[Xenon]

Interesting...

I thought [assumed] the idea of splitting the cyberdeck was that you still based your matrix persona on the device with a Data Processing rating. That the device with Data Processing was your link to the matrix...?

... and that the cyberdeck (in this edition) was just a specialized device you needed to have if you also wanted to take illegal actions (once you were already connected to the matrix). That decker need [required] to have one out of cyberjack and commlink for the D/F array. And then you [optionally] add a cyberdeck on top of that to get the full A/S+D/F array...?

I don't think any of this is actually described, so I am the first to admit that my assumption might very well be totally wrong :-)

[Banshee]

Interesting...

I thought [assumed] the idea of splitting the cyberdeck was that you still based your matrix persona on the device with a Data Processing rating. That the device with Data Processing was your link to the matrix...?

... and that the cyberdeck (in this edition) was just a specialized device you needed to have if you also wanted to take illegal actions (once you were already connected to the matrix). That decker need [required] to have one out of cyberjack and commlink for the D/F array. And then you [optionally] add a cyberdeck on top of that to get the full A/S+D/F array...?

I don't think any of this is actually described, so I am the first to admit that my assumption might very well be totally wrong :-)

That was the original intent (sort of ... I was thinking Firewall) and one of reasons why I am against the attribute swapping across devices. Once that door is open then it changes where the DP/F is coming from then if it is based on attribute source then what happens if I swap to the other device. Just gets messy ... I've made a proposal to clear it, it has been tweaked by the errata committee,  now we just have to see what the end result is.

[MTCE]

Going all with all the discussion on Data Spike and Matrix damage. Unlike in physical combat, there is no "soak" roll in the Matrix unless you're running the right programs and your meat-body is targeted, right?

[Xenon]

By default, Matrix damage is resisted with Firewall and Biofeedback damage is resisted with Willpower.

[MTCE]

Resisted I get. But if the resistance doesn't reduce the attacker's hits to 0, there is no follow up "soak" roll like there is in physical combat, right?

[Banshee]

Resisted I get. But if the resistance doesn't reduce the attacker's hits to 0, there is no follow up "soak" roll like there is in physical combat, right?

The resistance hecis talking about is the soak roll ... for example data spike is opposed by data processing but resisted with firewall

[SDTroll]

Resisted I get. But if the resistance doesn't reduce the attacker's hits to 0, there is no follow up "soak" roll like there is in physical combat, right?

The resistance hecis talking about is the soak roll ... for example data spike is opposed by data processing but resisted with firewall

Well, no surprise, I’m confused again. When hit with a data spike, the attacker rolls cracking + logic, correct? The target rolls data processing + firewall. More net hits wins. So if the target gets more net hits, nothing happens. If the attacker ties or gets more hits, the defender takes attack rating/2 + net hits in damage. Does the defender get any kind of soak roll?

[Banshee]

Resisted I get. But if the resistance doesn't reduce the attacker's hits to 0, there is no follow up "soak" roll like there is in physical combat, right?

The resistance hecis talking about is the soak roll ... for example data spike is opposed by data processing but resisted with firewall

Well, no surprise, I’m confused again. When hit with a data spike, the attacker rolls cracking + logic, correct? The target rolls data processing + firewall. More net hits wins. So if the target gets more net hits, nothing happens. If the attacker ties or gets more hits, the defender takes attack rating/2 + net hits in damage. Does the defender get any kind of soak roll?

Yes ... matrix damage is resisted(soaked) with firewall and biofeedback damage with willpower... it works just like regular combat but with different attribute pools.

[SDTroll]

Resisted I get. But if the resistance doesn't reduce the attacker's hits to 0, there is no follow up "soak" roll like there is in physical combat, right?

The resistance hecis talking about is the soak roll ... for example data spike is opposed by data processing but resisted with firewall

Well, no surprise, I’m confused again. When hit with a data spike, the attacker rolls cracking + logic, correct? The target rolls data processing + firewall. More net hits wins. So if the target gets more net hits, nothing happens. If the attacker ties or gets more hits, the defender takes attack rating/2 + net hits in damage. Does the defender get any kind of soak roll?

Yes ... matrix damage is resisted(soaked) with firewall and biofeedback damage with willpower... it works just like regular combat but with different attribute pools.

So he rolls his data processing plus firewall to avoid damage, then his firewall again to soak if he gets hit, correct?

[Banshee]

Resisted I get. But if the resistance doesn't reduce the attacker's hits to 0, there is no follow up "soak" roll like there is in physical combat, right?

The resistance hecis talking about is the soak roll ... for example data spike is opposed by data processing but resisted with firewall

Well, no surprise, I’m confused again. When hit with a data spike, the attacker rolls cracking + logic, correct? The target rolls data processing + firewall. More net hits wins. So if the target gets more net hits, nothing happens. If the attacker ties or gets more hits, the defender takes attack rating/2 + net hits in damage. Does the defender get any kind of soak roll?

Yes ... matrix damage is resisted(soaked) with firewall and biofeedback damage with willpower... it works just like regular combat but with different attribute pools.

So he rolls his data processing plus firewall to avoid damage, then his firewall again to soak if he gets hit, correct?

Yes

[SDTroll]

Resisted I get. But if the resistance doesn't reduce the attacker's hits to 0, there is no follow up "soak" roll like there is in physical combat, right?

The resistance hecis talking about is the soak roll ... for example data spike is opposed by data processing but resisted with firewall

Well, no surprise, I’m confused again. When hit with a data spike, the attacker rolls cracking + logic, correct? The target rolls data processing + firewall. More net hits wins. So if the target gets more net hits, nothing happens. If the attacker ties or gets more hits, the defender takes attack rating/2 + net hits in damage. Does the defender get any kind of soak roll?

Yes ... matrix damage is resisted(soaked) with firewall and biofeedback damage with willpower... it works just like regular combat but with different attribute pools.

So he rolls his data processing plus firewall to avoid damage, then his firewall again to soak if he gets hit, correct?

Yes

Wow, right twice? This calls for a celebration. 😉

[MTCE]

Umm...are we sure about this? Reading through the physical combat section, beginning on pg 104, it goes through the 5 steps of the combat process. 1) grab dice, 2) distribute Edge, 3) roll dice and spend Edge, 4) Soak some damage, and 5) bring the pain. It's that #4 step that sticks out to me.

Now, in the Matrix section, beginning on pg 175, it goes through just the 4 steps of using the Matrix. 1) grab dice, 2) distribute Edge, 3) roll dice, and 4) determine effect. No Soak some damage step. Even in the cybercombat section (such as it is), beginning on pg 179, there's no mention of soaking damage, just how to determine a device's Condition Monitor. Data Spike, pg 181, says a successful action causes damage equal to Attack Rating/2 + net hits on the action test. If you're running the Biofeedback program, it causes Stun damage to a cold-sim target, Physical damage to a hot-sim target. The way I'm reading it, there is only a "soak" roll if the target is running the Biofeedback Filter program, pg 184.

If I'm wrong, great. The inconsistency between physical combat and Matrix is pronounced on this one issue and my hacker-player isn't too thrilled about it.

Not to drag Magic into this technological discussion, but damage from direct spells seems to be of the non-soaked variety, too. Indirect ones can still be "dodged" and later "soaked" per normal combat rules.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

There's no blanket step in matrix actions for soaking damage because they don't generally cause damage.  Data Spike is an outlier in that it causes matrix damage.  Soaking matrix damage is covered on pg. 179 (this was added via errata).  By contrast, compare to Resonance Spike which actually says there's no soak.

[MTCE]

Ahh! The damnable errata rears its ugly head once more. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!