Key differences between Matrix rules in SR5e to SR6e

Hardware + Logic [Mental]. Takes 1 hour. Each hit = 1 box repaired or cut time in half

• +1 OS per hit on opposing roll for any Attack or Sleaze action
• +2d6 (rolled in secret) every 15 minutes after OS first starts accumulating

• +1 OS per hit on opposing roll for any illegal action
• +1 for each Matrix action modified by a hacking program
• +1/+3 per round for each host to which you are maintaining illegal User/Admin level access

Not in a host:

Device takes 12 DV Matrix damage

User dumped (w/dumpshock)

Physical location reported

In a host:

Host gets three marks on deck

IC is deployed

Bricks device

User dumped (w/ dumpshock)

Physical location reported

No special rules for convergence in a host.

VR cold sim:
Data Processing + Int + 3d6

VR hot sim:
Data Processing + Int + 4d6 +2 dice pool to all actions

VR cold sim:
Data Processing + Int + 2d6

VR hot sim:
Data Processing + Int + 3d6

• Legit: Invite Mark
• Forceful: Brute Force
• Sneaky: Hack on the Fly

• Just go in without any access level (if the host allows it)
• Brute force
• Probe -> backdoor

By default, they only grant one mark. Decker can shoot for two marks at a -4 dice penalty, or three marks at a -10 penalty.

Brute Force: normally grants User access. Decker can opt to attempt for Admin access, but target gets +2 dice pool and +4 Defence Rating in their test.

requires: no marks

Gain one mark on target per net hit.

Every two net hits optionally also does 1 DV or Matrix damage, resisted with Device Rating + Firewall.

Can attempt to get two marks in one go at -4 dice pool, or three marks in one go at -10.

Can also use this action to hop grids.

Gain User or Admin access on the target if the test succeeds.

No mechanic for doing Matrix damage.

Can attempt to get Admin access from Outsider, at a cost of +2 dice on the resistance test and +4 bonus to target’s Defence Rating.

No mechanics for grid hopping.

Probe / Backdoor Entry (6e)

(illegal)

roll: Hacking + Logic [Sleaze] resist: Intuition + Firewall action: Complex

requires: no marks

Gain one mark on target per net hit.

Every two net hits also counts as a one hit on a Matrix Perception test, so you get some information too.

Can attempt to get two marks in one go at -4 dice pool, or three marks in one go at -10.

Can also use this action to hop grids.

roll: same resist: Willpower + Firewall or Firewall x2 action: Extended, 1 minute[^12] requires: no access

Backdoor Entry:

roll: same resist: Willpower + Firewall action: Major Action requires: no access

No mechanics for grids.

(illegal)

resist: Signature Rating x 2

action: Complex Action

requires: No marks

If the test is successful, the signature dissipates.

Character must have a Resonance rating to attempt this action. This is a real Matrix Action, and illegal, so risks Matrix damage and Overwatch Score when done.

resist: Willpower + Firewall or Firewall x2

action: same

requires: User/Admin

Same.

Same.

(legal)

(illegal)

resist: Willpower + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 3 marks

(legal)

Electronic Warfare + Intuition [Sleaze]

resist: Intuition + Firewall

action: varies

requires: varies

Perform an action through a device you control.

Test is usually determined by the device you are controlling eg. a turret would be Gunnery+Agility.

All tests are limited by [Data Processing] if that is lower than the limit you’d normally have.

If there is no test associated with an action, use the test above.

Can use this against multiple targets. If you are the Owner of them all and it’s the same command, no penalty. Otherwise, have to split your dice pool.

Free/Simple/Complex is determined by the command given, as is the access level required (1/2/3 marks.)

This is a Sleaze action, so OS accumulates.

change stat to Logic

resist: Willpower + Firewall

action: Major

requires: User/Admin

Same.

Same.

N/A.

Same.

Not mentioned.

Always a Major action. Requirement for User or Admin access determined by GM fiat.

This is a legal action.

If in AR, use normal physical stats. If in VR, use mental stats (Body->Willpower, Agility->Logic, Reaction->Intuition,. Strength->Charisma.)

(legal in 6e)

resist: Willpower + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 3 marks

Next time device reboots, it fails to restart until repaired.

Repair is an extended Software+Logic [Mental] (12, 1 hour) test.

Same.

Repair is the same as a bricked device, requiring number of hits equal to the devices Device Rating.

(legal)

resist: Willpower + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 3 marks

Can’t be linked-locked, suffer dumpshock, reset OS. Comes back online at end of next Combat Turn.

Same.

(illegal)

resist: Logic + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 1 mark, on some other device

Give device or agent command.

Need mark on owner you are imitating.

“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.“

Same.

No access needed on anything.

“You send a signal to a device with a command the target perceives as coming from its owner. The device then automatically attempts to perform the action as its next available major action.”

(illegal)

resist: Protection Rating x2

action: Complex

requires: 1 mark

Remove encryption on a file.

Same.

(illegal[^13])

resist: Data Bomb Rating x2

action: Complex

requires: no marks

Attempt to disarm a data bomb. Bomb deleted if you get any net hits. If not, data bomb activates, damaging file it was attached to.

Same.

(legal)

resist: Intuition + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 1 mark

Create, change, copy, delete file.

Defender is either the host holding the file or the owner of the file if it’s not on a host.

Same.

Same.

illegal

resist: Device Rating x2

action: Complex

requires: no marks

Player chooses:

• Rating of data bomb (up to net hits on test)
• Effect (delete file or not?)
• Passcode to access file

  A file can only have one data bomb on it at any one time.

  Bomb triggers when anyone tries to read, edit, copy, protect, delete, or put another bomb on the file without using the passcode.

  It does (Rating)D6 Matrix damage to the icon that tripped it.

  Bomb can be detected with Matrix Perception and then removed with Disarm Data Bomb action.

Same

Same

Same

Does (Rating x 4) Matrix damage.

Same.

(legal)

Number of hits is the Encryption Rating on the file.

(illegal)

resist: 6 dice

action: Simple

requires: no marks

Find out your own Overwatch Score.

The 6 dice rolled against this increases your score, and the player finds the score before they are (secretly) added, not afterward.

resist: threshold 4

resist: 10 dice (if target is a stealth tag)

action: Major

requires: Admin[^15]

Same.

Doesn’t seem to increase your OS…?

(legal)

resist: (if opposed) Logic + Sleaze

action: Complex

requires: no marks

Simple test when used to analyze a Matrix object or scan for silent running icons. For each net hit, get an answer to one question on the table below.

If trying to spot icons further than 100 m away, take a simple test: first hit spots target, then additional hits reveal things as above.

To spot an icon running silent, make an opposed test as above. First hit spots it, other hits can be used for more information.

resist: same

action: Major; Minor if user has ‘deck or Resonance

requires: no access

“A successful test gives you information about the target[^16]. With a tie, you can perceive the item’s icon. A single net hit will give you basic information, such as device rating, or whatever name the device or icon

calls itself. Two net hits will give you more specific information, including individual attribute ratings, and what programs it is currently running. Additional hits will give you more information based on what

the gamemaster wishes to reveal.

This test can also be used to attempt to spot any icons in the vicinity that are running silent.”

(legal)

resist: threshold; see below

action: special

requires: no marks

Search the Matrix for information about a subject.

Threshold determined by table below.

Hit beyond the threshold can be used to reduce the time taken (divide the time by the number of net hits.) If you fail the test, still spend the entire base time looking.

Can also use Matrix Search while inside a host. Always has a base time of 1 minute. Only works if the information is online within the host; some is in cold (offline) storage.

resist: none

action: “extended, 10 minutes”

requires: same

Same.

Threshold determined by Legwork Table (see below.)

N/A.

Replaced by the Hash Search action (see below.)

(illegal)

resist: Logic + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 1 mark

Intercept traffic sent to and from target. Listen to, view, or read data live, or save it to storage.

Same.

(illegal but I think should be legal)

resist: Willpower + Sleaze

action: Complex

requires: 2 marks

Find the physical location of a device or persona.

After succeeding with this action, you know the target;’s location as long as you have at least one mark.

Doens’t work on hosts (as they have no physical location), or IC programs (as they live inside hosts.)

Same.

You know the location “as long as you can detect the target.”

Same, but it does work on offline hosts with physical hardware. (But you likely know where the are already.)

(illegal)

Search for a file on a host or device based on known metadata. Threshold is 1 if the hash data was known (eg. given to them by Mr Johnson), 4 otherwise.

Passing the test narrows the number of possible files down to 32. For every net hit, that number is divided in half. So 5 net hits in total will narrow it down to a single file.

If the number of matches is too large after the first test, can repeat, with the usual -2 dice pool penalty. Again, each net hit reduces the number of possible files by 2.

resist: Intuition + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 1 mark

Overload a chosen program on a chosen target, crashing it. Can use Matrix Perception first to figure out what programs are running, or can observe its effects. Device has to reboot to use the program again.

Same.

resist: Intuition + Firewall

damage resist: Device Rating + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: no marks

Does Matrix damage.

DV = persona’s Attack rating

...plus one box of damage per net hit

...plus two additional boxes of damage for each mark you have on the target

damage resist: Firewall action: same requires: same

Same.

DV = persona’s Attack rating / 2 (round up)

...same

...no additional damage from access levels

requires: 4 marks (owner)[^20]

Adds Willpower to defence pool against all Matrix Attack actions for the rest of the Combat Turn.

Add Firewall to the “next time you are attacked in the Matrix.”[^21]

Tarpit is a sort of stun-damage analog to the Matrix damage attack of Data Spike.

(legal)

requires: 4 marks

Change target’s icon to one you have a copy of or have designed yourself. This doesn’t change the results of a Matrix Perception action, but might fool a cursory inspection. You can target your own icon.

requires: User/Admin

Same.

(legal)

requires: 1 mark on host

requires: depends on host

(legal)

requires: no marks

Can only do this if you have access to the target grid. If you don’t have legal access, can use Brute Force or Hack on the Fly.

Can’t hop grids inside a host.

(illegal)

resist: Intuition + Data Processing

action: Complex

requires: no marks

If test succeeds, target has to do a new Matrix Perception test to find you again.

Cannot hide from a target that has a mark on you.

Same.

Same.

(legal)

resist: Logic + Attack (only if link-locked)

action: Simple

requires: 4 marks

Jacks out, reboots device being used.

Suffer dumpshock if in VR.

Defence pool only applies if persona is link-locked and comes from the persona that link-locked you; if multiple you have to roll against them all.

Can only Jack Out to yourself.

Attack + Data Processing action: Major requires: any

Same.

Same.

Same.

Same.

(illegal)

action: Complex

requires: 4 marks

Turns device into jammer.

Range: 100m

Jam rating: hits on test

Cannot use it for anything else while it is being a jammer.

Same.

Same.

(legal)

resist: Willpower + Firewall

action: Complex

requires: 3 marks

Jump into vehicle, drone, or other device.

Requirements:

1. Have 3+ marks
2. Be in VR
3. Device has to have rigger adaptation
4. Have to have a control rig

   If you are device owner or you have permission from device owner, no test is necessary.

   Cannot jump in if someone else is already jumped in to it.

Same.

Same.

Same.

Same.

When jumped in, the device’s icon becomes part of your persona.

(legal)

requires: no marks

Send a message to a commcode: a short sentence, or an image, or a single file. If you’re using the Matrix through DNI (even if via AR), can send a longer message (about a paragraph.) Can also use this to open a live feed (audio/video/whatever) to one or more recipients.

Same.

(legal)

requires: no marks

Switch from AR to VR, or vice versa. Cannot do this if you are link-locked. Can’t do it to other people.

Same.

Can also turn silent running on or off.

If you get a mark on any slave, you also get a mark on the master.

Deckers attempting to gain access levels to a device inside the PAN must first compromise the PAN. They cannot Hack on the Fly or Probe devices within a PAN directly. Once they get a level of access against the PAN (User or Admin), they have that level of access for every device on the PAN.

However, Data Spike, Tarpit, and Spoof Command can be used against any device a decker can see on the Matrix, regardless of its PAN status, and without hacking the PAN first.¹

Remember that if you get a mark on a slave, you also get a mark on the host.

If you are inside a host with a WAN, you are considered to be directly connected to all devices in the WAN

Running silent imposes a –2 dice pool modifier to all of your Matrix actions due to “the processing power needed to cover your tracks.”

Silent running is switched on/off on a per-device basis.

No dice pool penalty.

Silent running is applied to an entire PAN at once (say, a user’s commlink and all their devices.)

(legal)

resist: (if opposed) Logic + Sleaze

action: Complex

requires: no marks

Simple test when used to analyze a Matrix object or scan for silent running icons. For each net hit, get an answer to one question on the table below.

If trying to spot icons further than 100 m away, take a simple test: first hit spots target, then additional hits reveal things as above.

To spot an icon running silent, make an opposed test as above. First hit spots it, other hits can be used for more information.

resist: same

action: Major; Minor if user has ‘deck or Resonance

requires: no access

“A successful test gives you information about the target[^26]. With a tie, you can perceive the item’s icon. A single net hit will give you basic information, such as device rating, or whatever name the device or icon

calls itself. Two net hits will give you more specific information, including individual attribute ratings, and what programs it is currently running. Additional hits will give you more information based on what

the gamemaster wishes to reveal.

This test can also be used to attempt to spot any icons in the vicinity that are running silent.”

Distributed across ASDF similarly to how cyberdecks work

Same.

Initiative: Host Rating + Data Processing + 4D6.

Condition monitor: 8+(Host Rating /2)[^27]

Defensive rolls and effects vary by IC type.

Initiative: (Data Processing x 2) + 3D6.

Condition monitor: (Host Rating x2)

Same.

roll: (Host Rating x 2) [Attack]

action: Complex

roll: (Host Rating x 2)

attack rating: Host Attack Rating

action: Complex

If it gets 1 or more net hits, reduces target’s Firewall by 1.

If Firewall is 0, causes 1 DV Matrix damage per net hit.

Firewall stat cannot be restored until you reboot.

Firewall attribute reduced by number of net hits.

Does not cause Matrix damage.

Firewall stat restores itself after you leave the host, at the rate of 1 point per minute.

Same as Acid, above, but affecting Data Processing.

Same.

If Data Processing is reduced to 0, no Matrix actions can be taken at all.

If get 1+ hits, target is link-locked.

(Attack) DV Matrix damage

...+1 DV per net hit

…+2 DV per mark on target

Plus the same amount of biofeedback damage

Doesn’t mention link-locking.[^28]

Deals (host rating + net hits) in Matrix damage and biofeedback damage.

As Black IC but only causes Stun biofeedback damage.

(Host rating[^29]) Matrix damage and link-locks target.

If Crash IC (or its host) has a mark on you, a random one of your programs crashes. It cannot be run again without a deck reboot.

Same. Doesn’t need a mark on you, though.

Same as Acid, above, but affecting Firewall.

Same as Acid, above, but affecting Firewall.

No Attack actions can be used if your attack rating is 0.

(Attack) DV Matrix damage

…+1 DV per net hit

…+2 DV per mark on target

Deals (host rating + net hits) in Matrix damage.

Same as Acid, above, but affecting the Sleaze attribute.

Same.

If the host has three marks on you and you are hit by this, it immediately reboots your deck, hitting you with dumpshock.

If it hits, it forces you to reboot on your next turn, unless you are link-locked. (No marks required.)

(Attack) DV Matrix damage

…+1 DV per net hit

…+2 DV per mark on target

Plus the same amount of biofeedback damage.

Deals (host rating + net hits) in biofeedback damage.

If it hits, you are link-locked.

If you’re already link-locked, it puts a mark on you.

Same.

Does not change access levels.

If this IC hits and the host has 2+ marks on you, the host (and its owners) discover your real-world location.

Same, but does not require any access levels / marks on the target. The location is revealed if it hits, regardless.

Damage is resisted with Willpower + Firewall, as usual.

Damage is resisted with Willpower alone, as usual.

If you are Converged on, GOD don’t get your physical location.