They hack the same way as a Decker would hack. Their living persona have the same matrix attributes as a decker using a cyberdeck+cyberjack and they have the option to hack from AR, cold-sim VR and hot-sim VR, just like a decker.
There are a few things that differ. When taking matrix damage they don't have a device to soak it up, instead their own condition monitor will be used for this. And they also have access to complex forms, sprites, submerge and echos (almost like magic in the matrix - complex forms are roughly the same as spells, sprites are roughly the same as spirits, submerge is roughly the same as initiate and echos are roughly the same as metamagic).
So how does hacking (both deckers and technomancers) work in 6E?
Say you want to open up a maglock.
This can be done in a number of different ways.
Of which the fastest would be to use the Spoof Command outside action which may be performed without having access on the maglock (so lets start with that).
First you need to find out if the hacker have a tactical advantage here or not. You do that by adding the Attack rating and the Sleaze rating for the attacker and then you add the Data Processing and Firewall rating of the network the maglock is connected to. If the maglock is not part of a stationary Host network or a mobile Personal Area Network then it will probably have a Defense Rating and Firewall of 0. If the hacker have an Attack Rating that is 4 more than the maglock then they are considered to have a tactical advantage and receives one point of Edge for that.
Then you resolve the actual test. Spoof Command is resolved as an Illegal Cracking + Logic vs Data Processing Major Action.
The Data Processing rating in this case is the Data Processing rating of the network the maglock is connected to. If the maglock is not part of a network then it will probably not defend at all.
Since this is an illegal action, hits from the opposed Data Processing test will add overwatch score to the hacker.
If the maglock gain more hits than the hacker then the attempt failed, otherwise the the hacker successfully instructed the maglock to open and the maglock will open itself on its next action.
This can also be used to illegally instruct any device such as elevators, lights, washing machines, sensors, vendor machines, alarms, ventilation, coffee machines, refrigerators etc without having any access on them.
The same action may also be used to instruct the auto pilot of a drone. It does not work if the drone is already controlled by someone else (since in that case the auto pilot is overridden and cannot take actions) and the Drone will also defend with its own Auto Pilot rating + Firewall of the network it is connected to (if applicable). If successful it will act on the hackers instruction in its own turn, using its own auto softs and ratings.
The advantages of using Spoof Command is that it does not require any access and that devices only defend with Data Processing (an advantage might also be that drones use their own ratings in case you are not skilled in pilot and engineering yourself). The drawbacks of using Spoof Command is that it is an illegal action which mean overwatch score might increase for every command you try to spoof.
Other methods require access on the maglock (or rather the network the maglock is connected to). If you don't already have user access to the network you first need to gain that access. Either by someone granting you access legally, brute forcing the network to gain access (quick and dirty) or spend some time to probe the network to find a backdoor you can exploit (slower but stealthy).
Lets first explore how Brute Force outside action would be resolved. Just as the spoof command example above you start with checking if the hacker have a tactical advantage or not.
Then you resolve the test as an Illegal Cracking + Logic vs. Willpower + Firewall Major Action.
If the maglock belong to a Host network and the Host does currently not have a Spider (a corporate decker) then the maglock will just defend with the Host's Firewall.
This test is linked to Attack which mean you will take a negative dice pool modifier if your current sleaze rating is higher than your attack rating (equal to the difference between your Sleaze and Attack).
If successful you will now have the required User access to control the lock (or drone) yourself.
The advantage of using Brute Force is that it only take one Major action to perform. The disadvantage is that it is loud and always alert the device you are trying to access.
Now let us explore how Probe and Backdoor Entry outside actions are resolved. This is a two step procedure.
First you start with checking if the hacker have a tactical advantage.
Then you resolve the test as an Illegal Cracking + Logic vs Willpower + Firewall Test that takes 1 minute to perform.
This action is linked to Sleaze which mean you will take a negative dice pool modifier if your current attack rating is higher than your sleaze rating.
If successful you created an exploit which allow you to take the Backdoor Entry action.
Start with checking if the hacker have a tactical advantage (if the hacker had a tactical advantage on the probe action then they will probably also have a tactical advantage on other actions against the network as well).
Then you resolve the test as an Illegal Cracking + Logic vs. Willpower + Firewall Major Action where hits from the Probe test is used as a positive dice pool modifier to this test.
This also a sleaze action just like probe.
If successful you now have the access needed to control the maglock (or drone).
The advantage of using Probe and Backdoor Entry to gain access is that it is stealthy and does not alert the owner of your intentions. The disadvantage is that each probe attempt take one minute (20 combat turns).
Maintaining User access on a Host network (from either brute force or probe + backdoor entry) will increase overwatch score by 1 every combat turn.
Now that we have access on the maglock we may directly remote control the lock. This would be the Control Device user/admin action.
Since there is no test associated with using the device this test will be resolved as a Legal Electronics + Logic vs. Firewall + Willpower Major Action.
This can also be used to legally directly remote control other devices; such as elevators, lights, washing machines, sensors, vendor machines, alarms, ventilation, coffee machines, refrigerators etc as long as you have access on the network they are connected to.
Since this is a legal action opposed hits will not generate overwatch score.
The same action may also be used to directly remote control a drone. It does not work if the drone is already controlled by someone else (only one can control a drone at any given time). You are remote controlling the drone directly on your turn using your own skills and attributes. Unlike the maglock performing a stunt or sneaking or firing with a drone have a tests associated with them which mean you don't resolve it with an l Electronics + Logic vs. Firewall + Willpower test. Instead you just directly use your Pilot + Reaction (to perform stunts or sneak with the drone) or Engineering + Logic (to shoot with on-board weapons on the drone).
The advantages of using Control Device is that it is a legal action that does not rack up overwatch score as long as you already have access to the network and also that the device will act directly on your turn without delay (and if you have pilot and engineering skills then you might have a bigger chance of success than the on-board auto pilot). The drawback of using Control Device is that it require access on the network.
A difference between a decker and a technomancer is that technomancer might have complex forms that also work to control the maglock in our example. For example Puppeteer.
Attack Rating for complex forms are Electronics + Resonance (rather than Attack + Sleaze), but you still compare Attack Rating and Defense Rating of the network the maglock (or drone) is connected to to see if the Technomancer have a tactical advantage or not.
As long as the technomancer sustain a complex form they take a negative dice pool modifier on all tests of 2 dice but also as long as the puppeteer is sustained on the device the technomancer can keep controlling it with Control Device (even though he or she does not have access on it).
To puppeteer the maglock is resolved with Electronics + Logic vs. Firewall + Willpower just the normal Control Device action while performing a stunt or sneaking with a drone is resolved with Pilot + Reaction and firing on-board weapons of a drone is resolved with Engineering + Logic (it is the standard Control Device action).
Similar to Drain that comes when casting spells, weaving complex forms also comes with mental wear and tear (called Fading). Fade value for Puppeteer is 5 and it is reduced by hits from a Willpower + Logic resistance test. If the fade value is higher than resonance after resistance then the damage is physical, otherwise it is stun.
The advantage of using puppeteer is that it does not require access on the device and it does not cause overwatch sore. The drawback is that it cause fade for each device the technomancer wish to puppeteer and for each device the technomancer wish to puppeteer there is also another negative dice pool modifier of 2 dice.
TL;DR
Gain access (quick and dirty)
Check for tactical advantage
Cracking + Logic vs. Willpower + Firewall (linked to attack)
Gain access (slow and stealthy)
Check for tactical advantage
Cracking + Logic vs. Willpower + Firewall (1 minute, note net hits, linked to sleaze)
Check for tactical advantage
Cracking + Logic (+ net hits) vs. Willpower + Firewall (linked to sleaze)
Instruct maglock to open itself (don't require access):
Check for tactical advantage
Cracking + Logic vs Data Processing
Puppeteer maglock to open itself (don't require access)
Check for tactical advantage
Resist DV5 with Willpower + Logic
Electronics + Logic vs. Firewall + Willpower
Control maglock to open (require that you first already have access)
Electronics + Logic vs. Firewall + Willpower
Instruct drone to fire at your enemy (don't require access):
Check for tactical advantage
Cracking + Logic vs Pilot + Firewall
[Weapon] Targeting autosoft + Sensor rating vs Reaction + Intuition
Puppeteer drone to fire at your enemy (don't require access)
Check for tactical advantage
Resist DV5 with Willpower + Logic
Engineering + Logic vs Reaction + Intuition
Control drone to fire at your enemy (require that you first already have access)
Engineering + Logic vs Reaction + Intuition
