Hey all,
I was wondering how other GMs handle hacker v hacker fighting.
Do you utilize mix it up, if so do you use meat or synth? Does the enemy hacker use their own ice to attack the PC (making melt ice the relevant combat move)?
any advice/assistance would be appreciated.
Assuming it’s Mix it Up, you’d need to define “harm as established.” A hacker’s deck has 6 ratings to destroy. Would a single PC attack be able to take out an NPC hacker?
This is something I struggle with a little: Pg. 178-179 of The Sprawl gives different toughness NPCs different “hit points,” which is not something I’ve seen in Apocalypse World, for instance.
When going against an enemy hacker, they’d have presumably 2-6 “hit points” and a deck with 6 “hit points.” That’s what a PC hacker has (6 and 6).
I would also point out that there are no offensive Programs in the rule book, so the PC hacker has no “damage” reference. Here’s what I’ve got…
Black IC can execute three routines. Presumably “the MC chooses 3” means three different routines. Otherwise the Black IC could take a deck out in one Move (repeat “Damage an intruder’s cyberdeck” three times).
So Black IC can destroy a program, do 2 deck damage, and 1-harm AP all in one move. Presumably that’s what a human hacker could pull off, too. Maybe you make a custom move:
Matrix Combat: Roll Plus Synth
10 plus: Choose three to inflict on your opponent
7-9: Choose two to inflict and one to suffer
6 minus: Prepare for the worst
>Damage their cyberdeck (2 ratings reduced)
>Fry their brain (1-harm AP)
>Crash one of their programs
>Trace their icon (Trace plus 3)
>Prevent them from jacking out and trap their mind
>Trigger an alarm
>Identify the hacker behind the icon (if it happens to you, the MC will advance a Corporate Clock)
ALTERNATELY
Create program “weapons” and use Mix it Up. But this requires us to set up how much damage hackers deal and take vis a vis one another.
In this conception of the system, by default, a hacker deals 2 deck damage or 1-harm AP using Mix it Up. They can get a Program that does more damage if they want:
Katana: Deal 3 deck damage when you Mix it Up with a hacker
Blaster: Deal 2-harm AP when you Mix it Up with a hacker
Also by default, a hacker can do stuff that ICE can do like trace or identify (using Assess) and destroy programs (using Mix it Up).
Keep in mind I’m doing just like you: Getting ready to run this game and finding all the resources I can. Maybe a veteran GM here or Hamish Cameron could help better than me.
(Keeping a list of things I’ve collected as missing / needed for 2nd edition / needed for the next update: Vehicle damage rules, Hacker v Hacker matrix combat rules.)
This is the move I wrote for my Shadowrun In the Sprawl hack, and it works pretty well for us.
CYBER COMBAT (EDGE)
When you engage another persona on the grid, in a node, or on a host and unload your attack programs on him, roll Edge.
10+: You have the chance to get something extra from his deck, drives, or system. You can chose to avoid his routines, or you can take [intel] or [paydata].
7+: You force the enemy to jack out, stun him into unconsciousness with biofeedback, or frag his deck, your choice. The enemy runs an IC routine on you.
I usually handle it with MC moves and/or treat the NPC hacker’s avatar as a matrix construct have the Hacker make the Break ICE move. But it this is something that come up a lot, a custom move that really focuses on what you want to see happen in such a conflict might be the way to go.
BTW, see those harm numbers as guidelines, not as NPC hit points, but that’s a conceptualization issue.