[Odsh]

Certain Matrix Actions and programs are linked to a particular Matrix attribute, either Attack or Sleaze. If you use an action or program that’s linked to the lower of the two attributes, like using Brute Force (an Attack-linked action) when your Sleaze is higher than your Attack, you take the difference between the higher and lower Attributes as a dice pool penalty to the test required for that action.

Backdoor Entry
(illegal) Cracking + Logic vs. Willpower + Firewall (Major)
Outsider
This action is linked to the Sleaze Attribute.

So, for the Backdoor Entry action, if I have a Fairlight Excalibur configured with Attack 9 and Sleaze 8, I get to roll less dice than when I'm using an Erika MCD-6 configured with Attack 3 and Sleaze 4.
Do I get this right?

[Xenon]

Right.
If you configure your deck for attack then you typically get a negative dice pool of 1 with actions linked to sleaze.
If you configure your deck for sleaze then you typically get a negative dice pool of 1 with actions linked to attack.

And no matter if you configure for attack or sleaze the Fairlight Excalibur deck will give you a base Attack Rating of 17 while your Erika MCD-6 deck will only provide a base AR of 7.

[Odsh]

Thanks for the quick answer as always.

Right, I forgot about the AR. So basically with my example, with the Fairlight Excalibur you roll less dice but have an increased chance of gaining an Edge point. Still quite weird i.m.o., but less than initially perceived.

Has anyone per chance come up with a good houserule to make this more consistent?

EDIT: this might not be a big deal for Deckers, since there seems to never be more than a difference of 1 between Attack and Sleaze, however for Technomancers the difference can be more significant.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

If you know you're going to backdoor in, you'll just configure Sleaze as your higher attribute.

Also remember that it's possible to swap values across devices, so long as they were greater than 0 to begin with.  So your Attack and Sleaze don't have to be within 1 of each other.  For example, maybe you're a decker who had fantastic good fortune to get your hands on a Fairlight Excalibur (A/S 9/8, Matrix Attack Rating 17).  But for whatever reason, you only have a rating 1 Cyberjack (D/F 4/3, Matrix Defense Rating 7).  Maybe that's more mAR than you really need, and you plan on being stealthy so you will be reconfiguring your attributes anyway.  You can swap Firewall and Attack, and end up with A/S/D/F 3/9/4/8 which will reduce your mAR to 12 but it also increases your mDR to 12.  You'll probably be wanting that Firewall swap in this case anyway, even beyond the consideration on impact to mAR and mDR...

[Odsh]

Stainless Devil Rat, exchanging A/S with D/F may be RAW, but I seem to remember from somewhere that, according to the author himself, it is not RAI?

[Xenon]

for Technomancers the difference can be more significant.

In this edition Technomancers have quite a lot of control when it comes to matrix attributes as they are allowed to distribute up to a total of their Resonance rating as extra attribute points across their matrix attributes (boosting them up to 50% of their original value).

In most cases they zero difference between Attack and Sleaze while both AR and DR remain really high.

If you know you're going to backdoor in, you'll just configure Sleaze as your higher attribute.

This

Also remember that it's possible to swap values across devices, so long as they were greater than 0 to begin with.

I think the author's original intention there was that you are allowed to switch within the Firewall and Data Processing Array between multiple devices that also have a Firewall and Data Processing Array (for example if you are using both a Commlink and a Cyberjack or a RCC and a Cyberjack). But not between Attack and Sleaze Arrays and Data Processing and Firewall Arrays.


(But as the rule is written I guess it is also technically RAW to allow switching attributes between AS arrays and DF arrays as well).

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Stainless Devil Rat, exchanging A/S with D/F may be RAW, but I seem to remember from somewhere that, according to the author himself, it is not RAI?

I believe you're thinking of the authors intent that Cyberdecks not be compatible with RCCs.  Rotating A/S with D/F is absolutely allowable.  It was even confirmed in errata that "clarified" that you have to have to swap two non-zero stats.  I.E. you can't give your commlink A/S values by turning your D/Fs into 0s.

You can rotate any
non-zero attributes through your persona, even
if they originated from different devices.

[Odsh]

Just found (one of) Banshee's post on this:

I have mentioned this elsewhere too, but just give some insight the original intent was to NOT swap attributes across devices .. this meant the only way to have a Attack or Sleaze rating was to have a deck, then combine that with either a cyberjack or a commlink to get a full persona. But that changed in the editorial phase.

EDIT: and reading that thread further, he seems indeed to acknowledge the "no swapping of Attributes at 0" and "no combining of a deck with an RCC".

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Just found (one of) Banshee's post on this:

I have mentioned this elsewhere too, but just give some insight the original intent was to NOT swap attributes across devices .. this meant the only way to have a Attack or Sleaze rating was to have a deck, then combine that with either a cyberjack or a commlink to get a full persona. But that changed in the editorial phase.

The errata I mentioned addressed this.  Errata made it so that you had to have >0 to begin with to participate in a swap, which establishes that you have to HAVE A/S before you can swap a value in... which means you (non-technomancers) still have to have a cyberdeck to swap A/S.  It fixed the loophole and re-established Banshee's intent while preserving the concept of cross-device swapping.

[Odsh]

Duly noted, thanks for the clarification.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Duly noted, thanks for the clarification.

No worries... it can be a lot to keep track of.  Especially with errata :]

Of course, unless you're in a situation where you have one piece of gear being significantly better than the other, it's not a big deal that you can go cross-device.  But the ability to skimp on one side and use stat swapping to make up for it... that's actually a pretty juicy option for stretching nuyen. Especially in chargen resources.  Just remember that you can't swap stats mid-hack (pg. 178) so if you ARE cutting corners like this... you potentially pay for it when you end up in a situation where you're forced to rely on the "wrong" approach...  as you noticed if you just have all stats within 1 of each other, it's not a BIG deal when you go off the wrong linked attribute.