Cyberspace Actions

Cyberspace actions take the same amount of time as meat-space actions. Thus, if the PC takes a Main Action to run a program in cyberspace, they can’t then use that same Main Action to fire a weapon in reality, as the hacker needs to split their available action pool over both realms of being. The following actions are among the most common, but others may be allowed at the GM’s discretion.

Network Actions

Alert the Network (Main):

An action normally only taken by Demons and human watchdog hackers, this action will alert the whole network that there’s an intruder present in this particular cyberspace node. This action must be taken twice to trigger an alert; one Demon could use it on two different rounds or two Demons could both use it the same round. Up to an hour can elapse between the two uses of this action; if a defeated Demon still gets it off once, another enemy three nodes later can still complete the alert with their own action. These alerts usually are automatically messaged to at least some physical security staff.

Jack In (Move):

Attach a cyberdeck’s field manipulation cable to a device or initiate a wireless connection to a device within 30 meters with no significant obstacles to the user’s line of sight. The hacker’s avatar appears in the cyberspace node associated with the target device.

Jack Out (Move):

Safely disconnect a wireless connection or remove a cyberdeck’s field manipulation cable. Hostile assailants can do this with no real chance of failure if within melee range. If someone forcibly yanks a physical cable loose while a hacker is jacked in, the hacker is stunned and loses their next Main Action.

Move Nodes (Move):

Assuming there’s no barrier between the hacker’s current network node and an adjacent one, they can move one hop on the network. If they’re being engaged by an enemy Demon or human attacker, however, their foe may choose to run one program against them as a parting shot before they can complete the move.

Send Message (On Turn):

Send a brief message over the network to an avatar or device in a connected node, provided no barriers obstruct the path. Demons, watchdogs, and others with admin privileges can message any known avatar or device on the network regardless of active barriers.

Crash Shutdown (Main):

This action can only be taken by someone with admin privileges, usually the senior human watchdog hacker on duty for a given network. Once triggered, the entire network will shut down in 1d4+4 minutes, deactivating every connected device and booting every user out of the system as if forcibly disconnected. It will take 24 hours to bring the system back up and inflict 10% of the network’s total hardware costs in component damage. Corps reserve this action for dire emergencies, when it seems certain that a cyberspace intruder is soon to do something even worse than this. Impending shutdowns are obvious to everyone in the system.

Cyberdeck Actions

Copy File (Move):

Make a copy of a datafile located in your current node and store it in your deck’s Memory. The inevitable wrapper of anti-tamper code and log files makes almost all important datafiles take up one point of Memory, however small the actual contents.

Delete Local File (Move):

Erase one datafile, Verb, or Subject on your own cyberdeck, freeing up the Memory it occupied. Deleting files in a server node you don’t have admin rights for requires the Erase Verb, as the local network may not permit such tampering.

Issue Command (Main):

Verbs such as Hijack or Delude seize control of devices or provide some lasting influence over a system. Ordering a controlled target to do something takes a Main Action. A controlled but uncommanded target will continue doing whatever it was last told to do. If that’s impossible or impractical, it will do nothing until it gets a new command.

Run a Program (Main):

Run a program from the hacker’s cyberdeck or the watchdog’s server, combining a Verb with a Target to produce a desired effect.

Terminate a Program (Instant):

Shut down a program the hacker is running, freeing up CPU capacity. Programs are automatically terminated if the hacker gets dumped from the network, their wireless signal is blocked, or they’re otherwise cut off from their intended targets.