Is it just me, or has quickhacks been nerfed too much?

[Nimarus]

I know the hacks were a bit overpowered and CDPR tried to re-balance them. But using quickhacks is starting to become...impossible at times. I'm on "The Heist" and in the process of escaping. I sneak past many of the guards and taking down a few (non-lethal) without being noticed. I see a guy and think "I'll ping him and mark people so I know where they are at." The instant I ping him, the guy yells "Look out, he's hacking!" This never happened except inside Konpeki Plaza to this point. Reveal Position pops up and I'm given no indication as to who is revealing my position. So...doing recon without being noticed is apparently out the window. That was the entire purpose of Ping for me. Figure out where hostiles are before I go in. Now it seems like that just rings the doorbell so everyone is on alert and searching for me. So...this quickhack has become useless for me.

Before 1.3, ping never alerted hostile NPCs on my playthroughs. It only did this once I installed this update. Can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm actually thinking of rolling back to 1.2.

 

[larrackell]

Yeah, I'm trying to relearn them to make them effective but it seems many of them have become basically useless. Especially when my favorite V *relies* on stealth and quickhacks. This is a frustrating "rebalance."

 

[cartlidge]

I know the hacks were a bit overpowered and CDPR tried to re-balance them. But using quickhacks is starting to become...impossible at times. I'm on "The Heist" and in the process of escaping. I sneak past many of the guards and taking down a few (non-lethal) without being noticed. I see a guy and think "I'll ping him and mark people so I know where they are at." The instant I ping him, the guy yells "Look out, he's hacking!" This never happened except inside Konpeki Plaza to this point. Reveal Position pops up and I'm given no indication as to who is revealing my position. So...doing recon without being noticed is apparently out the window. That was the entire purpose of Ping for me. Figure out where hostiles are before I go in. Now it seems like that just rings the doorbell so everyone is on alert and searching for me. So...this quickhack has become useless for me.

Before 1.3, ping never alerted hostile NPCs on my playthroughs. It only did this once I installed this update. Can't believe I'm saying it, but I'm actually thinking of rolling back to 1.2.

What level are you? What quality are the quickhacks? are they just basic or legendary? If they are legendary what quickhacks are you using?

 

[Spockprime]

Some of them were nerfed significantly. Others weren't. Legendary Ping took a big hit. If that's the one that you're talking about, then yes, it's a huge hit to some stealth builds. Whether it's too much, I can't say. I suppose that folks who thought that Legendary Ping was too OP could have slotted the epic version instead.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

Somes are "nerfed", somes "ugraded", few QHs receive a new legendary version and a new passive abilitiy
Ping - "Nerfed", enemies can no longer be hack through walls, cameras and "hardware" still like before.
Sonic Shock - "Upgraded", new legendary version, new passive abillity (if equiped) activated with any uploaded QH (Ping include), who alert enemies.

Edit :
New in 1.3 - All the passive abilities (legendary version) does no longer add a deamon in Breach protocol. When equiped, they are now activated when a QH is uploaded (any QH, even "stealth QHs" like Breach Protocol, Ping, Optic Reboot or System Reset). So if equiped, their passive abilities alert enemies even if you use "only" a Ping.

Passive abillities who alert enemies :
- Cripple Movement
- Weapon Glitch
- Cyberware Malfunction
- (New in 1.3) Sonic Shock

And I have managed to get out the Konpeki discreetly, with only Ping and Optic Reboot in uncommon version (thanks to the "base" Paralyne Cyberdeck...)

 

[NorseGraphics]

Seems we need to play a bit smarter when using quickhacks.

Breach protocol doesn't alert enemies, and will lower the number of RAM necessry to use quickhacks (eg. reduced from 5-6 to 1), making it possible for a devestating netrunner-attack. IE, there's also the 'skill' that when any enemy has been defeated, this reduces the count-down for quickhacks, so you can continue devestating the NPC's. I no longer use Ping as such, as I mainly use line-of-sight attacks or cameras-as-proxies to deliver attacks. I did the run in Araska Tower in the Devil ending using "Breach protocol", "Short circuit", "Contagion", "Cripple" and fired only one shot with my pistol. Flattened every NPC on my way.
PS. I have by then upgraded to Legendary version at all in my cyberdeck. In the attack against Adam Smasher (in Hard mode), I used "Cripple" to great effect (as well as "Short Circuit") while wielding the Black Unicorn. "Contagion" is such that it'll spread, jumping from one NPC to another, but I don't rely solely on it, but uses a multitude from my cyberdeck.
PPS. I forgot to mention I had gotten the Legendary Netwatch MK5 (iconic), with some added benefits.

 

[cartlidge]

Seems we need to play a bit smarter when using quickhacks.

Breach protocol doesn't alert enemies, and will lower the number of RAM necessry to use quickhacks (eg. reduced from 5-6 to 1), making it possible for a devestating netrunner-attack. IE, there's also the 'skill' that when any enemy has been defeated, this reduces the count-down for quickhacks, so you can continue devestating the NPC's. I no longer use Ping as such, as I mainly use line-of-sight attacks or cameras-as-proxies to deliver attacks. I did the run in Araska Tower in the Devil ending using "Breach protocol", "Short circuit", "Contagion", "Cripple" and fired only one shot with my pistol. Flattened every NPC on my way. PS. I have by then upgraded to Legendary version at all in my cyberdeck. In the attack against Adam Smasher (in Hard mode), I used "Cripple" to great effect (as well as "Short Circuit") while wielding the Black Unicorn. "Contagion" is such that it'll spread, jumping from one NPC to another, but I don't rely solely on it, but uses a multitude from my cyberdeck.

The more I see posts like this the more I want to give hacking another go. My first character was a netrunner and it made the game so trivial I never bothered with quickhacks again but this sounds like they have made it more meaningful. Can see me making a stealth assassin who makes use of stealth hacks in my next playthrough

 

[NorseGraphics]

The more I see posts like this the more I want to give hacking another go. My first character was a netrunner and it made the game so trivial I never bothered with quickhacks again but this sounds like they have made it more meaningful. Can see me making a stealth assassin who makes use of stealth hacks in my next playthrough

Yeah, you need to plan it ahead, swapping what you want in the deck for each mission. I mainly focused on non-lethal hacks (Short circuit, Contagion), but it can be fun to use Cyberpsychosis or Detonate grenade were applicable. I just want CDPR to make it an option were you don't get caught, when taking down NPC's using quickhacks and stealth. Mainly so the faction(s) doesn't get overtly hostile towards you later on due to faction-reputation.

 

[Spectral_Warrior]

I'm currently using System Reset, Contagion, Overheat, Short Circuit and Reboot Optics in mostly epic status.
And I have the perk that makes them like 20% stronger.
This combined with an epic cyberdeck with {10, 8, 7} stats.
I mainly use QHs to start out stealthy and take down the further away enemies, so as to consolidate my 'brutal' firepower at the bunch that tends to stick together.

Alternatively...
If there's a large amount of enemies and they cluster up I may also choose to use Contagion and Reboot optics to create some chaos before the shooting starts.

I never use ping or mark or whatever and mainly rely on LOS or camera's

I haven't noticed any significant change to the QHs in how I play them.
Take that for what its worth

 

[LeKill3rFou]

I haven't noticed any significant change to the QHs in how I play them.
Take that for what its worth

I think it's mainly because you "only" use epic ones for now
(the big change is the passive abillities added in legendary who "alert" enemies when you use QHs).
And CDPR have increase the chance to be located with offensive QHs.

 

[Spectral_Warrior]

I think it's mainly because you "only" use epic ones for now
(the big change is the passive abillities added in legendary who "alert" enemies when you use QHs).
And CDPR have increase the chance to be located with offensive QHs.

Yeah the position reveal happens more often.. to be precise, everytime I just straightup use something like Overheat or Short Circuit.
However they also get cancelled out if the target dies before that upload is complete.
It seems nicely balanced atm, epic QHs icm the damage boost seem to kill targets just quick enough.

 

[Spockprime]

Somes are "nerfed", somes "ugraded", few QHs receive a new legendary version and a new passive abilitiy
Ping - "Nerfed", enemies can no longer be hack through walls, cameras and "hardware" still like before.
Sonic Shock - "Upgraded", new legendary version, new passive abillity (if equiped) activated with any uploaded QH (Ping include), who alert enemies.

Edit :
New in 1.3 - All the passive abilities (legendary version) does no longer add a deamon in Breach protocol. When equiped, they are now activated when a QH is uploaded (any QH, even "stealth QHs" like Breach Protocol, Ping, Optic Reboot or System Reset). So if equiped, their passive abilities alert enemies even if you use "only" a Ping.

Passive abillities who alert enemies :
- Cripple Movement
- Weapon Glitch
- Cyberware Malfunction
- (New in 1.3) Sonic Shock

And I have managed to get out the Konpeki discreetly, with only Ping and Optic Reboot in uncommon version (thanks to the "base" Paralyne Cyberdeck...)

Yes, that makes sense. Thanks for the list. I've been relying on memory wipe for stealth much more than I used to. In fact, I'm not sure that I ever bothered with it until 1.3.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

Yes, that makes sense. Thanks for the list. I've been relying on memory wipe for stealth much more than I used to. In fact, I'm not sure that I ever bothered with it until 1.3.

In fact, it could seem strange in a first view
But these QHs have to be seen as "offensive" QHs. You didn't use Weapon Glitch or Cyberware Malfunction in stealth, seem obvious (for me at least).
So in legendary, with their passive abilities, they are incredibly powerful in "offensive" way.

Let's imagine you have the 4 in legendary equipped. So you don't plan to be discreet obviously. If you upload one QH, on one guy, whatever the one you choose (even Ping), you also automaticaly and simultanously upload on all enemies nearby : Weapon Glitch, Cyberware Malfunction, Sonic Shock and Cripple Movement without any additional RAM cost.
It's just insane

Edit : we could add Cyberpsychosys who also add his passive abilities when any QH is uploaded.

 

[Goodmongo]

Hacking is no longer worth it. Just get Zippy and kill everything while hiding in cover.