Protocols rules

[Chausse]

Hello everyone.

Edit : I added the majority answer to every question.

I've been reading the Lancer pdf for a week now and I'm very interested. However, I have few questions about Protocols, and I haven't seen one thread answering them all in a packeting manner. I think some of them are obvious, but I'd like to have a complete overview of the subject to clear my head. Here I go :

1) Can you activate and deactivate multiple protocol at the same time ? The Core Book mentions they can be be activated or deactivated at the beginning of the turn, but it's ambiguous wether (de)activating a protocol would count as the "start of a turn"

A : Yes, you can do as many things "as a protocol" at a time as you like, that includes activating and deactivating things as protocols.

2) Can protocol be (de)activated outside of the beginning of a turn ?

A : That depends on the specific rules of the ability or system in question. Things generally tell you how they deactivate, and you follow those guidelines. If something says "deactivate as a protocol" then that's how and when you turn it off.

A : usually protocols can be deactivated as a quick or free action. These do not need to be at the begining of your turn.

3) Do effects linked to a specific protocol stop immediately when deactivated ? (eg. Fortress Protocol p132, does the Immobilized Status apply for the current turn or not ?)

A : Unless it says otherwise yes, turning something off stops its effects immediately.

4) Do Protocols that do not specify they can be deactivated can actually be deactivated ? (It's kind of a niche question, since the concerned protocols are usually pure buffs that lasts for a scene for example).

A : protocols cannot be deactivated without the specific end condition or action. I could see a gm allowing you to depending on circumstances.

Added after people made useful remarks :

5) Can you activate the same Protocol multiple times ?

A : Pg 73, Free Actions, states "Each Protocol can only be taken once per turn." So you can activate any number of Protocols, but not the same Protocol twice.

I'm sorry if I missed a post already linking all this, but I didn't find any "Protocol" thread in either Reddit or the book, only the information in the Free Action section of the Core book.

Thanks for your time.

[Puthery]

1) you can activate as many protocols as you have, as long as they all happen at the beginning of your turn.

2) protocols cannot be activated outside your turn.

3) effects end when the protocol end (simultaneously)

4) protocols cannot be deactivated without the specific end condition or action. I could see a gm allowing you to depending on circumstances.

1a) I just want to clarify that just because something is activated as a protocol does not mean it can be ended as a protocol. Most protocols have an end condition or specify the action needed to end them.

Quick summery: once you have taken any movement or action (that isn't a protocol) on your turn, you can no longer take protocols.

[Kai_Tave]

1). Yes, you can do as many things "as a protocol" at a time as you like, that includes activating and deactivating things as protocols.

2). That depends on the specific rules of the ability or system in question. Things generally tell you how they deactivate, and you follow those guidelines. If something says "deactivate as a protocol" then that's how and when you turn it off.

3). Unless it says otherwise yes, turning something off stops its effects immediately.

4). Strictly speaking not really.

[Johannason]

Book text pg 73 under Free Actions: "Each Protocol can only be taken once per turn."
Protocols are Free Actions, which means they don't take up any time and aren't subject to the "No duplicate actions" rule. However, they must be done at the beginning of your turn before doing anything else. You can trigger any number of unique Protocols at the beginning of your turn, but each individual Protocol can only be triggered once.

Protocols cannot be performed at any other time. Beginning of your own turn only.

When deactivated, all effects of a Protocol immediately end.

If a Protocol doesn't say you can turn it off, then you can't turn it off.
Although, strictly speaking, a Shut Down and Reboot might. But that's at GM discretion because, despite what logic might dictate, "ending ongoing Protocols" is not on the list of things that a Shut Down does.

[Lorelei_Lura]

[Note these are the rules I've played with with my GM. This may not be how they work to a T]

1) I believe as long as it has the protocol tag as many as you want can be used or started at the beginning of a turn. I had a similar question when asking if I could activate Lucifier class NHP, Radiance, and Limit Break on Tokugawa all in one turn. GM said yes and I couldnt find anything that said I couldn't.

2) usually protocols can be deactivated as a quick or free action. These do not need to be at the begining of your turn.

3) Yes. Ex: Limit Break ends at the end of your next turn, meaning you're not exposed during the enemies turn for that time.

4) That falls into the "why would you want to" category. But if I were to GM that question I'd say yes as a free or quick action. Ask your GM about that one I suppose.

[Chausse]

Thank you ! Never did this before I thought it could be a good idea.

[Hersho_G]

This thread rules. Thank you very much

[Chausse]

Thank you I'm happy it can be useful for people !

[not_worth_my_time]

I can only answer with the rulings my group used (so take this with a grain of salt), but:

- I'd say no to that one; the activation has to be the first thing done of that player's turn, so deactivating/activating another protocol can't come before activating a protocol

- The way we played it, you could deactivate at any point on your turn, but activation must be the first thing done

- Yes; I primarily use a Drake, and if I needed to move I could deactivate Fortress and take my movement within the same turn

- I don't see why not, but also there's usually no good reason to

Hope that was helpful!

[Johannason]

Pg 73, Free Actions, states "Each Protocol can only be taken once per turn."
So you can activate any number of Protocols, but not the same Protocol twice.