Hero Shadowrun Design Notes 2

Devotees may balk, but a lot of minor changes are simply differences in how the systems handle things. Sourcebooks I don't own or am not employing may have alternative ways of handling these things, but... well, I don't have them or am not using those, so.

I made sure all the metahumans have a Susceptibility or Vulnerability, and stuck with those suggested in the Shadowrun corebook. There are three different species of Elfs, and Trolls are likely Goblinoids. Dwarfs and Gargoyles have Stoneskin, so there may be some relation there. And all of this is actually in-line with Shadowrun, just not necessarily codified (unless it's in a book or magazine I don't own or haven't seen). The handling is just different in some cases - as in Trolls, who turn to stone in direct sunlight (as do Gargoyles). 

Of course, Gargoyles aren't in Shadowrun but they made sense to include. I want that aesthetic, I'm pulling at least partially from some Ravenloft sources, and I like the ideas Gargoyles bring to the game. Shamen's Totems are going to be literal animal followers (Familiars) as well, so even though I couldn't get the Beastmaster package I wanted to fit entirely, Shamen may fit the bill. That, too, differs from Shadowrun RAW, but is keeping in-line with the spirit of the game, better represents Native American and animism traditions and beliefs (even if it's not 100% real-world accurate... it's a fantasy game), and seems like it would be more fun to play.

Both Shamen and Hermetic Magi receive their Bases (Medicine Lodge and Occult Library, respectfully). Deckers became Phrackers, but they receive a customized deck and/or they can choose from a selection of models, including retro makes, as well as a hacking PC. Riggers get a customized vehicle and a small fleet of drones. I'm working on a way to include Netrunners (Phrackers/Deckers) with the main group even while they're running the Net, and it may involve holograms but I'm still working on it.

I like what I decided for cybertech too, but it's complicated so I'm trying to make other aspects simpler to compensate for that and the magic system. That's another reason to find a way to include Netrunners with the main group and not have them handled separately. Personae are going to be like VPNs, so they are not mandatory; without them, you're just a gray or blue icon kind-of concept. Being SIN-less is an Advantage (+5, I think), and that's from CyberHERO.

Combining racial and professional packages is expensive; you're likely to have few points leftover for customization, and similar combinations will have a lot in common so this will have to be eyeballed, but that should also be expected. But Elven Decker was an archetype in Shadowrun, so again, it's just a difference in the systems' handling and character creation.

Still, I am capturing the spirit of Shadowrun under the Hero system, which is exactly what I set out to do, so I'm having a good time with it.

© The Weirding, 2025