Can someone explain how the EMP works?

[Zednaught]

I had used an EMP twice before, and each time it killed the drone, but in my last game it only shut them off for a turn, which ended up wrecking the whole run. There didn't seem to be any indication as to why these drones would be different. I can't really go back to it now, so did I miss anything?

[Sleeper Service]

Same thing here. Is there a random chance for the drone to be destroyed when EMPd?

[Qfasa]

If you're in the late game (day 6-7 I think) some drones (objects as well) might have a shield against EMP-attack. Instead of being killed or disabled by it they will lose 2 levels of firewall and that's all. Read their description, I don't remember the name of the ability.

And no, there is nothing random in terms of attack or EMP.

[Zednaught]

This was on day 2 of the campaign, so there were no shields.

[WMG]

I think you're learning that Camera Drones are vulnerable to EMP attacks. You use an EMP on a Camera Drone, and it'll be killed instead of being shut off. There's a tooltip saying its Eletronics are vulnerable to sabotage and thus EMPing it will destroy it. Most other drones will shut off instead.

[Zednaught]

Originally posted by WilliamGreywind:

I think you're learning that Camera Drones are vulnerable to EMP attacks. You use an EMP on a Camera Drone, and it'll be killed instead of being shut off. There's a tooltip saying its Eletronics are vulnerable to sabotage and thus EMPing it will destroy it. Most other drones will shut off instead.

That's what I'm gathering....was there some tooltip that would have indicated that, though?

[Computerless]

Originally posted by Zednaught:

That's what I'm gathering....was there some tooltip that would have indicated that, though?

Yup, when you mouse over a camera drone they are listed as being "EMP Vulnerable".

[Zednaught]

Originally posted by Hugo B.:

Originally posted by Zednaught:

That's what I'm gathering....was there some tooltip that would have indicated that, though?

Yup, when you mouse over a camera drone they are listed as being "EMP Vulnerable".

Ah...but so then the other drones DON'T say EMP Invulnerable?

If that's right, that's pretty poor documentation, especially since the EMP device simply says that it disables drones. It doesn't say list any of the many exceptions.

[Shirsh]

Well, it says "disable drones", but there just one and only one exceptional type of drones which also killed by it and it have "EMP Vulnerable" tooltip, which inform about it. "Disable" = like you said "Shut em off", not "killing".

[Zednaught]

Originally posted by Shirsh:

Well, it says "disable drones", but there just one and only one exceptional type of drones which also killed by it and it have "EMP Vulnerable" tooltip, which inform about it.

I think the issue is the word disable, which is ambiguous as to its meaning. It was easy to conclude after using EMPs on the camera drones that disable meant shut off permanently. Also, the drones were listed as immune to KOs, which the game communicated as a temporary state, so it made it seem like disabling would be permanent.