Shadowrun deserves better

Shades of Eternity · 2026-04-13T02:13:10+0100

I never played Shadowrun at it's peak. I was more of a rRfts fan.

then many years later, I listened to Opti's Podcast on Shadowrun and immediately fell in love with the world.

<yes I voted for Dunkelzahn, a great Canadian that saved the world with his sacrifice while being an incredibly sneaky bastard>

....and then I read the rules.

yikes

Fortunately I did enjoy Larian's shadowrun games and honestly, they were amazing.

give them the licence and let them build games. The rules run way smoother as a video game.

but unless you are willing to pull a battlelords of the 23rd century (whom I will always respect for buying the ip and then running a kickstarter), it's ultimately not your game.

ABOUT | 23rdcentury

23rd Century Productions, LLC is a Game Manufacturer and the new home of the Battlelords of the 23rd Century (aka Battlelords) tabletop roleplaying game. Battlelords is a science-fiction tabletop roleplaying game where players can assume the role of mercenaries and misfits in a war-torn universe.

www.23rdcentury.net

I had the same response, and it's why I built the Hodgepocalypse, for a very similar reason.

I wanted my own, and it evolved into something different but uniquely distinct.

Thomas Shey · 2026-04-13T05:40:45+0100

MGibster said:
I like Savage Worlds, but it isn't designed to emulate other games. If fidelity to the original system is important, then you're better off sticking with Shadowrun. From what I remember about SR, most of the magic as it relates to the players revolve around that which is useful for running. And for that, I think SW would do just fine with hermetics, shamans, and adepts.

I think there's fidelity to system and fidelity to setting. The problem with SW in this context is I don't think even with some decent cyberware (which as has been noted there's at least one game with) its magic system is going to do an adequate job there. (Honestly, its magic system is often SW weakest part in general).

MGibster · 2026-04-13T12:25:36+0100

Thomas Shey said:
I think there's fidelity to system and fidelity to setting. The problem with SW in this context is I don't think even with some decent cyberware (which as has been noted there's at least one game with) its magic system is going to do an adequate job there. (Honestly, its magic system is often SW weakest part in general).

I think Savage Worlds' magic system will do an adequate job for situations the player characters in Shadowrun typically find themselves in. Looking at the spell list in Shadowrun, a lot of the combat spells would either be Blast, Bolt, or Burst with different trappings, and things like healing, draining/increasing attributes, summoning spirits, stealth, etc., etc. are right there in the core SW book. I'm sure the experience would be enhanced by introducing a few new spells to SW.

Thomas Shey · 2026-04-13T15:39:05+0100

MGibster said:
I think Savage Worlds' magic system will do an adequate job for situations the player characters in Shadowrun typically find themselves in. Looking at the spell list in Shadowrun, a lot of the combat spells would either be Blast, Bolt, or Burst with different trappings, and things like healing, draining/increasing attributes, summoning spirits, stealth, etc., etc. are right there in the core SW book. I'm sure the experience would be enhanced by introducing a few new spells to SW.

Besides the lack of a few things, I still think the loiter-time issues can come up too easily. While you have to pay some attention in most versions of SR to things like this, its not actually hard for someone using the SW magic system to burn through all their power points in 3-5 rounds, and that's awfully short by comparison.

Fenris-77 · 2026-04-13T15:46:39+0100

Thomas Shey said:
Besides the lack of a few things, I still think the loiter-time issues can come up too easily. While you have to pay some attention in most versions of SR to things like this, its not actually hard for someone using the SW magic system to burn through all their power points in 3-5 rounds, and that's awfully short by comparison.

I might use something like the Shadowdark approach where you may retain spells after casting based on a roll. I like that approach over rigid vancian slots.