Mothership - 1d10 Hacking Complications
The Mothership 1E boxset comes with a Hacker's Handbook trifold, but while it is very convenient for designing more complex hackable systems, it is less so if your player simply wants to hack a door or an airlock. For these situations, I've been using the following rules:
Hacking
Hacking is the act of digital trespassing. It can be done by anyone with the "Hacking" skill that has access to a computer terminal (Androids may be exempt of this second requirement, since in some fictions they can digitally interface using their hands). The terminal must be in the same network as the hacking target.
To hack, roll an Intelligence (+ Hacking) check.
- Critical success: hack happens as intended.
- Hacker also takes control of the system: all further hacks in this system have [+].
- Success: hack happens as intended.
- Failure: hack may happen as intended (Warden discretion).
- Roll 1d10 on the Complications table.
- Critical failure: hack is unsuccessful.
- Roll 1d10 twice, and look up the largest number on the Complications table.
Complications
- The hacker is almost there; success in 1d10 minutes.
- Terminal is locked out, with access being restored in 1d10 hours.
- Hacking target disconnects itself from network and starts beeping for 1d10 minutes.
- The act leaves traces that lead directly to the hacker's identity.
- Anti-tampering software fries the terminal. Sparks fly and hacker takes 1d5 DMG.
- The hacking target is damaged in some way, and requires repairs.
- Power surge: facility power restarts over 1d10 minutes.
- Facility blackout: all non-essential equipment shuts down.
- Security is notified and put on high alert. Someone comes to check in 1d10 minutes.
- The hacker believes they are almost there, but in fact, same as 9 above.