EZD6 vs Shadowrun
Compare EZD6 and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| EZD6 | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Play Style | Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep, One-Shot Friendly, Fast-Paced, Theater of the Mind, Heroic | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 1d6 vs. a target number (typically 3 for combat). Boons roll 2d6 and keep the highest; banes keep the lowest. No attributes or modifiers: characters are differentiated by hero paths, species, and inclinations. Three strikes and you're down; armor provides a separate save. Karma earned on failures can boost future rolls. The Hero Die grants clutch rerolls. | 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 | d6 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Very Low | Very High |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Runnability | Low | Very High |
| License | Proprietary | No open license |
| Cost | $ | $$$ |
| Publisher | Runehammer Games | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 2022 | 2019 |
| Best For | Groups who want fast, fun fantasy with almost no rules overhead: pick a hero path, grab some d6s, and play. Great for new players and convention games. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. |
| Highlights | Very easy to learn and teach, hero paths feel distinct without complex mechanics, karma and hero die create drama, runs well for one-shots and pickup games | 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 | Fantasy only: no official genre support, three classes per path limits long-campaign variety, minimal character advancement, no tactical depth | 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. |