To reduce game lag for other players, netrunning missions will be reduced to roleplaying and simple skill rolls. A netrunner has a Netrunning Total (NT) equal to: INT attribute + Interface skill + Deck Speed bonus + Programs bonus. The Programs bonus is equal to half the total Strength of all intrusion, protection, detection, anti-IC, and stealth programs.

If the netrunner does not want to keep track of all those details about program strength and memory usage, the Programs bonus can be abstracted as +1 per $20,000 worth of these programs (generally up to +3 for decks with 10 Memory, or +5 for decks with 20 Memory).

The netrunner may increase his or her NT by taking extra time to accomplish the task: the bonus is +1 for taking one extra minute, +2 for taking five minutes, +3 for taking one hour, +4 for taking 5 hours, or +5 for taking one day (NOT cumulative!).

The netrunner rolls 1d10 + NT against the Security Rating (SR) of the target system. The netrunner must roll higher than SR x 5, with the following modifiers: +0 to simply avoid getting burned by security programs; +5 to avoid any detection; +10 to avoid detection and enter the system to accomplish the desired task. For example, a netrunner faces a system with an SR of 4. The netrunner rolls a total of 22 on 1d10 + NT. This is higher than SR x 5 (20), but less than SR x 5 + 5 (25). The netrunner was detected by the system's security programs and was unable to accomplish the task, but escaped unscathed.

If the netrunner is burned by security programs, he or she takes physical damage from Black Programs or Deck Damage from standard defenses. The netrunner must roll 1d10 + LUCK + Interface skill + Deck speed bonus against the system SR x 5. Black Programs do physical damage of 1 point to the head per point the roll is failed by. Standard defenses do $1000 of damage to hardware and/or software per point the roll is failed by.

A Netrunning Total roll must be made for each task to be attempted. Sample tasks include: entering the system; acquiring a secret document or program; altering a record or document; installing a program (including a virus); controlling or altering a remote program; accessing a "members-only" Virtual Reality program; and so on.

Sample Security Ratings are: Minor protected business or personal system = 1; major business system or personal system of someone who is rich or highly skilled = 2; megacorp system or secret files of an SR 2 system = 3; government systems, some megacorp systems, secret files of most megacorp systems = 4; government secret files, some megacorp secret files = 5.