Hacking Maneuvers
Access to a device is only half the battle—after getting into a system a hacker must figure out how exactly to play with their new toys. Hacking maneuvers are feats of technical prowess, clever tricks and methods for accessing information thought to be safe from systems said to be impenetrable.
A hacking maneuver usually requires a hacking tools check against the target device’s hacking DC, or it allows the target device to make a Wisdom saving throw. For many targets, such as starships, the hacking DC and Wisdom saving throw bonus are already provided. For constructs such as androids or drones, the hacking DC is calculated as follows:
| Hacking DC = 10 + Proficiency Bonus + Wisdom modifier |
A hacking maneuver sometimes forces a target to make a saving throw to resist its effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
| Hacking Maneuver DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Intelligence modifier |
Most hacking maneuvers also have a die cost representing the risks taken to achieve them. Whenever you perform a hacking maneuver during a contested hack, you must remove a number of countdown dice from the hacking countdown pool equal to the hacking maneuver’s dice cost. If the hacking countdown does not have enough remaining hacking dice in its dice pool to pay this cost, you cannot perform the hacking maneuver. All hacking maneuvers may be performed by any hacker, but most can only be performed on the appropriate devices. The general types of devices appropriate for a hacking maneuver are listed in the hacking maneuver.
Hacking maneuvers are nonmagical and nonpsionic.
The target system’s saving throw bonus is noted in Table: Contested Hacks. If the target of a device is held by another creature or operated by another creature (such as a pilot or helmsman), that creature makes any saving throws made to resist hacking maneuvers for the device.
|
Maneuver |
Cost |
|---|---|
| Blackout | 2 Dice |
| Bug The Line | 1 Die |
| Copy Database | 3 Dice |
| Delete Data | 1 Die |
| Digital Pickpocket | 2 Dice |
| Digital Filter | 4 Dice |
| Disable Deck | 3 Dice |
| Drop Shields | 3 Dice |
| Evade Security | — |
| Freeze Engines | 4 Dice |
| Implant Data | 3 Dice |
| Jam Comms | 2 Dice |
| New Target | 1 Die |
| Open/Close | 1 Die |
| Overclock | 3 Dice |
| Overheat | 3 Dice |
| Remote Control | 4 Dice |
| Scramble Sensors | 2 Dice |
| Search Files | 1 Die |
| Self-Destruct | 5 Dice |
| Spam | 1 Die |
| Spoof Readings | 2 Dice |
| Weapon Jam | 2 Dice |
Encrypted Data
While some maneuvers provide access to data, if it is encrypted it will need to be decrypted. Decrypting data, like deciphering codes or translating languages, is not a function of hacking. Once the encrypted information is extracted, an Investigation check is required, with the deciphering specialty being particularly relevant. The DC of that check will usually be the same as the hacking DC of the device, unless the Narrator rules otherwise.