#10 Finest TTRPG Techniques For A Cyberpunk Journey – Destructoid
Due to video games like Dungeons and Dragons, fantasy settings are inclined to dominate the TTRPG house, however that doesn’t imply there’s a scarcity of phenomenal cyberpunk video games.
Actually, cyberpunk TTRPGs are amongst a few of the finest within the style. There are cyberpunk programs with insanely inventive character choices, wildly creative settings, and all the foundations for tactical fight you would ever need. Neo-noir mysteries, motion thrillers, and extra await you on this planet of cyberpunk TTRPGs.
Cyberpunk is the gold customary for high-tech low-life RPGs for good causes, and 2020 is the most effective model of the rule set by far. Character creation in Cyberpunk 2020 follows the Life Path system, which absolutely builds out all of the stat-centric components of your character whereas additionally telling their backstory. Fight is tactical and extremely deadly, and there are a wealth of supplementary supplies on the market for this method. In case you haven’t gotten to make use of this method earlier than, it must be on the highest of your to-do record.
Cyberpunk RED is the newest version of the Cyberpunk guidelines system, and it comes with fairly a number of trendy updates. The rulebook is easy and simple to make use of, and a number of character creation choices allow you to get into the sport as shortly as you need. This version has the added advantages of usable hacking mechanics, quite than the utter mess of guidelines that got here in earlier variations of the sport. This can be a nice entry level for cyberpunk-themed TTRPGs, and the included Evening Metropolis setting is an absolute basic.
Most individuals consider Traveller as a system for house faring video games, and so they aren’t fallacious. That stated, the sport is extremely versatile, and the core e-book plus the dietary supplements provide you with guidelines for all the pieces from cybernetic physique modifications to laptop hacking. Plus, the Traveller character creation course of is sort of a mini-game to itself, it’s spectacular. You could possibly simply inform a grounded cyberpunk story with this method, and when the plot is wrapping up, you may ship your characters out to the celebs.
Altered Carbon is a sport for cyberpunk followers who actually need to lean into the neo-noir elements of the style. It’s tailor made for fixing high-tech mysteries in a futuristic society that’s dominated over by the extremely rich. The sport relies on the e-book collection by Richard Morgan, and it manages to mechanically work in essentially the most attention-grabbing idea in Morgan’s setting: the flexibility to maneuver your consciousness between our bodies as simply as altering garments.
For sure kinds of gamers, the Dune TTRPG is a dream come true. Set in Frank Herbert’s iconic universe, the sport truly mixes grand technique components into the roleplaying guidelines. There are mechanics that allow you to create your personal Main or Minor Home and management issues from the shadows. You’ll be able to rent Mentats and staff, assemble equipment to collect spice, and slowly construct up your interstellar empire. Whether or not you need to play by way of an epic rebel story or work your approach towards galactic domination, Dune has you lined.
Like Traveller, Stars With out Quantity is a TTRPG designed for house adventures, however it doesn’t take a lot tweaking to show it right into a killer cyberpunk sport. All of the tech and weapons you would ever want are included within the core rulebook, which can also be filled with details about constructing worlds and working video games that may simply turn out to be useful at any desk. When you’ve received your head across the system, you may even try fan-made cyberpunk campaigns like Polychrome.
Except for the assorted variations of Cyberpunk, Shadowrun might be the best-knock cyberpunk TTRPG. As a substitute of going for gritty realism, Shadowrun throws some fantasy components into its high-tech setting. Need to play an elf with a lazy sword or a cybernetic streetrat with a proclivity for magic? Shadowrun provides one of the vital distinctive settings on the market, and the core rulebook has all the pieces it’s good to get began, together with some pre-written adventures which might be tremendous simple to run.
Like nearly any TTRPG system constructed for sci-fi adventures, Starfinder works completely tremendous for a cyberpunk marketing campaign. This explicit system would actually shine in a cyberpunk story that takes place on a distant planet as a result of there are tons of guidelines for various alien races and characters. Like Traveller or Stars With out Numbers, this sport will take a bit tweaking on the GM’s half, however it’s in all probability the simplest of the three for gamers to leap into as a result of it’s a bit extra much like D&D 5E and isn’t almost as deadly as these different programs.
Even when cyberpunk TTRPG programs have good guidelines for hacking and navigating by way of our on-line world, the digital realm usually seems like an afterthought. Aetherium is tailored for cyberpunk tales that need to put the digital world on the forefront. The first setting for the sport is a digital actuality, and which means there’s full rulesets not only for hacking but in addition for designing your personal customized packages. Aetherium has all of the anarchists, corporatists, and media moguls you’d anticipate from a cyberpunk setting, however the give attention to the digital side of the world actually helps it really feel distinct from the opposite video games on this record.
Mythic is the one system on this record that isn’t going to give you any pre-designed guidelines for tech, weapons, or the fabric elements of a cyberpunk setting. That’s as a result of Mythic is a GM emulator that’s designed to allow you to play by way of any roleplaying story you may dream up, with or and not using a actual GM at your desk. Mythic requires extra creativeness and initiative from gamers than another sport on this record, however when you get into the swing of it you may play any type of sport you need.
