A friend of mine wants to run a Shadowrun: Anarchy game. It has been twenty-five years since I last played Shadowrun, and I am very unfamiliar with anything after second edition. Though I am keen, this is going to be a challenge.
1. Choose a character theme (Character Name)
I want to play a thief character, mainly motivated by money (initially). She’s not interested in computer hacking that much, preferring to lift physical objects from people. She’s kind of inspired by Parker from Leverage, Kenzie from Lost Girl, or Selina Kyle/Catwoman from Batman.
Her street name is Caitlyn Rhyme, aka ‘Crime’
2. Choose game level
I am interested in a runner who has a little experience, and has found her feet. Level: Street Runner. Normally the GM and the group would decide this, but this is my work, so I can do what I what.
3. Choose metatype
I think Elf here appeals to me. I wanted a character who is cat-like and sneaky, but also weird and mystical.
4. Decide if your character is awakened or emerged
The character is awakened, able to do magic and interact with spirits. I was thinking a shamanic magic users, able to summon and control spirits. She may even have a Mentor Spirit. This choice means I will have two less Shadow Amp later on.
5. Assign attribute points
I have 16 attribute points to spend between Strength, Agility, Willpower, Logic, and Charisma. Everything starts at at 1, so I could just add three to everything, and four to one other. But that’s boring, so
Strength: 3 (2 points)
Agility: 5 (4 points)
Willpower: 5 (4 points)
Logic: 3 (2 points)
Charisma: 5 (4 points)
Elves get racial bonuses to Agility (+1), and Charisma (+1), so the final scores are:
Strength: 3
Agility: 6
Willpower: 5
Logic: 3
Charisma: 6
6. Assign skill points
Skills are grouped by attribute: Agility (Athletics, Close Combat,
Projectile Weapons, Firearms, Heavy Weapons, Vehicle Weapons.
Stealth, Piloting (Ground), Piloting (Other), Escape Artist), Willpower (Conjuring, Sorcery, Astral Combat, Survival, Close Combat (spirits)), Logic (Biotech, Hacking, Electronics, Engineering, Tasking, Tracking), Charisma (Con, Intimidation, Negotiation, Disguise).
Characters may only start with five skills.
I want Caitlyn to be able to physically climb and sneak into places, but also con her way in, if necessary. She’s not a sorcerer, but can call on spirit allies to help her. Finally, I have given her Close Combat level 1, for when she get’s confronted by some physical problem.
Athletics: 2
Sneaking: 4
Close Combat: 1
Conjuring: 3
Con: 2
The knowledge skill she has is Security Systems: she know’s where to buy and sell stolen goods.
7. Shadow Amps
Caitlyn would normally start with 10 Shadow Amp points, but since she’s awakened, this is reduced to 8.
Summoning Focus (2) – Caitlyn may summon one additional spirit.
Spirit Trust (2) – Spirits summoned by Caitlyn allow other players to give them commands.
I know everybody (2) – Gain (Cha rating) contacts. Since her Charisma is six, she’s going to have a lot of contacts!
Protective Amulet (2) – (Talisman) Usable once per day, reduces damage from one attack in half (round up). Is this a literal ‘lucky rabbits foot’, or something a bit more traditional?
8. Qualities
Catlike – +2 dice for Stealth tests.
Spirit Whisperer – When making a Conjuring Test, Caitlyn may reroll 2 dice
Lifelong thief – At times, Caitlyn must spend a Plot Point to avoid prioritizing petty (or grand) larceny over other concerns.
9. Add Armour
Nine circles is the default, so I’m following that. My armour choice is Reinforced Synthleader bodysuit (9 circles).
10. Add weapons
The character starts with one close-combat weapon and one ranged weapon.
Close combat – stun baton
Ranged weapon – Beretta 201T, a light pistol
11. Select Gear (including contacts)
A Street Runner starts with 4 items and 2 contacts. But Caitlyn has the “I know everybody” Shadow Amp, so she starts with 8 contacts
Items: Fake SIN, Erika Elite commlink, courier bag, personal rappelling cable
Contacts: Carla, leader of an oak street gang who occupies the ground floor of her building. Emily the weird, a club organiser and drug dealer, the Swedish Collector, a black market fence, Bing-Lei “Billy” Chen, Triad leader, Pierrot, an Elven Fixer, Haythem Omar, a street doc.
That’s five contacts for now. I will add more another time.
12. Create Cues
Cues are building blocks for the character, things they may say or do to move the story along. Caitlyn kleptomaniac elf shaman, who doesn’t really like other elves, and just wants to have a good time.
“I’ll just take that, thank you”
“How much does the job pay?”
“Purrrrr”
“Elves are all stuck-up arseholes that don’t know how to have fun. Apart from me.”
“Spirits are our friends! You just need to learn how to listen to them.”
13. Create Character Background
Caitlyn doesn’t like to talk about her background much, but I should add some details here. She’s from Tir Tairngire, but her controlling family created tension with her belief she should be allowed to do what she wanted. She awakened and was contacted by the Cat mentor spirit, and so decided to run away from her home and family, and live on the streets. But, living in relative comfort in Tir, she still had somewhat more expensive tastes from her life growing up. So she firstly became a club organiser in downtown Seattle, and later thief, working with other shadowrunners to earn more money.
14. Final Tweaking
That’s all I can think of for now, so I have nothing to change.
The Brain of Parky 