Shadowrun: Anarchy (Time to Bake the Cookies, Part II)

All right Chummers, we're back with the second part of our character creation example for Shadowrun: Anarchy.  Shadowrun: Anarchy is the brand new, rules lite, story heavy alternative rules set for telling stories and playing games in the Shadowrun Universe.  It's a story telling focused game, and the mechanics of the game are built for players to tell awesome stories that look and feel like Shadowrun.  Now Last time, we were working through the many steps of building your own character, and got through the first five or so.  If you're new to the blog, check out https://zardozgames.blogspot.com/2016/10/shadowrun-anarchy-time-to-bake-cookies.html for the first part of the article.  Let's dig into the chrome and the meat of building a character.



If you recall last time, we conceptualized  a new character for Shadowrun: Anarchy.  From the simple idea of "How about an elf Street Samurai who bakes in his free time, Street Name: Keebler" (and I still blame Tyler Carpenter for at least a part of this), we set off on a grand adventure to make this interesting dichotomy of a character.  Here's what we have so far:

Street Name: Keebler

Identifiers

Elf

Serene

Calculating

Protector

Baker

Street Samurai

Game Level: Street Runner

Metatype: Elf

Awakened/Emerged? No

Attributes

Strength: 5

Agility: 6

Willpower: 5

Logic: 3

Charisma: 4

Skills

Athletics 3
Close Combat 3
Firearms 2

Stealth 3

Escape Artist 1

So we're ready to take a look at the next step of our character creation process, Shadow Amps. 

Step 7: Select Shadow Amps

Shadow Amps is a catchall term to describe a bunch of different supernatural abilities from  Shadowrun.  Magic Spells, Superhuman powers, Cybernetics and many more possible sources of power all fall into Shadow Amps. 

Starting on Page 65, you can see the rundown of how to build your own Shadow Amps, and we might do that in the future for another character, but we're going to take Keebler shopping off the rack, and look at the examples starting on page 202.  Now since we created Keebler as a Street level runner, we have 10 points to spend on Shadow Amps. 

Rather than poke around with the cyberware catalog (and previous editions of this game have had actual catalogs of cyberware) we're going to focus on 3 key things.  Speed, Protection, and offense, in that order. 

Wired Reflexes 3 is the best bang for our back when it comes to speed.  There are a couple of other options to consider, but Wired Reflexes is one of the iconic pieces of technology from Shadowrun, right after the Cyberdeck.  So there's 4 of our points gone.

Protection could go one of two ways, either Bone Lacing or Dermal Plating.  The rules are mechanically the same, but Bone Lacing is a little bit subtler than Dermal Plating, so we pick up level 3 in that as well.  Another 4 points gone, 2 points to go. 

The last thing we're going to pick up with our Shadow Amp points is offense.  Now I've got two ideas, either the Smartlink system for guns, or retractable Hand Razors.  This one's actually a bit of a difficult choice, as the Smart Link would improve shooting at people, but the Hand Razors would make the all ready serious close combat capabilities of Keebler more lethal.  Eventually I end up deciding I want the Hand Razors, because deep down I think every street samurai would see a certain trademarked marvel comics character hailing from Canada as a kindred spirit.  2 points spent, and we're out of points. 

Shadow Amps acquired
Wired Reflexes 3
Bone Lacing 3
Retractable Hand Razors. 

I've used all 10 of my Shadow Amp Points, reduced my Essence by 3, and picked up some iconic cyberware. 

Step 8: Assign Qualities
We have to take two positive and one negative qualities.  Like most things in the rules set, You can build your own qualities or choose from a list.  The list offers a pretty wide variety of positive and negative traits.  These qualities give either bonuses or penalties in specific circumstances, like Bruiser, which adds 2 dice for intimidations tests, or Paranoia, which makes you reroll up to 2 successes on social tests.  These are wonderful ways to flavor your character and set him/her apart from other members of the same or similar arch-type. 
So I need two positive qualities, and there are several choices I could pick.  I however think the best choices for this character are Indomitable (Close Combat) so I can reroll 2 dice per skill check, and Toughness, to reduce damage taken by an additional 1 (as far as I can tell, this stacks with the Damage reduction from Bone Lacing, meaning Keebler takes 4 less damage than normal from an attack, before factoring armor). 

Negative qualities are equally interesting, but I think i'll end up taking SINner, Criminal.  This means that at some point, Keebler ran afoul of the law and they've been keeping track of him ever since.  (This is excellent for tying up the background I was thinking about, and I'll elaborate further later)

Step 9: Assign Armor

Armor comes in 3 basic types, representing the level of armor protection offered.  There are 6 circles, 9 circles, and 12 circles of armor protection, and you can identify them however you like.  You pick whichever armor level you feel comfortable with, but there are some differences in selection. 

A 6 circle armor value Type of armor nets you an additional skill point (representing you spent time learning other useful things than wearing heavy armor.

A 9 circle armor value Type of armor doesn't give you any bonuses or penalties, and it can be thought of as a default armor level for most characters.

A 12 circle armor value Type of armor represents the heaviest armor you'll expect to find on the streets.  Learning to wear armor of this type is intensive, and selecting this armor level costs you a skill point.

As I don't expect Keebler to need heavy armor, I select the 9 circle armor, describing it as an armored trench coat. 

Step 10:  Select Weapons

Ordinarily I would select a melee and a ranged weapon, but Keebler all ready has retractable hand razors to deal with close in problems.  That said, I'll pick up two ranged weapons to help with targets that are a little further away.  I have the near ranged band that I am worried about, and the Far ranged band that I'm worried about.  Close I expect to handle with punching and murdering. 

Looking through the gun chart, I settle for a Shotgun to deal with targets at near and close range, and an Assault Rifle for targets further out.  Other characters might select a Sniper Rifle, but with my expected mission role of close support/bodyguard, I don't want to be that far away from the rest of the team. 

I end up picking up the Ares Alpha, and the Defiance T-250 for my specific weapons, and we move on to the next step. 

Step 11: Select Gear

As a street level runner, I have four items that I can pick up.  I opt for a Fake SIN (so I can get into places), a Harley Davidson Scorpion Motor Cycle, a Commlink, and Thermographic Goggles. 

There are literally hundreds of options you could come up with for gear choices, but these are the ones I like so far. 

I also have to select contacts at this point, and as a Street Level Runner, I have 2.

My First contact is Harry Haroldson, the kind old man who owns the bakery that Keebler operates out of as a day job.  After Keebler's life hit Rock Bottom, Harry took him in and gave him a job working in the bakery.  Folks in the know are aware that Harry takes messages for Keebler, and he's often the fastest way to get ahold of Keebler. 

The Second Contact is Red Johnson, a corporate fixer for Ares who ran into a spot of trouble.  While delivering a load of bread and other baked confections, Keebler was in the right place at the wrong time and ended up putting a serious crimp in the plan of a team of Shadowrunners on a kidnapping job.  Red has been extremely thankful over the years, and tries to send Keebler the occasional milk run to keep him in cash as a thank you. 

So to recap

Street Name: Keebler

Identifiers

Elf

Serene

Calculating

Protector

Baker

Street Samurai

Game Level: Street Runner

Metatype: Elf

Awakened/Emerged? No

 

Attributes

Strength: 5

Agility: 6

Willpower: 5

Logic: 3

Charisma: 4

Essence 3
Edge 1

Skills

Athletics 3
Close Combat 3
Firearms 2

Stealth 3

Escape Artist 1

Shadow Amps
Wired Reflexes 3
Bone Lacing 3
Retractable Hand Razors

Qualities
Indomitable (Close Combat Weapons)
Toughness
SINner, Criminal

Armor
Armored Trench Coat (9 circles)

Weapons
Defiance T-250 (Shotgun)
Ares Alpha (Assault Rifle)

Gear
Fake SIN (Bakery worker)
Harley Davidson Scorpion Motorcyle
Thermographic Goggles
Commlink

Contacts
Harry Haroldson
Red Johnson

Next time we'll finish up by working on cues, our background, and final tweaks.

We hope you're having as much fun with Shadowrun: Anarchy as we are, and hope that this gives you an idea of how to build your own character for this wonderful new way to interact with the Shadowrun Universe.