Can a decker with two cyberdecks and two unique agent programs load one agent onto each deck, slave one deck to the other, run their persona on the master deck and end up receiving teamwork tests from each unique agent?
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1\$\begingroup\$ Why do you need two cyberdecks? A agent is a programm, so you could load two agents into your cyberdeck. \$\endgroup\$– limsupCommented Jan 31, 2015 at 12:03
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\$\begingroup\$ @limsup IP address conflict. \$\endgroup\$– Please stop being evilCommented Feb 2, 2015 at 10:56
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1\$\begingroup\$ @thedarkwanderer I hope by then they've implemented IP6 or something better so such a thing wouldn't exist ;) \$\endgroup\$– CodeaculaCommented Feb 2, 2015 at 15:51
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Answer: Probably not, but the source is unclear, ask your GM.
Source:
This is a pretty tough question, and an excellent one! As a GM, I would have to rule that the agent is not sophisticated enough to assist in a teamwork test. I looked first to see if there were rules about if a deck can be slaved to another deck, and of course found nothing. According to the 5e Core Rulebook:
An agent is about as smart as a pilot program of the same rating (Pilot Programs, p. 269).
That bit says:
Pilots (the programs, not the people) are not bright. They’re called “dog-brains” by those who have to work with them, much the same way a particularly thick person might be called a “drone-head” by those who work with him.
And:
When faced with something novel or unexpected, or a complicated command, a Pilot program must make a Device Rating x 2 Test against a threshold set by the gamemaster based on how confusing the situation is.
As a GM, I would rule it can if the task is simple enough to explain. The question then comes up if the agent can handle the task without you being jacked in through the deck its on and explaining it while it's doing it. Perhaps you can explain and have it perform each time? But I don't see that happening. I would have to rule that it couldn't, but because the source is unclear that would need to be left up to the GM. There's a very strong case for why it could work, but for me there's an even stronger case of why it wouldn't.
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1\$\begingroup\$ My thoughts would be that if the decker had a scripted part of an action being done the agent would provide a teamwork test by doing that action, like searching for common holes in the system or simply gathering data; having a preset list of common targets for the agent to autonomously hit. Even Zurich Orbital would have a matrix IP address and use the same protocol framework as the rest of the matrix for compatibility's sake (though ZO's security would be astronomical and just an example). \$\endgroup\$– Jake HCommented Jan 31, 2015 at 21:08
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1\$\begingroup\$ In that case the agent isn't performing a teamwork test, it's doing it's own thing. Even though you code a number of autonomous programs to perform an action, they're still doing their own thing, ignorant of other applications (usually). That could make a point for the decker being the team mate, though. Once again, that would need to be a call by the GM. Unfortunately the core book doesn't have as much about the Matrix as we all would like :( \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 31, 2015 at 23:51
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\$\begingroup\$ I noticed you asked something like this earlier, where the accepted answer was that an agent could do it, provided a roll was successful. Sounds like we're on the same page, except if you were my GM I would likely say that a second cyberdeck wouldn't be able to assist. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jan 31, 2015 at 23:57