Electronics (Shadowrun 6th Edition)
Skills
Definition
Electronics is the legitimate side of the Matrix. It covers using commlinks and terminals, writing and running software, building and repairing hardware, and digging real answers out of public and paid data. Every runner uses it. Matrix searches before a job, keeping your own gear patched so nobody walks in through it, and getting a commlink working again after a hit all sit here rather than under Cracking.
How it works
**Linked Attribute**: Logic **Dice Pool**: Logic plus Electronics, hits on 5 or 6. **Thresholds**: 1 hit for public data, 3 for something restricted, 5 for information somebody paid to bury. **Scope**: Legal operation, repair, and search. The moment you attack a system it becomes Cracking.
Tips
**Best for**: Deckers, riggers, and technomancers, plus one rank on every other runner for legwork. **Character concepts**: A repair shop owner who fences on the side, a corporate systems admin gone freelance, a rigger who builds her own drones. **Synergies**: Cracking handles the intrusion, Engineering covers the mechanical half of a machine, and Influence gets you the paid database access.
Frequently asked questions
Is Electronics worth taking for a non-decker?
One or two ranks pays for itself. Legwork, gear repair, and Matrix searches come up on nearly every job.
Can Electronics get me into a host?
Not by force. Legitimate access with real credentials sits here; forcing your way through the defenses is Cracking.