IC Types
IC Types (Intrusion Countermeasures) are the hostile security programs deployed by The Hive throughout The Lattice in Terminal Descent. IC serves as the game's enemy encounters — fought, evaded, analyzed, or negotiated with depending on the player's approach.
Overview
IC programs patrol the Lattice's nodes, enforcing security on behalf of The Consortium and The Hive. They range from basic patrol sentries to lethal neural-attack programs. The type and frequency of IC encountered depends on the node's security level and the player's current HEAT tier.
All IC follow a stat growth formula:
stat(level) = baseStat × (1 + (level - 1) × 0.XX)
Where growth rates are: HP +20%, Attack +15%, Defense +12%, Speed +8%, Evasion +5%, Detection +10% per level.
IC Types
Sentry
| Sentry | |
|---|---|
| ⚠ INTRUSION COUNTERMEASURE ⚠ | |
| CLASS | Patrol |
| TIER | 1-5 |
| HP | 30 (Level 1) |
| DAMAGE | 6 (Level 1) |
| DEFENSE | 4 (Level 1) |
| SPEED | 3 (Level 1) |
| BEHAVIOR | Patrol |
| LOCATION | All nodes (Security 1+) |
| LOOT | Minor paydata, program fragments |
| WEAK TO | Stealth bypass, SPOOF, low evasion |
| Standard patrol IC. Scans traffic and engages intruders. The most common IC in the Lattice. | |
The most common IC type. Sentries patrol node corridors, scanning for unauthorized traffic. They have balanced offensive and defensive stats but high detection ratings, making stealth engagement challenging.
| Level | HP | ATK | DEF | SPD | EVA | Detection | HEAT on Kill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5% | 20 | 2 |
| 2 | 36 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5% | 22 | 3 |
| 3 | 42 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 6% | 24 | 3 |
| 5 | 54 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 8% | 28 | 4 |
| 8 | 72 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 11% | 34 | 5 |
Strategy: ANALYZE to assess threat level. CLOAK to bypass without HEAT gain. In combat, Breach Protocol (ATTACK → EVADE → ATTACK) is efficient.
Barrier
| Barrier | |
|---|---|
| ⚠ INTRUSION COUNTERMEASURE ⚠ | |
| CLASS | Access Control |
| TIER | 1-3 |
| HP | 20 (Level 1) |
| DAMAGE | 0 |
| DEFENSE | 8 (Level 1) |
| BEHAVIOR | Guard |
| LOCATION | Access points, locked areas |
| WEAK TO | Intrusion skill, brute force, bypass routes |
| Access control IC. Blocks passage until deactivated or destroyed. Has no offensive capability but high defense. | |
Pure blocking IC with no offensive capability. Barriers guard access points to restricted areas, hidden nodes, and quest-critical content. They must be cracked (using Intrusion) or destroyed (brute force).
| Level | HP | DEF | Crack Difficulty | HEAT on Kill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 30 | 12 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | 45 | 18 | 2 | 5 |
Strategy: Cracking is always more efficient than destroying. Intrusion skill 3+ can bypass Level 1-2 Barriers without combat.
Tar Pit
| Tar Pit | |
|---|---|
| ⚠ INTRUSION COUNTERMEASURE ⚠ | |
| CLASS | Trap |
| TIER | 1-3 |
| HP | 18 (Level 1) |
| DAMAGE | 2 (Level 1) |
| DEFENSE | 12 (Level 1) |
| BEHAVIOR | Ambush |
| LOCATION | Deep nodes, corridors |
| WEAK TO | Relocate program, high damage burst |
| Hyper-dense data trap that slows intruder programs and throttles processing speed. Denial-focused rather than lethal. | |
Denial-oriented IC designed to trap and slow intruders. Low offensive capability but very high defense and the ability to throttle program performance. Zero HEAT penalty on destruction.
| Level | HP | ATK | DEF | Detection | HEAT on Kill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 0 |
| 2 | 25 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 0 |
| 3 | 35 | 5 | 20 | 14 | 0 |
Strategy: RELOCATE is the counter-program. High-damage bursts recommended over sustained combat due to high defense.
Hunter
| Hunter | |
|---|---|
| ⚠ INTRUSION COUNTERMEASURE ⚠ | |
| CLASS | Pursuit |
| TIER | 4-8 |
| HP | 80+ (varies) |
| DAMAGE | High |
| DEFENSE | Moderate |
| SPEED | High |
| BEHAVIOR | Pursue |
| LOCATION | Aegis Fortress (Boss), Act III nodes |
| WEAK TO | Varied strategies (adapts to repeated approaches) |
| Adaptive boss IC dispatched by the Hive. Adjusts tactics based on player behavior. The most dangerous standard IC type. | |
Advanced pursuit IC deployed at HEAT tier 3 (Hunted) and above. Hunters are adaptive — they adjust strategies based on the player's repeated tactics. Using the same approach becomes less effective over time.
Boss encounter: The Aegis Fortress (Node 12) Hunter is the Act II boss, guarding Fragment Gamma.
Strategy: Vary your approach. ANALYZE frequently to track its adaptations. Protocol chains are effective because the sequence itself is the counter to adaptation.
BlackICE
| BlackICE | |
|---|---|
| ⚠ INTRUSION COUNTERMEASURE ⚠ | |
| CLASS | Neural Attack |
| TIER | 5-8 |
| HP | High |
| DAMAGE | Neural (bypasses normal defense) |
| DEFENSE | Moderate |
| BEHAVIOR | Aggressive |
| LOCATION | Act III nodes, Critical HEAT encounters |
| WEAK TO | High firewall, Ghost Protocol chain |
| Lethal neural-damage IC that bypasses normal defenses. Deals direct damage to the operator's neural interface. Only deployed at Critical HEAT or in Act III. | |
The most lethal IC type. BlackICE deals neural damage that bypasses normal defense calculations, directly targeting the operator's neural interface. Only deployed at HEAT tier 4 (Critical) or in Act III nodes.
Neural damage formula:
neuralDmg = blackice.neuralDmg × (1 - player.firewall × 0.05)
Firewall reduces neural damage by 5% per level (max 30% at FW 6).
Strategy: Maximize firewall before encountering BlackICE. EVADE is more effective than DEFEND against neural attacks. Ghost Protocol chain (2× damage, 0 HEAT) is ideal.
Additional IC Types (Designed)
| Type | Class | Behavior | Special |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trace | Surveillance | Passive | Raises HEAT passively while active in node |
| Mimic | Deception | Ambush | Disguises as data/items, surprise attacks on EXAMINE |
Corrupted Algorithm (Boss)
| Corrupted Algorithm | |
|---|---|
| Echo's Last Recommendation | |
| ☠ BOSS ENCOUNTER ☠ | |
| LOCATION | Echo Deep (Node 6) |
| ACT | Act I |
| COMBAT STATS | |
| HP | 55 |
| PHASES | 1 |
| DAMAGE | 12 |
| DEFENSE | 8 |
| ABILITIES | Immune to SPOOF, high detection (30), high evasion (15%) |
| WEAK TO | ANALYZE reveals vulnerability, Echo Admin Password shutdown |
| REWARDS | Access to Lyra's data, Deep Storage Fragments |
| Echo's degenerated recommendation algorithm, evolved in isolation. Feeds on data traffic. Cannot be spoofed — it does not use authentication. | |
The Act I boss. Echo's recommendation algorithm has run feral for years, serving content to absent users. It cannot be spoofed (no authentication system) and has high all-around stats for an Act I encounter.
Multiple approaches:
- Combat — Direct assault with offensive programs
- Stealth — CLOAK and bypass (avoids entirely)
- Analysis — ANALYZE to find vulnerability, then exploit
- Social — REASON with the algorithm (Social skill required)
- Key item — Echo Admin Password enables shutdown (ECHO_SHUTDOWN_7741)
Warden (Boss)
The Hive Threshold (Node 17) boss. Shield cycles (3 turns vulnerable, 1 immune). Three defeat approaches: combat, logic (Prometheus Codex), or override (Weapons Protocol).