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Free Actions

Call a Shot

A character may call a shot (aim for a vulnerable portion of a target) with this Free Action; see Called Shots, p. 178. This action must be combined with a Fire Weapon, Throw Weapon, or Melee Attack Action.

Change Linked Device Mode

A character may use a Free Action to activate, deactivate, or switch the mode on any device that he is linked to by a direct neural interface through either a wired or wireless link. This includes activating cyberware, changing a smartgun’s firing mode, changing a smartlinked shotgun’s choke, deactivating thermographic vision, switching a commlink to hidden mode, turning a device’s wireless functionality off, and so on. Note that it takes longer to interact with some devices, as noted in individual gear descriptions.

A driver who is rigging the vehicle or has a direct neural link to it may activate or deactivate various systems such as sensors, ECM, weapons, and so on as a Free Action. The driver may also call up a status report to monitor the position, heading and speed, damage report, and/or current orders of the vehicle.

Activated sensors, ECM, and ECCM systems come online at the start of the next Action Phase, even if the character who activated the system does not have any actions due to their Initiative Score being 0 or less.

Drop Object

A character may drop a held object as a Free Action. If he is holding an object in each hand, he may drop both objects as a single Free Action. At the gamemasters discretion, dropped items may suffer damage from being dropped if they are fragile or dropped in a hostile environment.

Drop Prone

A character may kneel or drop prone as a Free Action, as long as he is not surprised (see Surprise, p. 192). A character who is surprised may not drop prone.

Eject Smartgun Clip

A character linked to a ready smartgun may use a mental command to eject the weapon’s clip. It still takes a separate Simple Action to insert a new, fresh clip (see Smartgun System, p. 433).

Gesture

A character may communicate with a few quick gestures as a Free Action. Characters unfamiliar with the gestures may make an Intuition (2) Test to determine what the gesture means.

Multiple Attacks

A character may use a Free Action to attack multiple targets in a single action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 196) by splitting their dice pool. This action must be combined with a Fire Weapon Action, Throw Weapon Action, Melee Attack Action, Reckless Spellcasting, or Cast Spell Action.

Run

Running uses a Free Action and inflicts Running movement modifiers. Running is any movement that exceeds the character’s Walking Movement Rate in a single Combat Turn (see Movement, p. 161).

Speak/Text/Transmit Phrase

One short phrase of verbal communication is a Free Action. If the character wants to speak more, each additional phrase or sentence requires a Free Action. The gamemaster should be careful to control excessive, unrealistic conversations within the span of a single action during a 3-second Combat Turn. If the gamemaster and players prefer more elaborate communications, parameters should be laid out before the mission begins. Characters who are equipped to send text messages through a direct neural interface connection with their commlink may also send short messages as a Free Action.

Simple Actions

Activate Focus

A character may activate a focus they are carrying with a Simple Action.

Call Spirit

This action is used to call a spirit that has already been summoned and placed on standby.

Change Device Mode

A character may use a Simple Action to activate, deactivate, or change the mode on any device with a simple switch, a virtual button, or a command from a commlink or other control device through either a wired or wireless link. This includes changing a gun’s firing mode, changing a shotgun’s choke, changing vision systems, switching a commlink to hidden mode, turning a device’s wireless functionality off, and so on. It takes longer to interact with some devices; check individual gear descriptions.

Change Gun Mode

A character holding a ready firearm can change its firing mode via a Simple Action. If the weapon is a properly linked smartgun, it costs only a Free Action to change the mode (see Firearms, p. 424, and Smartgun Systems, p. 433). This includes changing a shotgun’s choke if the gun does not have a smartgun link (see Shotguns, p. 429).

Command Spirit

Issuing a command to a single spirit or group of spirits under a summoner’s control is a Simple Action.

Dismiss Spirit

This is the action of freeing a spirit from the summoner’s control. It does not immediately send the spirit back to its home plane but instead frees it to do as it chooses.

Fire Bow

Firing a single arrow from a loaded bow is a Simple Action. To nock a single arrow, the character must use the Reload Weapon Simple Action.

Fire Full-Auto Weapon (6 Bullets)

A character may fire a readied firearm in Full-Auto fire mode via a Simple Action(see Firearms, p. 424). If a character has one weapon in each hand, he may fire once with each weapon by adding a Multiple Attacks Free Action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 196). Off-hand modifier applies (see Attacker Using Off-Hand Weapon, p. 178). When fired as a Simple Action, Full-Auto uses 6 bullets. Remember the effects of cumulative recoil when using these fire modes. And good fragging luck!

Fire Gun

A character may fire a readied firearm in Semi-Automatic, Single-Shot, Burst-Fire, or Fully-Auto mode via a Simple Action (see Firearms, p. 424) but may not take any other attack actions in the same Action Phase. If a character has one weapon in each hand, he may fire once with each weapon by adding a Multiple Attacks Free Action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 96); the offhand modifier applies (see Attacking Using Off-Hand Weapon, p. 178). When taken as Simple Actions, Burst Fire fires 3 bullets, while Full-Auto fires 6 bullets.

Insert Clip

A character may insert a fresh clip into a ready firearm by taking a Simple Action, but only if he has first removed the previous clip (see Remove Clip, p. 166, and Reloading Weapons, p. 163).

Observe in Detail

A character may make a detailed observation by taking a Simple Action. This allows a Perception Test (see Using Perception, p. 135).

Note that characters should always be able to observe what is immediately obvious (gamemaster’s discretion, keeping in mind any perception enhancements the character may have) without having to spend a Simple Action and make a Perception Test. For example, a character might automatically be aware that someone is running toward him with something in hand; however, the gamemaster may decide that the character cannot tell if it is a friend or foe or what is in their hand without taking an Observe in Detail action.

Pick Up/Put Down Object

A character may pick up an object within reach or put down one that he was holding as a Simple Action. This action means care is taken to put the object down or pick it up. Just dropping an object is a Free Action, but items that get dropped are more likely to be damaged than items that are set down.

Quick Draw

A character may attempt to quick-draw a pistol, pistol- sized weapon, or small throwing weapon and immediately fire it by using a Quick Draw Simple Action. For the character to successfully draw the weapon, the player must make a (Weapon Skill) + Reaction [Physical] (3) Test. If the weapon is held in a quick-draw holster (see p. 432), reduce the threshold to 2. If the test is successful, the character draws the weapon and fires as a single Simple Action. If the test fails, he clears the gun but cannot fire with the same action. If he glitches, the gun is stuck in the holster or dropped, and no more actions are allowed. On a critical glitch, a drawn blade may be fumbled out of the character’s reach or a pistol accidentally fired while still in the holster; the gamemaster decides the exact nature of the screw-up.

Only properly holstered weapons can be quickdrawn. They do not have to be in a quick-draw holster, but they do need to be in a holster or sheath or on a proper sling to be quick-drawn. Two weapons may be quick-drawn and fired simultaneously, but the (Weapon Skill) + Reaction dice pool is split, and off-hand penalties apply.

Ready Weapon

A character may ready a weapon by spending a Simple Action. The weapon may be a firearm, melee weapon, throwing weapon, ranged weapon, or mounted or vehicular weapon. Readying entails drawing a firearm from a holster, drawing a throwing or melee weapon from a sheath, picking up any kind of weapon, or generally preparing any kind of weapon for use. A weapon must be ready before it can be used. Weapons not held in a traditional holster may require a Complex Action to ready at the gamemaster’s discretion.

A character can ready a number of small throwing weapons, such as throwing knives or shuriken, equal to one-half his Agility (round up) per Ready Weapon action.

Reckless Spellcasting

A spellcaster may use a Simple Action to cast a spell more quickly, but at the cost of higher Drain. See Step 4: Cast Spell, p. 281.

Remove Clip

A character may remove a clip from a ready firearm by taking a Simple Action (see Insert Clip, p. 165, and also Reload Weapons, p. 163). It takes another Simple Action to grab a fresh clip and slam it into the weapon.

Shift Perception

A character capable of Astral Perception may shift perception to or from Astral Space as a Simple Action.

Stand Up

Using a Simple Action, a character who is lying down or prone may stand up. If the character is wounded and attempting to stand, he must succeed in a Body + Willpower (2) Test to do so (wound modifiers apply to this test).

Take Aim

A character may take aim with a ready firearm, bow, or throwing weapon as a Simple Action. Take Aim actions are cumulative, but the benefits are lost if the character takes any other kind of action—including a Free Action— at any time before attacking. Take Aim actions may be extended over multiple Action Phases and Combat Turns. The maximum bonus a character may gain from sequential Take Aim actions, either to her limit or her dice pool, is equal to one-half the character’s Willpower, rounded up.

Each Take Aim action applies a +1 dice pool modifier or +1 Accuracy increase to the Attack Test.

If the character is using image magnification or a targeting scope, Take Aim must be used to line up the shot in order to receive the bonus from the item. In this case the first action of Take Aim does not provide any additional bonus beyond enabling the function of the modification.

Take Cover

A character may use this Simple Action to gain a cover bonus to their defense test, as long as she is not surprised (see Surprise, p. 192). A character who is surprised may not take cover.

Throw Weapon

A character may throw a ready throwing weapon (see Ready Weapon, p. 165) by taking a Simple Action. The character may not take any other attack actions in the same Action Phase. Multiple readied throwing weapons can be thrown at a target within Short or Medium range by adding a Multiple Attacks Free Action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 196).

Use Simple device

A character can use any simple device with a Simple Action. Simple devices are those that are activated with a simple movement like a thumb trigger, pressing a single key, or tapping a single icon.

This action can be used to manually activate/deactivate sensors, ECM/ECCM, weapon systems, and other onboard vehicle systems.

Use Sensors

A driver or passenger may use sensors to detect or lock onto targets.

Complex Actions

Astral Projection

A character capable of Astral Projection may shift their consciousness to the astral plane as a Complex Action (see p. 313).

Banish Spirit

A character may enter into a Banishing contest with a spirit as a Complex Action (see p. 301).

Cast Spell

A character may cast a spell as a Complex Action.

Control Vehicle

This action is not really an action at all, simply the expenditure of an action to represent efforts taken for the entire Combat Turn to keep the vehicle under control. This action does not need to be taken as the driver’s first action in combat, but until this action is taken, the vehicle is considered uncontrolled at the end of the Combat Turn and may crash or be taken over by the vehicle’s onboard Piloting system.

Fire Full-Auto Weapon (10 Bullets)

A character may fire a readied firearm in Full-Auto fire mode via a Complex Action (see Firearms, p. 424). If a character has one weapon in each hand, he may fire once with each weapon by adding a Multiple Attacks Free Action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 196). Off-hand modifier applies (see Attacker Using Off-Hand Weapon, p. 178). When fired as a Complex Action, Full-Auto uses 10 bullets. Remember the effects of cumulative recoil when using these fire modes. And good fragging luck!

Fire Long Burst or Semi-Auto Burst

A character may fire a readied firearm in Long Burst or Semi-Auto Burst via a Complex Action (see Firearms, p. 424). A character may attack multiple targets within Short or Medium range by adding a Multiple Attacks Free Action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 196). If a character has one weapon in each hand, he may fire once with each weapon by adding a Multiple Attacks Free Action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 167). Off-hand modifier applies (see Attacker Using Off-Hand Weapon, p. 178). Remember the effects of cumulative recoil when using these fire modes.

Fire Mounted or Vehicle Weapon

Fire a previously readied mounted or vehicle weapon by taking a Complex Action (see Vehicle Combat, p. 198).

Load and Fire Bow

With this action a character can load and fire a bow with a single Complex Action. The two activities can be reversed, Fire and Load Bow, if the bow had been readied using a Simple Action already.

Make Vehicle Test

A driver spends a Complex Action when executing a maneuver that requires a Vehicle Test. Failed Vehicle Tests may result in the vehicle being considered uncontrolled or may lead to a second Vehicle Test to avoid a crash. Glitched Vehicle Tests almost always result in a crash. Critical Glitch Vehicle Tests always result in a crash.

Melee attack

A character may make a melee attack by taking a Complex Action (see Melee Combat, p. 184). A character may also attack multiple targets within melee range by adding a Multiple Attacks Free Action (see Multiple Attacks, p. 196).

Ramming

If a driver wants to ram something (or someone) with the vehicle, treat it as a melee attack. The target must be within the vehicle’s Walking or Running Rate (a –3 dice modifier applies if the driver has to resort to running). The driver rolls Vehicle skill + Reaction to attack. The target rolls Reaction + Intuition if a pedestrian, or Reaction + Intuition [Handling] if driving another vehicle. Pedestrians may use the Full Defense (p. 191) or Dodge (p. 191) Interrupt Action but not Block or Parry.

If the driver gets more hits, he rams the target. Make the Damage Resistance Test as normal. The base Damage Value of the attack is determined by the ramming vehicle’s Body and speed, as noted on the Ramming Damage Table. The ramming vehicle must resist only half that amount (round up). Characters resist ramming damage with Body + Armor – 6 AP

If the ram succeeds, each driver must make an additional Vehicle Test to avoid losing control of the vehicle. The threshold for the ramming driver is 2; the threshold for the rammed driver is 3. If either driver fails, the vehicle is considered uncontrolled and cannot perform any actions until control is regained.

Reload Firearm

Weapons that are belt fed (belt), break action (b), cylinder (cy), drum (d), internal magazine (m), muzzle loaders, or use a speed loader are reloaded using a Complex Action (see Reloading Weapons, p. 163).

Rigger Jump In

A character with a VCR and rigger adapted vehicle may jump in to control the vehicle with a Complex Action.

Sprint

Sprinting allows a character to increase his Running rate by using a Complex Action and making a Running Test (see Movement, p. 161).

Summon Spirit

A character may summon a spirit to assist them with a Complex Action.

Use Skill

A character may use an appropriate skill by taking a Complex Action (see Using Skills, p. 128).

Interrupt Actions

Block

-5 Initiative

A character may choose to use her own unarmed combat skill to block incoming melee attacks as an Interrupt Action (see Defending in Combat, p. 188). By decreasing her Initiative Score, the defending character can add her Unarmed Combat skill to their defense test. This is a one-time add, unlike going on Full Defense (below) which lasts for an entire Combat Turn. Bonus die, such as die from a relevant weapon foci, can be added to this test.

Dodge

-5 Initiative

A character may choose to use her own skill to dodge incoming attacks as an Interrupt Action (see Defending in Combat, p. 188). By decreasing her Initiative Score, the defending character can add her Gymnastics skill to the defense test. This is a one-time add, unlike going on Full Defense (below) which lasts for an entire Combat Turn.

Hit the Dirt

-5 Initiative

A character who has already used their Free Action may choose to drop prone when caught by suppressive fire using this action (see Suppressive Fire, p. 179). The defending character doesn’t need to make the Reaction + Edge test but is considered prone on their next Action Phase. If the suppressive fire continues, the defending character needs to use a Stand Up Simple Action to get back up, risking getting shot, or fight from the ground. If the suppressive fire has stopped the prone character still needs to use a Stand Up Simple Action to get back up.

Intercept

-5 Initiative

A character may take an Interrupt Action to intercept an opponent who attempts to move past him (within 1 + Reach meter(s)) or break out of melee combat (see Interception, p. 194). The Intercept Action allows a character to make a melee attack out of turn. If the character does not have enough Initiative Score left that Action Phase he cannot intercept.

Parry

-5 Initiative

A character may choose to use his own melee weapon skill to deflect incoming melee attacks as an Interrupt Action (see Defending in Combat, p. 188). By decreasing his Initiative Score, the defending character can add his melee weapon skill to their defense test. This is a one-time add, unlike going on Full Defense (below), which lasts for an entire Combat Turn.

Full Defense

-10 Initiative

A character may choose to focus on deliberately avoiding incoming attacks as an Interrupt Action (see Defending in Combat, p. 188). This action adds the character’s Willpower to their Defense tests for the entire Combat Turn. Full Defense actions may be taken at any time, even before the character’s Action Phase as an Interrupt Action, as long as the character is not surprised. Characters may only go on Full Defense if they have enough Initiative Score left in that Combat Turn. The bonus gained in this manner is kept until the end of the Combat Turn so a character can choose to fight defensively early in the round by decreasing her Initiative Score to increase her defense. This bonus is also cumulative with other Interrupt Actions.

Chase Actions

Catch-Up/Break Away (Any Range)

A vehicle may wish to close the distance or get away on their action. The number of Range Categories a vehicle can change during this action is equal to their Acceleration. The driver makes a Reaction + Vehicle Skill [Speed or Handling] (maneuver Threshold) test. For every hit she beat the threshold by she may shift one Range Category towards or away from her opponent. If this action results in a move out of Extreme range the pursuing vehicle is allowed its own Reaction + Vehicle Skill [Speed or Handling] (maneuver Threshold) test to try and keep her in sight.

Cut-Off (Short Range Only)

The acting vehicle makes a sudden move to cut off a target vehicle, forcing it to crash. Make an Opposed Reaction + Vehicle Skill [Handling] Test. If the acting vehicle achieves more hits, the target vehicle must make an immediate Vehicle Test to avoid crashing, with a threshold equal to the net hits on the test.

Ram (Short Range Only)

The acting vehicle attempts to collide with a target vehicle. Make an Opposed (Vehicle Skill) + Reaction [Speed or Handling] Test. If the Ram is taking place in a Speed Environment use Speed as the limit, and use Handling if the Ram is taking place in a Handling Environment. If the ramming vehicle achieves more hits, the vehicles have collided. The target of the Ram takes damage equal to the Body of the ramming vehicle plus any Net Hits achieved. The vehicle that did the Ramming takes damage equal to half its Body.

Stunt (Any Range)

A vehicle being chased can attempt a last-second veer onto an off-ramp, tight turn into a side street, threading the needle through a tight area, or any vehicular insanity the driver thinks might shake her pursuer. When a vehicle being pursued attempts a Stunt, the gamemaster sets the threshold for the Stunt based on the environment and difficulty of the maneuver and the terrain of the chase, (see Vehicle Test Threshold Table and Terrain Modifier Table, p. 201). The driver then rolls a Vehicle Skill + Reaction [Speed or Handling] Test. If the chase is taking place in a Speed Environment, the limit is equal to the vehicle’s Speed. If the chase is taking place in a Handling Environment the limit is equal to the vehicle’s Handling. If the test is failed, the vehicle goes out of control. An uncontrolled vehicle could crash (causing damage to it and all passengers (see Crashes, p. 201), slow down (allowing all following vehicles to gain a Chase Range Category), or suffer any other consequences the gamemaster deems appropriate.

If the threshold is equaled or exceeded, the maneuver is successful and all pursuing vehicles must immediately make a Vehicle Test at the same threshold in order to maintain pursuit range. If any pursuing vehicle fails, it falls behind by one Chase Range Category; if the pursuer is already at Extreme Range, the fleeing vehicle escapes pursuit. The gamemaster determines if the pursuer is able to reacquire the target after that.

Evasive Driving (Defense)

Vehicles that are under attack can use a Free Action and undertake evasive driving—the vehicle equivalent of Full Defense (p. 191). This means the driver of the vehicle reduces their Initiative Score by 10 and can add a number of dice equal to their Intuition to the defense dice pool to dodge attacks. Evasive driving cannot be used against ramming attacks.

Matrix Actions

Brute Force

You can use this action to mark a target without obtaining the normal permissions you need. This is the action for hackers emphasizing their Attack over their Sleaze, making it related to Hack on the Fly. If you succeed in this action, you place one mark on it. You can have up to a maximum of three marks per icon. If you wish, you may also inflict 1 DV of Matrix damage to the target for every two full net hits, if the target can take Matrix damage, which is resisted with the target’s Device Rating + Firewall. Before rolling, you can declare that you are trying to place more than one mark. If you try for two marks in one shot, you take a –4 dice pool penalty on the attempt. If you try for three marks in a single swipe, you take a –10 dice pool penalty. You can also use this action to hop to a grid for which you don’t have legitimate access. The defense dice pool in this case is 4 dice for a local grid or 6 dice for a global grid. If you succeed, instead of putting a mark on the grid, you hop to that grid immediately. Using Brute Force to hop grids successfully doesn’t alert the grid or its demiGOD the way most successful Attack actions do.

Change Icon

You change the target’s icon to one that you have a copy of or have designed yourself. Changing an icon doesn’t change the results of a Matrix Perception action, but might fool personas who don’t take the time to inspect your new look. You can target your own icon, if you like.

Check Overwatch Score

You find out how close the grid is to converging on you. Checking the OS is a Sleaze action, so the defense against it will add to your OS. If you succeed, the gamemaster tells you what your OS was when you started the action, then adds the hits from the defending dice pool.

Control Device

You perform an action through a device you control (or at least control sufficiently), using your commlink or deck like a remote control or video-game controller. The dice pool of any test you make using this action uses the rating of the appropriate skill and attribute you would use if you were performing the action normally. For example, firing a drone-mounted weapon at a target requires a Gunnery + Agility test, and using a remote underwater welder calls for a Nautical Mechanic + Logic test. All actions you take while controlling a device use either the normal limit for that action or your Data Processing rating, whichever is lower. If there is no test associated with the action you want the device to perform (such as unlocking a maglock or ejecting a clip from a pistol), you must succeed in an Electronic Warfare + Intuition [Sleaze] v. Intuition + Firewall test to perform the action.

You can use this action to control multiple devices at once. If you are the owner of all devices being commanded and they are all being commanded to do exactly the same thing, taking this action costs nothing extra. Otherwise, you must split your dice pool into a number of groups equal to the number of devices you want to control with a single action.

The type of action this is (i.e., Free, Simple, Standard, and Complex) is the same as the type of action attempted with the device, and it requires 1 mark for Free Actions, 2 marks for Simple Actions, and 3 marks for Standard or Complex Actions.

This action is a Sleaze action whenever you use your Sleaze as a limit in the test, which incurs the same risk of Overwatch Score and consequences of failure as all Sleaze actions.

Crack File

You remove the protection from a file, making it readable. This action doesn’t need to be performed on a file that isn’t protected, of course.

Crash Program

You overload part of your target’s memory and scramble one of its running programs. You need to specify which program you’re trying to crash; you can learn what your target is running either with a Matrix Perception action or by observing the program in action. If you succeed, the program is scrambled: it ends and cannot be restarted until the device it was running on is rebooted.

Data Spike

You send harmful instructions to a persona or device, causing Matrix damage to the target. Your attack has a Damage Value equal to the rating of your Attack program, with one additional boxes of damage per net hit, and two additional box of damage for each mark you have on the target. This damage is Matrix damage (p. 228), resisted with the target’s Device Rating + Firewall.

Disarm Data Bomb

You attempt to disarm a Data Bomb that you have detected (usually as the result of a Matrix Perception action). If you score any net hits, the Data Bomb is removed and deleted. If not, the Data Bomb activates, causing its damage and possibly destroying any file to which it was attached (assuming it was set to destroy the file).

Edit File

Edit File allows you to create, change, copy, delete, or protect any kind of file. The defender against this test is either the host holding the file or the owner of the file (if it’s not on a host). Each action is enough to alter one detail of a file—a short paragraph of text, a single detail of an image, or two or three seconds of video or audio (you and your gamemaster can work out what exactly “one detail” means). Your gamemaster may impose penalties on the test if your edit is particularly intricate or tricky. If you want to perform a continuous edit, such as removing your teammates from a video feed, you need to perform this action once per Combat Turn for as long as you want to keep the edit going. If you use this action to copy a file, you are the new file’s owner. If the file you want to copy has protection on it, this action automatically fails. If the file has a Data Bomb, the Data Bomb goes off on you (so try to remember to scan files before you open them). You can also use this action to set protection on a file if you’re its owner. To protect a file, make a Simple Computer + Logic [Data Processing] test. The number of hits you get becomes the rating of the protected file. A protected file cannot be read, changed, deleted, or copied until its protection is broken.

Enter/Exit Host

You enter a host that you have a mark on and your icon appears there, or you leave a host you’re already in. There is no test for this action: a host allows anyone to enter if they’ve got a mark, and anyone inside can exit. The host might not be so welcoming once you’re inside, of course, and some IC has the ability to keep you trapped in a host until you can break out. When you leave a host, you return to the grid from which you entered.

Erase Mark

You eradicate a mark that has been placed on your persona or on another icon. To perform this action, you need three marks on the icon from which you are erasing a mark. You do not, however, need a mark on the icon that placed the mark in the first place. You can try to erase two marks in the same action at a –4 dice pool penalty, and three marks in one go at a –10 dice pool penalty; if you go for more than one mark, all of the marks must be on the same icon and from the same icon. You can’t use this action to change the target’s owner. For example, an IC program has marked both you and your buddy. You roll your Computer + Logic (with your Attack program rating as the limit), opposed by the IC’s rating (standing in for Willpower) + Firewall to erase its mark on your icon. You need three marks on your buddy’s icon to erase the IC’s marks on him, but he isn’t the sharing type, so he’s on his own for now.

Erase Matrix Signature

You eradicate a Matrix signature that has been left by a Resonance being, such as a technomancer or a sprite. If successful, the signature dissipates. You need to have a Resonance rating to attempt this action; unlike other actions that need Resonance, this one’s a real Matrix Action, and an Attack one to boot, so you risk Matrix damage and Overwatch Score when you use it.

Format Device

You rewrite the boot code for the device. The next time it would reboot, it instead shuts down for good, or until its software can be replaced (an Extended Software + Logic [Mental] (12, 1 hour) Test). A device that has been shut down in this fashion loses all of its wireless modifiers but can still be used as a normal mechanism (a door with a manual handle can be opened, a gun with a trigger can be fired, etc.) and cannot be accessed from the Matrix.

Full Matrix Defense

This allows you to defend against Attack actions, and may be taken at any time. Whenever you make a defense test against a Matrix Action, add your Willpower to the dice pool (or add it again if it’s already in there). When you take this action, your Initiative Score is reduced by 10, but the effects last for the rest of the Combat Turn.

Grid Hop

You hop to another grid—for example, you might jump from the public grid to Seattle’s Emerald City local grid. To do this, you must have access to your destination grid. If you do not have access, you can use Brute Force or Hack on the Fly to hop to another grid illegally. If you’re inside a host, you need to leave the host before you can hop to another grid.

Hack on the Fly

You can use this action to mark a target without getting the normal permissions. This is the action for hackers emphasizing their Sleaze over their Attack, making it an analog to Brute Force. When targeting an icon, you put one mark on it, up to a maximum of three marks per icon. Additionally, every two full net hits counts as one hit on a Matrix Perception Test, so you can get some info along with your mark. Before rolling, you can declare that you are trying for more than one mark. If you try for two marks in one shot, you take a –4 dice pool penalty on the attempt. If you try for three marks in one go, you take a –10 dice pool penalty. You can also use this action to hop to a grid for which you don’t have legitimate access. The defense dice pool in this case is 4 dice for a local grid or 6 dice for a global grid. If you succeed, instead of putting a mark on the grid, you hop to that grid immediately. Using Hack on the Fly to hop grids unsuccessfully doesn’t alert the grid or its demiGOD the way most unsuccessful Sleaze actions do.

Hide

You’ll probably be spotted by another icon, even if you’re running silent. You can use this action to make a target lose you. If you succeed, the target stops spotting you and needs to perform a new Matrix Perception action against you if it wants to find you again. You can’t hide from an icon that has a mark on you, so you’ll need to clear those before you can try this action.

Invite Mark

If you’re the owner of a device, file, persona, host, or IC program, you can offer other icons the opportunity to put a mark on your device, file, etc. When you make the offer, you choose the number of marks allowed, their duration, and how long the offer stands. The invitee can then mark your icon with a Free Action. You may revoke your offer at any time before the mark is placed, but once another icon has a mark, you need to either use the Erase Mark action or reboot your device to remove it before the duration you chose expires.

Jack Out

This jacks you out of the Matrix and reboots the device you are using. You suffer dumpshock if you were in VR. The defense pool only applies if you’ve been linklocked (p. 229) by someone; the test is against the icon that locked your link. If more than one persona has you link-locked, you need to beat each of them individually: use a single roll and compare your hits to rolls from each opponent who had established a link-lock. You can only jack out yourself. You can’t dump other people except by beating them into submission through Matrix damage.

Jam Signals

This action turns the wireless device you are using into a local jammer. As long as you do not use the device for any further Matrix actions, the device adds any hits you get on the test to the noise rating for all Matrix actions conducted by or targeting any devices within 100 meters. If you want selective jamming or directional jamming, buy a jammer—that’s what they’re for.

Jump into Rigged device

You jump into a device that has a rigger adaptation, usually a vehicle or a drone. There’s a list of things you need to have in order to jump into a device: you have to have three marks on the device you want to jump into, you have to be in VR, the device you want to jump into has to have a rigger adaptation, and you have to have a control rig. If you are the device’s owner, or the device’s owner has given you permission to jump into the device, you don’t need to make a test. In the Matrix, the icon of the device you jumped into becomes part of your persona. If someone else is already jumped into the device, you cannot attempt this action until he or she vacates.

Matrix Perception

This versatile and important action is used both for finding icons in the Matrix and for analyzing Matrix objects. When you use this action to analyze a Matrix object or scan the vicinity for silent-running icons, you make a Simple Test and your hits determine how much info you get. For each net hit scored, you can ask for one piece of information about the object—this could be type, a rating, how many marks it has on it, any files it may be carrying, which grid it is using, whether any silent running icons are in the area, or any other pertinent Matrix information. You learn one fact per net hit. If you get a list of marks, you can only recognize marks you have seen before or marks left by personas that you have marks on yourself. Otherwise you only get a count. If you’re trying to spot an icon that is farther than 100 meters away, this is a Simple Test: the first hit lets you spot the target, and any additional hits can be used to get more information about it as mentioned above. If you’re looking for an icon that is running silent (after you’ve determined that it’s present), the test becomes an Opposed Test, with the target defending with Logic + Sleaze. Net hits are used just like you would for spotting distant targets, with the first one for spotting the target and the rest for analysis.

Matrix Search

You search the Matrix for information about a topic. The time it takes and the threshold of the test depend on the general availability of the information in question and the area being searched, respectively. Any hits above and beyond the threshold can be used to reduce the search time. Divide the base time by the net hits to determine the reduction. If you fail this test, you still spend the full base time looking. Some information is protected and kept secret, stored in a host that is not publicly accessible. Finding this information usually requires you to find and enter the hosts in which the data is hidden. You can then make a Matrix Search within the host, using a base time of 1 minute (regardless of the kind of information you’re looking for). This only works if the information is at least occasionally accessed by the legitimate users of the host. If the information is archived, you’ll need to dig deeper into the host for that information, a dangerous process that is detailed in the forthcoming Matrix sourcebook.

Reboot Device

The device on which this action is performed shuts down and immediately reboots. The device comes back online at the end of the following Combat Turn. The device ceases electronic functions and disappears from the Matrix until its reboot time is over. When you reboot the device your persona is on, your OS is reset to zero and all of your marks, as well as the ones others may have put on your icon, are erased. If you’re in VR when you reboot, you suffer from dumpshock (see p. 229). When you come back online, your icon can be on any grid to which you have legitimate access, or the public grid if you have no other grid access. When you perform this action, you can choose a delay of any amount of time between the time the device shuts down and the time it comes back online. Anyone with physical access to the device can override this delay by hitting the power button, which starts the boot process and brings the device online at the end of the following Combat Turn.

This action only works on devices. It doesn’t work on hosts, living beings (like technomancers, although they can “reboot” themselves, p. 251), or Resonance constructs (like sprites), and the only persona it works on is your own. If you’re the owner of the device you’re rebooting, you don’t have to make a test. You can’t use this action on a device that is link-locked (p. 229). send message

Send Message

You send a text or audio message the length of a short sentence, an image, or a file via the Matrix to a user whose commcode you have. If you’re using the Matrix through a DNI, even if you’re in AR, you can send longer and more complicated messages, about a paragraph worth of text. You can also use this action to open a live feed to one or more recipients, using any digital recording devices you have.

Set Data Bomb

You set a Data Bomb in a file. When you do, choose the rating of the Data Bomb, up to the net hits on your test. You also need to choose whether or not the Data Bomb will delete the file to which it is attached when activated, and you need to program the passcode required to deactivate it. A file can only have one Data Bomb on it at a time. The Data Bomb is triggered when someone attempts to read, edit, copy, protect, delete, or put another Data Bomb on the file without using the already-in-place Data Bomb’s passcode. When a Data Bomb goes off, it causes (Rating)D6 Matrix Damage (resisted normally) to the icon that tripped it, deletes the file (if it was set that way), and then is itself deleted. If the passcode is used, the Data Bomb doesn’t activate. Instead, it remains attached to the file, waiting for the next guy. A Data Bomb can be detected using Matrix Perception. If it’s detected, it can be defused with the Disarm Data Bomb action; a disarmed Data Bomb is deleted. Damn.

Snoop

This action lets you intercept Matrix traffic sent to and from your target for as long as you have the target marked. You can listen to, view, or read this data live, or you can save it for later playback/viewing if you have something to store it on (your deck will do).

Spoof Command

You spoof a device’s owner’s identity, making the device think that your command is a legitimate one from its owner. You need one mark on the icon you are imitating; you do not need a mark on the target. The opposing dice roll is still based on the target, though. This trick only works on devices and agents, not IC, sprites, hosts, personas, or any other icons.

Switch Interface Mode

You switch your perception from AR to VR or vice versa. Switching to VR causes your body to go limp, so don’t do it somewhere dangerous. If you switch from VR to AR, you lose the bonus Initiative Dice from VR (Changing Initiative, p. 160). If you’re link-locked (p. 229), you cannot switch interface modes. You can only do this to yourself; you can’t switch other people’s interface mode.

Trace Icon

You find the physical location of a device or persona in the Matrix. After succeeding with this action, you know the target’s location for as long as you have at least one mark on the target. This doesn’t work on hosts because they generally have no physical location, or IC programs because they are confined to their hosts.

Resonance Actions

Call/Dismiss Sprite

You call a registered sprite you have waiting in the Resonance, which appears at the beginning of the next Combat Turn. You can also use this action to send a sprite back to the Resonance, releasing it from any tasks it still owes you, which it does on its next action.

Command Sprite

You command a sprite to do something for you, using up one of its tasks.

Compile Sprite

You compile a sprite (p. 254).

Decompile Sprite

You attempt to decompile a sprite (p. 254).

Kill Complex Form

You attempt to kill a complex form (p. 251).

Register Sprite

You register a sprite (p. 254).

Thread Complex Form

You thread a complex form (p. 251).