[Sudo] Netrunner/hack

An alternative ruleset for Netrunning in Cyberpunk 2020

Re: New netrunner looking for advice

Alright, newbie, I know where you’re coming from. I’ve read a lot on the net from posers
(and there’s a lot of ‘em out there) who think they know all about netrunning. Trying to explain it
like some 2D grid-game with technobabble from the ‘80s that leaves you more confused than
when you knew nothing about netrunning. Stuffit, all of it. They don’t know the first thing about
netruns. Their way is obtuse, esoteric, and the rest of your gang will hate your guts for being so
pretentious about it and wasting their time. These old-school punks are just trying to keep you
out of the scene because they hate competition. Sure, netrunning is hard and dangerous, but it
is a lot more abstract. And I can teach you how.
First thing to know about netrunning is that even with the hottest cyberdeck with bleeding
edge tech, you’re never, ever going to be able to think as fast as a machine can. The machine
brain is still exponentially faster than yours, simply because your wetware has built in limitations.
Just the way you were born, choomba, nothing you can do about it. Give the computer enough
time, it will reach a solution to you. It might have to try a million possibilities before it finds one
that works, but believe me, it will find one. But you do have one critical edge over a computer
thanks to that chemical CPU that came hardwired into you: non-standard operation. Y’know,
creativity.
Computer programs act in static ways. They will never do anything outside of their
programming. To counteract this, their developers write huge amounts of code to help a
computer figure out a solution to a problem it doesn’t know how to deal with by trial and error,
but it isn’t true learning and it certainly isn’t creative. Your brain doesn’t work like that: you can
pick out patterns immediately, come up with a completely new idea on the fly, and, frankly, glitch
the system. You know how your brain needs an interface plug to understand computer data
streams? It works both ways. Cyberdecks can’t translate brainwaves to code one-to-one, so,
yeah, technically you can think so hard you can break the limits of what is possible. Don’t
question it. It might save your grey matter someday, black hat.
Just remember this rule of thumb: humans are clever, but slow; protocols are dumb, but
fast. Got it? Good. Now that we’ve got all that out of the way, let’s get close to metal.

Step 1: Tools of the Trade

First thing any netrunner needs is an ​interface plug​. Standard cyberware, you know the
stuff. Plenty of people have ‘em without netrunning. If you’re squeamish about it, ‘trodes are an
option, but the extra layer of communication will slow you down, and that’s a dangerous game to
play, tourist. I’ll get more into that later.
Second thing. You already know by now, don’t you? A ​cyberdeck​,​ ​or ​deck​ for short.
Comes in a lot of flavors, all of them dubiously legal at best with a price point to match. Sure,
they get marketed as a way for people to experience the net in an immersive way, but we all
know what they’re really being used for. Decks cost 1000eb for a new stock model, and 500eb
for a used model. Used models still work, but suffer a permanent -1 penalty to speed, -2 MU,
and -1 penalty to code wall: these affect the caps for all of these stats. Gonna want to get your
hands on a new one as soon as you can.

Deck Statistics
● Speed​: How good your CPU is. 0 by default, and running you 2000eb per point
for better speeds, to a max of 5. An important note here is that your speed can
get damaged by anti-system programs, and probably will at some point. If your
speed goes below 0, your deck is in rough shape, but still operational, and can
be fixed with a normal cyberdeck design check, repairing 1 point and taking an
hour, and can be repeated up to its original maximum speed. Once it hits -5
though? Your deck is bricked. Time to pony up for a new one, or if you’re cheap
and know a techie you can have it repaired with a hard cyberdeck design check
and paying for replacement parts (½ of your CPU’s cost, 500 for a 0 Speed
CPU), but your deck won’t ever run like it used to (the deck takes a permanent -1
penalty to speed that stacks with it being used, if it is).
● Memory​: ​MU​ for short. You get 10 units in a stock model, with the option to
improve it by another 10 units (20 total) for 5000eb. This is your onboard
hard-drive, and stores your data and any programs you want to have on hand.
● Data Wall​: Essentially, your deck’s digital health. This starts at 2, with hardened
data walls going up to 10, costing you 1000eb per point. This protects your CPU
from damage. When you or your deck is hit by a program’s attack in the net, you
subtract the damage from this first, whether it is targeting your deck or you.
Once it is spent, any remaining damage goes on to hurt your speed -- or your
brain. It is spent until you take the time to repair it. Repairing this damage much
easier than damage to your CPU: you just have to ungarble the code with a
normal difficulty programming check, taking 1 hour per point of data wall
restored, up to its maximum.

Deck Chassis
Probably one of the most important choices you’ll make about your deck.
● Standard Deck​: This is your run of the mill deck. Big, bulky desk models, which
have no additional cost. They’re cheap, but for reasons you’ll soon find out
they’re pretty limiting. Hope you’ve got a ride big enough to cart this and you
around with a generator to power it.
● Portable Deck​: This is what separates serious netrunners from tourists. These
bad boys are small enough to be carried on your person, which is what you want
for optimal netrunning. They have a 4 hour battery life, and can be recharged at
a 1 hour recharge for 1 hour battery life ratio. These run you 2000eb, but trust
me, it’s worth it.
 ● Combat Assault Decks​: When you run with Solos, this is your chassis of
choice. Portable (with all the rules of a portable deck), rugged (20SP, but I
wouldn’t go around using your deck as a shield), and expensive to match.
3000eb.
● Cellular Decks​: This model of portable deck uses cellular signals to access the
net instead of a plug but it has a jack for regular lines, just in case. Great for
netrunning on the run, but if you’re moving too fast, in a moving vehicle for
instance, you might lose signal and be dropped out of the net (25% chance),
which means dumpshock for you. Totally useless where you can’t get signal, like
out in the boonies. 4000eb.

Deck Options
And then there are the additional bells and whistles.
● Keyboards​: If even ‘trodes seem like too much or you don’t have an interface
jack for some reason, there is always good old fashioned keyboard jockeying.
While this will keep a malicious program from frying your brain (any program that
attempts to target the netrunner fails, though your referee might decide there are
other consequences), it is slow. Slow enough for you to be at a serious
disadvantage, which won’t keep your brain safe when a program traces you and
sends a security team to find you. Using a keyboard imposes a -4 penalty to
your speed, and every command takes 3 turns to execute instead of 1, with the
effect happening on the last turn. It has its uses, but most netrunners consider it
a bad tradeoff. I certainly do. 100eb.
● Videoboard​: This is a video screen that displays what you see on the net. A
cute addition, but not necessary by any means. Runs 100eb per square foot of
display.
● Printers​: Seriously, do I have to explain this? It prints physical copies of
documents, right from the deck. Useful if your MU is full of programs and you
don’t have a lot of spare data space, or whomever you’re giving the data to is old
fashioned. 300eb for the unit, not counting costs for ink and the medium you
print it on.
● Chipreader​: Your standard chip slot, for standard datachips. Another option for
data storage when your onboard is running low in MU. Chipreaders run 100eb,
and datachips run 10eb each. Just don’t plug your reflex or memory chips in
there and accidentally overwrite them.
● Voxbox​: Small speakers, built into the deck. Terrible if you want to listen to
music, good if you want someone to hear audio files you’re accessing on the
system, and great if you want to talk to your team while your mind is in the net,
because your body is lights out when you’re jumped in. 300eb well spent, unless
you’re anti-social.
● Scanner​: The opposite of a printer. It takes a scan of a document and makes a
digital image copy. 100eb to 300eb, depending on the quality and size.
 There you have it. Salivating yet? Don’t, you’ll damage the deck. Sticker shock? No
one said netrunning was cheap, they just said it pays well. Hope you like kibble while you’re
saving up for a deck. And there is one thing to consider if you opted for a standard table model
or a cellular deck if you want to use the cellular bit -- and if you don’t, why did you buy it? You’ll
need a Live Link Up.

Live Link Up
To get a ​Live Link Up​ (​LLU​ for short) for your device is a simple process. Call up the
Internet Phone Company, give them the information they want: a name, address, serial number
of your device, and associated CredChip account that is legitimate (but definitely not your’s) or a
good enough fake to pass muster (you know a fixer, right?), and wait for the background check
to clear. Doesn’t take long, usually just long enough for your money to clear, and whammo,
you’re ready to go live.
The service costs 30eb a month, plus extra for .20eb per net turn for long distance
connections -- connections outside your local citygrid. While you might be tempted to skip your
bill because, hey, they’re really billing some dead chump, don’t even think about it. Your
account is your lifeline, and if you pay in full the Internet Phone Company doesn’t look too hard
into your activities, unless you really screw up and get caught with some very illegal data. They
might go to the wrong address to find you at the first bounced bill, but trust me, they will find
you. They will get their pound of flesh, one way or another. On this subject and only this
subject do I and those idiots giving you bad info on netrunning agree: don’t try to pull a fast one
on the biggest corporation in the world.
Now you may have noticed I didn’t say this was necessary for any other deck. While you
certainly can get a LLU for your portable deck, you got a portable deck to do your netrunning by
sneaking onsite and plugging into the internal network. It’s better for a lot of reasons other than
it being service charge free, but if you get pinched security will be on you in seconds rather than
minutes. High risk, high reward. That’s why you’ll want a good team in case things don’t go
your way.
Once you’ve got all that sorted, all you need is programs, and we’re ready to netrun.

Step 2: Tricks of the Trade

The Basics
Now to the real deal. Netrunning proper. No need for stupid neon-tube dungeons. You
just have to know where the individual network of linked devices and computers (called a
System)​ is, then get a connection to that system through your LLU or jacking in locally and you
can start some rolls. While you technically don’t need an Interface skill to netrun, you’d be at a
serious disadvantage if you didn’t have it. The calculation looks a little something like this:

INT + Interface Skill + Speed + 1d10 + Loop Length Penalty vs. Target Difficulty
 Simple, right? Obviously things are a little deeper, but yeah, that’s the basics of it.
Almost every roll in the net is this calculation. Let me explain some terms and concepts.
Remember back when I said that standard decks were pretty limiting? ​Loop Length
Penalty​ is what I was talking about. The physical distance between you and the thing you’re
trying to connect to has an effect on how quickly information travels from your deck to the
system, and vise versa. While to you 180ms of response time between you and the server
across the city you’re trying to crack might not seem like much, but to a computer that’s time. A
lot of time, actually, and being fast is the name of the game here. Loop length penalties are as
follows:

+0 Within internal network

-1 Within local block
-2 Within local citygrid
-3 Within local region
-5 Worldnet
-8 Orbitsville

See what I mean? The further away you are from your target, the more difficult it is to
get done what you want. As the saying goes: people don’t kill people; lag kills people. There is
a catch, though: the closer you are to your target means a higher risk of being discovered by
boots on the ground and the faster they find you if you’re pinched. It is a balancing act,
chombotta. Only the best with the hottest decks can even try to crack a system on the Crystal
Palace.
Now, target difficulty comes in two flavors: protocols (your standard built-in security
routines) and netrunners. What, did you think you were the only one out there? Crime lords
and corporations alike hire netrunners to patrol their networks. Both netrunners and protocols
want to stop you, and one of them even has a financial incentive to do so. We’ll cover those
shortly, but first let’s get you familiar with how you operate in the net: the menu.

The Menu
The calculation above is how you decide whether or not succeed and what you want to
do, but what are you succeeding at? That’s the ​Menu​: the actions you can take in the net,
called ​Commands​. You can only take actions when you’re in the net: if you're not connected,
your commands aren’t going to get received by or affect anything. In the net, you get to issue
one command a turn; the same holds true for Protocols and other Netrunners, but hold up,
console cowboy. Before you get rolling you should know there are two approaches: fast and
loud, or slow and quiet.
When in any system, you are probably wanting to fly under the radar. That’s called
being ​Slow and Quiet​. The upside is you get to make a special command that isn’t available
on the menu normally: Conceal. You roll once and compare the result against the strongest
protocol in the system and an opposing roll from every netrunner in that system (you get a +5
bonus against protocols; netrunners are wise to your ways and can more easily find intruders,
so you don’t get the +5 bonus against them). Passing this check means that your next action
and its resulting effects can be conducted without alerting the powers that be that something is
wrong (the issuing of the conceal command never raises an alarm regardless of success or
failure, but if you fumble the roll your ref might decide otherwise). This also means that
everything takes twice as long: you issue a Conceal command, then another menu command.
Wash, rinse, repeat until you’ve done what you wanted to, or you trip an alarm and are now
going fast and loud.
If you don’t pass a menu command you take or don’t take the conceal command
beforehand because you don’t have the realspace time or desire to take it slow, you’re now
going ​Fast and Loud​. Thing to know about this is there’s no going back: once you’re exposed,
you can’t try the conceal command again in that system until it has been reset by an admin.
When you are going fast and loud, any protocol or netrunner in the system is aware of
your presence, and expect them to not be too happy about it. It also goes without saying that
an alarm somewhere is tripped and a security team has been alerted to the intrusion, and a log
has been set up to record the details of your actions in their system for later use. The silver
lining is at least you don’t have to waste turns trying to hide.
Now that we’ve covered that, here are your menu commands. To successfully execute a
command, you have to pass a check against the target of your command. Generally that is the
system’s strongest protocol, but if you’re using the use program command it is the specific
protocol you’re targeting or if it is a netrunner it is an opposed roll against them.

● Conceal​: As discussed above. This allows your next action to be hidden from
protocols and other netrunners in the system, but can’t be taken if you’re going
fast and loud. This action is always considered to be hidden, so you don’t need
to conceal command your conceal command. That would be dumb.
● Log On/Off​: Your first action in any system, assuming you didn’t conceal first.
This allows you access to the system -- you don’t need to pass a check to log on,
you just do it. This command also logs you out: when you attempt to log out, roll
a straight 1d10. If the result is a 3 or higher, you’re out of the system. Lower,
and you’re still stuck in. Be careful, though: the nastier protocols and netrunners
will deploy programs to try to keep you stuck in the system.
● Locate Remote​: This command reveals things in the physical world that the
system controls: doors, security cameras, turrets. Once you know they are there,
you can use a program to control them.
● Analyze Entities​: This identifies other entities on the system: Protocols, Users,
and other Netrunners (assuming they aren’t running Slow and Quiet themselves,
that is). You learn how many and their device/user names. You can select one
of those entities and learn some info about them, if you so choose. You can
analyze an entity as many times as you like, learning a new piece of information
(or something you already have if you’re just that forgetful) each time.
○ For Protocols, learn one of the following per use of analyze entities: target
difficulty, the rate its target difficulty increases per turn once it is active,
the commands it issues when is active (one command in sequence at a
 time, and it tells you what program it runs with the run program command
when it gets to it), or it’s current code wall value.
○ For Users, you learn the device they’re using, what they’re currently doing
in the system, and what security rights they have in the system.
○ For Netrunners, things are more difficult. You will need to make a
contested interface roll with the target to see if you glean any information
this attempt. If you are successful, you learn one of the following: CPU
Speed, current Code Wall, contents of it’s MU, or their Loop Length
Penalty. If you fail, you don’t get anything.
● Run Program​: This activates one of the programs you have loaded on your
deck, and don’t worry, I’ll go over the details when I talk about programs later.
They have a lot of uses, but most of them are used to attack either a protocol or
another netrunner’s critical systems.
● Search​: This gives you a list of all files stored on the system, including programs.
● Create​: This allows you to make a dedicated space for a new data file, either on
the system or a deck, for you to transfer file data into or edit. You can’t use this
to create a friendly program or protocol on a system.
● Copy​: This allows you to copy files on the system to another file, either on the
system or your deck, if you’ve got the MU for it. Programs and protocols have
special code written into them which makes them immune to this command, so
don’t even bother.
● Erase​: This allows you to delete files on the system or on your deck. Make sure
you made a copy first if you needed it. Again, programs and protocols are
immune to this one and you’ll have to bust out your own programs to make them
inoperable.
● Read​: This allows you to access a files contents -- text, image, audio, video, etc,
taking a look at anything is this. Don’t sass me that you don’t read an audio
recording, it is just the term the menu uses when you access a file, wiseass.
● Edit​: This allows you to change things in a file. Use your imagination. But yeah,
again, in case you thought it would be easy, programs and protocols are immune
to this.
Alright, that’s it. But I think you know it isn’t that easy. Just like breaking into someone’s
house, people want to keep you out, and have ways of doing so. Let’s go over that next.

The Opposition
Ah, yes. What a place the net would be without these jagoffs ruining it for everyone.
You’re going to have to face these one way or another, and knowing their strengths and
weaknesses is the difference between getting paid or having your friends get paid when they
turn what’s left of you into a body bank, so pay attention. Protocols and netrunners. And users,
I guess, but that’s a little different. Let’s do protocols first.
Remember that mantra taught you? Humans are clever, but slow; protocols are dumb,
but fast? This is where it all matters. Every system you can get your little netrunning fingers
into has special security measures and automated routines built into the system’s operating
system called ​Protocols​ that help propagate the system, check for intrusion, and deal with
offenders. If you’re very unlucky, there are multiple protocols keeping a system secure. Your
target difficulty for a protocol is a static number, based on how good the protocol is. Your
mom’s personal computer? Easy, 10 difficulty. A boosterganger’s jury-rigged camera system?
Normal, 15 difficulty. A corporate office’s mag locked security operation network? Hard, 20
difficulty. You get the idea. Well, that is that’s the starting point, at least.
Protocols are dumb, but fast. Once a protocol has detected something is wrong (I.E.,
you're going fast and loud), it starts deploying more and more sophisticated means of taking you
down. They will check every possible answer they have, and you can bet one of them will work,
and once they have one, they’ll brute force a better one based on it. Once you’re going fast and
loud in the system, any protocols in the system have their target difficulty increased each turn at
the end of the round, depending on how sophisticated the protocol is: anywhere from 1 to 3
levels a turn.
You can see how this can get out of hand quickly, and simply jacking in and out won’t
reset it: it is likely to keep rising until someone with master admin rights comes into the system
to take a look and puts things back to normal. The upside is that protocols are dumb. They
operate in predefined patterns and can’t get creative. They will follow the exact same pattern of
menu commands that were written into its code, so if you’re smart you’ll use that to your
advantage. When they reach the end of their sequence, they merely go back to the top and
repeat it. Find out what the protocol for a system does and how it operates, and you can hinder
it before it starts. Destroy its program and whenever the protocol tries to use it in its sequence
of actions it will waste its turn trying to activate a program that isn’t there anymore. Sometimes
clever network admins put multiple versions of a critical program into a system to help prevent
this from happening. Each protocol in a system acts independently (if there is more than one),
so be careful when you’re getting into a system owned by someone with a lot of eurobucks to
throw around.
Protocols have a code wall stat like you do, but unlike your deck their code wall is
generally massive, ranging from 5 to 20, depending on how good it is. When a protocol runs out
of code wall, the protocol is so fragged up it crashes -- it is down, it can no longer take actions,
and you’re now rolling against the next strongest protocol. Once every protocol in the system is
down, the system itself crashes, as protocols are critical to a system’s function. When the
system crashes, you and every other netrunner in the system can immediately make a Log
On/Off command to get out safely. If you don’t make it out, you get shunted out as the
connection drops and suffer dumpshock. It’s often smarter to disable the programs a protocol
runs instead of destroying it.
Here’s an example of what a protocol looks like, stat wise:
Booster Gang Garage Security System Protocol
● Base Target Difficulty: 15
● Target Difficulty increase: 1 per turn
● Code Wall: 8/8
● Action Sequence:
○ Run Program: Bloodhound
 ○ Run Program: Murphy
○ Run Program: Flatline
○ Run Program: Murphy
○ Run Program: Flatline

If what you’re dealing with is another netrunner, the target difficulty is an opposed check.
They essentially the same one as you: a calculation based on their skill and their deck, only
have one action a turn, but they have some advantages. They’re almost always on the local
network, likely have a better deck than you, and they certainly know the system better than you.
They don’t get better each turn like protocols, but they are better able to deal with the
information at hand and decide which menu action is best to execute and what program is best
to use. On the bright side they are almost always going fast and loud and you’ll know they are
there. Because they have security rights granted by a system’s admin they don’t trigger the
system’s defenses, so system’s protocols aren’t constantly rising until you screw up and get
pinched.
Lastly, there’s Users. They’re, you know, users on the system who are doing things from
an old fashioned terminal via keyboard and mouse (or if they’re thinking they’re clever and
trendy, using ‘trodes), from your entry level corp drone to top level COO. They won’t notice
you’re even there unless you go out of your way to make yourself visible to them, generally by
mucking with something they’re actively doing. They can’t really do much to you, either, outside
of raising an alarm to get the protocol or netrunners on your case. Depends on their in system
security rights, really. If you’re good enough and have the right program you might be able to
hijack a user account, but it’s usually a waste of time unless you’re trying to frame someone --
anything you could do through a user account you can probably do better through your Menu
commands.

Turns and Initiative

Turns in the net are the same amount of time in the real world: 3 seconds. Now I hear
you whinging “but I thought things are supposed to be fast on the net!” They are fast. Just try
typing out all the lines of code for the command you want to run on a keyboard, then compare
how fast it is using neural interface. There’s a lot going on under the hood, so 3 seconds an
action is faster than you think. It also conveniently lines up with turns in the real world, making it
easier to work netrunning into real world things. Why did I mention that? Don’t worry about it,
but trust me, your Referee will thank me. What’s a Referee? Stop asking questions and just go
with it.
Anyhow, in the net, who goes first? When you’re going slow and quiet, it doesn’t matter:
as long as you pass your conceal command, no one knows you’re there and they can’t do
anything against a threat they’re not aware of. But once you’re going fast and loud, then you
and every other netrunner in the network will make a net initiative check, which is, you guessed
it, the same calculation you use for everything. Protocols act on an initiative based on their
target difficulty (and remember, that increases every turn). Highest goes first, obviously, and
that can mean the difference between a fistfull of eurobucks and being the proud new owner of
an exploded head.

Dumpshock
The last thing you need to know is that there are consequences for being suddenly and
unceremoniously dumped out of the net, generally called ​dumpshock ​by edgerunners. This
happens when you’re forced out of the net without using the log on/off command, which is the
result of the action of a program, your deck getting bricked, or someone has severed your
connection to the system you’re in (such as someone pulling your interface plug out of the jack
your connected to).
The strain on your body is non-lethal, but very disorienting. You’re dazed for 3d6-BTM
minimum 1 turns while your body and mind readjusts to realspace, dealing with the worst
migraine you’ve ever had -- and you’re probably going to throw up. Make sure you miss your
deck when you’re blowing chunks. While it’s unpleasant, it’s often better than staying
connected to a system you can’t get out of through the log on/off command. Remember:
professional netrunners never run alone, they always have someone in meatspace keeping an
eye on them.
That’s all you need to know about how to operate in the net. Now onto the last thing you
need to actually be successful: programs.

Step 3: Programs and You

If you think of your deck as your weapon, ​programs​ are your ammunition. These allow
you to do all sorts of things, most of them nasty. When you use the run program command and
pass the check, either the static difficulty of a protocol or an opposed roll against another
netrunner, your program executes, does its thing, then ends. If you fail, your program fails to
execute. In either case your program isn’t deleted, you still have it to use later.
Programs have a cost, MU, code wall, target, and effect. When a program runs out of
code wall, it is destroyed forever and cannot be used anymore, but hey, at least you’re now free
to rewrite the MU it was taking up. While they have generally understood names and looks in
netspace, whomever wrote the program can put in whatever style they want to.
Now you might be thinking that it’d be real swell if you could buy a program, then copy it
and never have to buy it again if it gets erased. Unfortunately, most programs have copy
protection that deletes the program if you try to copy it. I’ve heard of some programmers doing
this successfully, but it’s apparently pretty difficult (a very hard programming check). Any
programs you create, however, can be copied at your leisure, unless you were dumb enough to
put the copy protection in your own custom, personal programs.
When you load your deck up with the programs you want (and can afford) and begin
your netrun, you’re locked in to those programs. To change them out, you’ll have to disconnect
from the system and log back in after switching them out, and it takes 1 turn to switch out a
program chip for another one. Also, you can only use programs loaded on to your deck -- you
can’t hijack programs in a system; they are protected by the protocol with special subroutines
that make them impossible to access by anything but protocols.
 List of Standard Programs
● Bloodhound
○ Cost: 700eb
○ MU: 3
○ Code Wall: 5
○ Target: Deck
○ Effect: This program attempts to trace the physical location of a netrunner by
figuring out where their deck is. Roll 1d10 against the current value of the
targeted deck’s Data Wall. If you roll above the value, Bloodhound has found the
deck’s location and will send that data on to predetermined recipients.

● Pittbull
○ Cost: 780eb
○ MU: 6
○ Code Wall: 2
○ Target: Deck & Netrunner
○ Effect: A modified version of Bloodhound, Pitbull traces the deck’s location the
same way Bloodhound does. Once it has identified the location of the deck and
has sent the information on, it then severs the connection between the deck and
the system, causing the netrunner to be dropped from the net and suffer
dumpshock. It then stays active and prevents further connections from that LLU
and Cybermodem address until the system is reset by an admin or is directed to
trace a new intruder.

● Flatline
○ Cost: 570eb
○ MU: 2
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Deck
○ Effect: This program attempts to destroy the interface chip in a deck, doing 1d6/2
damage.

● Krash
○ Cost: 570eb
○ MU: 2
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Protocol
○ Effect: Attacking the subroutines of a system, Krash attempts to bring down a
protocol by injecting malicious code, doing 1d6/2 damage.

● Murphy
 ○ Cost: 600eb
○ MU: 2
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Deck
○ Effect: Murphy causes a slew of applications to open all at the same time,
flooding a netrunner with useless windows. The targeted netrunner has to spend
1d6/3 turns closing these applications on their turn before they can do anything
else. Protocols are unaffected; they don’t run through applications.

● Virizz
○ Cost: 600eb
○ MU: 2
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Programs
○ Effect: This program is a virus that attacks programs at 1d6/2 damage per
execution against a program of your choice.

● Viral 15
○ Cost: 590eb
○ MU: 2
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Programs
○ Effect: This program attempts to erase a randomly determined program either on
a netrunner’s deck or in the files of a system. Roll an appropriately sized dice to
determine what it targets, rerolling on a non-result. Does 1d6 damage to
programs. A targeted file is deleted outright.

● Killer
○ Cost: 1480eb
○ MU: 5
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Program, Protocol
○ Effect: Killer is a universal program for defeating programs or protocols.
Straightforward, simple, effective. 1d6 damage.

● Stun
○ Cost: 6000eb
○ MU: 3
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: This program sends a jolt of power through the interface jack and into the
target’s nervous system, causing them to be stunned for 1d6 turns.
● Hellbolt
○ Cost: 6750eb
○ MU: 4
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: Like Stun, but instead of just giving the target seizures, it causes
damaging muscle contortions. Does 1d10 damage to the netrunner per normal
damage rules, but there’s no amount of armor plating you can wear that can give
you SP against this.

● Sword
○ Cost: 6250eb
○ MU: 3
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: A less powerful version of Hellbolt, this does 1d6 damage per normal
damage rules.

● Brainwipe
○ Cost: 6500eb
○ MU: 2
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: This nasty program is the fear of netrunners everywhere. This reroutes a
surge of power directly into your frontal lobe, doing 1d6 INT damage to a
netrunner. This damage can’t be recovered in any way. If the netrunner hits 0
INT, they’re reduced to a drooling vegetative state. On the bright side, it’s easy
to pass off that they died of natural causes to a body bank.

● Zombie
○ Cost: 7250eb
○ MU: 4
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: If you thought Brainwipe was bad, Zombie is much, much worse. This
does 1d6 damage to the Netrunner’s INT, but instead of making the target
braindead, it readies the brain for a pseudo personality to be implanted in the
brain and turn the netrunner into a completely different (if dumb) person under
the thrall of the attacker. Grim stuff.

● Firestarter
○ Cost:6250eb
○ MU: 4
 ○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Deck & Netrunner (kind of)
○ Effect: A favorite of pyromaniacs, Firestarter uses a modified Bloodhound
subroutine to send a megawatt surge to the location of the netrunner, causing
1d6 damage to the deck and 1d6 damage to the Netrunner. It also has the
convenient side effect of overloading less protected electronics at the location to
explode and starting fires -- fires a netrunner who is jacked in is completely
unaware of. Great for killing someone and destroying the evidence, and why you
should never, ever netrun alone.

● Hellhound
○ Cost: 10,000eb
○ MU: 6
○ Code Wall: 6
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: A netrunner’s worst nightmare. This program traces the user, grabbing
their MAC address and hits them with a shock to induce cardiac arrest, causing
2d10 damage. While other programs would stop at this point, Hellhound remains
active, continuing to do damage until the netrunner manages to get
disconnected. Even after that, it stays active in the system if the netrunner ever
returns to the system and continues its attack, until the system is reset by an
admin or directed to attack another intruder. The program always remembers
that MAC address however and gives that information to any protocols in the
same system. If a netrunner who’s MAC address is known by the protocols in
the system, that netrunner doesn’t get the +5 bonus for their conceal command in
that system ever again.

● Glue
○ Cost: 6500eb
○ MU: 4
○ Code Wall: 5
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: Glue is used in systems that don’t have the legal authority to kill you
outright. This program disables the netrunner’s log on/off command for 1d10
turns. Used to buy time while a trace program does its work.

● Knockout
○ Cost: 6250eb
○ MU: 3
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Netrunner
○ Effect: Knockout attacks the brain like Stun does, but does so much more
efficiency. It knocks the netrunner out for 1d6 hours and are forcibly removed
 from the net. The netrunner technically suffer dumpshock, but they’ll be
unconscious for the duration of it. Just make sure you never netrun while in a
position where you can choke on your own vomit.

● Stealth
○ Cost: 360eb
○ MU: 2
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Protocol
○ Effect: This program, while it doesn’t give a deck extra code wall, does provide a
+5 bonus to your current code wall in regards to a program tracing your location
for the duration of your stay in that system.

● Armor
○ Cost: 150eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Deck
○ Effect: This program is a favorite of new netrunners. Armor provides 3 points of
temporary codewall that get used up before a deck’s codewall or damage is done
to a netrunner or their deck. These points aren’t cumulative: you can’t keep
using this to give yourself infinite code wall; every use sets the value of
temporary code wall at 3.

● Viddy Master
○ Cost: 140eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Remote videoboards
○ Effect: Allows the program’s owner to manipulate and control videoboards
connected to this system that they have identified with the locate remote
command.

● Soundmachine
○ Cost: 140eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Remote microphones, loudspeakers, and vocoders
○ Effect: Allows the program’s owner to manipulate and control microphones,
loudspeakers, and vocoders connected to this system that they have identified
with the locate remote command.

● Open Sesame
 ○ Cost: 150eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 5
○ Target: Remote doors & elevators
○ Effect: Allows the program’s owner to manipulate and control doors and
elevators, and the like connected to this system that they have identified with the
Locate Remote command.

● Hotwire
○ Cost: 130eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Remote vehicles
○ Effect: Allows the program’s owner to manipulate and control vehicles connected
to this system that they have identified with the locate remote command.

● Dee-2
○ Cost: 130eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 3
○ Target: Remote robots
○ Effect: Allows the program’s owner to manipulate and control robots and the like
connected to this system that they have identified with the locate remote
command.

● Crystal Ball
○ Cost: 140eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 4
○ Target: Remote cameras and sensors
○ Effect: Allows the program’s owner to manipulate and control cameras, sensors,
and their associated feeds connected to this system that they have identified with
the locate remote command.

● News at 8
○ Cost: 150eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 5
○ Target: Remote dataterms and screamsheets
○ Effect: Allows the program’s to access the contents of dataterms and
screamsheet printers connected to this system that they have identified with the
locate remote command.
 ● Phone Home
○ Cost: 150eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 5
○ Target: Remote phones
○ Effect: Allows the program’s owner to make calls with phones connected to this
system that they have identified with the locate remote command. You can also
listen in to calls being made on said phones.

● File Packer
○ Cost: 150eb
○ MU: 1
○ Code Wall: 5
○ Target: Files
○ Effect: Allows the compression of 2 MU worth of files into 1 MU. This process
takes two turns, both to pack or unpack. The coding on programs is too
complicated to compress, so you can’t use it on those. Sorry.

There you have it, a list of common programs that you can get on the market. But you’re
saying to yourself that buying a program is lame and hurts your net cred, so you’re gonna go
take the time to code your own. Right on, go ahead. I’ll tell you how it’s done.

Writing your own Programs

Okay code kitten, here’s how you make your own programs. It is simple enough, decide
what your program will do, any extra fun stuff to how it accomplishes its goal, how much code
wall you want it to have, add them up, then code it.
First step: what the program does. Here’s your basic list of functions, with their
associated difficulty value.

10 ​Evasion​: This program helps you not get traced

10 ​Protection:​ This shields you or your deck from damage
20 ​Anti-Program:​ This attacks other programs
15 ​Anti-System​: This attacks a system’s security protocol or a deck’s hardware
20 ​Anti-Personnel​: This attacks netrunners directly
10 ​Controller:​ This program affects remotes connected to the system
10 ​Utility:​ This program does a harmless function that is not already covered by
the rest

Naturally there is some leeway here, depending on exactly what your program will do
and how it does it. Your Referee will make that call on making your own programs. Anyway,
that’s just the basic stuff. Here are your options for that personal touch.
 2 ​Trace:​ This program can find the physical location of a connected deck
2 ​Recognition​: This program remembers its target, even after the target
disconnects and reconnects, until the system is reset or it is given another target
2 ​Sever Connection:​ This program breaks the link between a system and a deck
5 ​Persistence​: This program continues to execute its function every turn on its
own without further input from whatever activated it, until the system is reset or it
is given another target
1 ​Icon(Simple):​ The program has a simple, cartoon icon
2 ​Icon(Contextual)​: The program is as good as a high-res computer image
3 ​Icon(Fractal)​: The program’s Icon is relatively good with shading and texture
4 ​Icon(Photorealistic):​ The program’s Icon is an image as good as a movie
5 ​Icon(Superelastic):​ The program’s Icon looks like a real world object

This isn’t an exhaustive list; if you can think of something fun to add, check with your
Referee and see that they think works and what its difficulty should be. A note about icons
before we continue. My way of netrunning technically doesn’t require them, but what
self-respecting intrustionware programmer wouldn’t gussie up their program to look like a
hellbeast straight out of your nightmares while you’re in the net? Not one with any pride in their
work and not one I would trust to know their trade. Sure, you can go without them, but that’s not
very cyberpunk, now is it?
Lastly, you need to give your program a code wall value, from 1 to 10. The difficulty
equals the code wall value. Once you have all your choices made, add all the numbers together
to get the target difficulty to write your program.
Went a little too ham and there’s no way you can hit that target difficulty? Well, you’re in
luck -- if you have a friend (and I know that is a big “if”). Multiple programmers can pool their
INT and programming skill together then make the 1d10 roll, but keep in mind they’re probably
going to want a free copy of the program when they’re done.
Of course, writing code takes time. A lot of time. For every point of difficulty, it takes six
hours of work, meaning a difficulty 30 program is going to take 360 hours. That’s 15 whole
days, choombata, so I hope you don’t have much to do for the next two weeks, like eat or sleep.
Lastly, your program will take up space, measured in MU. Compare the difficulty of your
program to the following list to determine how many MU it takes up.

10-15 1 MU
16-20 2 MU
21-25 3 MU
26-30 4 MU
31-35 5 MU
36-40 6 MU
41+ 7 MU

What’s that? You want to sell it, but you don’t know how much it is worth? Well, look at
you, you little anarcocapitalist! Thankfully, it’s pretty simple. Multiply the difficulty of the
program by 10, then multiply that by the highest type modifier listed below based on what it
does, and you’ve got your price in eurobucks.

1x Control, Utility or Protection

2x Trace or Evasion
3x Anti-System
4x Anti-Program
25x Anti-Personnel

And there you go, everything you need to netrun. Honestly, that’s it -- though the details
might seem a little different to you when you get in yourself. Your Referee will give to the
particulars to suit everyone’s needs, and they have the authority to look at all that I’ve given you
and make their own calls on what works and they’ll keep, and what’s stupid and they’ll throw
away. That’s the cyberpunk way, after all.
Good luck out there kid, and hit me up on the Black Hat BBS if you manage to make it
through your first netrun.

--the_fencer0