Security Soak, how does it work?

I’m trying to understand how can a Security Soak be upgraded, but I can’t find any rules for that, although this kind of soak is mentioned several times in the corebook. I’m assuming that it can vary according to the Geist or using some kind of defensive software (the Maya Star - p. 444 - has something called a Personal Security Suite, but that is not listed on the gear chapter), but I can’t find anything listed. If someone can help, it would be appreciated.

One example might be Quantronic Zone Effect.
The HightSec effect modify the soak. But you need to have access to this

Ok, but that is a temporary effect. What I meant is a constant bonus. The character sheet has a space reserved for Security Soak, I thought that meant there is some way of improving it in a constant way. Or maybe not…

BTS might add to Security, as mentioned in the Security paragraph on p.100 in Core Rulebook.

Hmmm. There’s that. It doesn’t seem much, but still It is something. Thanks!

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@MigRib
I have to chip in on this as well, I think Security Soak needs to be clarified a lot by the developers. It’s not just the Maya Star NPC that includes Gear with Security Soak, but many of the other NPCs have Security Soak written with only a brief note in Gear on how this was achieved “Anonymising Software (+2 Security)” and “Grey Market Firewall”. Unfortunately such gear doesn’t seem to acquirable by PCs (no entry at all for any of them under Gear chapter).

How does a PC gain a Security Soak without BTS capable armour? I’ve been fudging this with a house rule:
Personal Security Soak = SHIELD Rating of hacking device or Hacking Skill Focus, whichever is lower.

Also: Secured Zones = Use their own Security Rating (if listed) or Firewall /4 round down (if not listed). Keep in mind, even a standard car has a BTS of 1 (hence Security of 1), so secured Quantronic Zones certainly should as well, I think.

Maybe this has been expanded on with some of the newer supplements (Nomads? Or possibly may be looked into with the ALEPH splat book?).

I have just browsed the ALEPH sourcebook and haven’t yet finished reading the Nomads, so I can’t be sure about it, but until now I haven’t seen anything more on security soak (and had, in fact, forgotten all about it untill reading your reply).

Hmm. I’ve only flicked through Nomads and haven’t even looked at ALEPH yet. I’m not sure if the devs are going to re-look at Security or not, it seems likely it will come down to individual GMs and how they want to implement Security Soak.
But, PCs shouldn’t be at a disadvantage to NPCs, if the latter can acquire non-armour related Security, then so should the PCs… As for acquisition of things like I’ve been thinking about introducing Comlog Firewall Security software, but not sure about it yet:

Comlog Security X (X = Security Soak, 5 maximum), Restriction = X, Cost = X+X, Tariff = T(X).

EDIT: Typing in a hurry, got Tariff wrong. Tariff should be X/2 (round up). Still expensive though…

So, low security is fairly cheap and available, high-end stuff is way harder to find and the cost can really ramp up. But as I said, this is still under consideration (until I have seen other splat books that may say otherwise, but that’s looking unlikely)…

Essentially I’m thinking of having the base personal Security Soak as I wrote in my last post (SHIELD Rating of any hacking device carried by that person or their Hacking Skill Focus, whichever is lower) which can be improved with (replaced) by purchasing the Comlog Security software above.

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Both the SHIELD and Comlog Sceurity sound reasonable. I’m not good with statistics, so I won’t even try to figure out if that would unbalance the game or not. I suppose it wouldn’t.
Anyway, maybe the devs will still pick that up. Isn’t there an upcoming book about technology? I think I recall something like that, not only a book cramed with lists of stuff, but also some news rules concerning tech. I might be mistaken about the game, but I think that was planed for Infinity…

Hey, my mathematics is somewhat average at the best of times. I just used SHIELD and IC hacking programs as examples to base my own creation on. But even with the maximum Soak of 5, I wouldn’t think it too unbalancing (especially considering Exploit action and Penetration Momentum spend).

Ah yes, I forgot about the proposed Technology of The Human Sphere book. This wasn’t quite unlocked during their kickstarter, but any ‘tech’ book is essential for a sci-fi setting, so I would think it will be (should be) produced later.

Yes, I think you’re right that this is certainly a very likely candidate to have expanded/clarified rules on Infowar and relative devices/software. We shall wait and see, I suppose…

Technology of the Human Sphere is still listed on DTRPG as a forthcoming part of the Infinity PDF Collection product, so is hopefully still on the project list. Fingers crossed that it clarifies things (as well as having a load of cool toys), although slightly frustrating that there’s not anything relevant in the corebook, to indicate that it is at least possible!

Also, there are a lot of books on that elusive third wave. I’m affraid they will be either rushed (maybe not, they need aproval from Corvus Belli) or it will take a couple of years 'till we get our hands on them.

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Yep, very true. That seems to be the curse of the Infinity RPG … and possibly an ironic connection with the name …

Have to admit, I’d rather they were good than rushed, but I’m picky.

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yesterday I was creating with the players, the first characters for the game, as I intend to begin to narrate it. And I was caught right in the defenses, both security and morale, although the book says they are permanent defenses (on the attack table), I saw nowhere teaching how to calculate them.

As for Morale Soak, although I don’t have the book here with me, I remember that the Discipline Talents have associated Morale Soak bonuses. Maybe there are other sources of bonus besides those, but I’m not sure about that.

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Yup. MigRib’s correct that a natural Persistent Morale Soak can be attained with Discipline Talent : Courageous (3 Ranks, each Rank grants 2 Morale Soak). Other sources would be Psywar Social Zone Effects (Insular and Loyalty), should they count for a PC, though usually such effects would benefit a NPC.

But no equivalent Hacking Talent, unfortunately (which is why I introduced a Security Soak in my game based on Hacking Focus).

I got it. I had seen this in discipline talent and had seen the actions, but thought it was something that everyone possessed.

in that case, I think what makes the most sense for security would be a program running passively.

True about hardware/software should be a factor too, so I went with hacking device SHIELD rating as well as a hacker’s natural ability (skill Focus), and go with the lowest of the two.

Though, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I am very much considering the inclusion of Comlog Security as something that can be purchased, for this very reason… I really do hope they expand/clarify Security in a later book.

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I have a lot of expectations in this book, things like personalization of equipment, creation of programs, etc. etc.

Hell yeah! Tech related splat books are always good (arguably essential) for sci-fi settings. Please, please, please Modiphius, make it soon… :pleading_face:

Although, as what SimonLandmine said, I’d rather have a quality product than a rushed one.

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