Shadowrun vs The Witcher TRPG
Compare Shadowrun and The Witcher TRPG side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Shadowrun | The Witcher TRPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Cyberpunk, Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Play Style | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy | Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Dark Fantasy, Deadly, Licensed IP, Investigation, Social Combat |
| Core Mechanic | 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. | Roll 1d10 + Stat + Skill against a target DC or an opponent's matching roll. Rolling a natural 10 explodes upward (roll again and add); rolling a natural 1 explodes downward (roll again and subtract). Critical wounds are triggered by beating a defense by 7+, with escalating severity at 10, 13, and 15 over the target. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | d10 |
| Complexity | Very High | High |
| Accessibility | High | High |
| Runnability | Very High | High |
| License | No open license | All Rights Reserved |
| Cost | $$$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Catalyst Game Labs | R. Talsorian Games |
| Year | 2019 | 2018 |
| Best For | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. | Groups who want a dark, morally complex fantasy setting where monster hunting requires preparation and research, and where combat is dangerous enough that drawing a sword is always a serious decision. |
| Highlights | 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. | Lifepath character creation generates backstory, enemies, and relationships through random tables tied to the Witcher setting. Hit-location combat with four tiers of critical wounds creates tense, consequential fights. Detailed alchemy and crafting systems let characters prepare oils, bombs, and decoctions before hunting monsters. Verbal Combat subsystem resolves social conflicts with the same mechanical weight as physical fights. |
| Considerations | 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. | Combat involves multiple subsystems (hit location, armor penetration, critical wounds, stamina management) that slow resolution until internalized. Character creation takes significant time due to the Lifepath tables and seven-step process. The Witcher profession is mechanically stronger than most other professions. Tightly tied to the Witcher IP, limiting use outside that setting. |