Programmer

While hackers get all the glory, programmers are the people who do the difficult work of writing the programs that keep everything working. Programmers are better at crafting and using programs than most characters, but don’t usually have the total devotion to the digital world that a hacker has. Programming is just a job, or a hobby for most, though its worth noting that many hackers have a background in programming as well.

Prerequisites
Intelligence 14, trained in Computers.

Basic Programming (2nd)
Programmers specialize in creating and using programs. For the purpose of determining the level of programs you can create, launch and load, treat your level as if it were 2 levels higher.

You obtain 4 programs.

You can select or reselect which programs are loaded at any time outside of combat. When entering an encounter, you are assumed to have your maximum number of programs loaded and ready to launch. You may only load programs individually, as a move action. (Programmers who are also members of the Hacker class instead follow the rules listed in flash decryption)

Improve Program (4th)
You may improve a program on the fly. When you launch the program, you may spend a Resolve Point increasing its item level to your character level +2. This allows you to bypass the normal restriction against loading or launching programs with higher levels than your own.

Additionally, programmers who are not members of the hacker class gain an additional Active Memory Sector in which they may use to load and launch programs.

Easy Crack (6th)
You can decrypt security more quickly and easily than most. If the target is one or more tiers higher than your TAP, it requires a full round action to hack the target. If the target is an equal tier to your TAP, or lower, it requires a standard action to hack the target.

Additionally, once per encounter, You may close a running program or lose a loaded program to free up some computing power. If you do, you gain a circumstance bonus on your next Computers check equal to the item level of the program closed or lost.

Finally, you obtain a new program.

Virtual Drive (12th)
You always manage to have the right program for the job. Once per day, you may spend a Resolve Point and lose a loaded program. You then quickly load and launch a different installed program. You may do this an additional time per day by spending an additional Resolve Point for each previous use of the ability in addition to the Resolve Point used to activate the ability.

Hackers who are also programmers may use this ability any number of times per day without the Resolve Point cost increasing.

Programmers who are not members of the hacker class gain an additional Active Memory Sector in which they may use to load and launch programs.

Flash Reprogram (18th)
You can influence programming even when you don’t have access to a target. Choose a target which is an autonomous device computer, device, network, or program. As a standard action, make a Computers check against a DC equal to 15 + the target’s Item level, or 2× the target’s tier. If you succeed, the target regards you as friendly, if possible. This means that any triggered countermeasures deactivate, any action or use of the item that would harm you or is considered hostile will fail. This reprogramming lasts for a minute per level. You may spend two Resolve Points to use this ability as a swift action or reaction.

Additionally, you obtain a new program.