Questgiver vs Shadowrun
Compare Questgiver and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Questgiver | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Play Style | Comedy, Rules-Light, Beginner-Friendly, One-Shot Friendly, Improvisation, GM-Friendly | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy |
| Core Mechanic | Describe an action and roll a pool of d6s equal to your level in a relevant skill, then compare the total against an opposing roll. Opposition is either another character's roll or a difficulty pool the GM rolls, from 1d6 for easy up to 4d6 for nearly impossible. Rolling all sixes earns a new, more specific skill one level higher than the one just used. Every failed roll grants 1 XP. Spent XP turns a die into a six to raise a skill, but never rewrites the roll that earned it. | 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 dice pool | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Very Low | Very High |
| Accessibility | Very High | High |
| Runnability | Low | Very High |
| License | ORC License | No open license |
| Cost | Free | $$$ |
| Publisher | Kent Malosh | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 2025 | 2019 |
| Best For | Comedy-focused groups who want a low-prep competitive party game built around performing absurd challenges for points, rather than a traditional fantasy campaign with combat and character progression. It works well for one-shots or short runs, and even for dropping a familiar character from another game into a single guest episode. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. |
| Highlights | Rolling all sixes on an attempt grants a brand-new skill one level higher than the one used, so characters grow directly out of the actions players choose to try. Every failed roll banks a point of experience toward upgrading a skill, so failing at the table always feeds progress instead of stalling it. During the solo Endeavors, each contestant's attempt is submitted in secret and then played out in an order the host chooses, building game-show reveal tension into every round. | 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 creation carries no mechanical weight, since the creature type, quirk, and personality options are roleplay flavor that never affects a roll. Most quests are scored however the host decides unless the quest states its own criteria, which can frustrate players who want transparent win conditions. There are no rules for combat, injury, or death, so groups wanting a mechanically consequential fantasy adventure will not find one here. | 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. |