Nimble vs Shadowrun
Compare Nimble and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Nimble | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Play Style | Tactical, Heroic, Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + stat for skill checks/saves vs. DC; attacks roll weapon dice directly for damage (1 on Primary Die = miss). Initiative roll determines starting actions (1-3). Heroes get 3 actions per turn with exploding critical hits. | 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 | Low | Very High |
| Accessibility | High | High |
| Runnability | Low | Very High |
| License | Proprietary | No open license |
| Cost | $$ | $$$ |
| Publisher | Nimble Co. | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 2025 | 2019 |
| Best For | Groups who love tactical grid combat but want faster sessions, less prep, and more teamwork: a streamlined alternative to D&D that keeps the crunch where it matters. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. |
| Highlights | Attacks roll weapon dice straight for damage with no separate to-hit step, so each attack resolves in a single roll. A three-action turn economy gives every character multiple meaningful choices each round rather than one move-and-attack. Heroic Reactions let players spend resources to act on allies' turns, rewarding coordinated team play. | 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 with no genre flexibility, limited class options in basic rules (4 classes), grid play strongly encouraged | 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. |