Step One: Choose Concept
The sidebar Common Character Types and Their Roles gives you a snapshot of the character
types your most likely to find in the shadows. Disparate
characters band together as runner teams; blending
their talents, skills, and specialized expertise to
complete missions they would not be able to pull off
as individuals. Some runner teams come together for a
specific job, while others stay together throughout their
entire careers, becoming as close-knit as family. This
gallery is just a starting point—there are characters in
the shadows that don’t conform to any list. The one you
create will be uniquely yours.
You may start with an idea of what sort of character you want to play and some basic background concepts. The character may be an ex-soldier from a national government looking to use her combat skills on the streets. Or a former corporate headhunter forced out of the megacorporation by an ambitious rival and now using his negotiating savvy and deal-making skills to survive the shadows. There are second-generation runners, born to the life and learning the skills of the trade from their SINless parents. It’s not unusual for a bounty hunter who collects pelts of paranormal critters or tracks down fugitives to engage in a little shadowrunning to supplement his income. The character may have grown up in a street gang, and he sees shadowrunning as a way to get out of the gutter. Or the character may have just gotten out of jail and be eager to see what she can do with the skills she learned and the connections she made on the inside.
You do not need to understand all the nuances of character creation and character statistics to get started. That will come with time. To start, have a concept in mind and dive in. Your character will quickly become unique—and all yours.
Players and the gamemaster should work together to develop a team of characters that are suited to the campaign. The character creation rules as presented in this chapter involve the creation of an experienced shadowrunner. For rules on the other levels of character creation (street level, prime runner), see the Alternate Gameplay sidebar.
All characters in Shadowrun start with 25 Karma they will use to improve themselves. They’ll get plenty of other resources as they move through the process.
You may start with an idea of what sort of character you want to play and some basic background concepts. The character may be an ex-soldier from a national government looking to use her combat skills on the streets. Or a former corporate headhunter forced out of the megacorporation by an ambitious rival and now using his negotiating savvy and deal-making skills to survive the shadows. There are second-generation runners, born to the life and learning the skills of the trade from their SINless parents. It’s not unusual for a bounty hunter who collects pelts of paranormal critters or tracks down fugitives to engage in a little shadowrunning to supplement his income. The character may have grown up in a street gang, and he sees shadowrunning as a way to get out of the gutter. Or the character may have just gotten out of jail and be eager to see what she can do with the skills she learned and the connections she made on the inside.
You do not need to understand all the nuances of character creation and character statistics to get started. That will come with time. To start, have a concept in mind and dive in. Your character will quickly become unique—and all yours.
Players and the gamemaster should work together to develop a team of characters that are suited to the campaign. The character creation rules as presented in this chapter involve the creation of an experienced shadowrunner. For rules on the other levels of character creation (street level, prime runner), see the Alternate Gameplay sidebar.
All characters in Shadowrun start with 25 Karma they will use to improve themselves. They’ll get plenty of other resources as they move through the process.