[Aberrant] Digital Manipulation

[Mordekain]

Why would you ever buy more than one dot of Digital Manipulation? For 12 xp / dot you could simply buy up Technology or Intellect instead.

[Mateus Luz]

My theory is that there is a roll implied in the text that was not stated, and it would be Digital Manipulation + Quantum (or something similar) that you use to get connected to the computers. Higher difficult computers would require more successes, so you need more dots to beat it.

The other rolls are related to operating the items, not to getting connected to it.

The nova can affect any computer within Close range with a sin- gle success, with Difficulty determined by the device’s resistance to intrusion and hacking: 0 for most simple devices, 1 or 2 for moderately resistant devices, and at
least +2 for military or security devices.

The only thing missing is the description of the pool.

[shadowninja]

For me it's a bug. I house ruled Digital Manipulation as a two dots Mega-Edge, requires Mega-Intellect one dot and the range is based in Mega-Intellect (1: Close -> 2: Short -> 3: Medium -> 4: Long -> 5: Extreme). If the Nova has Telecommunication, she can use the OptNET to access the Web and make any computer-based action only using your mind (and Quantum).

[Zeea]

There's a few powers that work like that, where there's really no reason to buy more than one dot because they barely help beyond the first. See Quantum Deflection as an obvious example.

[Mateus Luz]

“Roll Quantum + Power. Each success can add 1 to the nova’s Defense that round.” Quantum deflection first dot is the most valuable, but the other dots add dice to the pool.

The one power that add little to nothing is Warp, the other benefits are tags and you can buy even without adding dots to the power.

[shadowninja]

I think this kind of power, Quantum Deflection and similar ones requiring roll (don't include attack powers), the Nova can roll and him can gain (Power Dots - 1) Enhancement to any power roll.

[glamourweaver]

IanWatson on the chance that while this was caught too late to be put in errata, errata changes are still being made and thus pointing it out might still be helpful, I thought you might want to see this valid point about Digital Manipulation to pass along (apologies if there was someone better to tag, but I wasn't aware of who it should be if so).

[Mateus Luz]

I put in the Errata.

[Florin]

It lets you do ANYTHING the computer is physically capable of doing. You can project any image or sound you want. No need to write a program to do that. You also don't need to touch or have a computer of your own to hack the target computer. You could drive up to a military installation, have the computer tell the guard you're expected, find a way to get near to the proper computer in the base, and then launch the nukes stored at the ready on the base.

As for rolls, it calls for a Technology + Intellect roll for complicated things with the mega-edge able to substitute for either one. However, you need Mega-Intellect equal to your dots in the mega-edge; so you'll always have at least as much Intellect as you do Digital Manipulation. For normal usage of the power, I'd probably have them roll the same.

[Mateus Luz]

The Technology + Intellect roll is needed for complex uses of the item. Just because you control the computer don’t mean you can access the deep web with it, you still need to know how to do that.

The option of using Technology + Intellect would make the 0-3 difficulty easy, as you have hacking difficulties above it with less control. I know it’s a power and it’s supposed to be overwhelming, but yet I think it’s a bit too easy... I don’t know.

[Florin]

But if you use a weaker roll for simpler things, then that somehow makes complex things easier than simple things.

[Mateus Luz]

The simple things are made with no roll at all, you need to roll just to connect to it first time, and than you have total control over it.