To defeat enemies reliably in Pragmata, you need to master Diana’s hacking skills. Here’s everything you need to know.
In Pragmata, hacking plays a central role, whether you’re in combat or exploring. Diana sits on Hugh’s back and hacks into enemies, terminals, and doors for you. Without her abilities, you won’t get far. In this guide, we’ll show you how Diana’s hacking works, how to upgrade her skills, and what to watch out for during gameplay.
Hacking Made Simple: The Basics of Diana’s Ability
Before diving into the different types of hacking, there’s one thing to keep in mind: keep your distance. If enemies get too close, they can interrupt you with a hit or kick. When that happens, you’ll have to restart the hack completely. This can happen faster than you’d expect, especially in hectic fights.
Get used to creating space before hacking, but always keep your target in sight. If you’re fully behind cover, you won’t be able to hack enemies either. If things get tight, Hugh’s “Stasis Net” can save you. This electromagnetic net expands on impact and temporarily disables enemies, giving you enough time to complete your hack safely.
- Important: Hacking doesn’t just run in the background. You’ll be solving a mini-game while fighting, dodging, and keeping track of everything around you. It feels unusual at first, but with a bit of practice, it quickly becomes second nature.
Pragmata: Hacking Enemies
When you hack an enemy, a grid with blue directional tiles appears. Your goal is to reach the green symbol while passing through as many blue tiles as possible. Try to collect all blue tiles along the way. That’s how you maximize your hacking output and take down enemies much faster. The fewer tiles you cross, the shorter and weaker your hack will be.
Hacking Nodes: Colored Tiles for Bonuses
As you progress, you’ll unlock so-called hacking nodes, which you can fill using items found throughout the game. These appear as gold or purple tiles in the hacking grid and grant additional effects. One example is “Decode,” which disrupts enemy systems and temporarily increases your damage. Another is “Confuse,” which can cause enemies to attack each other.
If you use the same node multiple times on the same enemy, its effectiveness decreases. Switch between different nodes regularly to get the most out of your hacks. This makes a big difference, especially in boss fights.
Grid Size and Difficulty
The size of the hacking grid depends on the enemy. Standard androids usually have around 12 to 16 tiles. Bosses come with much larger grids and more complex arrow patterns. You’ll also encounter red tiles (triangles) or greyed-out tiles that either damage you or cannot be traversed.
Take your time with boss hacks and use moments when the enemy is distracted or stunned. And if things get critical, remember to use the Stasis Net or another stunning weapon.
Additional Combat Options
As you progress, new options become available. For example, you can hack missiles mid-flight and send them back at enemies. Not only is this satisfying, it also deals significant damage. Some enemies also have protective modules that block hacking. You’ll need to destroy these first before Diana can intervene.
With the right node, you can even hack multiple targets at once, disabling the shields of several enemies simultaneously. This is especially useful against larger groups and can save you in tough situations.
The Overdrive Protocol
By hacking regularly, you’ll fill Diana’s hacking gauge. Once it’s full, you can activate the Overdrive Protocol. This triggers several effects at once. Nearby enemies lose their armor, are briefly immobilized, and take increased damage. This is your most powerful tool when things get overwhelming.
- Tip: You can upgrade your Overdrive in the unit printer. Higher levels increase damage, extend the disable duration, and lengthen the stun effect.
If you’re surrounded by multiple enemies, a well-timed Overdrive can turn the tide. It relieves pressure and gives you time to deal damage. The gauge only fills through successful hacks. That means the more actively you hack, the more often you can use Overdrive. Save this ability for difficult situations, such as boss fights or large enemy waves.
Hacking Terminals
Besides enemies, you can also hack terminals, which are usually marked by a red glow. These work differently. Instead of a grid, you’ll see a circular interface. The game shows you which button to press. Always press the outer ring input and work your way inward step by step.
Terminal hacks are essential for progression. You’ll use them to open doors or alter the environment. Diana can move blocks and unlock new areas. Keep your eyes open, as terminals can be easy to miss and are sometimes positioned above you.
Hacking Doors and Switches
Throughout the game, you’ll encounter doors that can only be opened with Diana’s help. You’ll need to align multiple switches so their lines match the line in the center. Each switch shows a line that must be rotated correctly. Only when everything is connected will the door open.
In most cases, you’ll have enough time. However, some sections require speed. If the timer runs out, Hugh takes damage. You can see the timer on the right side of the mini-game.
- Tip: If you hear the timer about to expire, simply restart the hack. This prevents damage and lets you try again. Keep in mind that the switches are randomly generated and may differ each time.
Upgrading Diana’s Hacking Skills
Firmware Updater in the Safe Room
You can improve Diana’s hacking in the safe room. Head to the Firmware Updater and increase the “Hacking” skill in the menu. Each level boosts your hack damage and extends how long enemies remain disabled. Starting at level 5, you’ll also increase heat gauge buildup. Invest here early, as hacking becomes much harder later without upgrades.
All Hacking Levels at a Glance
| Level | Hack Damage | Disable Duration | Heat Gauge Build-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 140 | 1.02 | – |
| 3 | 146 | 1.05 | – |
| 4 | 153 | 1.08 | – |
| 5 | 160 | 1.10 | 19.2 |
| 6 | 166 | 1.13 | 20 |
| 7 | 173 | 1.15 | 20.8 |
| 8 | 180 | 1.17 | 21.5 |
| 9 | 186 | 1.20 | 22.4 |
| 10 (from Safe Room Level 3) | 193 | 1.23 | 23.2 |
| 11 | coming soon | coming soon | coming soon |
| 12 | coming soon | coming soon | coming soon |
| 13 | coming soon | coming soon | coming soon |
| 14 | coming soon | coming soon | coming soon |
| 15 | coming soon | coming soon | coming soon |
| 16 | coming soon | coming soon | coming soon |
Unit Printer: Gear for Diana
In addition to the Firmware Updater, there’s the Unit Printer, where you can purchase special gear for Diana using Lunafilament. This includes:
- Node Slot: Expands Diana’s abilities by adding extra slots for hacking nodes in the hacking matrix. More slots mean more flexibility and stronger effects, allowing you to use more powerful nodes like “Decode” at the same time. Invest here as soon as possible, as the impact is immediate.
- Hacking Gauge: Improves Diana’s gauge by increasing charge gained from completed hacks. The more you hack, the faster it fills, giving you more frequent access to the powerful Overdrive Protocol. This is especially useful in fights with multiple enemy waves.
- Auto-Hacking: Unlocks auto-hacking. Consumes part of the hacking gauge to complete a hack automatically. Cannot be used if error nodes are active or if the hack is interrupted.
The further you progress and the higher your safe room level, the more gear and hacking skills you can print and equip. You can then equip them directly in the Lunar Orbit Terminal.
Best Tips for Effective Hacking
To wrap things up, here are some practical tips to make hacking in Pragmata easier:
- Use the Stasis Net as a safety tool: If enemies get too close while hacking, deploy Hugh’s Stasis Net to immobilize them.
- Prioritize shielded enemies: Enemies with active defenses are tough without hacking. Disable their shields first before wasting ammo.
- Rotate your hacking nodes: Using the same node repeatedly reduces effectiveness. Switch between different types.
- Save Overdrive: Don’t waste it on single basic enemies. Use it for waves or bosses where armor removal has the biggest impact.
- Watch for external modules: If hacking doesn’t work, look for destructible modules on the enemy first.
- Upgrade regularly: Visit the safe room after major sections and check if you can level up your hacking. Don’t ignore the Unit Printer.
- Practice multitasking: Fighting and hacking at the same time feels strange at first, but quickly becomes second nature. Practice on weaker enemies before tackling bosses.
