home home news news columns columns features features

<-- Back to rules

Merits and Flaws generation table

by Jani Fikouras (feanor@INFORMATIK.UNI-BREMEN.DE) and Brian Angliss (angliss@PHYSCI.PSU.EDU)


Well, since people haved asked, here is my character creation system with the disadvange list made by Brian Angliss included. It tends to be a lot more flexible then the original system and have a little higher 0 point values.

Character Generation table

Points    Attritbutes   Skills  Tech/Force      Magic
0               17      17      500Y/5          -
1               17      18      1000Y/7         -
2               18      19      2000Y/9         -
3               19      20      3000Y/12        -
4               20      21      5000Y/15        -

5               20      22      10,000Y/17      -
6               21      23      30,000Y/19      -
7               22      24      60,000Y/22      -
8               23      25      90,000Y/25      -

9               23      26      140,000Y/27     -
10              24      27      220,000Y/29     -
11              25      28      300,000Y/32     -
12              26      30      400,000Y/35     Adept

13              27      32      500,000Y/38     -
14              28      34      650,000Y/42     -
15              29      36      800,000Y/46     -
16              30      40      1,000,000Y/50   Mage

Other point costs

2 access to ShadowTech Bioware + Cyberware

2 access to Alpha Cyberware + Cultured Bioware (if Shadowtech is bought)

4 access to Beta Cyberware + Cultured Bioware (if Shadowtech is bought)

These are still all at their normal prices

All Metahuman Races have the same ability and special bonuses as normal. Humans get +4 skill points and either 3 extra starting contacts , a buddy, a gang or acces to shadowtech Bioware and Cyberware. Also a mage may ask for something special and possibly receive it :)

A normal PC will run in the 35 point range, an NPC will run lower, while and higher level character will run up to 46 points (rather powerful really)

All characters get their native language at int +2, and a further int points of languages. They start off with 1 in there Karma pool and two contacts.

Characters may take allergies or disadvantages for more skill/attr points Brian Angliss’s Disadvantage System is included here as help if needed.


As many of you asked that I post my SR modifications, here’s the first. Use it if you like it, ignore it if you don’t. Comments and additions will be taken in stride and flames will be doused.

ShadowRun disadvantages

based off of GURPS and Hero, but mostly GURPS.

The way I set them up is the character gets a certain number of points for each disadvantage. These points can be used like force points, Skill points, or stat points. These disads do not give extra money for any reason. I also have a small and very incomplete list of advantages that can be purchased with Disad points but nothing else. They are quite powerful and expensive. The maximum number of Disad points I allow in my game is 20, but you can do as you see fit.

Name Point Gain Effects
Age 1/10 years over -1Body, Quick, Str per 10 years 40
Odius Personal Habit 1-3 +1/3/5 Target Number for social rolls (stuff like farting loudly in public)
Social Stigma 1-3 +1/3/5 TN for social rolls(reaction varies from person to person)
Albino 4 Severe Sunlight Alergy, distinguishing feature
Deaf 4 Neural hearing centers are dead-cyber won’t help. player must use sign language too
Epilepsy 6 +4 to all TNs when stressed and a Will(11) roll to avoid spasams for 10-Will min.
Obese 2 -1Quick, +1die swimming, -1 Chr
Giant 3 +1Bod, +1 Str, -1 Quick, +1 TN for social skills
Hemophilia 6 +1 box physical damage after even a lite wound per minute until a coagulant is applied Not usable with platelet factories–no Points!
Low Pain Threshold 2 +1 box stun damage each wound, +1 TN to resist pain(like torture)
Mute 5 Like Deaf, the player can’t talk either
Skinny 1 -1 TN to fit through small places,-1Str
Stutters 2 +2 TN for speaking/language skills, and player must too in tight situations
Absent Minded 3 +4 TN all memory tests, +3 TN for concentration tests
Alcoholic 3 +6 TN to resist taking a drink and getting drunk(rate is up to GM)
Bad Temper 2 Will(5+) roll to resist insulting people who stress him out
Berserk 3 Will(9) test NOT to fly into an all-out attack of foe until foe is dead/unconscious. Wounds are not felt until Rage wears off.
Bloodlust 2 Will only go for the kill, never attacks to wound or maim.
Bully 2 will(4) test to not push people around Code of Honor 1-3 This depends on the GM, but varies on how restrictive the Code is
Combat Paralysis 3 in combat, make a will(8) test or suffer a -2 to Reaction
Compulsive Behavior 1-3 GMs discretion, but off of frequency of the behavior
Cowardice 2 make a will(5) test to not run from all danger
Delusions 1-3 These vary, but the most common would be of grandeur. They relate to severity
Dyslexia 3 Can NEVER learn to read. Period.
Fanatic 3 Self explanatory-cause can be anything
Glutton 1 Eats all the time, may or may not be Obese too.
Greedy/Miserly 2 Hordes money/never uses it–this is mostly a rollplaying thing
Gullable 2 +4 TN to detect Bull S__t
Honesty 4 will not break the law-ever. A real kicker.
Illiterate 2 Cant read yet, but can learn. needs to buy off this disad to learn to read
Impulsive 3 always rushes into things
Racism 3 self explanatory
Jealousy 2 always jealous of anyone who is better than the character
Kleptomaniac 3 Must steal daily, +1 die any stealing skill
Lecherous 3 makes passes at anything that moves
Overconfident 2 mostly a roll play device
Pacifism 6 Won’t fight unless for self defense, and won’t ever kill
Paranoia 1 pretty normal in the world of SR
Phobias 1-5 this is based off the severity and type of fear at GMs discretion
Pyromania 1 Loves to light fires. roll play it
Sadism 3 enjoys causing pain, +1die to torture
Masochism 4 likes feeling pain, +1 stun box every wound, stun or physical
Shy 1-3 based off severity
Split Personality 2/person. This requires massive roleplaying and also the skill of the character to be split between the multiple personalities
Unlucky 1-3 Severity (level 3 effects everyone around the unlucky person too)
Vows 1-3 How strong the person holds thier vows
Weak Willed 1/level +2 TN/level on all willpower tests
Dependant NPC’s 3/person children, spouses, etc.
Distinctive Feature 1-3 Based on what it looks like, how easy it is to hide, and the effect it has on others
Hunted and Watched 1-4 Based off of who wants you, how badly they want you, what they want you for, and what they want to do to you when they get you
Secret ID 3 dual identity, one as a real person with a SIN and one as a runner
Rivalry 1-3 Romantic to professional to both
Vulnerablity 1-4 Extra damage to specific body parts, or especially vulnerable to a type of attack

Powers to be purchased only with Disad points:

Name Point Cost Effects
Double Jointed 2 +quickness dice to contortionism, +1 die to all build and repair, +1 reaction(like Enhanced Articulation)
Ambidexterity 3 no modifiers for using two weapons at the same time, can use 2 smartgun links too.
Eidetic Memory 10 Photographic memory-no memory rolls are necessary
High Pain Threshold 2 -1box stun, -1 TN to resist pain Astrally Insensetive 3/level -1 TN/level to resist all spells, +1 TN/ level for magician to heal character
Peripheral vision 4 -1 TN, +1 die all visual perception
Speed Healing 3 -1 TN for doctor tests and -1/3 base time to heal