Even the most powerful computers ad net-works require software to do anything. The preceding rules o crafting software cover the basics of how software works and how it is created, but the vast majority of users lack the skills and/or the time to write their own soft-ware. This section describes “off the shelf” pro-grams and other software that can be pur-chased just like ay other piece of gear. SOFTWARE DESCRIPTIONS All software described here has the following characteristics, as shown on the Software ta-ble, below. Program Name: The common name for the type of software. PL: The Progress Level at which the software becomes available. Computers from lower PLs than the one listed cannot run the program. Memory Cost: The number of memory blocks the software takes up when installed. Purchase DC: The Wealth check DC to purchase the software. Restrictions: The restriction level of the software. AGENTS Agents, sometimes known as “snoopers,” are semi-independent programs that search the grid for whatever files or information their us-er requires. They can’t make attacks or take any action that requires them to overcome the security or permissions DC of a site, but can be useful time-savers. They can look like just about anything, but typically have no real AI or personality of their own. Typical Agent (“Snooper”): Medium Construct; CR: - ; HD: 1d4+4; hp: 8; Init: +0; Speed: 30 ft; Defense: 12, touch 12, flat-footed: 10; BAB: - ;Atk: one; FS: 5’X5’; Reach: 5’; SQ: construct; AL: user or node; SV: Fort -; Ref +2, Will +2. Skills Computer Use +2, Investigate +2, Research +2, Search +4. More capable and advanced agents are possi-ble, but they must be custom-crafted. ASSIST PROGRAMS Among the oldest and simplest kinds of soft-ware, assist programs aid a user in making specific kinds of skill checks. As long as her shadow is running the assist program or she is able to refer to it in a display of some sort, the user gains the pro-gram’s bonus as an equipment bonus to any checks made using the selected skill. Assist programs can be purchased with varying bonuses, with the cost, availability, and memory cost varying as noted on the Software Table. The GM may also rule that as-sist programs for certain specific skills have ad-ditional restrictions, are unavailable, or simply do not exist. Typical Assist Programs aid the user in the use of skills like Craft (any), Decipher Script, Demolitions, Disable Device, Disguise, Drive (any), Forgery, Handle Animal, Investi-gate, Navigate, Pilot (any), Profession, Read/Write Language (any), Repair, Research, Sur-vival, and Treat Injury, Knowledge Skills use Library Software (see below) instead of assist programs. Skills that are purely physical or pre-clude referring to a computer (such as Bal-ance, Climb, Escape Artist, Listen, Search, Spot, Swim, and Tumble) can’t benefit from the use of assist programs. Likewise, skills that apply to instinctual, deceptive, or certain creative or social endeavors (such as Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Hide, Intimi-date, Move Silently, Perform, Sense Motive, or Sleight of Hand) are not improved by use of an assist program. AUTOMATION SOFTWARE Automation software allows a computer to operate the actuators that control networked devices like doors or security programs, or totrigger or respond to grid programs and events. Automation software is graded by the complexity of the device or operation it allows the computer to control. Basic automation software allows the computer to operate or monitor a simple de-vice or trigger a specific program in response to specific stimuli. Turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, and monitoring a camera for any kind of motion are examples of basic operations. Moderate automation software allows the computer to perform more complex oper-ations, operate or monitor a number of identi-cal simple devices, or trigger one of a number of possible programs based on a range of stimuli. Moderate automation software could be used to monitor a simple security system, control grid– or real world-based traps, or to control an environmental control system. Complex automation software allows the computer to employ heuristic systems to operate or trigger a variety of systems or pro-grams based on the situation. Complex opera-tions include running the security system of a building or starship, driving or piloting a vehi-cle, or remotely controlling a robot. Extraordinary automation software ap-proaches true AI, giving the computer the ability to operate truly complex systems and subsystems using very detailed decision-making processes and multiple parameters. Extraordinary automation software allows a computer to control a variety of networked systems and devices with a simple objective or set of goals, such as running a manufacturing plant, controlling a fleet of maintenance ro-bots, or acting as administrator of a Grid site. DEFENSIVE SOFTWARE Defensive software provides Defense bonuses for a Grid shadow. The bonus may be an equipment bonus, a shield bonus, or a deflec-tion bonus, with varying costs and memory costs as noted on the Software table. The soft-ware takes a form appropriate to its type (such as a small wooden shield, a suit of plate mailarmor, or a glowing force field. ENTERTAINMENT SOFT-WARE Entertainment software includes games and puz-zles, music, movies, and holos, virtual tours, and so on. It ranges from basic to bleeding edge and black market. LIBRARY SOFTWARE Library software performs the same function as As-sist programs for Knowledge skills, provid-ing an equipment bonus to Knowledge skill checks. Library software is specific to a particular cat-egory of knowledge, such as art, behavioral sciences, or popular cul-ture. When used on the Grid, Library software typ-ically manifests as either a bookshelf cluttered with tomes or scrolls or a dis-play screen rolling with text and images. MALWARE Malware includes viruses, trojans, and other nasty bits of code that hackers and gridpilots toss around at their targets and enemies. The mal-ware listed here is illegal wherever there are laws that govern computers and the Grid. All malware pro-grams attack either shad-ows or computers andare single-use programs. The relative strength of malware is measured by its program rating (PR). The program rating is used to determine saving throw DCs and acts as the crafter’s Computer Use bonus for any re-quired opposed rolls. Malware that at-tacks a shadow requires a successful touch attack roll in shadow combat or for the shadow to directly interact with a trapped object, file or program. The target shadow gets a Will save (DC= program rating +5) to resist the ef-fects. Malware that af-fects a computer (or its software or systems) uses its rating as a Computer Use bonus to overcome the Permissions DC of the site, room, or file being attacked. Additionally, mal-ware can be set like a trap, to be triggered when a shadow or com-puter interacts with the object, file, or program to which it is attached. Most malware is invisible on the Grid, though logic bombs, surges, and mindscrapers often have very dramatic visual and auditory signa-tures. Malware is never commonly available, but the following programs can sometimes be found in various unsavory partsof the Grid and the physical world. 007 (PR 13): 007 is a particularly insidi-ous Trojan program. It grants its user signifi-cant insight and access into an infected shad-ow or computer, as described below. 007 constantly reports its host’s Grid location and point of connection to the Grid. The user gains a +3 insight bonus to any Computer Use checks made to overcome portal or permissions DC’s of an infected com-puter, or a +3 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls against an infected shadow The user also gains a back door into an infected computer (allowing her to bypass the Portal DC completely), or, in the case of an in-fected shadow, the malware user gains a +2 insight bonus to its Defense and Saving Throws against the shadow. In an infected computer, 007 grants the user a +2 bonus to all Computer Use checks made while casting his shadow in the host computer. In an infected shadow, the Trojan dou-bles the threat range of any attacks the user’s shadow makes against the target shadow in combat, and inflicts a –2 penalty on saves that the infected shadow makes against the user’s software. Brouhaha (PR 8): This leper virus at-tacks the system registry of the target, effec-tively hiding 1d2 programs. These programs become unusable, but still take up memory slots. The process of recovering lost programs is described on page 715. Leper viruses are contagious. They in-fect devices and storage media physically con-nected to the host system. This includes 3D and X3D crystals, gridcasters (and thus, shad-ows), and any other device that transfers data of any sort to or from the host system via a physical connection. Cheeta (PR 8): Cheeta is a Trojan pro-gram, latching onto its target like an invisible monkey on the back. Once attached, Cheeta constantly reports its host’s Grid location and point of connection to the Grid back to its us-er. Additionally, the user gains a +2 insight bo-nus to any Computer Use checks made toovercome portal or permissions DC’s of an in-fected computer, or a +2 insight bonus to at-tack and damage rolls against an infected shadow Dimwit (PR 7): Dimwit is one of a dreaded class of malware called “mindscrapers.” These programs can only be used against shadows and actually have their effect on the real world pilot of the shadow. A target gridpilot who fails her save against a Dimwit program takes 1d6 points of Intelli-gence damage as her brain is bombarded with discordant images, sounds, and other disturbing stimuli. Frag (PR 8): Frag is a logic bomb, typi-cally placed in a location or hidden in a grid object or file. When triggered by interaction with a shadow or computer, the Frag deto-nates, inflicting 2d6 points of damage to the shadow or corrupting 1d3 programs on the computer (see page 716). Gridpox (PR 8): Is a worm virus, work-ing its way into an infected computer or shad-ow and corrupting 1d2 programs (see page 716). The truly nasty thing about Gridpox, though, is that it’s catching. Any system or shadow that interacts with the infected shad-ow or computer is exposed to the virus. Unlike leper viruses such as Brouhaha and the Laby-rinth, worms do not require a physical con-nection to spread. They can infect any shad-ow or system that interacts with an infected shadow or computer in any way, even by re-ceiving a Grid message. Labyrinth (PR 12): The Labyrinth is a particularly nasty leper virus. It works just like Brouhaha (above), except for its higher Pro-gram Rating and the fact that affects 1d4 pro-grams. Nuke (PR 13): As the name implies, Nuke is a more powerful logic bomb than Frag. It inflicts 5d6 points of damage to a shadow or corrupts 1d4+2 programs or files on a computer. Purple Worm (PR 13): The Purple Worm is to Gridpox what the Labyrinth is to Frag. In addition to its higher Program Rating, the Pur-ple Worm corrupts 1d4 programs instead of the 1d2 affected by Gridpox. Quagmire (PR 12): Quagmire is a mac-ro virus, typically hidden in a data file of some sort. When the file is opened with a program, the macro virus hijacks that program to make endless copies of itself, gobbling up system resources and clogging the registries. When infecting a computer, Quagmire imposes a –4 penalty to all Computer Use checks made using that computer. When infecting a shadow, Quagmire all but cripples its host. The infected shadow’s movement is reduced by 30 (minimum of 1) and it can’t run or make attacks of opportuni-ty. It takes a –3 penalty to Defense, -4 to initia-tive rolls and Reflex saves, and –1 to all attack rolls. Shocker (PR 8): Shocker is a surge pro-gram, capable of physically damaging a gridpilot or computer. It uses the hardware of the computer or gridcaster to deliver a 1d4 point electrical shock to its target. Skullcracker (PR 14): One of the nastiest pieces of malware around, Skullcracker is a mindscraper like Dimwit. As such, it can only be used against shadows, not computers. If a shadow fails its save against Skullcracker, the gridpilot takes 1d6 points of Int damage and 1d6 points of Con damage. If the target fails the save by 5 or more, half of the ability dam-age is ability drain. Turtle (PR 8): Turtle is a macro virus like Quagmire, though much less powerful. It im-poses a –1 penalty to any Computer Use checks made using an infected computer, or a –10 movement penalty (min 1) and –1 penal-ty to the Defense and initiative rolls of an in-fected shadow. Zeus (PR 12): A veritable thunderbolt from the heavens (well, the Grid, anyway), Zeus is a very powerful surge program, deal-ing 5d4 points of electrical damage to a target shadow or computer. MOVEMENT SOFTWARE Movement on the Grid is usually determined by the infrastructure of the site or mode that a shadow visits. Movement software, however, subtly hacks the code in a shadow’s immedi-ate vicinity to all it to break the local laws of motion. Maxrunner: Maxrunner provides a bo-nus to a shadow’s movement rate on the Grid. The bonus can be either +5 or +10 feet per round. Superman: As the name implies, this software allows a shadow to fly at a speed of 40 with good maneuverability. Teleport: The shadow gains the ability to instantly teleport to predetermined Grid lo-cations. The target location must be familiar to the user and must be either a public site or one that the user is authorized to access. This does not give the shadow the abil-ity to hop from one stellar grid to another without the use of drivesats and the normal transmission time. It does, however, give the shadow a ready escape hatch in case of a run gone bad, and completely befuddles most trace attempts. Wings: Wings is a less advanced flight program than Superman, allowing the user to fly at a speed of 30 with average maneuvera-bility. Wings software always produces visible wings of some sort on the shadow. SECURITY SOFTWARE The Grid is home to all manner of threats, and they want into your system. Security software helps you keep them out. Alarm: An alarm program is a relatively simple piece of software that notifies a system administrator under specific circumstances. It is usually placed on a portal, file, or program and set to notify the administrator whenever its object is accessed or when a user fails the authorization process to access the object. Alarms can be set for silent or “klaxon” mode. Alarms do not have AI and must be set according to fairly specific, concrete parame-ters. If the portal or permissions DC of their object is overcome, they perceive the access as authorized. Alarms can be detected and dissipated. The DC in either case is 30. Bloodhound: Bloodhound is an advanced trace program. It allows a system ad-ministrator to remotely “tag” an intruder whose location in the domain she knows. The intruder gets a Will save (DC 20) to resist the tag. If the Save fails, the trace program begins running and the target is unaware that he has been spiked. Spiked shadows get a Computer Use check (DC 25) to notice the spike. If the shad-ow is aware of the Bloodhound, he can take a full round action to make a Computer Use check (DC 25) to neutralize it. Once activated, Bloodhound takes 1d4 rounds to determine the target’s Grid address and the corresponding “real world” location from which the target logged onto the Grid. If the target has taken measures to obscure this information or leaves the node before the trace is complete, it takes 3d4 rounds. Targets who teleport away before the trace is com-plete effectively lose the Bloodhound. Firewall: This basic firewall program ap-pears as a literal wall of fire blocking a portal or stretching from wall to wall of a virtual space. It blocks all malware programs unless they are carried in the active memory of a shadow cast by an authorized user. The fire-wall can be circumvented with a Computer Use check (DC 27). Horton Antivirus: The most commonly used antivirus program throughout known space, Horton is a good, basic tool to auto-matically detect and defend against viruses and other malware. It adds a +2 resistance modifier to a shadow’s saves to resist mal-ware, or a +2 bonus to any Computer Use checks made to resist, detect, or eradicate mal-ware. The software can also be set to run au-tomatic, periodic checks of the system. Alt-hough this consumes a significant portion of system resources while running, it allows Hor-ton to take 20 on checks to detect malware. N-Krypt: N-Krypt is a commercially avail-able encryption program that translates any file into complete gibberish that requires a complex key to decode. It has a decryption DC of 30. Shadow-cillin: This powerful program is useful only for shadows. As a full round ac-tion, the shadow can use it to attack any mal-ware in its systems. Shadow-cillin doesn’t need to make any checks to find malware, it simply applies its +4 modifier to the user’s Computer Use check to eradicate each piece of malware with which the shadow is infected. This in-cludes traces and any other kind of foreign software that can normally be detected and nullified. The downside of Shadow-cillin is that while powerful, it’s not very smart. It automati-cally deletes any flawed software that the shadow is running, as well as actual threats. Shadow-cillin is a one-shot program, used up upon activation. SPECIAL ABILITY PROGRAMS Special ability programs include any software that grants unusual powers or traits to a shad-ow. They must be installed in active memory to be effective. Bullseye: A Bullseye program produces a small targeting drone that circles the shad-ow’s head and provides a bonus to ranged attack rolls. The size of the bonus determines the program’s cost and size. The drone is not subject to normal at-tacks, but can be dissipated like other Grid ob-jects. Ghost: Ghost renders a shadow invisi-ble, like the psionic ability, Invisibility. Agents, other shadows, and automated systems are unable to see the shadow, but this program does not affect firewalls, barriers, portals, or traps. The effect lasts as long as the shadow is logged on to the Grid, or until it attempts to attack a foe. Any effect that targets an oppo-nent or causes damage to a target counts as an attack, but dissipating objects, overcoming portal or permission DCs, or nullifying soft-ware by means of a Computer Use check do not. Invisible creatures gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against opponents who are unable to detect them, and such opponents have to guess at the invisible shadow’s location to attack them. Even if an opponent attacks the right location, it still suffers a –4 penalty to its attack roll and a 50% miss chance. Megastrike: A Megastrike program in-creases the damage that a shadow causes with melee weapons The size of the bonus determines the cost and size of the software. Megastrike causes the shadow’s melee weap-ons to glow, flame, shimmer with energy, etc. Megastrike cannot be dissipated, but is dispelled if the shadow is disarmed. Mimesis: Mimesis is an extraordinarily complex and subtle program that cloaks a shadow in respectability. It changes both the shadow’s appearance and its electronic signa-tures, making it appear to be a Gridcop, a se-curity gridpilot, or even a simple agent. Mimesis is both a disguise and a for-gery, and quite difficult to detect. In order to see through a Mimesis, a shadow or agent must succeed at both a Computer Use and a Sense Motive check, each at DC 25. Against automated systems and portal or permissions DCs, Mimesis provides a+4 bonus to checks to overcome, circumvent, or otherwise fool them. Once detected, a Mimesis program can be dissipated. Traces, mindscrapers, and surges are also fooled by Mimesis, failing completely un-less their user succeeds at a Computer Use check against a DC of 30. Mimesis programs are illegal just about everywhere. Mist: The mist program blurs the edges of a shadow’, making it difficult to target. This causes a 20% miss chance for all attacks tar-geting the shadow. Mist programs can be dissipated like other Grid objects. Shadow Twin: A shadow twin program creates an exact duplicate of the shadow in an unoccupied adjacent space. If there is no unoccupied space adjacent to the shadow, this program cannot run. The duplicate moves and acts precisely as the original does, and it is impossible to distinguish between the two. Any attack against the shadow has a 50% chance of targeting the twin instead. The twin has the same Defense as the shadow, and is dissipated by any successful attack against it. Slink: A slink program masks a shad-ow’s identity and activities on the Grid. Its bo-nus is applied to all rolls to hide, resist traces, and circumvent firewalls. In the event that a shadow running slink is tagged with a tracer, the spike takes twice as long as usual to ac-quire a successful trace The size of the bonus provided by the program determines its cost and size. Slink programs are almost always ille-gal. Supergrip: Supergrip creates a gauntlet or other effect on the shadow’s hand that grants a +4 resistance bonus to any rolls to resist being disarmed. UTILITIES Utilities are software that perform basic func-tions for a computer or shadow. They are ubiquitous and can have any of a wide variety of uses. Codebreaker: Codebreaker is a com-mercially available decryption program that provides a +4 bonus to any checks made to overcome encryption. Datadoc: Datadoc repairs damage or corruption to files, programs, and shadows. It requires a full round action that provokes at-tacks of opportunity to activate. Once activated, the software repairs 1d6 hit points of damage per round, or repairs a corrupted file in 3d4 rounds. GridLog: A GridLog in active memory makes an accurate record of a gridpilot’s run through the datastream. It can be used as sim-ple vicarious entertainment, or as a tool to re-view a successful or unsuccessful run. The GridLog keeps a text record of all locations visited, all programs run, and all ac-tions taken. Search checks can be made to glean specific information from the record, but at a –2 penalty. It also provides n audio-video record in 2D, allowing Spot and Listen checks, also at a –2 penalty. GridZip: GridZip is a data compression utility that reduces the size of files and pro-grams to 25% of their normal size. Unlike nor-mal files, compressed files occupy unrounded fractions of memory slots. Thus, two com-pressed files might have memory costs of 0.5 each, and both share the same slot of memory. Compressed files must be decom-pressed to be read or used. “Zipping” or “unzipping” a file takes one round per memory slot of the original file. Lockpick: Lockpick is an illegal program that grants a shadow a +2 bonus to Computer Use checks made to overcome portal DCs. QuickCopy: Quickcopy allows a shad-ow or computer to download a file as a free action instead of a move action. Rosetta Translator: Rosetta translation programs are in wide use throughout all of known space. They translate both text and spoken word from one language to another. While extremely reliable, the software is not perfect, and the user may be required to make a Sense Motive check to understand particularly complex and abstract concepts. Rosetta translation software is pur-chased specifically to translate one language to another and vice-versa. Thus, in a conversa-tion between several sentients speaking sever-al languages, multiple programs would have to be used. WEAPON SOFTWARE Weapon software provides shadows with at-tacks in grid combat. Like defense software, it comes in different types and generally resem-bles appropriate real world weapons. Melee weapon software can appear as any kind of weapon, but the damage it inflicts is based solely on the quality of the software. So a program that appears as a huge great sword might only inflict 1d6 damage. All Grid melee weapons have a 5 foot reach and do not provoke attacks of opportunity. They have a threat range of 20 and a critical multiplier of X2. Ranged weapon software can appear as any projectile, thrown, or beam weapon, but does damage based solely on the quality of the software. All ranged Grid weapons have a maximum range of 300 feat and a range increment of 30. Using ranged weap-ons provokes attacks of opportunity. They have a threat range of 20 and a critical multi-plier of X2. Area-effect weapon software can take the form of any grenade, explosive, or other special effect that targets an area instead of a specific shadow. These weapons follow all of the normal rules for thrown explosives with a burst radius of 10 feet, as described in Chapter 10: Combat. In addition, all area weapons are single use programs that are deleted from ac-tive memory when spent, requiring them to be reloaded to be used again.