My Rules & Riddles compatriot had a few things to get off of his chest last week, so we took a break from our scheduled programming to bring you “Bards are the worst, and also not fun, and also we hate them.” But if you will remember, our original topic for the coming weeks was setting.
Some really bad people don’t like medieval fantasy. They don’t dream of hanging out in a tavern in a fantasy world and being a badass elf sorcerer warlord. I personally don’t understand these communists people, but we don’t want to leave them out of the nirvana that is tabletop gaming. So allow me to introduce Shadowrun.
Shadowrun has a little bit of everything. Magic, medieval weaponry, robots, and guns all coexist somewhat peacefully in a futuristic parallel-Earth type setting. Megacorporations hold just as much, if not more, power than governments. Humans have undergone rapid mutation, creating variant races such as elves, dwarves, orks, and gnomes. Still other humans have been infected with an advanced virus that has turned them completely into dangerous, non-sentient beasts. If you’re playing a game by the default scenario, the players are Shadowrunners. Shadowrunners are free agents that complete tasks for corporations, the government, or various crime organizations so that they cannot be traced back to the source. So think hacking, espionage, and assassination.
Yes, it is just as awesome as it sounds. If you have never searched the web (I favor Pinterest for my RPG inspiration) for cyberpunk or cybergoth, prepare to be enthralled. Shadowrun has a gritty, urban feel augmented by the super technology that exists throughout this future world. Your character can have cybernetic enhancements. You can carefully plan out covert missions, or strap a laser-katana to your back and go wreak havoc through the city. I just… I can’t even...
The system runs on basic six-sided die, but you’ll need a shit ton or be prepared to record and reroll for every action many times. Players choose their race and then put points into various skills and stats rather than choosing a class, however there are various archetypes to help you build an effective character. The quickstart, of course, comes with pre-made characters to try out. The concepts of Karma and Edge are a little weird for those of us who have been in the D&D system for so long, so make sure you understand how the system functions before you try to launch into a game. Luckily, there are plenty of veterans on the internet to help you through any murky rules and to give advice on any house rules that may make things run more smoothly.
5th edition was just released at the end of last year, so it’s widely available. If you aren’t determined to play the latest and greatest, it’s also a good time to pick up things from 4th edition or earlier at a discount. Players who have been around a while will often try to review new editions. These can give you a good feel for how each edition might play. Like most games, the core rule book will run you about $50, so try it out through the quickstart and do some online research before purchasing. Or don’t. Whatevs.
Recap
Pick up Shadowrun if : Running around with a super computer and hacking into an evil megacorporation sounds rad. Neon and black are your colors. You have a friend who is a medieval fantasy hating fascist would feel more comfortable playing in a sci-fi futuristic setting. You want a change from dungeons, sewers (okay, there might still be those here, but the rats will at least be radioactive), and taverns.
Avoid if : You are intimidated by a big rule book and a vast world history that you should probably learn. The idea of purchasing 50 (that may be exaggerating) six-sided dice makes you cringe. Complicated systems aren’t your thing, and you don’t feel comfortable winging it or fudging the rules to fit your style.
Baby DM Out.
P.S. The awesome art that I used for this post are from the Shadowrun book and Filipe Andrade respectively.
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