Is a Shadowrun Conversion to 5e D&D even viable?

[iansmithdahl]

Several people make an excellent point that the mechanics of SR, particularly the mechanics around magic, make the setting. Just last week I was talking to someone about how SR makes me personally feel very comfortable with min/maxing -- because I feel like it's "in character" moreso than other games. I think my merc would be spending endless hours trying to find the right gun. So, I'm more comfortable doing so as well.

But, I digress. I think that if you're comfortable with changing the setting a bit as a result of changing the rules, that's totally excellent. If you're table wants something simpler or familiar, that's very understandable. I love SR to death. But, it is a lot. A one-to-one conversion may be more trouble than it's worth. I would suggest starting with d20 Modern and the Future and Arcana supplements for a D&D-like cyberpunk/fantasy setting. Then you could pull in specific elements of SR that you like on a one-to-one. Dunkelzahn is a gold dragon, fine. d20 Future cyberware interferes with magic use somehow (spell failure chance maybe?). Custom rules for rigging (bonus to pilot checks, done). I think it would be easier to convert from that to 5e rather than SR to 5e directly.

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

It is viable, though for ease of conversion it may be best to do a multi-system conversion. Convert it to a system like Savage Worlds, which is more similar to DnD, to get it closer to a d20 system. Then maybe to Pathfinder, which currently has some of what is necessary to support a cyberpunk game. After that, convert from Pathfinder to 5E.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

And what about gnomes? The Rock gnome can make little gadgets, which aren't that hot today. Gnomes can basically make a lighter, a music box and a wind-up toy. Not that great when I can buy all three from the corner store. .

Fortunately, the core Shadowrun system doesn't even have Gnomes. Or Halflings. Or Half-Elves, Tieflings, Dragonborn, etc.

You would need to work up a Troll race from scratch, though.

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

Fortunately, the core Shadowrun system doesn't even have Gnomes.

Is now a bad time to point out the expanded material and the fact gnomes are a dwarf subrace?

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Is now a bad time to point out the expanded material and the fact gnomes are a dwarf subrace?

Yup. When you typically do a conversion, you start with the core material and finish that up before you try to convert the expanded stuff.

So... you could worry about how to convert gnomes over, but fortunately you can push that off indefinitely and it won't detract from the setting.