Brachyr System vs Shadowrun

Compare Brachyr System and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.

	Brachyr System	Shadowrun
Genre	Fantasy	Cyberpunk, Fantasy
Tags	Classless, Skill-Based, Tactical, Crunchy, Deadly, Social Combat	Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Classless, Espionage
Core Mechanic	Roll a d8 'base die' plus a skill modifier equal to the number of abilities you possess in that skill, and meet or exceed a difficulty class assembled from +5 'complications' counted up for the task. You may add one tool die (sized d4 for a basic object up to d10 for a quality magical one) and one aid die supplied by a helping ally, all added together, though a check is hard-capped at those three dice (plus the modifier) so the totals never balloon. Attacks and debate arguments are resolved against a defence check the target rolls with a skill of their own, and the margin between the two rolls becomes the damage dealt to health or to a position.	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	d4–d10	d6 dice pool
Complexity	High	Very High
Accessibility	Very High	High
Runnability	Low	Very High
License	Proprietary	All Rights Reserved
Third-Party Publishing	Not yet researched	Commercial publishing allowed — Community content program
Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
Cost	Free	$
Publisher	David Gower	Catalyst Game Labs
Year	2024	2019
Languages	English	English, German, French, Portuguese, Russian
Best For	Groups who want a crunchy, classless fantasy game where teamwork is mechanically central: coordinating tools and aid raises the whole party's odds, combat on a hex grid is deadly enough to demand cooperation, and social conflict gets the same tactical depth as a fight.	Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists and enjoy mastering specialist rules together across a continuing campaign.
Highlights	Most usable objects grant a tool die and an adjacent ally can lend an aid die, both added to your d8 base roll, while a hard cap of one tool die and one aid die per check keeps a coordinated, well-equipped party ahead of a lone expert without letting the totals balloon. Debates run as a full parallel to combat with their own initiative, rounds, and 'damage' dealt to a position, where gathered evidence acts as tool dice and named fallacies like Straw Man and Beg the Question function as special attacks. Weapons are assembled from a point-buy list of traits (Damage, Reach, Range, Parry, Aiding) rather than picked from a fixed list, so an improvised rope dart, torch, or household tool can be statted as readily as a sword.	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	Player options in the core rulebook reach only the lowest three of nine ability tiers, so the most powerful character abilities are defined but not accessible from this book alone. Resolution rests on a single d8 base die that tools and ally aid can supplement but never replace, so even high-skill characters see swingy results from roll to roll. There is no money or tracked coin: gear is acquired through an abstract Trade check against an item's difficulty scaled to social status, abstracting economic play away entirely.	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.