I’m thinking of running a Cyberpunk RED campaign. My group has played D&D together for about five years now.
Any suggestions or advice on running the game? Are there any game play or mechanics tips that would help people coming from D&D?
I am not really sure what kind of answer you’re looking for. Cyberpunk RED is the successor of 2020, a classic RPG (from the era when D&D was called AD&D 2) which was needing a brush-up.
Actually Cyberpunk 2020 is one of the game I played the most (while I barely played D&D) but I wasn’t a GM at it. I played Red once or twice, but my first impression is that the great principle are the same as 2020. So here are my 2-3 cenc on 2020.
It’s a semi-closed environment. I mean night city is big, but unlike some D&D games were the PC travel the world at each adventure, the PC stay at night city, with the same corporation struggling to control-it, and they’ll see the same contact, friend and foes. IMO at least the 2020 rules were lacking on that, but it was something managed RP wise as the PC were getting known in the place. It changes the way the the campaign runs, expect that your PC will make some corpo angry and need to find allies. It’s not a political sandbox per se but can quickly evolve in that direction
Core rules are pretty straightforward, like Skill + D10 > Difficulty (in general 15, but can get lower for easy action and higher for impossible actions) , even combat isn’t that complicated (It’s coming from a time were you couldn’t download tons of battle-map with grid online, and would have at best a sketch done a whiteboard). Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a rule-light game (whatever it means). But it’s not that complicated.
I don’t know whether they’ve made chome books for RED, but in 2020 we spent a lot of time lurking at all the crazy gear we could get. The way the 2020 chromebooks were made was also pretty role-play, more like a catalog than a rulebook making it pretty cool for the players. Try to get a copy of the 2020’s chromebook if there is no version for red, and let them on the player side.
If I am not mistaken, the RED version finally turned netrunning into something playable (rather than having a kind of solo dungeon for the netrunner who would spend 2h to open a door while the rest of the party was playing tetris). All the 2020 games I played suppressed netrunning for that reason.
It’s a semi-closed environment. … expect that your PC will make some corpo angry and need to find allies. It’s not a political sandbox per se but can quickly evolve in that direction
I hadn’t thought of that. Needing and looking for allies sounds like a fun arc.
The way the 2020 chromebooks were made was also pretty role-play, more like a catalog than a rulebook making it pretty cool for the players
That sounds like a blast - I love the idea of in-game catalogs and resources. I’ll see what I can dig up.
If I am not mistaken, the RED version finally turned netrunning into something playable (rather than having a kind of solo dungeon for the netrunner who would spend 2h to open a door while the rest of the party was playing tetris).
That’s good to know. I was thinking of trying 2020, but it sounds like netrunning would that a bummer.
Are there any short adventures/modules you’d recommend?
I hadn’t thought of that. Needing and looking for allies sounds like a fun arc.
It’s pretty easy to turn the campaign from You’re in a bar, and someone comes with a mission into so you’re in trouble with Biotechnica after stealing the data, and expect solo paid by theme to come any time to execute you, what do you do ? Were the answer is call back the guy from petrochem, and try to see if we can get a place to hide for some time It also eases a lot the preparation on the GM side, because suddenly, the players are the one coming with the scenario (OK that’s may-be an over-statement)
Are there any short adventures/modules you’d recommend?
In English, not sure, but there is tons of amateur scenario for 2020 published on the internet, so it may-be a good starting point.
I bought the PDFs when they were on sale but have not yet played. This was helpful, thanks!
What kind of suggestions? What kind of advice are you looking for?
Good question - I updated the original post.
I’m looking for any suggestions that would help with mechanics or gameplay.
That’s still kind of vague.
What are your goals? What is your experience running games in the past? What kind of play do you and your friends enjoy?
For example, you could say, ‘My players like sandbox play with a lot of weird characters. Are there any stories people recommend that would fit that?’ or ‘Does anyone have advice on running combat well in this system for someone who used used to combat in DnD 3.5?’
Otherwise it’s really hard to give any kind of useful advice.
I’d like to introduce my players to a non-D&D setting/rule set in a way that’s fun. My players typically enjoy combat-heavy games, where they are on the side of good. They’ve put some effort into role playing race (elf and dwarf) and class.
Can you suggest good short (10-20 hour) starter adventures/modules?
@sbv @andrewrgross DragonBane, the free Quickstart rules has pre-gens and an adventure.
The mechanics allow for some great combat.
If it works out, the core set contains a sandbox campaign, plus a lot more, which leads on from the Quickstart.@sbv @andrewrgross The starter scenario for Green Ronins Fantasy AGE / Dragon Age RPG should fit.
I haven’t played Cyberpunk but I’ve been the GM when we transitioned from Warhammer to Shadowrun. This is what I’d say to myself back then:
- This is not a game about resource management. Don’t view combat as “we should do X combats of such and such difficulty between rests”. Focus on obstacles like “if they get inside with guns blazing, the elevators might be blocked” and leave to the players to decide how to approach them
- Don’t plan how will the gameplay progress, focus on who (meaning NPCs) does what, why, what are their obstacles
- Don’t try to get all the mechanics right from the beginning. Try to get a grip on general flow of the rules and when you meet a situation for the first time, make a ruling on the spot. Look it up after the game
- If you know which flavour you are going after (black trenchcoat vs pink mohawk) describe it to your players so you’re on the same page
- Completely abandon “don’t split the party”
This is not a game about resource management. Don’t view combat as “we should do X combats of such and such difficulty between rests”. Focus on obstacles like “if they get inside with guns blazing, the elevators might be blocked” and leave to the players to decide how to approach them
That’s a big difference from D&D. Thanksb for pointing that out.
Don’t plan how will the gameplay progress, focus on who (meaning NPCS) does what, why. what are their obstacles
That’s really good advice.
