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, Combat-Heavy, 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 | Very High | Medium |
| Community | Medium | 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, active community driven by DM Scotty's YouTube channel | Unique cyberpunk-fantasy setting blending megacorporate intrigue with magic and metahuman races. Dedicated subsystems for Matrix hacking, magic, rigging, and astral space. Edge system replaces many situational modifiers with a spendable tactical resource. Decades of published lore spanning in-world history from 2011 to the 2080s. |
| Considerations | Fantasy only — no official genre support, three classes per path limits long-campaign variety, minimal character advancement, no tactical depth | Matrix hacking runs as a parallel subsystem that can leave non-decker players waiting. Multiple supplemental rulebooks needed for full coverage of magic, Matrix, and rigging. Published books have documented editing and layout issues. |