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V E R S I O N 1 . 0 2 A D V A N C E D D O C S
By Brandon Bannerman


This textfile (C) Copyright 1993 Brandon Bannerman. Please distribute it far and wide, so long as no modifications are made to the text contained within.
MatrixRunner is a Copyright of Rob Jacob.
If you enjoyed or benefited from this file, send a word of thanks by way of Brandon Bannerman, aka...
The Last Romantic / Lestat de Lioncourt / Dakhath Redclaw / Johnny Johnny 27908 84th Ave S
Kent, WA 98032


INTRODUCTION

---

>>>>>[Howdy chummer! Welcome to Shadowland, the fastest-growing underground BBS in the UCAS Matrix. There are no access codes, no restrictions, and no fees. Basically, we assume that if you can deck your way in here, you belong here. On your way in, check out the discussion in Open Forum. Our guest speaker today is a Seattle decker known as Johnny Johnny, who is going to be giving a lecture on the relative merits and drawbacks of decking according to the recently-published Hitchhiker's Guide to the Seattle Matrix. Drop in, put in your two nuyen, and enjoy the discussion.]<<<<<
Control (14:23:07/08-05-52)



Contents OPEN FORUM ANNOUNCEMENT
On The Way In
The Nym
Choosing Your Stats
Intelligence
Reflexes
Body
Luck
Drugs
Skill Chips
Your Cyberdeck
Speed
Armor
Memory
Your Programs
Combat
Icepick/Torch/Flamethrower
Spark/Arc/Lightning
Plastique/Nitro/Fusion
Utility
Transfer
Analyze
Recon
Diagnostics
Viruscan
Defense
Stealth/Stealth II
Matrix Mine
Frannie's Freehold
Messages
Games
Files
Intrusion Countermeasures
White IC
Crasher
Raider
Hit & Run
Grey IC
Corruption
Wight
Wraith
Vampire
Burner
Black IC
Flatliner
Mindwipe
AI
Tactics
Stealthing
Know When To Run
Finding Your Way
Jacking Out


1. OPEN FORUM ANNOUNCEMENT

>>>>>[Okay chummers, we'll forego the obvious conclusion that anyone who does not know the definition of decking is a complete deadhead. Since this is supposed to be a tutorial from the inside out, I'll persevere and explain.
Decking is the art of getting something for nothing. Specifically, it pertains to breaking into a company system and hacking your way through its defenses to whatever creds or other assorted goodies lay beyond. Since free lunches are a bit scarce these days, you're going to run into a little resistance--most corps take exception to having their databases robbed--and you'll want to be prepared. Lucky for you, some of us have geeked enough systems and earned enough creds that we have nothing better to do than teach all the up-and-coming deckheads out there how it's done, so shall we slot the small talk and get down to biz?]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (16:17:24/11-14-52)

>>>>>[Frag, what an ego this guy's got.]<<<<<
Slag (16:40:29/11-14-52)

>>>>>[Slot it, Slag. I'm here on my own sweet time, and I don't need to put up with your ingrateful drek.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (16:44:05/11-14-52)

>>>>>[You used to be known as Lord Dakkath, didn't you?]<<<<<
High Performance (16:45:11/11-14-52)

>>>>>[Yeah... your point? We're drifting off topic here.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (16:48:18/11-14-52)

>>>>>[Ego from hell is right...]<<<<<
Slag (17:01:04/11-14-52)


2. ON THE WAY IN
The Nym There are some who will tell you that the name you choose is almost as important as any of your other stats. There are also those who will say it doesn't make a fragging bit of difference if you're called Death Incarnate or the Cabbage Patch Decker. I prefer to take the middle road... your bodily stats are important, yes, but also important is how the world at large views you. Then again, it depends on your style--if you deck with a lot of flash and dash, and plan you rise to the top, it's best if you picked a name you can live with--since once you pick the nym, it's yours until retirement day. On the other hand, if you tend to keep to the shadows, or simply don't care, then picking a decent nym probably isn't that important.
In either case, the name you will bear is the first decision you will have to make upon entering the world of netrunning. Make the right decision for you--you won't get a second chance.

Choosing Your Stats
Intelligence
Lets you do more damage to ICE and helps minimize damage the ICE does to you. One of the most important stats.
Reflex
Decides who is faster and who attacks first. And since there are programs that kill you in one shot this is very important.
Body
Some ICE attack you physically, like sending a large amount voltage down the phone line, to fry your brains or stop your heart. This is how much damage you can take before you die.
Luck
This is rather ambiguous. It can help you hit an ICE when you would have missed, or cause an ICE to miss when it would have hit. It can help you do more damage (IE you hit the ICE in a tender place accidently). Luck can be helpful but don't count on it.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[Who do they think they're kidding? This stuff is right outta the Decker's Handbook, and that file sucked oozing drek to begin with.]<<<<<
Slag (13:40:23/11-15-52)

>>>>>[Despite the fact that Slag is obviously wading in the shallow end of the gene pool, I must agree with him here. They don't give you enough information to work with.]<<<<
Johnny Johnny (14:09:50/11-15-52)

>>>>>[No kidding--why don't they show you at least that information before they just dump you right in and make you choose? Seems pretty asinine to me; I don't like making blind decisions.]<<<<<
Matrixter (14:30:46/11-15-52)

>>>>>[This guide blows, anyone with half a brain knows that Reflexes are more important than Intelligence--half the time, if you don't have a high Ref, an ICE will hit you before you have time to sneeze and say gesundheit.]<<<<<
Spitfire (15:23:21/11-15-52)

>>>>>[Yep, and you obviously have half a brain for believing that. Sure, if you don't have a high Ref the ICE may get to attack first. And if you don't have a high Int to back it up, you won't survive once the ICE does get to attack. Speed is cheap, death ain't.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (16:00:42/11-15-52)

>>>>>[Hey, has anyone ever noticed that no matter what your original scores are, they always add up to 25? And that you'll never have a score above 12 at the beginning? Enquiring minds wanna know.]<<<<<
Speedball (16:25:02/11-15-52)

>>>>>[Sure. It's common knowledge. That way all deckers are more or less equal--although if you ask me, having a 12 Int is a damn sight more equal than having a 12 Luck. Word of advice, chummers--go for the high Int. If you can't get at least a 10 Int, wait and try again the next day. It may take you a week to get the Int you want, but in the long run having those extra points will pay off big time.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (16:58:14/11-15-52)


Drugs
Drugs will increase your stats to give you an edge in your decking, but drugs are dangerous. Every time you take them, there is a small chance you will die, or if you take a lot in one day, there is a chance you will burn some neurons, lowering that stat some.

Skill Chips
Skill chips are a much safer, but far more expensive way of permanently increasing your stats. They install via your hardwired skull datajack, and once there are difficult to remove without surgery--thus, selling them will bring a slightly lesser price than they're worth, due to the cost of said surgery. However, the Int and Ref skill chips are a safer alternative to drugs. An increase of one point costs 500,000 creds, and a two-point increase (for which you will need to sell your existing +1 chip if you have one) will cost 2,000,000 creds. You can only have one of each type (Int and Ref) at a time, to a maximum increase of two points.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[Once again, the Hiker's Guide proves to be a behemoth-sized bag of wind. 'Drugs are dangerous'--drek, drugs are a killer. Steer clear of 'em, chummers. You stand a bloody good chance of frying your brain for good.]<<<<<
Angelina (01:14:20/11-17-52)

>>>>>[It depends on where you buy them. In some cities, the drugs are fairly reliable and you can pump a fair amount of them before the chemical builds up in your system enough to fry you.]<<<<<
Profezzur (02:21:40/11-17-52)

>>>>>[Not only that, but they're a necessity if you want to make it big as a decker. Suppose you start out--start out, mind you--with an Int of 12. With your Armor maxxed to 5, and a copy of Flamethrower, you'll breeze through Blue systems, and encounter minor resistance in Greens. But the moment you set foot in a Yellow system, you'll get hit a LOT. And I guarantee you won't live a minute in a Red system. So unless you want to spend your decking career riding the competition's coattails, and geeking Green systems until you retch, you're going to have to drug yourself. Most places, you can pump about two points of an increase in each ability before risking an overdose and consequential braintoast. It may vary, but that's the average. Be careful, and you'll do fine.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (02:38:04/11-17-52)

>>>>>[Two megacredits for two points? Steep, chummer... steep.]<<<<<
Agent Orange (02:59:30/11-17-52)

>>>>>[And worth every credit of it. Don't bother with the +1 chips, once you've gotten everything there is to get for your deck, save up for the +2 Int chip. Then, in your leisure time, save up for the +2 Ref.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (03:32:26/11-17-52)

>>>>>[Johnny speaks the chiptruth. I've had this +2 chip for a year now, and it's wiz. I look back at decking before I got this, and wonder how I ever got by without it. Get one ASAP.]<<<<<
Starblade (04:05:35/11-17-52)

>>>>>[Just watch your hide. I've heard rumor of a few people who've gotten faulty chips that actually interfered with their neural paths, and permanently hacked off a few points of their stat. Rude.]<<<<<
Matrixter (04:19:15/11-17-52)


3. YOUR CYBERDECK
Speed
Your deck's speed rating is a measure of its ability to tap into your CNS (Central Nervous System) and enhance your natural reflexes when in the Matrix. You begin with a rating of zero--ie, you're on your own merits--and you can increase it to a grand total of 10. Note that this is cumulative with the benefits of drugs and skill chips, so that a Decker with a Ref of 7, a Speed of 6, a Ref +2 chip, and 3 points worth of drugs, would have an effective Ref of 18 when in the Matrix! Speed ratings get more expensive the more you have, and the prices vary from dealer to dealer.

Armor
Your deck's Armor rating defines how well it shields you against attacks from ICE. When calculating the attacks of ICE against you, each point of Armor effectively adds one point to your Int for defensive purposes only. So with an Int of 11 and an Armor of 4, you would have a total defensive Int of 15. Armor is priced similarly to Speed, with prices, again, varying widely. You begin with two points of Armor, and can increase it to 5.

Memory
Your deck begins with 10 Mp worth of memory--10 program slots, in effect. Since this somewhat limits how many programs you can carry severely, an upgrade is available for 20,000 credits--which will increase your capacity to 20 programs.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[Sure, the prices can vary on Armor and Speed, but they tend to stay pretty constant--I think the formula is (A + 1) * (A + 1) * 1000.]<<<<<
Profezzur (18:06:14/11-19-52)

>>>>>[You mind explaining that for all us morons out here?]<<<<<
Log (18:40:06/11-19-52)

>>>>>[Basically, whatever your current rating is, add one and multiply it by itself, then by a thousand. For example, you start out with two Armor points. To buy the next one, it'll cost you 9,000 creds--(2 + 1) * (2 + 1) * 1000. Two plus one is three, three times three is nine, nine times a thousand is nine thousand.]<<<<<
Profezzur (19:09:31/11-19-52)

>>>>>[Wonderful. We need a decker, and we get a slotting math major.]<<<<<
Newbie (19:28:10/11-19-52)

>>>>>[Stow it, Newbie. Word of advice--get your deck's memory upgraded before you do anything else. It's worth the wait.]<<<<<
Bart (19:50:52/11-19-52)

>>>>>[Worth what wait? I can make 20k in a few minutes on a bare deck. It just takes the know. No, your first buys should be Analyze and one point of Speed. Analyze because it's invaluable, and the point of Speed because it's only 1k and worth a shot. That leaves you 1k in case you get dropped by a Burner.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (20:04:01/11-19-52)


4. YOUR PROGRAMS

Combat
Icepick
The simplest and least powerful attack program. Effective against most smaller ICE, but useless for long-term use. You start out with one copy of this, and it costs 2,000 creds after that.
Torch
Slightly more powerful than Icepick. Very effective against mid- range ICE, and can wipe out smaller ICE in one hit. Cost is 16,000 creds.
Flamethrower
A common, but extremely powerful ICEbreaker program. Affordably effective against almost any kind of ICE. Cost is 64,000 creds.
Spark/Arc/Lightning
Similar in power and identical in pricing to the Icepick/Torch/Flamethrower set of programs, these are unique in that they will destroy any ICE in exactly two hits. This is useful against higher-level ICE, against which you could waste precious time hacking away with Flamethrower, but against even a lowly Crasher ICE, the powerful Lightning would still take two hits. The difference in power is that each successive program is more likely to hit and cause damage.
Plastique/Nitro/Fusion
Similar in function to the Icepick/Torch/Flamethrower set of ICEbreakers, this set of programs is far more powerful. Plastique costs 250,000 creds, Nitro costs 1,000,000 creds, and Fusion costs 4,000,000 creds.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[Truth in advertising is dead, chummers. Spark/Arc/Lightning are a complete waste of storage space. They most certainly will NOT take out any ICE in exactly two hits--and some take a bit more than that. All they are is a dressed-up version of Icepick/Torch/Flamethrower.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (06:20:31/11-20-52)

>>>>>[Drek! Pure slotting drek! I was busting Fuchi's chops a month ago, went in with Lightning and took out a Hit & Run in exactly two. No fluke, no lie, no problem.]<<<<<
Spitfire (06:47:02/11-20-52)

>>>>>[No brain, either. You probably got a lucky hit in.]<<<<< Matrixter (06:59:50/11-20-52)

>>>>>[Don't be so sure about that. Arc's served me well for a month now, and I'm about to go up to Lightning, now that I'm heading into Yellows more often. It doesn't cost any more than the Icepick series, why knock it?]<<<<<
Bart (07:42:54/11-20-52)

>>>>>[Why are you guys even fragging awake at this hour?]<<<<<
Maynard (08:03:28/11-20-52)

>>>>>[Up yours.]<<<<<
Matrixter (08:10:03/11-20-52)


Utility
Transfer
This program is absolutely *essential* to any decker's career. It is used to transfer money and data from a system. When you find a Data node that has money in it, run this program and the money will automatically be credited to your account. It works by causing the system to perform an electronic funds transfer, and then manipulating the data to hide the transfer. Since its operation is quite simple, and the fact that it is so necessary and commonplace, the price for this program is relatively low1,000 creds.
Analyze
While a Decker is certainly able to make his fortune without this program, its purchase is strongly encouraged. This program can only be run while you are in the CPU node of a system, and when activated it gives you a readout of the total number of ICE and credits left in the system, up to the moment. This is invaluable in terms of time saved finding out afterwards exactly how worthless (or valuable) a run into the system would have been, and to find out if you missed any money after a run. It costs 3,000 creds.
Diagnostics
Another essential program here, the Diagnostics program checks out all your programs in memory, and highlights in red the ones which have been corrupted by hits from ICE attacks. It is advised that you run this after every battle in which you get hit. Unfortunately, the cost of this program is prohibitive25,000 creds. However, most Deckers agree that the program is well worth the price.
Recon
The Recon program scans the adjacent nodes of a system, and tells you what ICE and credits, if any, are in them. Note that some higher-level ICE can fool the Recon program into concealing their existence, so be careful when using it in high-security systems. It costs 5,000 credits, and can be very handy at times.
Viruscan
The Viruscan program is the only way of finding out if you have a virus in memory, short of the virus popping out and rearing its ugly head. Virii tend to be several days ahead of Viruscan, so if you got a virus on Game Day 4, only a Viruscan bought on Game Day 7 or later would detect it. Luckily, it only costs 1,000 creds, so you're not out by much.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[Three days obsolescence? What a load. I got a virus one day, and didn't know until a week later. How's that for state of the art programming?]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (12:31:50/11-24-52)

>>>>>[Depends on your location. Sometimes, it just takes a while for the latest copy of McAfee's to circulate. Safest thing to do is avoid the problem entirely--don't buy from Frannie's, or from whatever your local pirate board is. Chances are good the copy you've got has been infected somewhere along the line of changing hands.]<<<<<
Maynard (13:01:09/11-24-52)

>>>>>[That's not the be all, end all, Maynard. Nothing is safe. I only buy programs from my local Broker, yet somehow I managed to pick up a copy of the Cockeye virus in one program or another, and pretty soon my entire deck was infected, and all my Matrix perceptions went askew by 40 degrees--and I didn't even know until I ran a routine Viruscan. If you want safe, write the programs yourself.]<<<<<
Matrixter (13:22:40/11-24-52)

>>>>>[Anything on this, Johnny?]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (13:44:28/11-24-52)

>>>>>[Of course it's possible to get a virus from your broker--I've done it myself. Heck folks, that's common sense that goes back to the days of low-tech BBSes. If you want to be completely safe, don't buy anything--write all your programs yourself.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (13:59:06/11-24-52)

>>>>>[Do you know what a fragging pain that is?]<<<<<
Slag (14:19:38/11-24-52)

>>>>>[I think that was his point, Slag--nothing is 'safe'.]<<<<<
Matrixter (14:35:49/11-24-52)

>>>>>[On to another subject, what's the word on Recon? Is it worth the money?]<<<<<
Lexis (15:00:05/11-24-52)

>>>>>[Depends on your point of view, and your Int. If you have a high Int, it can be. What Recon does is make an attack roll against any ICE in the adjacent nodes. If it wins the roll, it shows you any ICE and creds in that node--if the ICE wins the roll, the bugger tells you it's empty. Of course, if there's creds in there but no ICE, it'll automatically tell you. Personally, I like getting a copy, and running it when I come to an intersection. Kind of like flipping a coin, actually.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (15:09:52/11-24-52)

>>>>>[Forget the rest of that drek. The first program you should invest in is Diagnostics. Hands down.]<<<<<
Bart (15:27:08/11-24-52)


Defense
Stealth/Stealth II
These two sister programs are designed to make you invisible to ICE, so that you may pass through a few nodes undetected. It can be useful if you're hurt bad and don't want to have to tackle a lot of ICE. You cannot run this program once an ICE has seen you, however. Stealth costs 8,000 creds. Stealth II is somewhat stronger and more likely to succeed, and costs 50,000 creds. Note that it is generally considered among netrunners that only wimps use this program, and that they aren't "real" Deckers.
Matrix Mine
These are nasty little things that you can use you really nail another Decker. You can run it in almost any node of a system, and once run it will delete itself from memory, and the next day a Matrix Mine ICE will emerge in that node, and will attack the first Decker to enter that node (including you). The program is copy-protected, so it cannot be backed up, and costs 100,000 creds.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[If only 'wimps' use Stealth, then call me a wimp from hell. Funny, in my vocabulary, 'coward' is semantically equal to 'alive'. So sue me.]<<<<<
Speedball (11:51:23/12-01-52)

>>>>>[Right on brother. Anything to give ya the edge, eh?]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (12:11:29/12-01-52)

>>>>>[What a bunch of gutterpunks. I'm shocked that you even dare call yourselves deckers. I need no Stealth, never have, and never will. It seems to me that there is a growing trend (1.7 Mp deleted by SysOp).]<<<<<
Howitzer (12:27:08/12-01-52)

>>>>>[Have you ever tried douching with battrey acid, Witz? It might improve your attitude.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (12:41:33/12-01-52)

>>>>>[You like reading about Matrix Mines in this pathetic file... why don't I leave one for you to inspect up close and personal?]<<<<<
Howitzer (13:10:25/12-01-52)

>>>>>[Well?]<<<<<
Howitzer (13:58:04/12-01-52)

>>>>>[Can it Howitzer, you're not impressing anyone.]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (14:01:28/12-01-52)

>>>>>[Least of all me. You call that a Matrix Mine? I've seen better programming in a kid's game. Back on topic--since Witz here has given us a new one--Matrix Mines. Steer clear of them if you see one, unless you are chipped all to hell. If it tags you just once, you'll lose all the programs you've got in memory. Nasty.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (14:30:12/12-01-52)


5. FRANNIE'S FREEHOLD
Franny runs a pirate BBS for you to buy/sell software and leave messages to other netrunners about your exploits or give/get tips etc. She tries to keep the programs in her program section virus free, but she is busy, and with the disreputable bunch of users she's got, they keep popping back up. She'll buy programs if the ones you have are better than the ones she has. The risk of getting virii here is definitely (7.3 Mp deleted by SysOp).

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[What's this drek in the Contents about Files, Messages, and Games? I can't find any games on her board.]<<<<<
Slag (23:14:48/12-11-52)

>>>>>[That's because you're a lamer, Slag.]<<<<<
Bodice (23:27:33/12-11-52)

>>>>>[Enough, people. I asked Amanda to kill most of that section because it's approximately 8 Mp of worthless ramblings and BBS ads. And Frannie doesn't have any games, last I checked... sorry Slag, no TradeWars.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (23:52:50/12-11-52)

>>>>>[Frag!]<<<<<
Slag (00:08:24/12-12-52)

>>>>>[How old is this breeder anyway?]<<<<<
Nog (00:20:53/12-12-52)

>>>>>[Don't worry about it. The only real info of worth in this section is the fact that you have a VERY high chance of getting a virus from programs purchased here. It's not worth the payback.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (00:39:07/12-12-52)

>>>>>[It would be nice if I knew the bloody number.]<<<<<
Angelina (00:54:01/12-12-52)

>>>>>[Okay. It's 2/206:859/3931.]<<<<<
Nog (01:13:30/12-12-52)

>>>>>[That's not the only useful thing to know about Frannie's. I don't know anyone who's cracked the copyprotect on the Matrix Mine program yet, but I heard of a way you can get around it. You gotta be the first one who buys it, though. Sell a copy to Frannie, then buy as many as you'll ever need back for 80k each. It'll cost a pretty purse, but you'll save a lot of money on em. It all hinges on Frannie's daily scan... she goes through all her files overnight and tests them out. I think that's when they get infected, so until that happens it's a safe bet that the programs are clean.]<<<<<
Matrixter (01:36:18/12-12-52)

>>>>>[That's a lot of dripping drek. Frannie got wise to that scheme months ago, now she'll fine you some serious creds if you try it.]<<<<<
Nog (01:55:37/12-12-52)


6. INTRUSION COUNTERMEASURES
White IC
White Ice are classified as such because they do no actual damage. They may be highly annoying, and they may impede your progress, but they won't actually hurt anything. The Ice and their relative strength ratings are listed here.
Crasher
The aptly-named Crasher IC is possibly one of the most annoying IC in existance. If it hits you, it does nothing more than crash your deck out of the system and back into the Matrix. It has a strength of 3.
Raider
A direct offshoot of the Crasher's coding, the Raider performs the same--except that it also steals all of your credits before crashing your deck. The strength is unknown.
Hit & Run
The most recent addition to the Crasher family, the Hit & Run IC is not only more powerful than the Raider, but more annoying as well. After stealing all of your credits and crashing your deck, it then moves to a completely different node in the system! The strength is unknown.


S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[I've got a lead on the strength ratings of the Raider and Hit & Run IC, based on some coding left over from a few that I geeked. It seems the Raider has a rating of about 6, while the Hit & Run's strength peaks at around eight.]<<<<<
Maynard (07:40:55/12-17-52)

>>>>>[Maybe, but there's no way that the Crasher is only a strength 3 IC... I've sat there and hacked at one for three hits with Plastique before killing it. It's gotta be at least a five.]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (08:01:04/12-17-52)

>>>>>[Better believe it, Liz m'dear. Hey, how do you go about finding a Raider specifically in a system? I like to hunt them.]<<<<<
Maynard (08:21:15/12-17-52)

>>>>>[Watch for gang colors?]<<<<<
Nog (08:37:55/12-17-52)

>>>>>[Very punny. And by the way, Maynard, where do you get off saying a Hit & Run is a strength 8? They're buffer than that, whereas I'm a monkey's uncle if a Raider is even a strength 5.]<<<<<
Speedball (08:59:27/12-17-52)

>>>>>[Hello, Monkey's Uncle.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (09:19:59/12-17-52)


Grey IC
Grey IC are IC which do actual damage, but only attacking your deck--ie, they don't hurt you directly. They might attack your deck's hardware--ie, the ROM or some other vital part--or the software you run.
Corruption 1 to 3
These will try to corrupt the programs in your deck to raise the chance that they will crash. NOTE: A corrupted program can still work; it will just crash some, most, or all of the time depending on the amount of corruption. Their strength ratings are 2, 4, and 6, respectively.
Wight/Wraith/Vampire
These ICE are little stronger and will attack your program to make them weaker. If a program loses all it's strength, it will be deleted from your deck. Note that if you copy a damaged program, the copy will also be damaged. Their strength ratings are 2, 4, and 6, respectively.
Burner
This will attempt to burn out the ROM in your deck, making it unusable for netrunning till you replace the ROM. If you do not have the credits to replace the ROM, don't worryall NetRunners get a small income daily from various off jobs, and you'll eventually have enough to replace it. Strength unknown.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[Hey, sometimes if your technician is a nice guy, he'll front you the money to replace your ROM if it gets fried. Chiptruth.]<<<<<
Nog (15:55:34/12-21-52)

>>>>>[Maybe you just caught him in a good mood.]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (16:08:09/12-21-52)

>>>>>[No, Nog is right, and if you think about it, it makes sense. The guy knows you'll need a technician anyway for deck upgrades, and wouldn't you be more likely to give your business to a tech who did that kind of a favor for you? By replacing your ROM he's putting you back in business so you can make more money. Just don't push your luck.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (16:25:38/12-21-52)

>>>>>[I've got a tactic that works well when dealing with Crashers and Burners... if they're guarding creds, Transfer the creds first. That way, if they tag you and therefore knock you out of the system, you'll have the credits. Don't try this with other IC, though.]<<<<<
Starblade (16:31:29/12-21-52)

>>>>>[Makes sense. Hey Maynard, any news on the strength of the Burner?]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (16:50:24/12-21-52)

>>>>>[Haven't scragged me one yet to study. I'll let you know, though.]<<<<<
Maynard (17:05:35/12-21-52)

Black IC
Black IC--also known as Killer IC--are nasty. Little is known about them specifically, but rumors trickle down through the grapevine. Below is what is known so far.
Flatliner
This ICE will attack your Deck's electronics, in an attempt to stop your heart. If your Body is damaged below 0, you will be effectively Flatlined, and have to return the next day. Strength unknown.
Mindwipe
This ICE will send high amounts of voltage through the phone lines in an attempt to fry your brain. If your Int falls below 0, you will be killed, and have to return the next day. Strength unknown.
AI
There are rumors of AIs (Artificial Intelligences) being in some of the higher level systems, but nobody seems to have first hand knowledge. It could be just stories, or that nobody has survived. Since the very existence of these IC is uncertain, strength is obviously unknown.

S H A D O W T A L K
>>>>>[Rumors, drek! I ran up against an AI running a few dark corners of Mitsuhama. The bugger was nasty with a capital N. First it stole every credit I had. Then when it was done with the transfer, it started acting like a Flatliner, and attacked my Body. I managed to steal my credits back and jack out before it could kill me, but I'm not anxious to go back in here. And I would swear I heard the thing *laughing* as I jacked out. Scary.]<<<<<
Starblade (03:14:44/12-25-52)

>>>>>[What a load. There is no such thing as an AI, it's just not possible to make a machine think like a human.]<<<<
Bart (03:49:36/12-25-52)

>>>>>[You are mistaken, Bart. Johnny and I went on a run together a ways back, where we ran into one. The two of us managed to take the AI down, but we both almost got razed. I had time to study the coding for a minute or two before the heat came down, and what I saw scared me. I didn't even understand half of it, but it had a strength of at least 9 or 10.]<<<<<
Maynard (04:00:58/12-25-52)

>>>>>[Maynard's telling the truth; I heard about that run. Hey, has anyone seen that podunk Howitzer around? Uh... Johnny?]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (04:13:50/12-25-52)

>>>>>[You don't want to know. ]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (04:22:38/12-25-52)

>>>>>[Well, Merry Fragging Christmas, Witz is gone!]<<<<<
Slag (04:49:36/12-25-52)

>>>>>[And you're back, Slag. Where's the delete key?]<<<<<
Amanda Wilson, SysOp (04:53:59/12-25-52)

6. TACTICS
>>>>>[The bulk of this section has been deleted by me, due to the fact that, like the section on Frannie's Freehold, the information therin was completely worthless. In its stead I am devoting this section to an Open Forum debate on the topics presented. Johnny Johnny #24869 will preside as moderator. Oh, and happy New Years, folks!]<<<<<
Amanda Wilson, SysOp (06:23:42/01-01-53)

Stealthing
>>>>>[What about Stealthing? So it's useful, point taken, why devote a section to it?]<<<<<
Lexis (15:03:07/01-04-53)

>>>>>[Because, my dear Lexis, there's a time and place for everything. Hey, does anyone know why Stealth II seems to have a time limit on it? I've used it, run around a system for a bit, and found that it's no longer hiding me. What haps?]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (15:10:38/01-04-53)

>>>>>[It just doesn't like you, Liz. My Stealth II works fine. Johnny?]<<<<<
Matrixter (15:31:30/01-04-53)

>>>>>[Zilch. Mine works fine. I think Liz is simply running into IC that have beaten the attack roll for her Stealth.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (15:47:59/01-04-53)

>>>>>[No, no, no!]<<<<<
Lizzy Borden (16:02:21/01-04-53)

>>>>>[Hey guys, I'm new to this scene... why use Stealth? Why not just fight it out? I'm interested.]<<<<<
Lowrider (16:40:14/01-04-53)

>>>>>[Well, there's quite a few reasons. You can Stealth and still fight it out--you simply may get in one or two free hits before the IC sees you. That's what I do, at least. Or you can just rail through the system and not even bother to fight when you can avoid it--just take all the credits--but that's damn boring, and doesn't do drek for your experience. Choose your own path; it's all a matter of personal opinion.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (16:58:13/01-04-53)


Know When To Run
>>>>>[What's the story on this one, Johnny... we giving lessons in 'tactical retreat'? Or just 'cover-your-ass-and-run-'?]<<<<<
Bart (12:35:10/01-11-53)

>>>>>[Hahahaha... both. Personally, I rail when I come up against a Flatliner, Mindwipe, or AI and I have an Int less than 18.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (12:42:39/01-11-53)

>>>>>[An int of 18... you're joking, right?]<<<<<
Starblade (13:01:19/01-11-53)

>>>>>[Nope. My Int is 14 *before* drugs or skill chips. We're drifting off topic.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (13:17:10/01-11-53)

>>>>>[Holy crud. Anyway... I rail when I find a Hit & Run. I can't stand trying to find it and my creds again if it hits me.]<<<<<
Bart (13:22:53/01-11-53)

>>>>>[It's easy... just pop in next week for the discussion on getting around systems with no hassle. Seriously, the point of this one is this: don't fight if you're damaged badly, or keep getting hit by an IC you can't geek. Just run, and as the old saying goes, live to fight another day.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (13:45:39/01-11-53)


Finding Your Way
>>>>>[What's the scoop, Johnny... you going to let us in on this big secret of yours about navigating? Haha...]<<<<<
Slag (11:29:48/01-16-53)

>>>>>[Slag, take a chill pill. Actually, I've figured out a pretty good hierarchy of priorities and patterns for moving around in a system. I don't really have to remember much, and I rarely get lost or leave money in a system. It's actually pretty easy. You use this decision tree whenever you reach an intersection.
Forward Open?
If Yes, Forward, Else
Left Open?
If Yes, Left, Else
Right Open?
If Yes, Right, Else
Must be a dead end, so back up and repeat decision loop, ignoring the node that you just came from.
Unless you're hunting IC, never enter IOP, DLJ, or S_N type nodes. They are *always* dead ends (unless a really creative SysOp has done some editing), and never have creds. They occasionally have IC, though. If the CPU is adjacent and you haven't been there, always take that node over any other, perform analyze, then return to the decision loop.
This works like a charm for me.]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (11:54:31/01-16-53)

>>>>>[Whoa.]<<<<<
Bart. (12:07:53/01-16-53)

>>>>>[Open Forum closing in twenty minutes. Please wrap up any discussions in progress. Thank you.]<<<<<
Amanda Wilson, SysOp (12:10:06/01-16-53)

>>>>>[Drek. Well, I think we've just about covered anything I could hope to cover in this forum anyway. I'd like to thank Amanda for the use of her forum, and all the Seattle and Denver deckers who made this little venture possible. Thanks to all above and all not mentioned, perhaps we'll need to do this again sometime in case we come up with more useful info--and we always do. Oh, and Amanda--dinner in a few days? I don't leave for Seattle until the 20th...]<<<<<
Johnny Johnny (12:17:03/01-16-53)

>>>>>[You wish. Have fun, Johnny... see you around.]<<<<<
Amanda Wilson, SysOp (12:27:56/01-16-53)

>>>>>[OPEN FORUM CLOSED AT SYSOP REQUEST]<<<<<
Control (12:30:00/01-16-53)