Adversaries
PLEX-9 (Rogue AI)
Adaptive adversary with accelerating attack frequency — the longer it lives, the faster it strikes.
PLEX-9 (Rogue AI)
PLEX-9 is a unique adversary with a dynamic learning rate — its attack frequency doubles every 5 attacks, making it increasingly dangerous the longer it stays alive.
Stats
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Max HP | 18 |
| Wake Condition | Any player with 20,000+ stamps |
| Sleep Duration | 2,160h (90 days) |
| Check Interval | 48h |
| Base Attack Interval | 24h |
| Attacks Per Cycle | 1 |
| Target Selection | Highest combined score (stamps + money/1000) |
| Kill Rewards | 25 stamps + 10,000 money |
Learning Rate Mechanic
PLEX-9’s attack interval halves every 5 attacks, with a minimum of 3 hours:
| Attack Count | Interval | Attacks per Day |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | Every 24h | 1 |
| 5–9 | Every 12h | 2 |
| 10–14 | Every 6h | 4 |
| 15+ | Every 3h | 8 |
This creates exponential pressure. In the first 5 days, PLEX-9 launches 5 attacks. But once it hits 15+ attacks (around day 17), it’s launching 8 attacks per day.
Attack Pool
| Spell | Effect |
|---|---|
| Storage Compromise | Set target stamps to 0 |
| Buffer Overflow | Destroy ALL non-malware software permanents |
| BIOS Exploit | Inject net_bios_exploit (128 HDD + 68 RAM drain) |
| Foreign Script | Steal 500 money |
| Targeted Attack | Destroy 1 random software permanent |
Kill Strategy
HP: 18 — requires exactly 2 Level 3 spells (9+9=18)
PLEX-9 is time-sensitive — the longer you wait, the worse it gets. Strategy:
- Detect early — starts at 24h interval, so you have some breathing room
- Kill within the first 5 attacks — before it accelerates
- 2 Level 3 spells — much more affordable than Darknet Collective (36 HP)
- Collect rewards — 25 stamps + 10,000 money
Window of Opportunity
- Attacks 0-4: 24h intervals = ~5 days to prepare
- After attack 5: 12h intervals = urgency increases
- After attack 10: 6h intervals = critical
- After attack 15: 3h intervals = overwhelming
You have roughly 5 days before PLEX-9 becomes a serious problem.
Target Selection
PLEX-9 uses a unique targeting formula: stamps + (money / 1000). This means:
- A player with 50,000 stamps and 100,000 money scores 50,100
- A player with 40,000 stamps and 15,000,000 money scores 55,000
Both stamps and money contribute. You can’t hide by converting to one resource type.
Compared to Other Adversaries
| vs. | PLEX-9 Advantage | PLEX-9 Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| Darknet Collective | Lower HP (18 vs 36) | Accelerating attacks become worse |
| Ransomware Gang | No escalation tiers | Targets by score, not richest |
| The Agency | Not sticky-targeted | Learning rate is unique pressure |
Tips
- Kill fast or whitelist — PLEX-9 is a ticking clock
- 2 Level 3 spells is affordable — plan for this before reaching 20K stamps
- 90-day sleep — once killed, PLEX-9 stays down for 3 months
- Combined score targeting — there’s no way to avoid being the target if you’re the most advanced player
- Buffer Overflow in pool — this adversary can wipe your entire software setup. Have rebuilding materials ready