[korusef]

Nice discussion, but the *cough* *cough* first post was till not answered

Could the Sprites use their power on a device that is currently projecting persona?

• Can Machine Sprite use Gremmlins on the enemy decker's deck in combat? (Eg. the enemy is projecting persona through his deck.)
• What happens if your Machine Sprite is using Diagnostic on vehicle and you jump-in?
• Similar situation to (2), but this time it is your deck. The difference is that the deck does restart when persona is formed.

I am assuming (1) will be no, but I am not sure about (2) and (3). I am inclined towards allowing the Diagnostic to continue though.

[Hibiki54]

1. Yes

2. Your Machine Spite is conducting teamwork test using Diagnostics. You will gain +1 Limit and +Net Hits to all actions you do using that vehicle while Jumped In.

3. Same as above.

[Xenon]

Some sprite powers can only affect device icons.

Some sprite powers can only affect persona icons.

Some sprite powers can affect both device and persona icons.


It will be another week until I get access to my books again but if i recall correctly the Diagnostics power can only target a device icon (the physical device must be wireless enabled, the sprite must Spot the icon and the icon cannot be merged into a persona icon).

[RiggerBob]

Could the Sprites use their power on a device that is currently projecting persona?

Some sprite powers can only affect device icons.

Some sprite powers can only affect persona icons.

Some sprite powers can affect both device and persona icons.

DIAGNOSTICS
The Diagnostics power allows the sprite to evaluate the inner workings of an electronic device. The sprite can assist someone using or repairing the device with a Teamwork Test. [...]

The description speaks about "electronic devices" not a device in terms of matrix terminology, so unfortunately you can argue for both sides.

[Kincaid]

Sprite powers that can target personae specify that (Stability, Electron Storm, Cookie), so I think it's safe to assume device = Device.

[adzling]

So no enhancing a deck that a decker has his persona on then?
right?

[Kincaid]

At my table, no.

[Hobbes]

Presumably Sprites can still be ordered to assist on Matrix actions.  You're just chewing up Registered Tasks and requiring the player to micromanage more.  Your table, go nuts, but mechanically the player will wind up with the same dice pool when it matters. 

Of course if at your table Sprites can't assist,  then I applaud your Technomancer player. 

And, of course, I only know one player that would insist on playing a Technomancer with a Deck and Machine Sprites.  I presume his GM is willing to humor him.

[Triskavanski]

so then, No assisted rigging either or throwing riggers for a loop by using gremlins on their thing they've jumped into.

Though, you could use a Sprite to target something less directly I think. Like the datajack between the the decker/rigger and the thing that is or is part of their persona.

[Hibiki54]

That just makes Sprites worthless in that sense for an archtype that is already fairly gimped.

[Xenon]

Sprites can assist in several other ways than just using the diagnostics power on a device you are trying to repair....

[Kincaid]

They can glitch/brick multiple guns or dog brained drones in a single Combat Turn, not to mention their buffing powers.  Machine sprites are pretty awesome.

[Triskavanski]

Sprites can assist in several other ways than just using the diagnostics power on a device you are trying to repair....

Yes, they can also run diagnosis on a device you're trying to use.

They can glitch/brick multiple guns or dog brained drones in a single Combat Turn, not to mention their buffing powers.  Machine sprites are pretty awesome.

Wouldn't the dog brain drones actually have a persona formed? Isn't the pilot thing like Agents? Maybe not.

But a lot of the gitch/bricking for multiple things.. Run them on silent. The sprite would still have to make at least one perception check to spot them wouldn't he?

[adzling]

Please explain (with dice pools!) how a machine sprite can brick hardware.
Thanks!

[Kincaid]

Please explain (with dice pools!) how a machine sprite can brick hardware.
Thanks!

Four or more net hits on Gremlins is a critical glitch, which can mean a device, "crashes, burns out, or jolts its user with an electrical shock."  If it's slaved to a high Firewall commlink, there's not much of a chance of getting that, but if it's just a guy with a gun (DR 2) and it's a decent-sized Sprite, it can happen.  A Level 6 Sprite vs. 5 dice (FR 2, Int 3) gets 4 net hits just over 25% of the time.  Not often enough to be a sure-fire strategy, but often enough to swing fights.  If you go with the advice in the TM petnomancer thread and have a high Level (say Machine Sprite on-call, you're close to 50/50.

As is always the case with the Matrix, if you have some time to set things up, your odds are much better.  A TM could lower the PAN's Firewall or possible break the PAN completely through Puppeteer or GI/GO.