Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia vs Shadowrun
Compare Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Tags | Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Exploration, Random Tables, Vancian Casting, Descending AC, Domain Management, Crunchy | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy |
| Core Mechanic | Characters make attacks by rolling 1d20, adding applicable modifiers, and meeting the target number for Armor Class. THAC0 offers an equivalent subtraction method. Saving throws are d20 class-and-level targets, and spellcasters memorize limited spells that are expended when cast. | 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 | d20 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | High | Very High |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | All Rights Reserved | No open license |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Cost | $ | $$$ |
| Publisher | TSR, Inc. | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 1991 | 2019 |
| Languages | English | English, German, French, Italian |
| Best For | Groups who want a single reference for a long-running classic fantasy campaign that can move from dungeons to dominions. It suits readers comfortable learning optional detail alongside the baseline rules. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. |
| Highlights | Chapter 1 walks a player from ability scores through class, equipment, attacks, and saving throws. Separate combat procedures support personal fights, large battles, and sieges. Stronghold and dominion rules turn accumulated resources into rulership procedures. | 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 | Character advancement reaches 36 levels before optional high-level paths add further decisions. Rules depth spans personal advancement, large battles, and domain administration, requiring a group to choose which procedures will matter. The game retains class-and-race restrictions and descending Armor Class rather than a universal skill resolution procedure. | 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. |