BRP Cyberpunk

[Baron]

I read Gibson and Stephenson and Williams cyberpunk back in the day, and enjoyed it.

 

So I played a little Cyberpunk by R. Talsorian back when it first came out. Didn't much care for the rules system.

 

I played a little Shadowrun back when it first came out. Didn't much care for the rules system. Didn't care for adding magic and elves and orcs to cyberpunk.

 

Do we not have any BRP game, supplement or monograph for a straight cyberpunk game? I am not a gearhead, but I do want rules that will support simple combat, simple netrunning, and cyber gear. I don't need to codify dehumanization.

 

And yes, I just saw the Cyberthulhu work someone did. Looking for other takes.

 

Thanks!

[sladethesniper]

Well, there are a few rules systems for D20 that are easily portable to BRP...both a Shadowrun and a Cyberpunk version. I have both versions if you are interested.

 

The biggest issue is capturing the "flavor" of the setting.

 

The hardest part is whether or not to have netrunning be some hallucinogenic consensual reality or whether to deal with it as simply as hacking as per Walter Jon Williams in Hardwired.  I prefer the "Hardwired" model.

 

I have found that using Cyberpunk character generation to be easily portable to BRP...

 

Cyberpunk Stat x 2 = BRP Stat

Attractiveness   = Charisma

Body                      = Constitution and Strength

Cool                       = Wisdom

Reflexes              = Dexterity

Move                    = Speed

Tech                      = Becomes a skill

Empathy              = Charisma (HC is based of Wisdom for Sanity tho)

Luck                       = Turn it into action points or something

 

 

STR is the “exception stat”  use the STR stat in Fuzion to find the mass in Kg/lbs able to lift at a particular STR and then modify that stat (square root of that number = STR in BRP)

 

“Technically”

1 DC = 1d6 of Fuzion Damage

1 Kill = 84 points of Fuzion Damage (equal to DC 14…)

 

For Cyberpunk 1 damage = 1 BRP damage

1 SDP = 10 BRP damage                

1 point of Humanity = 1 point of Sanity

 

The lifepath is an excellent way to boost characters from basic starting abilities without much difficulty...just change every +1 into a +10%.

 

That is what I do.  Hope it helps out.

 

-STS

[Baron]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

For me, the "flavor of the setting" is the easiest part. It's just GMing style.

 

So you create characters in Cyberpunk, then transfer them over?

 

I guess I'm looking for a BRP template that contains the bits I'd need for netrunning and cyber gear. I suppose the combat is already in the BGB. Possibly some futuristic non-cyber gear as well?

[sladethesniper]

Yes, I create characters in Cyberpunk then transfer them over...same with D20 or World of Darkness.  I have found that making a character in system X keeps the flavor of the setting even when the game is run in system Y.  I use BRP as my rule set for all my games that I run...even though I build PCs and NPCs in various other settings, then just transfer them over.  

 

There is something of the setting that is brought across when you make a character in one setting and run them in BRP.  That is one of the reasons that I love using the system, it allows for easy ports of settings into the rules set...but that is really what BRP is...a rules set, not a setting, thus it is easy to just bring what you like into BRP.

 

As for netrunning stuff, are you using Cyberpunk 2020 or do you have Shadowrun?

 

If you are using Cyberpunk, the special ability of Interface would be that in BRP as well...just multiply it by 10% as a skill or leave it as a 1-10 scale if you want to keep all netrunning stuff as is in CP 2020.

 

Looking that Net chapter in CP2020 2nd Ed, a lot of stuff is just based on REF (which in BRP would be DEX)

 

All of the other stuff (data walls, memory units, security, etc.) is based off a 1-10 scale, so you could just use that as a stand alone part of the game (keeping it using a 1-10 scale with the BRP stat being /2 if you need to do stat+ability/skill stuff).  All the relevant stuff is on page 151-153 of the 2nd Ed CP2020 rulebook...and can be easily kept as is...since Netrunning has always had the feel of a minigame anyway (which is why I just go with the hacking instead of netrunning schtick).

 

If you are using Shadowrun...um...yeah...I love the setting, but I pretty much despise the rules.  The netrunning chapter is big, unwieldy and I have never actually read through it in 2nd, 3rd or the new (5th?) edition.  Can't help you much, but the following may be of some use:

 

Shadowrun to BRP

Logic                                      INT

Intuition                               WIS

Charisma                             CHA

Willpower                           POW

Strength                              STR

Body                                      CON

Agility/Reflexes                                highest or average becomes DEX

                                                SPD is not converted (use 11)

                                                EDU is not converted (use background to determine)

 

“Street Level” PCs  are just poor

“Prime Runner” PCs are just well equipped

 

Stat range is 1 to 6 for humans

 

Skill range is 1 to 10 for humans

 

Stats conversion

1              8

2              10

3              12

4              14

5              16

6              18

7              20

8              22

9              24

10           26

 

Skill rating conversion

1              10%

2              20%

3              30%

4              40%

5              50%

6              60%

7              70%

8              80%

9              90%

10           100%

11           110%

12           120%

 

Damage ratings

Number x type = damage

Light = x 1

Medium = x 1.5

Serious = x 2

Deadly = x 2.5

 

Armor Ratings

Ballistic x 5 = SP

Impact x 5 = SP

 

-STS

[Baron]

Thanks. So there's nothing actually written for BRP, even after all this time.

 

And it sounds like you're recommending 2nd ed Cyberpunk 2020. I appreciate your input.

[p_clapham]

Thanks. So there's nothing actually written for BRP, even after all this time.

 

And it sounds like you're recommending 2nd ed Cyberpunk 2020. I appreciate your input.

That's a little surprising.  It does seem like there is more Fantasy out there written for BRP.  For cybernetic implants I'm thinking the Mutation rules might not be a bad starting point.

[sladethesniper]

Actually, I'm not really recommending it, just that I am more familiar with it.  Sorry if it sounded that way.

 

In the downloads portion of the forums there are some things there that might be of some use for you  this one.

 

Also, there is a really good BRP sci-fi kit bash that one of the forum guys here (soltakss I think) did up.  You may want to PM him and see if he still has it...

 

-STS 

[Mankcam]

Depends on how loose you want to run this. I could use most of the BGB professions and just give them near- future flavour.

The big issue would be cybernetics obviously.

One way is to pick one of the current Powers and use that of course, and just have cybernetics as the trappings. Using either Mutations or Super Powers would be the best fit.

Otherwise porting another system's cybernetics should be relatively easy.
Another really,really loose way to do it is with the Fate point options, or even use Stunts (from Blood Tide), and just tie that to specific implants.
A few ways to go with this.

[soltakss]

Also, there is a really good BRP sci-fi kit bash that one of the forum guys here (soltakss I think) did up.  You may want to PM him and see if he still has it...

 

Thanks, it is at http://www.soltakss.com/rq_scifi.doc - it touches on Cyberpunk, but just in pasing, really.

[Aelwyn]

I'm working on a post-apocalyptic scenario with a lot of surviving computers and opportunities for hacking. I'm going to try something very similar to the BRP combat system. 

 

Since this world doesn't have magic...

 

POW for humans and other organics = mental resistance/mental health

POW for computers, robots, artificial intelligences, networks, etc. = security level/resistance to hacking

 

Computer Programming in this world is too complex for humans to do by themselves--it requires an AI library of routines. The programmer arranges these routines to create applications, viruses, worms, and to take down or take over security systems--or repair them. Not all libraries are created equal. Libraries are given a die value--1d2, 1d4, 1d6, 2d8, etc., similar to the damage done by a weapon. The POW of computers is roughly analogous to their hit points. 

 

Mutant hero Lefty with Computer Programming 85% wants to hack into evil AI Maker76 with POW 21. He uses his trusty AI Vulcana, which has a 1d4 routine library. He rolls a 70--success. Then he rolls 1d4--3 points of damage to Maker76's POW, which is now 18. But Maker76 has been alerted that someone is trying to breach its defenses. It has activated its army of security robots and begun searching for suspicious wireless networks at the point of attack. If Lefty and Vulcana can reduce Maker76 to POW 0, they will seize control of the AI. But their friends may have to fight off some security robots, and Maker76 might try to hack into Vulcana. If Vulcana sustains damage to her POW, Lefty can use Computer Programming and the routines library to "heal" her security systems. But he'll have to abandon his attack on Maker76 to do so. 

 

A hacker can decide whether reducing a system's POW to zero gives control over it or destroys it. 

 

Alternatively, you could do a POW v. POW or Computer Programming/5 v. POW roll on the resistance table. This could also be used for special moves, such as hiding the next attack from the defending system or preventing the defending system from doing anything for one round. 

[jux]

What about Eclipse Phase? I think it is also a d100 system and deals with transhumanist/cyberpunk stuff. I wonder how much BRP it really is.

[nerdvana]

Eclipse Phase is not BRP related. For example, criticals (failure or success) occur on doubles (i.e. 00, 11, 22, 33, etc). You roll between 0 (00) and 99. If I recall correctly it is a roll low game but I could be wrong.

[1d8+DB]

Yeah, Eclipse Phase,  while  a great setting, and a fantastic piece of world-building, is not at all related to BRP, other than the fact that they both use a d100 mechanic (and percentage based skills).

[Marras]

I am not an expert but as far as I know there is no cyberpunk supplement to BRP. The closest is an OpenQuest game River of Heaven (it should be out sometime in October). Even that is set further in the future than normal cyberpunk but I am certain that it will be helpful to have.

 

Even when Eclipse Phase is not all that much related to BRP it still uses similar enough skill resolution system that you could lift at least augmentations from that game. Granted, EP uses 1-100 scale for stats as well as for skills but a simple divide by 5 should do the trick if necessary.

[nclarke]

Or not bother if you are using CoC 7e.

[NickMiddleton]

Punktown has substantial cyberpunk elements.

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1799183063/punktown-an-rpg-setting-for-call-of-cthulhu-and-br

 

It has been (and continues to be) a long hard road for Tom Lynch and co getting the Punktown BRP book  done, but they seem very close and I'm optimistic it will see release soon.

 

Cheers,

 

Nick

[Baron]

Hmm, interesting link. Thanks Nick. I'm not sure that it will do, but whenever it comes out I'll check the reviews. If it contains everything I want to play straight cyberpunk, and it's simply a matter of ignoring mutants, aliens and robots, then I'd get it. OTOH if I have to rewrite it I might as well pass it by.

[sladethesniper]

There is also the old Cyberspace game from ICE.  From what I recall, the skills work on a d100 base.  The stats are also based on a 1-100 scale, but you can just divide by 5 and call it good.

 

The system is pretty robust and the critical strike tables were pretty awesome.

 

It would make an easy BRP baseline for a cyberpunk game...

 

-STS 

[Mankcam]

The Cyberware system from ICE's Cyberspace was pretty cool. You could easily use that. I also recommend the Cyberware system from Shadowrun as well; both would be reasonably portable to BRP. Although, as I suggested earlier, if you just change the names of Powers in the BGB then you already have a Cyber Powers system in your hands and it won't cost you a cent.

 

I missed the Punktown kickstarter, and it will be great if that book gets a general release at some stage. 'Mad Max meets Sin City meets Cyberpunk' sounds like a pretty cool concept to me.

 

Speaking of kickstarter books, I am a current backer for the River of Heaven kickstarter, which is a scifi setting produced by D101 Games for BRP OpenQuest.

 

Here's the link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/645319106/river-of-heaven-sf-rpg?ref=nav_search

 

I just received the backer pdf last week, and it looks much more like Traveller than Cyberpunk, so there's no rules for 'netrunning' that I have come across yet (nor do I expect to find such). However it does include a Powers system called 'Augmentations' which covers cyberware, nanotech, and metabolic augmentations. Looks pretty cool, and very relevant to this thread.

 

River of Heaven will be released to the general market at some stage in the near future. The kickstarter backers will be getting physical copies over the next month or so. I haven't been keeping up with the posts, but I would think that D101 Games would be considering publishing this title for general release pretty soon.

 

Once that happens then certainly River of Heaven has what you are looking for; you could easily use the 'Augmentations' rules in any scifi setting you want, and many of the Professions can be 'ported as well. It will likely be my 'go-to' book for any SciFi when using BRP.

 

Just sayin'

[Robsbot]

I was actually curious about this myself recently. I was looking for damn near anything that had a space or cyberpunk setting I could lift from. I was playing too much Shadowrun on the PC lately. I think I'll be purchasing several PDF's of other sci-fi / cyberpunk games in the near future and examining if the mechanics are worth lifting or if you should just pull setting stuff from it and just use BGB character creation. Would anyone be interested in me posting my results?

[Baron]

Certainly!

[Marras]

You might also want to check out "Mercenary Breed" for Legend. It was originally for Savage Worlds but is now ported to Legend system.

[Lemnoc]

Even when Eclipse Phase is not all that much related to BRP it still uses similar enough skill resolution system that you could lift at least augmentations from that game. Granted, EP uses 1-100 scale for stats as well as for skills but a simple divide by 5 should do the trick if necessary.

Conversion of EP to BRP is a breeze, with most all the gadgets and conventions directly transferrable right out of the sourcebooks. If you don't convert the weapon stats, combat becomes fairly nonsurvivable. Given EP's assumptions of transhuman immortality, even that is not a game stopper. But you'd probably want to convert weapon stats to BRP.

 

I don't think the "divide by 5" would work well for characteristics, given the differences in log values (a characteristic at 40 in EP would be like an 18 in BRP), but you should be able to eyeball it pretty easily.

 

I'm also a backer of River of Heaven, and am thinking a mashup of the two would be excellent.

[sladethesniper]

I was actually curious about this myself recently. I was looking for damn near anything that had a space or cyberpunk setting I could lift from. I was playing too much Shadowrun on the PC lately. I think I'll be purchasing several PDF's of other sci-fi / cyberpunk games in the near future and examining if the mechanics are worth lifting or if you should just pull setting stuff from it and just use BGB character creation. Would anyone be interested in me posting my results?

 

I would enjoy seeing what you were able to find and convert.

 

-STS

[Baron]

Saw there's Mongoose OGL cyberpunk pdf on sale for $2.00 on Drivethru for a short time only.