any Extras.
Base SIN registry...
National SIN (3pts): You're in the National SIN Registry, you used to be a 'real' person. Good news is that you can actually buy legit high end goods without needing a Fake SIN, bad news is that anyone trying to identify you through image of biometric data like Fingerprints, Retinal records or so forth can find your real SIN information in the registry. Also any SIN or Credstick readers gain a +1DP vs a Fake SIN if they use any biometric type data. (Yes it's a little gamey vs multiple fake SINs not having a side effect, but it's something). If a SIN burns the your real SIN gets 'flagged' on the system and the attempted "transaction" registers against your actual SIN. The attempted transaction still fails.
Corporate SIN (6pts): It's like having a National SIN only worse. You must pick a Corporation when you take this Negative Quality. Any attempt to identify you if using the same sort of data as above grants a +2DP bonus if the agency has access to or is using the correct Corporate database (automatically assume that any attempt by agents of a Corp have this access). Also the Credtsick/SIN reader bonus vs a Fake SIN jumps to a +3DP when being tested by a Corp affiliated reader (Yep, that means Aztech may spot you in Stuffershack!). If your Fake SIN fails the test then your Real SIN is flagged on the system and the attempted transaction is logged against your Real SIN. The attempted transaction still fails.
Extras:
Corp is Mother, Corp is Father (+3 pts, only if you have Corp SIN): You didn't just Work for the MegaCorp, you were born there, grew up there, your life was Corp. This means your life is stored in the MegaCorp of choice's DataHosts. All of the bonuses listed above increase by +2DP.
Known SINner (+3 pts): You were a 'real' person, mjaybe for a Corp or just a State National. Either way that kind of background make life a little tougher amongst the SINless, it's class discrimination at it's finest. You suffer a Social Dice Pool penalty of -2 when dealing with denizens of the Shadows (not including Contacts of Loyalty 3 or more) who know your character (or of her). This obviously ties in with Reputation.
In For Life (+5 pts): Maybe you were part of a particularly 'exclusive' policlub, maybe you were connected to more sensitive corporate structures or perhaps a government agency called you one of their own. Whatever the case running the shadows is the last place they want you to be. Of course you've managed to hide yourself, the shadows are good for that, but if your SIN gets flagged they will come looking for you. Luckily they want you alive...
Dead Man Walking (+10 pts, cannot take if In For Life is chosen): ... Unless you take this extra instead. You know something, saw something or maybe simply leaving is a death sentence. If you SIN gets flagged then an assassin or kill team will be coming looking for you.
Criminal Activity Recorded (+5pts): Maybe you've got a criminal SIN or you've been arrested before with your Real SIN. If you're trying to purchase Restricted Goods, Be licensed for similar or your data is being scanned by Law Enforcement (KE in Seattle, NYPD Inc in NewYork or any Corporate Security on Corporate Property with extra territoriality) the Opposing Dice Pool gains a +2 Bonus (SIN readers, Data Searches etc).
(More to Come)