The tabletop role-playing game, Shadowrun, combines cyberpunk and fantasy elements in a dystopian future where magic and technology have merged. The game’s character creation system is considered one of the most complex and detailed in all of tabletop gaming. This guide provides a step-by-step breakdown of the character creation process, including choosing a race, a priority system, assigning attributes and skills, magic/resonance skills and spells, choosing gear and contacts. By considering the character concept and role in the party, players can create unique and memorable Shadowrun characters that stand out in any campaign.

Breaking Down the Rules: A Guide to Creating Unique Characters in Shadowrun

Introduction

Shadowrun is a unique tabletop role-playing game that combines elements of cyberpunk and fantasy. It’s set in a dystopian future where magic and technology have merged, creating a world of near-constant conflict and strife.

One of the things that sets Shadowrun apart from other games is its emphasis on character creation. In fact, the game’s character creation system is often considered one of the most complex and detailed in all of tabletop gaming.

Whether you’re a new player or an experienced one looking to branch out, this guide will provide you with a step-by-step breakdown of the character creation process, as well as some tips and tricks for creating unique and memorable characters that will stand out in any Shadowrun campaign.

Step 1: Choosing a Race

The first step in creating a Shadowrun character is choosing their race. The game offers a variety of different races to choose from, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. These include:

• Humans: The most common and adaptable race, humans can excel in almost any role.
• Elves: Elves are graceful and charismatic, making them excellent socialites and infiltrators.
• Dwarves: Physically tough and resistant to damage, dwarves make great bruisers and tank characters.
• Orks: Big, strong, and brutish, orks excel in combat and physical challenges.
• Trolls: The largest and strongest of the races, trolls are best suited for heavy combat roles.
• Other: Depending on the campaign and the gamemaster’s discretion, other races may be available, such as dwarven metavariants, changelings, and more.

When choosing a race, consider your character concept and what role you want them to fill in the party. If you’re planning on playing a face or infiltrator, for example, an elf might be a good choice. On the other hand, if you want to be a tank, a dwarf or troll might be a better fit.

Step 2: Choosing a Priority System

Once you’ve chosen your race, you’ll need to choose a priority system. Shadowrun uses a set of priority tables to determine your character’s starting attributes, skills, and resources. These tables are broken down into five categories:

• Metatype: This determines your character’s race and attribute maximums and minimums.
• Attributes: This determines your character’s base attributes, such as strength, agility, and charisma.
• Magic/Resonance: This determines your character’s magic or resonance attributes, such as spellcasting, summoning, or hacking.
• Skills: This determines your character’s skills, such as firearms, stealth, and negotiation.
• Resources: This determines your character’s starting cash and equipment.

Each priority level corresponds to a different letter, from A (highest priority) to E (lowest priority). You’ll need to assign one priority to each category, which will determine how many points you have to spend in each area.

When choosing your priority, consider your character concept and what areas you want to excel in. If you want to be a skilled hacker, for example, you’ll want to prioritize the magic/resonance category. On the other hand, if you want to be a skilled gunslinger, you’ll want to prioritize the skills category.

Step 3: Choosing Attributes and Skills

Once you’ve assigned your priority levels, it’s time to start choosing your character’s attributes and skills. Attributes are basic characteristics such as strength, agility, and charisma, while skills represent your character’s ability to perform specific tasks, such as hacking, shooting, or negotiating.

You’ll need to spend your allotted points from the priority system to purchase these attributes and skills. Note that some attributes and skills are more expensive than others, so you’ll need to budget accordingly.

When choosing attributes and skills, consider your character concept and what areas you want to excel in. If you want to be a fast and agile gunfighter, for example, you’ll want to prioritize attributes like agility and skills like pistols or longarms.

Step 4: Magical/Resonance Skills and Spells

If your character has magical or resonance abilities, you’ll need to choose their spells, abilities, and skills. These include things like spellcasting, summoning, hacking, and more.

You’ll need to spend points to purchase these abilities and skills, much like you did with attributes and skills. Note that magical and resonance skills are typically more expensive than regular skills, so you’ll need to budget accordingly.

When choosing magical or resonance abilities, consider your character concept and what role you want them to fill in the party. If you want to be a powerful mage, for example, you’ll want to choose spells that fit that concept, such as fireball or levitate.

Step 5: Choosing Gear and Contacts

Once you’ve chosen your character’s attributes, skills, and magical/resonance abilities, it’s time to outfit them with gear and contacts. This includes things like cyberware, weapons, armor, and more.

You’ll need to spend your allotted resources points from the priority system to purchase gear and contacts. Note that gear can be expensive, so you’ll need to budget accordingly.

When choosing gear and contacts, consider your character concept and what areas you want to excel in. If you want to be a stealthy infiltrator, for example, you’ll want to choose gear that will help you avoid detection, such as chameleon suits or stealthy cyberware.

Conclusion

Creating a unique and memorable character in Shadowrun can be a daunting task, but by following these steps and considering your character concept and role in the party, you can create a character that will stand out in any campaign.

Remember to consider your race, priority system, attributes, skills, magical/resonance abilities, gear, and contacts when creating your character, and don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. Shadowrun is a versatile and flexible game, and the possibilities for character creation are endless.