The Netdiver

Intro

The Netdiver is the digital wizard of the future. Instead of manipulating magic, they manipulate Omni-N and instead of casting spells they deploy and execute programs. Their powers most often occupy the fourth sphere of play, Netdiving, and in this realm they are king! The Netdiver’s role is an important one for the team and lacking someone who can manipulate Omni-N will limit tactical options and often mean a more difficult mission. In a world where everything is connecting and speaking with the Omni-Network having someone who knows how to manipulate that makes for a potent ally! 

Design Philosophy

The Netdiver is built to occupy and master the manipulation of Omni-N’s multiple levels of interaction and play. They are the premier class for this and their abilities and programs are just as powerful inside of combat as they are outside of it as well. When thinking about a Netdiver it is best to think of them as a Wizard. They are squishy and often vulnerable but the utility and power of their programs are unparalleled and a massive boon to have on the team. Also like a wizard, much of how they perform in any given mission is extremely dependent on the kinds of programs they have brought with them in their Stack Drive and what kinds of upgrades those programs have been given. This again can make a Netdiver extremely potent but it also means there is a lot of room for error or poor decision-making with program selection. Lastly, there is no limit to how many programs or how often you can execute programs but rather each program increases the Netdivers Trace value. The higher this Trace value the more likely onsight security or Netdivers become aware of your presence or Law Enforcement or the dreaded Talos Judicial locate you in a sweep and send forces to prosecute. 

The Netdiver is a complicated class that will require a good understanding of the world and the rules, and likely a decent amount of experience playing other TTRPGs. You will want to have a firm grasp on the world of House of Eidolons, especially Omni-N, the EMS, Overlay, Submersion space, and Plunging. Lastly, this character often interacts with the world in an abstract manner that most players will not be used to since it does not exist in many other TTRPGs. In Overlay space, the netdiver will feel very familiar, perhaps like a cyber wizard but in Submersion space everything becomes more abstract and potentially more powerful. Though the netdiver loses all cognitive function within the Real they awaken within the digital matrix space Submersion space riding on top of the waves of the Prescient Mapping Algorithm. In this space, the Netdiver can traverse regions of the real, disembodied, and begin manipulating other regions of the Real where they are not present. This, from experience in playtesting, can be a terrifyingly powerful thing that being on the wrong end of is a scary prospect. 

Lastly, and thanks to both Omni-N and the EMS there is a way for the Netdiver to play more concretely within the Real and that is to control multiple drones, automatons, or machines with a special kind of core processor rigged to control machines rather than programs. Just like in Submersion space the Netdiver cognitively leaves their body but instead splits their consciousness between several drones they remotely operate. Here they intentionally split their consciousness to multiply their physical footprint within the Real becoming most effective when their drones operate within congruent sensory inputs, creating a sort of converged multifaceted consciousness. The opposite is also true in that the further split their consciousness is between multiple rogue machines the poorer and more diluted their abilities become as their consciousness begins to fragment. 

However the Netdiver is played, it will be more abstract and difficult than the majority of other classes. That is not to dissuade even the newest TTRPG player from trying but to do it well will require you to dedicate intentional time to reading the rules and knowing exactly what you have and what it does.

Ability Tree Deep-Dive!

In House of Eidolons, we handle classes a little differently than many other TTRPGs. Opting for a class multi-tree approach that allows the player agency in ability choice and progression. Each class (except for the Psion, more on that in the future) has 3 ability trees to choose from and progress down. All classes also have a universal Passive Ability that the character receives when choosing their primary class. For the Netdiver, these trees are the: Overlay Developer, Submersion Engineer, and Mechanic trees. Each of these ability trees emphasizes a different approach to primarily the netdiving sphere of play with the Mechanic operating in a mix of combat and stealth spheres. The Overlay Engineer tree is almost like playing a cyber-wizard, slinging programs like spells at enemies and objects that you wish to destroy, hinder, control, enhance, etc. This tree is the easiest way to play a Netdiver allowing you the power of programs while also remaining present in the Real. The second ability tree is the Submersion Engineer, this class wants to live in Submersion space manipulating the real from the depths of Omni-N like a digital god smiting and controlling the mortals restricted to their lesser plane. This is a very abstract place to operate within and is thus considered the most difficult of the Netdiver trees to learn and play well. The final ability tree is the Mechanic, this is for those players who want to fly in a drone fleet to support their team from multiple angles and ways. This tree can be very powerful but also quite tricky and just like Submersion, the character's actual person is left in a very vulnerable state. 

But enough with the Overviews! Let us dive into the nitty-gritty of the ability trees and each of their abilities and how they inform the Netdiver class as a whole. 

Passive Ability

The Netdiver’s passive ability is called Tactical Tech and it rewards critical success with programs or remote-operated machinery with additional edge dice: Tactical Tech:

When you critically succeed with a program or a drone attack you gain +1 edge dice.

Like the Street Samurai this passive rewards the user with extra edge dice when they critically succeed with programs and remote-operated machinery. This allows you to continue to use key abilities or edge your roles to ensure success. 

Overlay Developer:

The Overlay Developer tree is all about maximizing program execution in the Real. It is a tree built around making the Netdiver nearly as lethal as they would be in Submersion space with a few really nasty tricks added on. 

The first ability of the Overlay Developer tree is called Sweeper:

You can easily identify concealed tech at a glance and have learned to deploy your programs in the Overlay more discreetly. The Sweep: Sleuth and Sleuth: Clock programs are counted as always active and centered on your location. In addition, no trace value is generated from these abilities.

In addition, you reduce Trace value generated in the Overlay by 25%.

Sweeper does not seem like much but it allows the user to always have these two programs running without taxing their Core Processors, taking up Stack Drive space, or building up trace value on them. It is an excellent utility skill that allows the character to quickly identify concealed gear so that they execute programs against it while also alerting them if their trace value triggers security units. Lastly, it reduces the trace value gained in Overlay by 25% making it as discrete as submersion space. 

The second ability in this tree is called Trace Breaker:

You reduce Trace value generated by an additional 25% in all Omni-N spaces (Overlay, Submersion, Plunge)

You may use an action and 1 edge dice to reduce your trace value by 2 times the amount rolled.

Trace Breaker is the most powerful Trace management ability in the game, allowing the Netdiver to only ever build up 50% Trace on program execution when coupled with Sweeper or When in Submersion space. Not only so, but the user may use their edge dice to dump Trace. All this means more program slinging for more lethality, utility, and support. 

The third ability in this tree is called Repeater:

When a program successfully executes against its target you may use a free action and 1 edge dice to duplicate its effect to another additional target within range. This generates additional trace equal to 50% of the original program's trace value, rounded up.

Repeater is a brutal skill that can allow double program execution for the price of edge dice. With all of the Trace management capabilities of the first two abilities, Repeater becomes an ability that can be used often to quickly throw out programs and duplicate their effects, again, allowing the Overlay Netdiver near parity with Submersion space Netdivers when it comes to turn-to-turn impact on the board. 

Lastly, the fourth and final ability (only available for Focus Classed characters) is called Reprogramming:

Whenever you successfully disarm a hostile program with a Hacking skill check or a program you may gain that program and use that program once during the mission. If you disarm another program and have not yet used a previously disarmed program then you must choose between the two.

You may deploy Security: Disarm as a reaction.

Reprogramming is a powerful ability that allows you to use the program that you last disarmed, giving your character extra capabilities in missions with other enemy Netdivers. Not only so, but it also allows you to become a sudo-anti programmer, using your reaction to instantly disarm programs that were just deployed and subsequently gain those programs to be used by you. When used with Repeater you can essentially have two uses of a program you disarmed, which can be wicked powerful! 

All together the Overlay Developer Netdiver is a force to be reckoned with in the Real and can be nearly as problematic as a Submersion space Netdiver. Both Repeater and Reprogramer are powerful abilities that amp up your Netdiving power quickly and make you an un-ignorable threat. Your Trace management is unparalleled in this ability tree allowing you to remain undetected longer than most other Newtdivers and that means more programs being used. 

Submersion Engineer:

The Submersion Engineer, as the name implies, lives in Submersion space and they are unparalleled in this space. Their ability to affect every region of the Real simultaneously makes them a major threat if not dealt with and the impact of their programs can easily sway the battlefield or route allies to their objective quickly. 

The first ability of the Submersion Engineer tree is called F.I.R.E. Mancer:

You may have the F.I.R.E. Digidama auto-generate whenever you enter submersion space. This F.I.R.E. does not take up any program slots for the user. It may be upgraded like any other F.I.R.E.

In addition, this specific Digidama has +3SP and has 2 Program Slots instead of 1.

F.I.R.E. Mancer gives the user a free F.I.R.E. Digidama to be used in Submersion space without taking up any additional Stack Drive slots. In addition, this Digidama is a roided out version of the usual making it more capable of being used in a variety of ways beyond just scouting. F.I.R.E. can be a crucial piece of mastering and controlling Submersion space and as we will see further on, become a very powerful tool in the hands of this sort of Netdiver. 

The second ability in this tree is called Up-Linker:

You may access any node previously accessed, from any other node that you are currently at.

You may access a node through a F.I.R.E. you deployed so long as it is within 5ft of a node

Up-Linker gives the Submersion Engineer unparalleled control of Submersion space and the ability to be in multiple regions of the map at the same time despite only being at a single regional Node. In addition, with the ability to access Nodes remotely through their F.I.R.E. they can more quickly locate them and access them to chain their nodes together for complete control of the field, becoming a threat everywhere at once. 

The third ability of this tree is called Power User:

When making a Power: Slate attack you may increase the range by +5ft and the power by +1.

You gain +5SP whenever you enter Submersion space.

Power User is a simple raw power ability making you tougher and more dangerous while in Submersion space and when dealing with other Netdivers and I.C.E. in Submersion space. With Power User the Netdiver can be extremely hard to remove from Submersion space and can usually outlast and out damage most of what they come across while there and the quicker you can deal with Submersion threats the faster you can get onto helping your team in the real. 

Lastly, the fourth and final ability (only available for Focus Classed characters) is called Cyber Familiar:

You may execute any of your programs from the location of any F.I.R.E. that you deployed.

In addition, you may Decoy: Swap with any of your F.I.R.E. regardless of range.

Cyber Familiar gives the player mastery over Submersion space, allowing any kind of F.I.R.E. to be a deployment option for their suite of programs meaning even a Digidama can be a massive threat to anything within Submersion space. With Decoy: Swap the user can rapidly traverse or reallocate with this ability making them an extremely elusive target, keeping them functional in the space far longer than any other Netdiver could. 

The Submersion Engineer tree is a tree focused on domination and control of Submersion space, making them a very hard Netdiver to dislodge from that space. The longer a Netdiver can operate there the more lethal and problematic they are to everyone and everything in the Real. This tree is for those who want to master the matrix-like space of Submersion and be an ever-present force for their allies no matter how divided up those allies are. 

Mechanic:

The Mechanic tree likes to trade program execution for the ability to remotely operate several drones or machines at the same time. It allows the Netdiver to be in several locations at once with machine bodies that can be kitted out for effective use in multiple spheres of play. 

The first ability of the Mechanic tree is called Grease Monkey:

When making a Machining check to repair or self-modify a drone, vehicle, weapon, armor, or other machine you gain a bonus +5 to the check.

In addition, when attempting to hack or hijack another drone, vehicle, or machinery for remote operation, you gain a +3 bonus to the checks.

Grease Monkey is a two-fold ability that allows you to repair and craft drones and vehicles more easily, which translates to reduced crypt cost for both. In addition, you can do the same with armor and weapons making you an in-between mission champ for your team, helping them get reduced prices as well. Secondly, you are proficient at booting other remote operators out of their drones or machinery and taking control of those to add to your arsenal. This can turn the tide of battle rapidly. 

The second ability of this tree is called Drone Control (to Major Tom):

When you are controlling drones through a rigged core processor all drones gain +3hp per segment.

Drone Control (to Major Tom) is a very simple ability that helps keep your drone fleet up longer in a mission. In addition, the small bump to HP can be the difference between a damaged or destroyed drone, which can get expensive to replace or repair, helping with the cost after missions. Because everything you do is machine-based it all must be repaired, skills like this help reduce that cost by quite a bit. 

The third skill of the ability tree is called Jerry Rigging:

You may use your action to make an emergency jerry-rig of a drone, vehicle, weapon, armor, or other machinery. To do so, spend and roll 1 edge dice. The target of the jerry-rig has its armor and/or hp restored by 2 times the amount rolled. This can make the target functional again if it was rendered destroyed.

This may also be executed through a remotely operated drone with the Utility Arm modification installed.

Jerry Rigging is a powerful support ability that can aid both allies and the drones of your fleet. The ability to slap HP or armor back onto any piece of gear that is crafted/repaired with the Machining skill makes you a very versatile support and even able to resurrect your downed drones to keep them in the fight! Coupled with the ability to use a Utility Arm drone to execute this ability allows you to remain in remote operation and Jerry rigging through your drones. 

Lastly, the fourth and final ability (only available for Focus Classed characters) is called Built for Success: 

Before the start of each mission, you may make a Machining check and increase the armor of all your drones and vehicles by X, where X equals the amount rolled/divided by 5 (rounded up). This only applies to the current mission.

In addition, when repairing a drone or vehicle you only calculate cost off of the baseline unit and ignore the cost of all the mods.

Lastly, you may deploy programs through your drones but forfeit the action and subaction of the drone when you do. 

Built for Success takes drone durability one step further adding significant armor increases to all drones and vehicles pre-mission. Even if a drone or two go down, so long as they can be recovered the cost of getting them functional is heavily reduced by the secondary of this ability. Lastly, drones can now become program batteries allowing the Mechanic to dominate the Overlay while simultaneously controlling a fleet of drones. 

The Mechanic ability tree is all about multiplying your footprint in the Real with real machine bodies. All of the abilities are focused on making your machines more durable and cheaper to modify and repair, ensuring that you can remain functional and progress with a fleet of expensive machines. The Mechanic as a whole can play several critical roles and do them all at the same time making them an extremely useful and powerful ally to have on the field. 

Conclusion of the Class

And that folks, is the Netdiver class. It is a powerful class that dominates the fourth sphere of play, netdiving, and due to the cyber-wizard mentality of the class can be built to do many roles well and function dynamically differently depending on the mission and the need. 

It is, however, a difficult class, in part due to the choice of programs and the need to understand the world well but also because it operates in mostly indirect and abstract ways that are atypical for TTRPGs. Don’t let all that scare you though, just take an honest assessment of what you are wanting to take on and how much homework you want to give yourself before joining a group. If you are up for diving into the deep end of House of Eidolons then this is the class for you and you will find it a super fun and powerful play style. I promise you will feel like a cyberpunk wizard with this class or even a digital god casting down foes and lifting friends all while swimming in a different plane of existence. 

Thanks for joining me for the Netdiver overview and deep-dive. Next week, we explore the Sprawl Doc class. Hope you join me again for that class and don’t forget to follow me on social media for more news and updates! Social links can be found on the right-hand side of the page.

Also, come join us on our official discord channel. Both Gunvald and I are on often and would love to talk and chat more about the game!  

https://discord.com/invite/areGQRtc 

Cheers, and Happy Netdiving Eidolon!