2021 Day 16: Cyberpunk 2020
It’s fun going back in time, especially to see their vision of the future. I mean, they got lots of things right. As you would expect in cyberpunk, it’s all about survival and coming out on top in a world hostile to anything except power.
Cyberpunk is both a genre and this game, and they aren’t the same thing. The genre is a dystopian vision of the future, generally involving corporations rising above government and poverty leading to cheap lives. This game’s vision of cyberpunk is largely about conflict, combat and hacking (netrunning). In fact, the classes (roles) tell you much about the stories it is asking for: rockerboys (metal activists), techies, medias, cops, corporates, fixers as well as the solos (combat specialists). And I did like a lot of the storytelling elements.
I also picked up a vibe of “We aren’t D&D, we don’t have dungeons, we do roleplaying”. And they try. Unfortunately I found the system was counter to this roleplaying goal. 1d10 vs high difficulties, lots of combat, lots of equipment and a chapter on netrunning which is longer than the core system (yet only usable by one class). I know I would find the system a hindrance to telling a good story rather than an asset.
What’s frustrating is that, reading the quickstart to the recent Cyberpunk Red, little of that has changed. I’m sure they have updated the vision of the future and tweaked the rules but my core gripes still seem to be there. I also read The Veil, a stripped down Powered by the Apocalypse version of Cyberpunk which seemed more confusing than helpful unfortunately (that might have been the colour scheme though).
Still, Cyberpunk is a classic game and I think it's mostly because of the character of the thing. It's a pity that, at least from this seat, the system is so unfortunate.
For my character I wanted to go into the “image is everything” vibe that the non-rules text talks about.
Fabulous Rud is an “It” designer. They are paid very expensively by clients to style them to the latest thing and indeed to set styles. Their access to top media and corporate, and their reassuring manner, make them the perfect spy. In a more nuanced game, they might play all sides but it’s likely that in Cyberpunk they would largely be working for the PC group.
There isn’t an entirely suitable role for Rud. Media characters have “Credibility” whilst an example custom role Model has “Pose”. So I will create my own role called “Stylist”, with a special skill called Relevance based roughly on Credibility. This option to create your own role is definitely a plus for the system, and it’s easy to do.
Relevance (Attr) is your ability to set trends by how you dress people. It is both the practical skill of knowing the world of fashion and the reputation to get new clients or access. Because it is more limited than some, it adds a third of its value to all related career skills when used on clients.
Using random stat generation:
Intelligence 4, Reflexes 1, Cool 8, Tech 5, Luck 6, Attractiveness 10, Movement [heels!] 1, Empathy 9, Body Type [essentially strength/stamina] 4
Lifepath (randomly generated):
Style: Nude, with lots of earings and at least one mohawk.
Ethnicity: Pacific islander
Family: Corporate manager-rank parents were both imprisoned leaving only you free. Grew up in a nomad pack (one would assume after parents were imprisoned).
Siblings: 4 siblings, three of them like or hero worship me (probably because success has brought them stability.) The fourth is male, younger and hates me. No idea why, yet.
Personality: silly and fluffheaded, values himself above all, like having a good time, treats people as tools and his most valuable possession is (very surprisingly) a weapon.
Age: 19
Event 1: Surprisingly happy love affair. (Whilst nothing bad happened so far, the game does stress that all romance will end badly or tragically.)
Event 2: Big brother/sister: Intellectual & detached, has a valued pet, values knowledge, treats people as tools
Event 3: Positive fast affairs and hot dates.
If you put this all together, we have someone who pulled themselves out of the gang life with the help of a lover and a really good friend and has experienced a load of success. Whilst this looks largely positive, it means that when tragedy strikes it will be that much more gut-wrenching.
Career skills:
Relevance (Attr) 9, Personal grooming 5, Wardrobe & style 3, Human perception 4, Interview 5, Persuasion 4, Social 3, Cybertech 2 (4), Dodge & Escape 3
Pick-up skills: Education 3, Disguise 2
I’m not going to go into equipment, but their enhanced (and likely undeserved) Relevance gives them a huge fund to work with. With a high Empathy, they can afford all sorts of bioware starting with changing skin and hair. They can even afford healing nanobots. If I was being painstaking, I would work out the lifestyle cost and would probably find that 80% of his income is eaten up by everything being expensive. I can’t find costs for employing staff.
I really dislike accounting in games.
Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. The Second Edition, Version 2.01 - R. Talsorian Games Inc. | R. Talsorian | Cyberpunk 2020 | DriveThruRPG.com
Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. The Second Edition, Version 2.01 - The Corporations control the world from their skyscraper fortresses, enforcing their rule with armies of cyborg assassin
www.drivethrurpg.com
Fabulous Rud's character sheet part 1: stats and cybernetics
Fabulous Rud's character sheet part 2: lifepath and gear