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| programs:parasite [2020/05/22 19:56] – [Combinations with other programs] andrew | programs:parasite [2020/08/21 13:26] (current) – andrew |
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| **Parasite** is a [[:programs:#breakers|breaker program]] which infects [[:mainframe devices:]] to break [[:firewalls]] on //future// turns. Parasite can be chosen as a [[:loadout#programs|starting program]], or bought from some [[:mainframe devices:Server Terminals]] for 400 [[:credits]]. | **Parasite** is a [[:programs:#breakers|breaker program]] which infects [[:mainframe devices:]] to break [[:firewalls]] on //future// turns. Parasite can be chosen as a [[:loadout#programs|starting program]], or bought from some [[:mainframe devices:Server Terminals]] for 400 [[:credits]]. |
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| Parasite initially costs 0 PWR to infect a device, and in general the PWR cost equals the number of devices currently infected by Parasite. When a device is infected, its firewalls are reduced by 1 at the start of each player turn; the device remains infected until all of its firewalls are broken. Parasite has no cooldown. | Parasite initially costs 0 PWR to infect a device, and in general the PWR cost equals the number of devices currently infected by Parasite. When a device is infected, its firewalls are reduced by 1 at the start of each player turn; the device remains infected until all of its firewalls are broken. The PWR cost is spent when a device is infected, not when its firewalls are broken. Parasite has no cooldown. |
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| Firewalls on multiple infected devices will be broken in the order they were originally infected, so if a [[:daemons:|daemon]] is installed on an infected device, it may be triggered before firewalls are broken on other infected devices. Parasite continues to break firewalls on devices even while [[:daemons:Paradox]] is active, and even if Parasite is sold at a Server Terminal after the device is infected. | Firewalls on multiple infected devices will be broken in the order they were originally infected, so if a [[:daemons:|daemon]] is installed on an infected device, it may be triggered before firewalls are broken on other infected devices. Parasite continues to break firewalls on devices even while [[:daemons:Paradox]] is active, and even if Parasite is sold at a Server Terminal after the device is infected. |
| ==== PWR efficiency ==== | ==== PWR efficiency ==== |
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| Because Parasite's PWR cost is low and does not dependent on the number of firewalls, it can be more efficient than every other breaker. However, when used on more devices at once, Parasite has a higher PWR cost, so Parasite's PWR-efficiency depends on how many devices you hack with it, and how long each device stays infected. Still, Parasite generally uses less PWR than other [[:loadout#programs|starting breakers]]. | Because Parasite's PWR cost is low and does not depend on the number of firewalls, it can be more efficient than every other breaker. However, when used on more devices at once, Parasite has a higher PWR cost, so Parasite's PWR-efficiency depends on how many devices you hack with it, and how long each device stays infected. Still, Parasite generally uses less PWR than other [[:loadout#programs|starting breakers]]. |
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| At low [[:mission difficulty|mission difficulties]] when most devices start with only 1 firewall, if no other devices are infected then you can hack one device per turn for free with Parasite until the firewalls rise at [[:alarm level#alarm level 2]] (or [[:alarm level#alarm level 3]] in [[:modes:Beginner]] mode). The alarm level steps up at the end of the enemy turn, before the start of your turn when Parasite breaks firewalls, so when playing with Parasite this effectively happens a turn sooner. | At low [[:mission difficulty|mission difficulties]] when most devices start with only 1 firewall, if no other devices are infected then you can hack one device per turn for free with Parasite until the firewalls rise at [[:alarm level]] 2 (or alarm level 3 in [[:modes:Beginner]] mode). The alarm tracker steps up at the end of the enemy turn, before the start of your turn when Parasite breaks firewalls, so when playing with Parasite this effectively happens a turn sooner. |
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| Parasite 2.0 is also generally a PWR-efficient breaker. It hacks faster than Parasite for a nominally higher PWR cost, but if you use it often then Parasite 2.0 can be more efficient overall, because devices finish hacking sooner, so fewer devices will be infected at the same time. Parasite 2.0 is often a good addition to [[:Incognita]]. | Parasite 2.0 is also generally a PWR-efficient breaker. It hacks faster than Parasite for a nominally higher PWR cost, but if you use it often then Parasite 2.0 can be more efficient overall, because devices finish hacking sooner, so fewer devices will be infected at the same time. Parasite 2.0 is often a good addition to [[:Incognita]]. |
| ==== Other interactions ==== | ==== Other interactions ==== |
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| Parasite can work well in low-PWR strategies, or it can free up your PWR for other uses such as [[Oracle]], [[:augments:Subdermal Cloak]] or [[:weapons:Volt Disruptors]] which can consume a lot of PWR. | Parasite can work well in low-PWR strategies, or it can free up your PWR for other uses such as [[Oracle]], [[:weapons:Volt Disruptors]] or [[:agents:Archive Prism]]'s [[:items:Holo Projection Mesh]] which can consume a lot of PWR. |
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| When you infect an [[:mainframe devices:Security Cameras#inactive cameras|inactive camera]] which comes online at [[:alarm level#alarm level 1]] (or [[:alarm level#alarm level 2]] in [[:modes:Beginner]] mode), its firewalls are broken at the start of your //next// turn, but the camera activates at the start of the //enemy// turn. Any agent in vision of the camera will be seen by it before Parasite breaks its firewalls, triggering at least one guard to [[:guard behaviour#investigating|investigate]]. | When you infect a [[:mainframe devices:Security Camera]] while it is [[:rebooting]], such as an [[:mainframe devices:Security Cameras#inactive cameras|inactive camera]] that is coming online, its firewalls are broken at the start of your //next// turn, but the camera activates before then at the start of the //enemy// turn. Any agent in vision of the camera will be seen by it before Parasite breaks its firewalls, causing nearby guards to [[:guard behaviour#investigating|investigate]]. |
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| When any devices are infected, beware of triggering [[:daemons:Fractal]], accessing the [[:mainframe devices:Server Terminal#Primary Server Terminal]] in a [[:missions:Server Farm]] mission, using [[Taurus]], or [[:KO|knocking out]] a [[:guards:Modded Mk1]] --- these can install a random [[:daemons:|daemon]] on an infected device, committing you to triggering that daemon, unless the device already has a different daemon installed. | When any devices are infected, beware of triggering [[:daemons:Fractal]], accessing the [[:mainframe devices:Server Terminal#Primary Server Terminal]] in a [[:missions:Server Farm]] mission, using [[Taurus]], or [[:KO|knocking out]] a [[:guards:Modded]] guard --- these can install a [[:daemons:|daemon]] on an infected device, committing you to triggering that daemon, unless the device already has a different daemon installed. |
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| When hacking devices with daemons, it is sometimes necessary to infect devices which have the same number of firewalls in a particular order, to mitigate the daemons' effects. Devices with [[:daemons:Fractal]], [[:daemons:Rubiks]] and [[:daemons:Castle]] should normally be infected after others, so the others will finish hacking before the daemon is triggered; devices with [[:daemons:Echo]] should normally be infected //before// others, so that Echo won't recapture them immediately. | When hacking devices with daemons, it is sometimes necessary to infect devices which have the same number of firewalls in a particular order, to mitigate the daemons' effects. Devices with [[:daemons:Fractal]], [[:daemons:Rubiks]] and [[:daemons:Castle]] should normally be infected after others, so the others will finish hacking before the daemon is triggered; devices with [[:daemons:Echo]] should normally be infected //before// others, so that Echo won't recapture them immediately. |
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