Cyberpunk 2020 vs Shadowrun
Compare Cyberpunk 2020 and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cyberpunk 2020 | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Cyberpunk | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Play Style | Combat-Heavy, Skill-Based, Deadly, Lore-Heavy, Career-Based, Corruption, Faction Play, Crunchy, Grimdark | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy |
| Core Mechanic | Stat + Skill + d10 against a difficulty value set by the GM (typically 15 for average tasks, scaling up to 30 for nearly impossible ones). Combat uses the same formula: REF + weapon skill + d10 against a target number modified by range. Hit location is rolled on a d10 table, and armor on each location absorbs damage separately. Cyberpsychosis tracks Humanity loss from cyberware installation, with characters losing Empathy as they augment. | Roll a pool of d6s equal to attribute + skill, counting 5s and 6s as hits. Meet or exceed a threshold to succeed. Situational advantages generate Edge points rather than modifying dice pools directly; Edge is spent on tactical effects like rerolling dice, adding successes, or imposing penalties on opponents. |
| Dice | d10 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | High | Very High |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | Proprietary | No open license |
| Cost | $$ | $$$ |
| Publisher | R. Talsorian Games | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 1993 | 2019 |
| Best For | Groups who want a gritty, lethal cyberpunk setting with deep character roles, detailed cybernetics and gear, and a world where style matters as much as firepower. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. |
| Highlights | Nine character roles each grant a unique Special Ability, so a Solo, Netrunner, or Rockerboy plays mechanically distinct from the rest. The Lifepath system rolls out backstory, allies, enemies, and romances, tying a character into the world before play begins. Installing cyberware costs Humanity, trading raw capability for a measured slide toward cyberpsychosis. | The setting fuses megacorporate intrigue with magic and metahuman races, so a single team mixes street samurai, mages, and deckers. Distinct subsystems model Matrix hacking, spellcasting, drone rigging, and astral space, each carrying its own rules depth. The Edge economy converts situational advantages into a spendable resource for rerolls, extra hits, or penalties on opponents. |
| Considerations | Netrunning runs on its own timescale and can sideline the rest of the table during a hack. Hit-location rolls and per-location armor add bookkeeping to every combat exchange. Lethality is high, so focused fire can drop a fully built character in a single exchange. | Matrix hacking runs on its own timescale and can leave non-decker players idle during a run. Character creation spreads across attributes, skills, magic or resonance, gear, and lifestyle, making the first build long. Dice pools grow large at high skill, so counting hits on a fistful of d6s slows resolution. |