Step Two: Choose Metatype

METATYPE & SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

In Shadowrun, Fifth Edition, character generation is based on the Priority System. The Priority System is a table with the following columns: Metatype, Attributes, Magic or Resonance, Skills, and Resources (see Priority Table) . The rows are divided into Priority Levels ranging from Priority A to Priority E. Players assign a specific Priority Level for each of the columns to their character depending on their preferences. The values assigned must be different for each column (representing each aspect of the character), and there can be no duplications. For example, a character may not have Priority Level B for Magic or Resonance and Priority B for Resources. The higher the Priority Level (A, B, etc.), the more valuable it is for the character. Characters use Karma later on to customize their characters even further.
The player begins the character-creation process by choosing their character’s metatype, or race. There are five distinct races within Shadowrun: dwarfs, elves, humans, orks, and trolls. Each race receives different racial advantages (and possibly disadvantages). Humans, for example, receive a higher rating in Edge (+1). Trolls receive Thermographic Vision, +1 Reach, and Dermal Armor, but they also receive the disadvantage of having to pay an additional fifty percent for gear because everything—including cyberware and bioware—must be specially modified to meet their massive physical requirements. Several metatypes also receive physical or mental advantages/disadvantages to their attribute ratings (such as higher or lower natural attribute limits). When determining which metatype best fits the character concept they wish to play, the player should refer to the Metatype Attribute Table (p. 66, CRB) and review the specific details for each metatype.
Once the player has selected the metatype they wish to play, they should review the Metatype column to determine which Priority Levels give them the best options for their character based on their preferred metatype and the special attribute points they need. The special attributes are Edge, Magic, and Resonance; if you want your character to have a high rating in one or more of these areas, make sure you select a row with plenty of special attribute points. Technomancer characters need to ensure they can have a high Resonance, while magician or adept characters will want a high Magic rating.
Edge starts at the value for each metatype listed in the Metatype Attribute Table (p. 66, CRB). Magic and Resonance start at 0.
Edge, of course, is beneficial to all characters. Special attribute points may be spent entirely on Edge if the player chooses not to play a magic user or a technomancer, or they may split these points as they see fit between their Edge and Magic or Resonance attribute ratings if the player so chooses. These Special Attribute Points may only be allocated on Special Attributes. They may never be used to raise Mental or Physical attributes. Any unspent Special Attribute points disappear following the character creation process. If the player chooses an option that provides 0 special attribute points, don’t worry. Players may elect to spend the Karma given to them during the character creation process to raise these special attributes by following the standard Character Advancement rules (p. 103, CRB).
Note that for most metatypes, the maximum rating for Magic, Resonance, and Edge is 6; humans have a maximum Edge rating of 7. Certain qualities (Lucky, Exceptional Attribute) allow characters to exceed attribute maximums by one, but the player must purchase these qualities with Karma and may only do so with gamemaster approval (the player may purchase either Lucky or Exceptional Attribute, but not both). Even if one of these qualities is purchased, the player must still spend the attribute points/Karma to raise the attribute to that new limit. With Exceptional Attribute, you can end up with a maximum Magic or Resonance rating of 7 when starting the game (before initiation or submersion).

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

The next step is to raise the character’s attributes. The player chooses a Priority Level from the Attribute column that best suits their vision of the character. The number in this column represents the points a player has available for raising their character’s Mental and Physical attributes. When spending attribute points, refer to the Metatype Attribute Table. This table shows the starting attribute ratings for each metatype (the number before the slash) as well as the maximum for each. Characters begin at their metatype’s starting levels at no cost; so humans begin with a Body rating of 1, dwarfs have a starting Body rating of 3, orks have an initial rating of 4, and trolls start at 5. Characters then apply their attribute points to these starting values. It takes 1 attribute point to raise an attribute rating by 1.
A character must spend all attribute points during character creation. They may not spend attribute points from the Attributes column to raise special attributes or for any other purpose. Characters at character creation may only have 1 Mental or Physical attribute at their natural maximum limit; the special attributes of Magic, Edge, and Resonance are not included in this limitation.
A player needs to be careful in building their character, as many of the attributes have a natural limit below the default level of 6 to reflect a metatype’s inherent disadvantage in that particular attribute.
While the player is raising attributes and deciding on starting levels for her character, she should keep in mind several factors that will be calculated at the end of character creation based upon the character’s attributes, namely Initiative and Inherent Limits. Initiative determines the order in which characters, both player characters and non-player characters (NPCs), act in combat (for rules on Initiative, see Initiative and Condition Monitors, p. 52, CRB). The base Initiative rating for a character is Intuition + Reaction.
Inherent limits (see Tests and Limits, p. 46, CRB) restrict the number of hits characters can count in certain tests. They are based on attributes, so when choosing attributes, keep these limits in mind. The formulas for inherent limits are found on the Final Calculations Table (p. 101, CRB).
Technomancers need to remember that their mental attributes will determine attributes for their Living Persona, their representation in the Matrix (p. 249, CRB). For details on the living persona, see p. 250, CRB. Similarly, when magicians project themselves into astral space, they have astral attributes (p. 314, CRB) that are based on their mental attributes. The choices players make in this section will affect those attributes later.