Block, Dodge, Parry vs Shadowrun
Compare Block, Dodge, Parry and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Block, Dodge, Parry | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Tags | Classless, Skill-Based, Tactical, Inventory Management, Gritty, Exploration, Social Combat, Freeform Magic, Hackable, CC-Licensed Rules | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Classless, Espionage |
| Core Mechanic | To resist a sudden danger, roll d20 equal to or under STR, DEX, or WIL; a 1 always passes and a 20 always fails. When a deliberate action's outcome is in doubt, the Warden checks Time, Gear, and Skill. A character with all three succeeds without a roll, and one with one or none fails. With two of the three, roll d6: 4–6 succeeds, 2–3 succeeds at a cost, and 1 fails. Attacks have no hit roll: the weapon die minus Armor reduces HP, and leftover damage reduces STR and triggers a Critical Damage Save. | Roll d6s equal to an attribute plus a skill, counting 5s and 6s as hits. Reach the required threshold to succeed, or compare hits in an opposed test. Situational advantages generate Edge points that can fund rerolls or extra hits. Dice pool modifiers still apply alongside Edge. |
| Dice | d20, d6 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Medium | Very High |
| Accessibility | Very High | High |
| Runnability | Medium | Very High |
| License | CC BY-SA 4.0 | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Creative Commons text reuse | Commercial publishing allowed — Community content program |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | Free | $ |
| Publisher | Dice Goblin Games | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 2024 | 2019 |
| Languages | English, Portuguese | English, German, French, Portuguese, Russian |
| Best For | Groups who want old-school dungeon and wilderness expeditions with gear-driven fights and characters built from past careers rather than classes. Suits campaigns with downtime in settlements, where characters seek out trainers and new skills between adventures. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists and enjoy mastering specialist rules together across a continuing campaign. |
| Highlights | Defensive reactions depend on gear: a character's weapon and armor determine whether they can block or dodge an attack and whether doing so costs Fatigue. New skills come from using them, training with a teacher found in play, or studying books, so advancement follows goals the characters pursue in the world. Arcane casters choose how many Magic Dice to invest in a spell, and duplicate results risk Arcane Feedback that damages the caster. | Specialist roles divide a heist across physical security, hacking, and magic, giving the team several ways into the same target. Edge turns situational advantages into a spendable resource for tactical choices. Reputation and Heat carry the consequences of conspicuous jobs into later missions. |
| Considerations | Whether a deliberate action needs a roll depends on the Warden judging Time, Gear, and Skill, rather than on fixed difficulty numbers. Fatigue and wounds fill the same ten inventory slots as gear, and a full inventory leaves a character at 0 HP. Raising HP and ability scores normally requires paid training during downtime, so campaigns with little time between adventures see slow character growth. | Character creation requires coordinating priority choices with detailed gear purchases. Cyberware reduces Essence, which limits magical development. Wireless equipment bonuses expose connected gear to hacking. |