[Fatespinner]

Hi all,

I have a few questions about Agents. I find them very confusing,

1) Can I run an Agent multiple times on a deck? Can I buy one Agent of the same or different rating and run it in parallel to another Agent?

2) Can I code my own Agent?

3) Does an Agent share the Marks of the Decker? If not, what happens if an Agent is started, when a Decker is in a host?

4) Can I use an Agent to support me in attacking IC and Personas?

5) Can I order and Agent to hack a host or a device and execute a specific matrix action? Like hacking all cameras within range and then set them to loop?

6) Does an Agent share the Overwatch Score of the Decker or does it have its own? Are Agent actions considered to be executed by the Decker (concerning OS)?

7) What is the initiative of an Agent?

Does an Agent suffer from "running silent"? And if so, does it also benefit from Hot-Sim?

9) What happens if somebody tries to deal biofeedback damage to an Agent?

[Michael Chandra]

I'm not fully up to date so take this with a grain of salt.

1a I think not, dunno the other parts.
2 No rules for it in SR5.
3 No idea, I only recall with Sprites the answer is no because they're their own persona. I think Agents have persona so no Mark sharing?
4 If your GM allows a teamwork test on the attack?
5 Sounds like a complex instruction but probably, just taking more time for the command. If an overly complicated situation arises the gm should roll DRx2 to see if the Agent makes the right call.
6 Hm... Not sure, I think own persona so own OS, just like sprites? But if GOD comes down I'd think the deck goes down.
8 I'd argue yes because the host device has the penalty, and I forget if they can get hotsim advantages because to them it's always same matrix.

[Sphinx]

1. Agents run in the program slots on your deck. You can run multiple agents, one in each program slot (p.246). Agents are a kind of program, and you can't run multiple copies of the same program (p.243), so if you want to run multiple agents, I'd say you'd have to buy them separately. You could run two agents with the same rating, just not two copies of the same agent.

2. There are no official rules for writing your own programs. Talk to your GM. I'd suggest maybe a Software + Logic (18, 1 week) Extended Test? See the test threshold and interval tables on p.48.

3. Not clear. Because agents run in the program slots on your cyberdeck and share your Matrix Condition Monitor, I would rule that they share whatever marks you have.

4. Agents have their own persona, use their own skills (Computer, Cybercombat, and Hacking equal to their rating), and roll their own Initiative. They can attack IC and personas on their own, or they could help you with a teamwork test if the GM allows. There are rules for Teamwork Tests in melee combat (p.188); so Teamwork Tests in Matrix combat seem reasonable enough.

5. Yes, an agent can take any actions using the Computer, Cybercombat, or Hacking skills. If your commands are complicated, the agent might need to make a test to understand. The Agent description (p.246) specifically refers to the rules for Pilot programs (p.269): roll its rating x2 against a threshold set by the GM to see if it can sort out the situation on its own.

6. I think because you share a condition monitor with the agent -- and especially if the GM allows you to share marks with the agent (see #3 above) -- then it also shares your Overwatch Score and its actions add to it.

7. Rating + Data Processing + 4D6.

8. The agent runs in a program slot on your cyberdeck, so if your cyberdeck is running silent (p.235), then so is the agent, and its Matrix actions have the same -2 penalty.

9. Agents take the Matrix damage from the attack and ignore biofeedback.