Cyberpunk RED Character Creation

While a Character can be created manually in the Cyberpunk RED ruleset, the preferred method is using the Character Wizard, which will guide you through all of the steps.

Alternatively, Story Templates have been included for rolling Lifepaths and STATs manually. The Streetrat and Edgerunner methods described below use the Parcels for Starting Equipment in the Core Module.

Load the Core Module

Before opening the Character Wizard, the Core Rulebook module should be loaded. The GM should instruct the players to do so before they attempt to use the wizard.

First, click the Modules button under “Library” in the right Panel.  On the Modules window, click “Activation.”

Open

Then, in the “Module Activation” window, search for the “Cyberpunk RED” module and click “Load.”  This should be shared with the Players by default.

Opening the Character Wizard

To open the Character Wizard, go to the Character Selection window (click Characters on the Right Panel under “Player”) and then click on “Character Wizard” in the top-left.

Open

Step 1: Method and Role

The first step in Character Creation is selecting the Method you wish to use and the Role you wish to select for your Character. At Character Creation, your Role will start at Rank 4. The link to the right of the “Method” header will take you to the Reference Manual page for “Three Methods of Making a Character.” 

Clicking on any of the links to the right of the buttons for Role selection will open a window with more details about that Role. Each Role Window also has links to the Reference Manual for more details on their specific Role Abilities.

To select a method, simply click on either the “Streetrat”, “Edgerunner”, or “Complete Package” button. Then select a role by clicking on the button beneath the icon. Once you do this, a “Next” button will appear to go to the second step of the wizard.

Step 2: Lifepath

The second step rolls the Lifepath for the selected Role using the Life Path Tables in the Core Rulebook Module.

On this screen, you can click “Clear” to clear all fields and “Re-roll” to re-roll all fields. Further down you can click “Re-roll” specifically for Friends, Tragic Love Affairs, and Enemies. Note that for these three rolls, under-the-hood is rolling 1d10-7, so if you do not see any entries appear, it means you rolled 0 or less. You can click again until it rolls a new value in this case.

For each entry, there are one or more links to tables. These links open up the tables that are being used by the Character Wizard. You can clear any given field, click the click, and then click and drag an entry from a table into the given field. 

When you are ready to proceed to Step 3, click “Next”.

Step 3: STATs

On Step 3 you’ll either roll on the tables for Streetrats or Edgerunners, or select your STATs. In this step, you will also enter your Character’s Handle (the name they go by on the Streets) in the “Handle” field.

For a Streetrat or Edgerunner you’ll see a window with defined STATs from your initial roll. Clicking “Re-roll” will roll again on the appropriate table for your method. Streetrats roll once and select each value in the Table. Edgerunners roll multiple times on the table, per the rules, selecting a new value for each STAT.

Stat for Streetrats and Edgerunners Characters

If you choose the “Complete Package” method, then on this step you are greeted with a slightly different screen. With this method selected, you will be able to enter in your desired STAT value (minimum 2, maximum 8) for each of the 10 STATs, up to the maximum. The default Max Value is 62, but the GM can adjust this from the Options Menu. (Note that you must close and re-open the Wizard if the GM adjusts this value.) Only once the inputs are valid in this step will the “Next” button appear in the bottom right corner.

STATs for Complete Package Characters

Once you are happy with your stats. Click “Next” to continue.

Step 4: Skills

The Skills step is different for each chosen method. Regardless of which method you chose, as long as you had at least one Language in your Language field on the Lifepath step, a prompt will display asking for which language you’d like to choose.

Streetrats

For Streetrats, the Skills Step, all you need to do is choose a language. You can review your starting skills, and click the links to view descriptions. Click Next when you’re ready.

Edgerunners

For Edgerunners, you are allowed to adjust all the starting skills a Streetrat would normally get for your chosen class, up to a maximum of 90 (including the 4 free skill points for your language.) Edgerunners cannot choose skills outside of their Role’s list. Each skill must be a minimum of 2 and a maximum value of 6. Note that skills with “(x2”) in the name cost twice as many points per skill point to level by 1.

Once all points have been used, the Next button will appear for you to go to the Gear step.

Complete Package

The Complete Package version of the Skills Step functions much the same as the Edgerunners step above, however, Complete Package characters can add Skill Points to any of the 66 Skills in Cyberpunk RED. 

As a Complete Package character, you can also right-click on the “Language”, “Local Expert”, “Science,” or “Play Instrument” tables to create your own custom Subskill for one of those tables. Complete Package characters can also select from one of the 4 Martial Arts skills in the “Martial Arts x2” table. Selecting a Martial Arts skill automatically adds relevant Moves to the Character Sheet.  For more information on Moves see the “Moves” section under “Running Combat.”

The skills that are bolded are defaults which cannot be lower than 2, leaving you with 60 Skill Points to add.

Creating a Subskill in Science

When you have entered all your Skill Points, the Next button will appear to go to the Gear step.

Step 5: Gear

During Step 5 you will select your starting gear.

Streetrats and Edgerunners

Streetrats and Edgerunners both start with 500 eb cash. Additionally, they get starting Gear based on their Role. Depending on your Role, you will have a number of choices to make. For each prompt that appears, choose which of the following items you’d rather start with. If you make a mistake, you can click Back and the Next again to re-select. The links next to each of the items will open a window showing you the item.

Once you have made your selections, click “Create” to create your character. If you are the GM, the Character Window will appear on your screen when you or a player make their character.  If you are a Player, your Character Selection window will be refreshed, and the character will be given to as the owner. Look in the Character Selection window for your new character and click on the character to open the Character Sheet.

Complete Package

A Complete Package character starts with 2550 eb to buy whatever gear they wish from whatever modules are loaded. Typically this will just be the Core Rulebook. Check with your GM if specific items should be restricted during Character Creation. You get whatever eb back that you don’t spend.

Additionally, you get 800 eb worth of “free” Fashion and Fashionware. These items are listed when you click the “Fashion” button. Purchasing any of these items does not come from your pool of 2550 eb funds, but you do not get back what you do not spend, so try to spend all of your free eb worth of Fashion Gear.

To change categories, click one of the buttons below “Purchase Items” and wait a few seconds for the list below to populate, then scroll down. 

In the list of available gear for that category, click “Buy” next to the item you would like to purchase. To change the amount of the item, you do not need to click Buy again, you can click the “Count” field and enter the desired number you want to purchase; your totals will update automatically.

Click the link next to any item to view more details about that item in a new window.

Once you have made your selections, click “Create” to create your character. If you are the GM, the Character Window will appear on your screen when you or a player make their character.  If you are a Player, your Character Selection window will be refreshed, and the character will be given to as the owner. Look in the Character Selection window for your new character and click on the character to open the Character Sheet.

Finishing Touches

Gear. Once the Character is created, the PC or GM will want to equip all the gear for the PC. All Gear and Cyberware can be equipped by clicking the “Starburst” symbol (which looks different if a Theme is applied.) The only Gear that needs to be manually equipped are Programs/Hardware and Cyberdecks.

Humanity Loss. Once Cyberware is equipped, then Humanity Loss (HL) should be applied. Equipping Cyberware automatically adjusts your Maximum Humanity (-2 for those with HL, -4 for Borgware). Humanity Loss for each individual one should be applied after, which always deducts from your Starting Humanity (not your new Maximum). Base Humanity Loss can be applied for Foundational and Option Slots on the Cyberware tab. Since the Character was just created, you apply the Base HL, instead of Rolling. This is done by right clicking the toggle Icon for each Cyberware and clicking “Apply Base Humanity Loss.” For more information on the Cyberware Tab see the “Cyberware Tab” section of the “Character Sheet” page.

For Netrunners: A Netrunner needs to open their Cyberdeck, drop all the Programs and Hardware to their Cyberdeck, and then open the Actions tab. From their Netrunner Panel they can click and drag the Cyberdeck link to the empty link section for the Cyberdeck on the panel. This will equip the Cyberdeck and all Programs/Hardware there.

For Execs: An Exec should now make their choice of Team Member. They can click the link to the Exec from their Exec Panel and scroll down to find the Table they want to roll on for the type of Team Member they wish to start with. Rolling on one of those Tables will determine their starting Team Member, which they can then drag to their Team Members list, give them a name, and the GM can set starting Loyalty.

For Nomads: A Nomad should choose their starting Vehicles and Upgrades, per the rules, after Character Creation. Links to the Rules, including lists of Vehicles and Vehicle Upgrades, can be found in the link to the Nomad from the Nomad Panel. They can then drag and drop a Vehicle to their Motor Pool. Once there, they can add upgrades to their vehicle(s).

For Medtech/Tech: Medtechs and Techs should make their starting allocation of points into their various abilities per the Core Rules. They can click the link to their Role from their Role Panel and scroll down to find more information. Medtechs, if choosing Pharmaceuticals, can add links to their chosen