CP2020 Sourcebook is always a good place to start for your reading selection.
Pg: 04 The rules in cyberpunk
- Style over Substance
- Attitude is everything
- Always take it to the edge
- Break the rules
1) Style over Substance
It doesn't matter how well you do something, as long as you look good doing it. If you're going to blow it, make sure you look like you planned it that way. Normally, clothes and looks don't matter in an adventure- in this world, having a leather armor jacket and mirrorshades is a serious consideration.
2) Attitude Is Everything It's truth. Think dangerous; be dangerous. Think weak; be weak. Remember, everyone in the 2000s is carrying lots of lethal hardware and high-tech enhancements. They won't be impressed By your new H&K smart gun unless you swagger into the club looking like you know how to use it- and are just itching for an excuse.
Never walk into a room when you can stride in. Never look at someone unless you can make it your best "killer" look. Use your best "I'm bad and you aren't." smile. Don't sit around the flat or cube waiting for the next job. Get on out and hit the clubs and hangouts. Make sure you're where the party starts.
3} Live on the Edge
The Edge is that nebulous zone where risk-takers and high riders go. On the Edge, you'll risk your cash, your rep, even your life on something as vague as a principle or a big score. As a cyberpunk, you want to be the action, start the rebellion, light the fire. Join great causes and fight for big issues. Never drive slow when you can drive fast. Throw yourself up against danger and take it head-on. Never play it too safe. Stay committed to the Edge.
ROLES: The Core of CYBERPUNK
Role-playing The world of Cyberpunk is a combination of savage, sophisticated, modern and retrograde. Fashion-model beautiful Techies rub shoulders with battle armored road warriors,
all of them making the scene in the hottest dance clubs, sleaziest bars and meanest streets
this side of the Postholocaust. Each character in this world is playing a Role-a face that person projects to the outside world as the real thing.
There are 9 Roles in Cyberpunk:
Rockerboys, Solos, Netrunners, Corporates, Techies, Cops, Fixers, Medias, and
Nomads.
As a Cyberpunk player, you must select one role for your character.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Special Abilities are skills usable only by specific character Roles; for example, Rockerboys have the Special Ability of Charismatic Leadership, which represents the vast amount of power they have over their legions of fans. When using a Special Ability, you will add it's value to the specific stat as if it were a skill.
Rockerboy Special Ability: Charismatic Leadership. This skill allows the Rocker to sway crowds equal to his ability level squared, times 200.
Solo Special Ability: Combat Sense. Added to all Initiative and Awareness checks, this makes the Solo the fastest reacting person in a situation.
Netrunner Special Ability: Interface. This Skill reflects the Netrunner's ability to manipulate Interface programs, and is the skill used when operating Menu functions such as Locate Remote, Run Software, Control Remote, LDL Link, Load, Create and Delete.
Other players can enter the Net, but can't use the menu.
Tech Special Ability: Jury Rig.
This general repair skill allows the Techie to temporarily repair or alter anything for 1D6 turns per level of skill.
Medtech Special Ability: Medical Tech.
This is the skill used to perform major surgery and medical repairs.
Media Special Ability: Credibility. The ability to have people believe what you are saying while in your on-air persona.
Cop Special Ability: Authority. The ability to intimidate or control others through your position as a lawman.
Corporate Special Ability: Resources. This represents the Corporate's ability to command corporation resources. It is used as a persuasion skill, based on the scale of resources requested.
Fixer Special Ability: Street deal. The ability to locate people, information, etc. This is a higher form of making a connection (Lifepath, pg. 27); instead of knowing only one person, you have connections everywhere. In gameplay, a successful use of Street deal allows you to locate and acquire a desired person, place, or thing.
Nomad Special Ability: Family. This allows the Nomad to call in as many Family members to aid him as his current Family Ability level x 2.
For Tann-
SOLOs
HIRED ASSASSINS, BODYGUARDS, KILLERS, SOLDIERS
You were reborn with a gun in your hand-the flesh and blood hand, not the metallic weapons factory that covers most of your other arm. Whether as a freelance guard and killer for- hire, or as one of the Corporatecybersoldiers that enforce business deals and the Company's "black operations", you're one of the elite fighting machines of the Cyberpunk world. Most Solos have put in military time, either in a Corporate army or in one of the Government's continual "police actions" around the world. As the battle damage piles up, you start to rely more and more upon hardware-cyber limbs for weapons and armor, bio-program chips to increase your reflexes and awareness, combat drugs to give you that edge over your opponents. When you're the best of the best, you might even leave the ranks of Corporate samurai and go ronin freelancing your lethal talents as the killer, bodyguard or enforcer to whoever can pay your very high fees. Sounds good? There's a price-a heavy one.
You've lost so much of your original meat body that you're almost a machine. Your killing reflexes are so jacked up that you have to restrain yourself from going beserk at any moment. Years of combat drugs taken to keep the edge have given you terrifying addictions. You can't trust anyone-your mother, your friends, your lovers-no one. One night you sleep in a penthouse condo in the City-the next in a filthy alley on the Street. But that's the price of being the best. And you're willing to pay it. Because you're a Solo.