Matrix Combat (version 2.1)
Jason J Carter
(carter@ups.edu)
The purpose of these rule modifications are to
remove some of the problems with the
decking rules as presented in Shadowrun.
These problems include, but are not limited to
the ineffectiveness of attacks in the Matrix,
the size and power of the Hacking Pool, and
the "Search for Sixes". The greatest flaw to
this set of rule modifications is that you will
need to own a large number of dice to use
them quickly.
Note: Whenever Computer Skill is
used in this text, the decker may
replace Computer Skill with his
Software Concentration or his
Decking Specialization.
Hacking Pool Modification
The immense size of the Hacking Pool in
proportion to the number of dice rolled made
the pool all to effective. In this system two
things have been done to reduce the
effectiveness of the Hacking Pool. First the
number of dice rolled have been increased.
Secondly, the Hacking Pool has been divided
into two dice pools, the new Hacking Pool
and a Matrix Combat Pool.
Hacking Pool
The Hacking Pool reflects the decker's ability
to modify and fine-tune programs while they
are in use, suppress IC messages, and write
programs on the fly. The number of in the
Hacking Pool is equal to the decker's
Computer Skill (or Software Concentration or
Decking Specialization) multiplied by 1.5
(rounded up). The Hacking Pool may be
used to affect the success of Sensor and
Masking utilities, but not Combat Utilities.
The maximum number of dice that can be
used to affect a program is the Rating of the
program.
Matrix Combat Pool
The Matrix Combat Pool reflects the decker's
ability to react to combat situations in the
Matrix. It can be used to increase the effect
of Combat Utilities, and for Damage
Resistance Test. The number of dice in the
Matrix Combat Pool is equal to the deckers
Reaction. The maximum number of dice
usable to augment a Combat Utility is equal to
that utilities rating, but there is no limit to the
number of dice that can be used on a Damage
Resistance Test.
Matrix Initiative
There are three levels of cyberdeck
command, each with their own advantages
and disadvantages. They are full cybernetic
interface, standard interface, and manual
interface.
Deckers using a full cybernetic interface
receive all bonuses from increased response
on their deck and gain an additional 1d6 on
their initiative rolls. While in full cybernetic
interface, the decker is unaware of his
surroundings and suffers from a +8 penalty to
notice direct physical stimuli that does not
include pain. Pain is always noticed.
Deckers using a standard interface often
utilize keyboards along with their datajacks,
but this is not required. All increase response
bonuses are received while using standard
interface.
A manual interface includes using a
cyberdeck with an electrode net or by
keyboard alone (turtling). While using manual
interface the deckers reaction is halved and
he gains no additional reaction points from
increased response. Additional initiative dice
are still gained.
System Operations
To perform a system operation the decker
must receive more successes than the node.
The decker rolls Computer Skill plus hacking
Pool dice while the system rolls its Security
Rating and adds Node Autosuccesses (See
program execution below). Both are rolling
against a target number of 4 + Mods.
Program Execution
Program execution test and effect test have
been unified into just one die roll. Executing
all but defense utilities is a complex action.
Executing a defense utility is a simple action.
When the target number of a roll is indicated
to be something plus "Mods" this refers to
modifiers to the program execution test. This
include, but are not necessary limited, to
Persona Condition, node overload, and the
presence of a Smoke program. The target
number penalties for overloaded nodes,
loading programs into memory, or uploading
programs from the matrix is only +1 under
these rules.
Node Autosuccesses is not a dice a number of
dice to be rolled, but a number of successes
that a node/IC automatically recieves on any
defensive test. The amount of autosucceses is
determined by the node color. Blue nodes
receive one autosuccess, Green nodes receive
two autosuccesses, Orange nodes receive
three autosuccesses, while Red nodes receive
four autosuccesses.
Combat Utility Execution Test
Target #: 4 + Mods
Dice: Computer Skill + Program
Rating + Matrix Combat
Pool Dice
Damage Resistance Test
Target #: Power - Hardening
Dice: (Persona) Bod/Evasion
Rating + MPCP Rating +
Matrix Combat Pool Dice
(IC) Node Autosuccesses +
Node Security Rating + IC
Rating
Sensor Utility Execution Test
Target #: 4 + Mods
Dice: Sensor Rating + Program
Rating + Hacking Pool Dice
Sensor Resistance Test
Target #: 4 + Mods
Dice: (Node) Node Autosuccesses
+ Node Security Rating (IC)
Node Autosuccesses +
Node Security Rating + IC
Rating (Persona's running
Sleaze use Sleaze execution
test)
Masking Execution Test
Target #: 4 + Mods
Dice: Masking Rating + Program
Rating + Hacking Pool Dice
Masking Resistance Test
Target #: 4 + Mods
Dice: (IC) Node Autosuccesses +
Node Security Rating + IC
Rating
Grey IC Execution Test
Target #: 4 + Mods
Dice: Node Autosuccesses +
Node Security Rating + IC
Rating
IC Modifications
IC Defenses
IC has three different types of defense;
Standard, Shifting, and Hardened. Only one
form of defense may be on any piece of IC.
Standard Defense is the default defense,
which most IC uses. It gives the IC Hardening
equal to one-half of it's Rating (rounding up).
Shifting Defense utilizes a variety of different
defensive routines to increase the IC's ability
of defend itself. Increase it's Rating to 1.5
times normal for defending against any
Combat Utility that does not have the Area
Effect Modification. Hardening is 1/2 Rating
(round up).
Hardened Defense increases the tightness of
the IC code making it more difficult for
Combat Utilities to affect the IC. It's
Hardening Rating is 3/4 it's Rating (round up)
unless the attacking Utility has the Penetration
Modification, in which case Hardening is 1/2
Rating (round up).
IC using Shifting or Hardened Defense
increase their Rating by one for purposes of
determining Load.
WHITE IC
Access IC
No modifications. Load: 1/2 Rating (round
down)
Barrier IC
No modifications. Load: 1/2 Rating (round
down)
Probe IC
Probe IC (including Black IC) double their
rating when rolling to defeat the
sleaze program. Load: Rating
Scramble IC
When attempting to download a scrambled
file, the system rolls a number of dice equal to
the scramble rating verses target number 4.
Add the number of successes to the node's
successes on the system operation test. Load:
1/2 Rating (round down)
GREY IC
Acid IC
Use Evasion to resist this IC. Every net
success reduces the cyberdeck's Bod by one,
to a minimum of one. Power is the IC rating.
Load: Rating
Binder IC
Use Evasion to resist this IC. Every net
success reduces the cyberdeck's Evasion by
one, to a minimum of one. Power is the IC
rating. Load: Rating
Blaster IC
Blaster IC performs exactly like Killer IC
Moderate until it crashes a persona. When
the persona crashes the Blaster IC rolls dice
equal to its Rating versus Target Number 4 +
Mods. The cyberdeck rolls dice equal to its
MPCP rating versus a Target number of Blaster
Rating minus Hardening. Calculate the
damage starting at Moderate and staging up
or down for net successes. The number of
boxes of damage done is the number of
MPCP Rating points permanently lost. Load:
1.5x Rating
Jammer IC
Use Evasion to resist this IC. Every net
success reduces the cyberdeck's Sensor by
one, to a minimum of one. Power is the IC
rating. Load: Rating
Killer IC
The damage of Killer IC is calcuated just like
an attack in melee combat. The power is
equal to the IC rating and the base damage is
determined by the IC itself. Killer IC comes in
Light, Moderate, Serious, and Deadly
varieties, each with their own Load Ratings.
Use the Bod rating of the deck to resist
damage. Load: 1/2 Rating (L), Rating (M),
1.5x Rating (S), 2x Rating (D)
Marker IC
Use Evasion to resist this IC. Every net
success reduces the cyberdeck's Masking by
one, to a minimum of one. Power is the IC
rating. Load: Rating
Tar Baby IC
No modifications. Load: Rating
Tar Pit IC
No modifications. Load: 1.5x Rating
Trace IC
The Trace IC makes a Grey IC Execution test
will the decker rolls dice equal to deck
Masking Rating + Computer Skill versus target
number 4. If the Trace gets positive net
successes, divide the successes into 10 to
determine the number of turns the Trace will
take.
Trace and Report
No other modifications. Load: 1/2 Rating
(round down)
Trace and Dump
No other Modifications. Load: Rating
Trace and Burn
The decker may not use Matrix Combat Pool
dice to defend himself from the Blaster part of
this program. Load: 1.5x Rating
Black IC
No general modifications. Load: 2x Rating
Hanging Tough
The black IC rolls dice equal to its Rating
while the decker makes a Computer Skill test,
both versus a target number of 4 + Mods. If
the black IC receives positive net successes, it
delivers damage to the decker as if it were
Killer IC of the same rating. The decker may
resist the damage with his Body (or
Willpower if the black IC was set to stun).
Hardening still protects the decker, but the
Shield Utility does not.
Jacking Out
The decker rolls Computer Skill plus
Willpower Rating dice while the black IC rolls
Rating dice, both versus a target number of 4
+ Mods. If the decker rolls more successes
than the black IC he jacks out and must resist
4M Stun Damage. If the black IC receives
more successes, it prevents the decker from
jacking out. The attack preceeds as under
Hanging Tough, but the decker does not get
to make a Computer Skill test. Say ouch!
Expert IC
Expert IC comes in three levels. Each level
increases the IC's effective Rating by one,
adds 1d6 to it's initiative, and increases Load
by the Expert level minus one.
UTILITIES
Combat Utilities
-
Attack Program
-
Deckers use Bod to defend themselves from
this program. The power of this program is
the program Rating. Base damage level is
determined by the program design. Light
damage increases the program Rating by 1
for determining size. Moderate damage
increases by 2, Serious by 3, and Deadly by 5.
-
Blind Program
-
Deckers use Evasion to defend themselves
from this program. The power of this
program is the decker's Computer Skill. Every
two net successes reduces the target's Sensor
Rating by 1, to a minimum of 1.
-
Hog Program
-
Deckers use Evasion to defend themselves
from this program. The power of this
program is the decker's Computer Skill. To
determine if a hog program stays hidden in
the deck, roll the program rating dice and the
deck's MPCP Rating in dice, both versus
target number 4. If the hog receives one net
success it stays hidden. The decker may run a
check with a simple action, in which case he
may add Hacking Pool dice to the MPCP roll.
-
Poison Program
-
Deckers use Evasion to defend themselves
from this program. The power of this
program is the decker's Computer Skill. Every
two net successes reduces the target's Bod
Rating by 1, to a minimum of 1.
-
Restrict Program
-
Deckers use Evasion to defend themselves
from this program. The power of this
program is the decker's Computer Skill.
Every two net successes reduces the target's
Evasion Rating by 1, to a minimum of 1.
-
Reveal Program
-
Deckers use Evasion to defend themselves
from this program. The power of this
program is the decker's Computer Skill.
Every two net successes reduces the
target's Masking Rating by 1, to a minimum
of 1.
-
Slow Program
-
Power is the program rating.
Defense Utilities
-
Armor Program
-
No modifications.
-
Cloak Program
-
No modifications.
-
Medic Program
-
No modifications.
-
Mirrors Program
-
No modifications.
-
Restore Program
-
To restore the rating of a persona program,
roll Rating Dice plus Hacking Pool versus
target number 4 + Mods. Then roll dice equal
to the program or IC rating that did the
damage, also versus target number 4. Each
net success restores one rating point to the
reduced persona program.
-
Shield Program
-
The rating of the shield program is added to
the deck's hardening Rating.
-
Smoke Program
-
No modifications.
Sensor Utilities
-
Analyze Program
-
No Modifications.
-
Browse Program
-
No modifications.
-
Decrypt Program
-
No modifications.
-
Evaluate Program
-
No modifications.
-
Scanner Program
-
No modifications.
-
Shift Program
-
No modifications.
Masking Utilities
-
Deception Program
-
Once a Deception program defeats a
particular piece of IC, the decker will not be
bothered by that piece of IC until the alarm
level changes. Once the alarm level changes
(from standard to passive or passive to active)
it will be necessary to redefeat every piece of
IC in the system.
-
Relocate Program
-
No modifications.
-
Sleaze Program
-
Sleaze is a sustained program. When
activated the decker makes the execution test
and records the number of successes. From
then until the decker drops the sleaze,
whenever the decker encounters a piece of
IC, it makes its detection test. If it receives
more successes than the sleaze did when it
was activated, it detects the decker. While
using a sleaze program the decker may not
perform system operations, use combat
utilities, or use sensor utilities other than
Analyze or Scanner. Doing any of these voids
the program and renders the persona visible
to all IC and personas in the node.
PROGRAM OPTIONS
Area-Effect
Area Effect negates the bonus of Shifting IC,
but causes IC with Hardened Defense to roll
1.5 times Rating Dice in their damage
resistance test. The ability to attack multiple
targets is the same as in Virtual Realities.
Link
No change.
Mobility
No change.
One-Shot
No change.
Penetration
Penetration negates the extra Hardening
received by IC with hardened defense, but
increases the Hardening of IC with Shifting
Defense to 3/4 Rating.
Staging
Staging has been incorporated as a
mandatory part of the Attack Utility.
Flygrams
The number of Hacking Pool dice required for
a flygram is equal to the sum from 1 to the
desired program rating. Flygrams may not
benefit from Hacking Pool dice, but they may
benefit from Matrix Combat Pool dice. The
following chart is provided for your use.
Program Rating Hacking Dice
1 1
2 3
3 6
4 10
5 15
***End of File***
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