You queue up a batch for Pale Swordsman containing Crash Script, another Crash Script, Secured Command, and Manual Search.
The program barely deflects your attack, momentarily revealing the wirework underlying its icon.
The eyes cannot see through your defenses, but seem to assume the worst.
The strangely-dressed guardian routine attempts to get the details of your batch, but only catches Manual Search through your defenses.
The swordsman program is running some sort of self-diagnostic and apparently doesn't have time to swing at your avatar.
The system's automated defenses follow your tracks, increasing the Alert by 6. Without the way you slipped through the system, that could easily have been 2 alert worse.
Your connection flickers for a moment, then goes dead. Well, looks like it finally managed to block you.
You've earned 1 XP in Perception
You've earned 1 XP in Will
I'm not sure weakening is necessary to get the Student of Roy avatar. I was just about to get kicked off from Alert, so even though I hadn't weakened it I threw a bunch of command at it just in case and got the avatar:
You queue up a batch for Pale Swordsman containing Forge Gauntlet, Direct Command, another Direct Command, and Forge Orb.
You reforge part of your system's Hardening into a gauntlet over your avatar's hand.
You reforge part of your system's Hardening into a glaring eye.
You command the program to stand down. It pauses for a moment and kneels before your avatar.
The eyes peer into your programs as though judging you for the Manual Search you have not yet used.
The strangely-dressed guardian routine gets the details of your batch, reporting them back to the system.
Roy's One Stop's automated defenses follow your tracks, increasing the Alert by 7. Without the way you slipped through the system, that could easily have been 1 alert worse.
Your connection flickers for a moment, then goes dead. Well, looks like it finally managed to block you.
You've earned 7 XP in Perception
You've earned 3 XP in Will
You've unlocked the Student of Roy Avatar
I already had Reforged Sword and Reforged Shield active from earlier in the hack, but gained the other two Reforged effects in the batch that gave me the avatar.
In other news, I am having a terrible time weakening the swordsman (in hopes of unlocking the coat of masterful circuitry) without killing it. Forge Blade with Reforged Sword seems to kill it pretty reliably when I want it weakened (with 14 Code Finesse), while a Brute Strike usually gets parried. I wonder if maybe having other Reforged effects active is boosting the power of the attack.
So that was 5 command.
Look at what I posted on forge blade. If you already have reforged sword, then leading forge blade is 5 offense by itself.
You need to prepend a non-offense tool, then you lose the leading +1 bonus, and the remaining 4 should only stun.
I also think you don't have to attack the swordsman at all to unlock the coat. IIRC when I got the unlock my first action after he appeared was reconnecting.
Trying once again to get the coat of masterful circuitry, and I got what seems like a new result here which is maybe a "not quite there" message?
You try a different approach, exploiting a new way into Roy's One Stop and opening up new opportunities.
The eyes peer into your programs as though judging you for the Manual Search you have not yet used.
The swordsman program swings at your avatar, its blade burning with pixelated fire. You feel the blade as a strange presence, like an itch in a limb you've never had.
Your vision blurs momentarily and you can see the swordsman, his dark blade held high. The point of the sword is carving runes into your mind.
Roy's One Stop takes note of your actions, increasing the Alert by 2. Without the way you slipped through the system, that could easily have been 2 alert worse.
Specifically, the: Your vision blurs momentarily and you can see the swordsman, his dark blade held high. The point of the sword is carving runes into your mind.
This is with the following effects:
Reforged Sword (1)
Artist's Perspective (6)
Studious Nature (6)
Lotus Map (7)
Ardent Investigator (8)
Cyber Sickness (16)
PowerCode (24)
Steady Hand (25)
Juryrigged Antenna (28)
Blue Eyes (30)
Fae Sight (82)
Bone Spikes (99)
Burning Vision (99)
Equipment:
Hat: tactical goggles
Weapon: memory sidearm
Offhand: expanded handheld
Shirt: coat of defensive circuitry
Pants: mimetic pants
Gadget: blazing PDA
Programs:
daily tester
intrusive jammer
remote crash script
remote indexer
secured indexer
staring blade program
And with sight link from some tactical goggles and a neural link from a bridging mesh.
This was with 20 copies of Swirling Circuitry known and in my active deck. I've been actively using it in combat, though I don't have number of uses recorded.
Alert was low enough that I was able to reconnect a couple times. Got the nosebleed, then the splitting headache disconnection.
I did not have an OJ charge available, and I had used up one neural recording use today to get Studious Nature. Drank some OJ, so I'll try tomorrow with the same setup and see if that makes a difference.
Keeping both Lotus Map and Ardent Investigator active will be tricky, and I'll probably also lose Studious Nature trying to get another link to Roy's, and I may want to try without having used any neural recordings for the day, but at least I have a new data point to work from.
Edit:
Trying again the next day, going into Roy's with:
Lotus Map (1)
Ardent Investigator (2)
PowerCode (18)
Steady Hand (19)
Artist's Perspective (20)
Juryrigged Antenna (22)
Blue Eyes (24)
Fae Sight (75)
Bone Spikes (93)
Burning Vision (93)
Same equipment and programs. This time I just got the nosebleed result.
Another try, effects now at:
PowerCode (16)
Steady Hand (17)
Artist's Perspective (18)
Studious Nature (20)
Juryrigged Antenna (20)
Blue Eyes (22)
Lotus Map (35)
Fae Sight (73)
Bone Spikes (91)
Burning Vision (91)
Nosebleed, then splitting headache. On the second attempt I did get Reforged Sword going. Back to having no idea what's going on. The only difference seems to be not having all of Studious Nature, Lotus Map, Cybersickness, and Ardent Investigator going at the same time, but based on prior people's successful results, that should not be required.