Shadowrun / Cyberpunk D20?

[Deadguy]

Originally posted by Whodat If I had to do a house-rules Cyberpunk, I probably wouldn’t bother with a magic system anyway. The things that I disliked about Shadowrun were all of the fantasy elements thrown into the game. Elves. Magic. Undead. Why? (Yeah, I know that I’m probably going to get my throat slashed for saying this on a D&D messageboard.)

Don’t get me wrong. I like going on a good ghoul-hunt just as much as the next guy. But it seems, I don't know, too much.

Cyberpunk, on the other hand, was fantasy-free – and it all seems to fit.

Sounds like you didn't really want to play Shadowrun. It was the addition of the fantasy elements to the standard cyberpunk mix that differentiated if from Cyberpunk. Otherwise, you just have another version of CP with an interesting, if awkward, game mechanical system.

 

[Thanee]

Why would anyone want a d20 Shadowrun!?

Rolling masses of d6's is fun!

And the class system of D&D just doesn't fit very well to Shadowrun (too restrictive).

How would you do cyberware, as a class feature to balance street samurais with magicians!?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Radiating Gnome]

I have been inspired to putter around with a magic system that would be drain-based, like Shadowrun's. Check it out here:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=407827#post407827

 

[Whodat]

Sounds like you didn't really want to play Shadowrun. It was the addition of the fantasy elements to the standard cyberpunk mix that differentiated if from Cyberpunk.

You're right. I've played both and I prefer Cyberpunk. The problem is Cyberpunk died out a long time ago, while Shadowrun is on its third printing and is still available.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Mmmm, Shadowrun....

One of the best, and most infamous, games I ever played was set in Shadowrun. I love the setting.

But I could never go back as I found the rules horrifically frustrating. Sometimes sublime and other times impossible to figure out how to do stunts or simple things like run someone down with a car.

Thus my switch to Feng Shui for modern action and weirdness.

D20 seems far superior but for the structure and lack of power of initial characters. I would think that a good port would either have everyone starting at something like 3rd or 5th level.

Coda seems like it might be a good fit what with its flexible leveling and the LOTR exhaustion magic casting system.

Still I hope a good D20 Modern Shadowrun port appears.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Cyberware is easy.
Use Magic Item rules, and let the characters pay the Experience Cost instead of the Creator. That`s the way it works in Dragonstar (Spellware), and it is much better like this stupid Essence thing...

You might still wish to create additional penalties for magicians, but the base idea is quite simple...

 

[Mistwell]

Shouldn't this be in the d20 systems forum?

 

[Fenes 2]

I played both Shadowrun and D&D for over 10 years, and I must say that I would hate the d20 system in Shadowrun. Modern Firearms are, imho, much better represented by the Shadowrun system, and not by the d20 system, and the same goes for skills. Whenever my group plays a modern or SciFi setting, we use Shadowrun rules. "Bucketloads of d6" is misnomer - I usually roll less d6s in a shadowrun combat than when my D&D sorceress casts a couple Fireballs or other damage spells.

If I want to avoid "so what, it is only 1d8 dmg, I ignore it"-situations I much prefer the Shadowrun system, where anyone with a heavy pistol is a threat to even experienced characters.

I love the D&D system, especially 3E, but as far as modern firearms are concerned, and modern thunking, it is, imho, just not feasible, I just cant supense my disbelief well enough for it to work. Classless, skill based, levelless is the only way to play those, again imho.

 

[Thanee]

Yep.

Of course, I could envision a d20 Shadowrun, but there would not be much left from the d20 Core ruleset!

Bye
Thanee