Source
r/Shadowrun•
Kythios

Dedicated AI NPC for hacking

Hey there chummers,

I've recently started GMing SR5 for a newish group, and am trying to set them up with an NPC to help out with hacking. I specifically asked them to not focus on matrix characters, as my previous foray into SR let me know that any time Matrix stuff comes into play, the game slows to a crawl, and the other players tend to get bored.

To this end, i wanted to make a hacker that I can roll behind the scenes, but I didn't want to affect their combat capabilities much. (Positive or negative) Basically, I want to leave the players the sole focus of the story. My idea was to get an AI hacker, specifically an E-Ghost that resides in a commlink that the players can take with them.

Now, rather than have a bland NPC, I wanted to throw in the potential for plot hooks. My idea is that the NPC is on the run from a Corp that was doing experiments with AIs, E-Ghosts and the like that resulted in separating the mind from the body. The NPC then found a way to smuggle itself out of the facility through an employee commlink (or something similar) and is now seeking a group to help it stay hidden and eventually get its body back.

So, what would be the most important skills, gear, stats, etc. for this type of NPC? The focus mechanically would be hacking, but I also want to give this NPC a believable stat block that represents a metahuman who was likely kidnapped off the street for these experiments, who has spent a great deal of time learning how to hack as an E-Ghost post-experiment. When I get home, I can post what I have so far from chummer (karma build) if it helps, but I'm willing to completely redo the character if necessary.

Quick edit: oh, and before I forget, I want to take a moment to thank anyone in advance for any advice, no matter how big or small, and for reading my request! :)

Posted Dec 7, 2016, 9:33 PM UTC

1330
AGBell64PR Nightmare•

Remember, your players never need to see the statblock for an NPC. You can essentially just write down a set of arbitrary numbers for their dice rolls and call it a day, everything past that is just icing on the cake. Writing a couple paragraphs of fluff and throwing some numbers on a page is a hell of a lot easier to do (and work with later) than going full hog and making a character with PC level depth. NPC's also don't need a set gear list. They have whatever gear you find it convenient for them to have as a character within your run. If your characters want you to justify where the NPC got everything he's using, remind them that characters have lives and income outside of the game, maybe have the NPC name drop their supplier.

A typical runner's core pools are generally around 12-18 dice depending on how specialized they are. 12-9 dice for secondary rolls, and 9 or lower for tertiary. A hacker will have the skills in the Cracking and Computers skillgroups at or near core pool levels. No other skills are absolutely required for a hacker (though perception is nice), so give them whatever works for their backstory for secondary skills.

19
korgash•

Yeah juat script what the NPC will be able to do. if an alarm sounds you would have planed it. If the NOC can find on the matrix the real name of Devil mind controlling lofwyr do it. ( well maybe not, but you see the point ).

Since hacking is mostly about information and counter information. Let the PC do the rest.

4
KythiosOP•

That's actually a good point. I've been playing RPGs like pathfinder and dnd for years, almost always as a player, so I was coming at this from a player perspective. I keep forgetting that GM's have a lot more flexibility in generating NPCs and whatnot. Thanks!

I'll whip it all up before the next game session. If anyone is interested, I can post what I come up with here

3
BamceBug City Strong•

Forget everything you know from dnd and pathfinder, it will only hurt you

6
KythiosOP•

To get myself in the shadowrun mindset, I've been running the season 5 missions set in Chicago. It's been going well so far, but the players need an avenue for the hacky bits that's not beyond their power level

3
BamceBug City Strong•

A Johnson will not hire a team for a job they don't have the skillset required to complete.

9
lshivaUniversal Brotherhood Advocate•

I'm not a fan of NPC deckers rolling dice. Nobody wants to sit around watching the GM roll dice against himself. Have the NPC succeed or fail as necessary for the story. If you absolutely have to have randomness drive the story, roll the dice when you're designing the adventure or during spare time during the run. Don't make the players sit around waiting when you could be providing an exciting description instead.

7
KythiosOP•

That's a good point as well. I'll probably have the NPC do the rolls ahead of time, and if the players don't go that route in the story, at least I was prepared.

1
Begferdeth•

I love the timing from Saints Row: "How long will this take?" "Oh, about 3 waves of bad guys."

6
BamceBug City Strong•

Dont give it a sheet

Give it X dice. Where X is a level of competence you are prepared for the npc to have.

Also dont run the mateix as it is written, else it gets real mastabatory real quick

5
KythiosOP•

Do you have any suggestions for alternate matrix rules that would make it more streamlined? Maybe something in the side bar that I missed for matrix house rules?

1
BamceBug City Strong•

Thresholds based off the perceived difficulty of the task.

Give it one edge per player to use

Have it be a "gestalt consciousness" sort of thing. Write up some quirks for it it. This becomes an npc that all the players can use to do things.

You don't have control over it, they do. Let them choose to do things.

It doesn't have to be an AI it could just be an offsite decker/techno

Ignore all the rest of the rules. You don't need OS, cybercombat, IC.

6
MalklethCost Effective Security Specialist•

Back in the Bad Old Days of SR3, the matrix was so complex (and single-player-dungeony, which was the greater problem) that our GM forbade players from making deckers. Instead, he provided an NPC decker, and he would make one or two rolls and declare "the server is hacked" or "the alarm goes off." or "the decker starts bleeding out of his ears" or similar. You can do the same, albeit with more visible details because of AR.

2
FST_GemstarHMHVV the Masquerade•

I have a grudge against AIs in general -- as they got book space that should have been for technomancers, i just have a hard time squaring a world with enough AI shadowrunners to necessitate so many rules for them, and if they are intended to be NPCs anyway, you don't need rules for them.

Your concept is cool though. I wonder if there is a way to fudge some rules so it has more player control?
-Instead of being a a true AI, it is a fancy agent with a few fun quirks if you want that lives in a modded commlink/deck that can be used for hacking. It isn't good at being autonomous, it doesn't need a huge backstory or a character sheet.
-The commlink and agent are co-owned by everyone, so they decide as a group about what it does.
-The commlink is set to self-destruct if they try to change ownership (basically a no selling/fencing rule. If they want to dump the commlink, it's forever).
-You can be its rudimentary personality for RP purposes. For plothooks, you have it grow more into consciousness as players interact with it more.

Or give the team a modded sprite that functions kind of like an ally spirit. It willl have rudimentary matrix skills to do some matrix things, and some some resonance powers to call upon. This avoids having to have a mechanical interface for an agent.

I think this serves to: give players control of whatever hacking they choose to do (if any).
Not have to deal with GMPCs
Not have to deal with the real AI rules
Players (and you) learn matrix rules (if they want to use the matrix).
Keeps things simpler.

3
Danny_Montanny•

So... GM Fiat Bot 3000?

2
mrjinpengyou•

Better than a DMPC or watching the GM roll for 10min to unlock a door.

6
KythiosOP•

I don't want it to be an auto win button for the players, but an extra resource to use since I specifically asked them not to make matrix heavy characters. I'll still be rolling the hacks behind the scene, including any repercussions if the bit fails a roll that the players would have to deal with

1
Bigslam1993Glitch Master•

If you roll everything anyway, why not allow a decker character? 5E is very slimmed down compared to the older editions, especially on the matrix side...

1
BitRunrDesigner Drugs•

Rather than GM Fiat Bot 3000, imo this should be opportunity to refocus where the action takes place.

Think Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall.

The first hack is entirely out of your hands, but you're still involved because it's not instant and security is looking to kick your ass before you escape. Likewise, infiltration hacking can be turned into connecting devices to a hardline / throwback macguffin, or cutting the right wire to allow the hack to go smoothly.

1
Gabishi•

Just curious, have you considered any players to be Technomancers that are Sprite-heavy?

I was in the same boat as you and would've had some flow-issues if any of my players went Decker, but Technomancer sprites are essentially NPCs that hack, but you're giving your players the agency of deciding which Sprite is best for the job.

The TM in our group is essentially this, and I as the GM do the Sprite rolls, but behind the scenes they're pretty streamlined which I'm guessing, is something you'll end up doing as well for this NPC.

2
KythiosOP•

I've only got 3 players, one is super new to RPGs in general, another has limited experience with shadowrun, and the third has DM'd a lot of fantasy RPGs, as well as a player by post SR4 campaign. the last player is my biggest help as a new GM in keeping the session flowing.

To answer your question, though, I don't think any of the players want to tangle with the technomancer rules just yet, and I would prefer to have everyone learn the basics with their current characters for now, especially the first player who's new to PNP RPGs in general

2
firesshadow42CFD Bostonian•

My 2 nuyen. You don't even need to roll, or if you do you don't have to follow the normal dice pool rules. Make it an AI, make it some crazy decker with some satellite dish in Russia that reduces noise to nothing, make it a techno critter that follows the group around, whatever. The important thing is story telling. Make sure you put plenty of challenges that aren't matrix between the players and their goals. Don't have the hacker give them too many ideas, let them come up with things and ask the hacker to do them. Then when it comes time that they need that lock popped or file hacked via remote direct connection (data tap or some such) just decide if it succeeds or fails... or roll a single die and on anything but a 1 it works and on a 6 it works so well they get some little bonus. Limit some things like the decker can't cover their PAN wirelessly/without an actual commlink in range, or some such, so they're still vulnerable to hacking, but that should be based on their own comms and such. Story is king, if the rules get in the way bend them until they fit in the story.

That all said SR is a game with a lot of rules and for a lot of people that's the reason they like it. As a story first person I also love the crunch. But if not a one of them is matrix savvy then it becomes a story tool and you don't need to adhere to those rule regardless because not a one of them is going to be concerned that you bent or broke them.

2
KythiosOP•

Thanks for the advice. I like the idea of a techno critter, almost like a mascot for the team.

1
firesshadow42CFD Bostonian•

They have stats and rules in Howling Shadows if you aren't comfortable writing your own up or making them up on the fly. That said they come in most common animal forms (cats, dogs, wolves, birds, snakes, etc.). If that's the way you want to run with it pick an animal that has meaning to the group. It's not going to be a combat monster since it's just an animal and augs would fuck with it even more than normal animals (reduced essence). And then have it know some "tricks". The players can point at a door and ask the critter to hack it, you can decide if the animal can do it or not and if not it just whines at them and they have to find a new solution if not then pop! open door! I still recommend deciding based on plot whether a hack is successful or not, or simplifying it to a single roll of some kind. That was you still avoid those rules you were trying to avoid and keep the plot and story moving.

The one danger with a technocritter is people do hunt them and they don't always think to run silent or "turn off" wireless. You'll have to gauge how intelligent and how much controller the players have if the NPC is there with them. That said a huge benefit is that since it can't communicate with them on a traditional level you're much less likely to have it influence their actions and end up being a GM sounding board.

2
Hobbes2073•

And just an FYI, 5th edition hacking isn't it's own separate dungeon crawl. It's integrated fairly well into the rest of the game with 5th edition.

And check out Data Trails for AI rules for the best "NPC Hacker in a Box" ideas. IMO of course.

2
[deleted]•

[removed]

1
LighthouseamourEinsteinism•

an NPC Hacker lets you have them pass or fail based on what is more dramatic and fun. Just hand wave it all.

1