⚡ Quickhacking
“The downside of Neuroports is their ability to connect to the outside world. Anything that can connect, you see, can be connected to.”
Optional Rules for 2070s Campaigns
📖 Overview
2070s Era Only
Quickhacking requires Neuroports — cyberware that became common after 2045. These rules are optional for campaigns set in the 2070s (Edgerunners era).
In the 2070s, Netrunners can perform Quickhacks — rapid attacks on enemy cyberware through their Neuroport. If a target doesn’t have a Neuroport, they cannot be Quickhacked.
⚡ Quick Reference
Quickhacking At A Glance
Range: 50m (must see target) Requirement: Target has Neuroport
Flow:
- Jack In (Interface vs. WILL)
- Breach Passwalls (Interface vs. DV)
- Execute Quickhack (Interface vs. DV)
Limit: One Quickhack per target per Turn
🎬 Net Actions
Netrunners can perform either:
- 1 Meat Action (physical action like shooting) OR
- Up to 3 Net Actions (hacking)
Plus their normal Move Action.
📋 Types of Net Actions
1. Jack In
Connect to a target’s Neuroport within 50 m/yds (must be visible).
Interface + 1d10 vs. Target’s WILL + 1d10
| Result | What Happens |
|---|---|
| You win | Jacked In, target unaware |
| You lose | Jacked In, but target knows they’ve been hacked |
Ejection: Target can attempt to eject you on their turn:
WILL + Concentration + 1d10 vs. Netrunner’s Interface + 1d10
If ejected, you cannot attempt to Jack In to that target again for 60 minutes.
2. Jack Out
Safely disconnect from a target’s Neuroport. No check required.
3. Breach
Bypass a Passwall (security layer) in the target’s Neuroport.
Interface + 1d10 vs. Passwall DV
| Self-ICE Installed | Passwall DV |
|---|---|
| 1 | DV 6 |
| 2 | DV 8 |
| 3 | DV 10 |
4. Perform a Quickhack
Once all Passwalls are breached, you can execute a Quickhack.
Interface + 1d10 vs. Quickhack DV
Limit: Only one Quickhack attempt per target per Turn.
🧠 Quickhack List
Simple Quickhacks (DV 6)
| Quickhack | Effect | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Impair Movement | Target’s MOVE lowered by 1. At 0 MOVE, they cannot move. | 60 sec (20 rounds) |
| Sonic Shock | Target suffers Damaged Ear Critical Injury effect (no bonus damage). | 60 sec (20 rounds) |
Standard Quickhacks (DV 8)
| Quickhack | Effect | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Overheat | Target is on fire. Takes 4 damage directly to HP at end of their turn. Bypasses armor. | Until extinguished |
| Short Circuit | GM chooses 3 pieces of cyberware (not limbs/eyes/ears). Selected cyberware stops working. | 60 sec (20 rounds) |
Difficult Quickhacks (DV 10)
| Quickhack | Effect | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberware Malfunction | Netrunner selects 1 piece of cyberware to become inoperable. Cyberlimbs act as Broken Arm/Leg. | 60 sec (20 rounds) |
| Lure | Force target to take Move Action you control. Only works if target unaware. Cannot force into danger. | Next turn |
| Slow | Target’s MOVE lowered by 1d6. | 60 sec (20 rounds) |
| Synapse Burnout | Deal 3d6 damage directly to HP. Bypasses armor. | Instant |
Advanced Quickhacks (DV 12)
| Quickhack | Effect | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Puppet | Control target’s Action and Move Action on their next turn. | 1 turn |
| Shard Ejection | Forcibly eject 1 piece of chipware into adjacent square. | Instant |
| System Reset | Target falls Unconscious and Prone. Woken by taking damage. | 60 sec (20 rounds) |
📊 Quick Reference Table
| Name | DV | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Impair Movement | 6 | Simple |
| Sonic Shock | 6 | Simple |
| Overheat | 8 | Standard |
| Short Circuit | 8 | Standard |
| Cyberware Malfunction | 10 | Difficult |
| Lure | 10 | Difficult |
| Slow | 10 | Difficult |
| Synapse Burnout | 10 | Difficult |
| Puppet | 12 | Advanced |
| Shard Ejection | 12 | Advanced |
| System Reset | 12 | Advanced |
🛡️ Defending Against Quickhacks
Self-ICE
Self-ICE cyberware adds Passwalls to your Neuroport. Each installation:
- Adds 1 Passwall that must be breached
- Increases DV for all Passwalls (+2 per Self-ICE)
- Maximum 3 Self-ICE installations
Ejecting a Hacker
On your turn, spend an Action to attempt ejection:
WILL + Concentration + 1d10 vs. Netrunner’s Interface + 1d10
Success forces the Netrunner out for 60 minutes.
No Neuroport = Immune
The simplest defense: don’t have a Neuroport. Some paranoid individuals and old-school solos refuse neural cyberware specifically for this reason.
❓ Quick Answer Reference
Can I Quickhack someone without a Neuroport?
No. Quickhacking requires a Neuroport on the target.
Can I Quickhack multiple targets at once?
No. You can only be Jacked In to one target at a time.
Does Synapse Burnout ablate armor?
No. It bypasses armor entirely — direct brain damage.
How do I defend against Quickhacks?
Install Self-ICE for passive defense, or eject the hacker with WILL + Concentration.
🔗 Related Topics
- Netrunning — Netrunning overview
- Netrunning — Traditional hacking
- Humanity — Cyberware costs
(Source: Cyberpunk Edgerunners Mission Kit, pp. 15-17)