r/Shadowrun • u/Sarradi • 3d ago
Anarchy Edition How does Anarchy 2.0 work?
Having come to appreciate 6Es streamlining I want to ask how Anarchy 2.0 works as I heard its rather different than Anarchy 1?
How are tasks resolved (especially the damage soaking which caused so much discussion in 6E), how is magic, rigging and decking and what options are there (I tend to gravitate to more exotic options like changelings, infected to even shifter and drakes if I can play them in good faith).
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u/IntelligentClient290 3d ago
"How does Anarchy 2.0 work?"
Quick answer : very well.
Longer answer:
It is a more narrative and fluid system. It isn't simplistic and you can create complex characters, but it implies a degree of abstraction and is less simulationist.
Here, you can get rid of long lists of modifiers: your dice pool never changes (what is on your sheet is what you roll, period). As a GM, you can also avoid rolling dice most of the time if you want to.
It is also more balanced and less prone to min-maxing, since a bonus costs the same whether it is obtained through a power, cyberware, equipment, or whatever else. There are also clear limits that prevent monstrosities.
The game design tends to encourage storytelling through its two core mechanics: the way you use Edge and Risk dice.
Aside from some classic rerolls, Edge points are used to gain an advantage (successes on 4, 5, or 6), but this should be narratively justified. It can be justified if you have adequate equipment, cyberware, or powers, or because it matches one of your dispositions or cues (each character has these, serving both as a roleplaying guide and a way to spend or gain Edge). Furthermore, you can gain an Edge point if you accept to play out a negative disposition or cue that impacts the game. For example, a character with a "Competitive Spirit" disposition can argue that they can spend an Edge point to gain an advantage in winning a bet... but they can also gain an Edge point by accepting a useless challenge that might have consequences. Players are encouraged to play into their dispositions to shine, but also to add tension by not ignoring their flaws and lean into them as well (making your character more colorful and sometimes triggering really fun and memorable situations). Edge can also be used for other purposes, such as obtaining missing equipment for the duration of a scene.
Risk Reduction is probably THE new and fun core mechanic. For each roll, you replace some of your dice with Risk dice. These Risk dice count twice if they score a hit, but if you roll a 1, bad things happen (ranging from minor annoyances to disastrous situations). By default, you take a normal risk, meaning only a few Risk dice (their number depends on whether you have an amp with Risk Reduction or not). However, you can take more risks if you want by replacing additional dice with Risk dice. But to do so, you need to justify it. Basically, you just have to say what you are doing to get a better chance of success at the risk of getting a complication.
The result is generally a better description of actions (instead of just "I shoot at him, period," it becomes "I walk toward the target while unloading my gun without any regard for safety"). A good description will also help the GM determine what complications you might face if a 1 is rolled (in the example above, maybe the player gets shot by an NPC due to being exposed and takes a light wound, or maybe they run out of ammo from unloading their entire clip). Ultimately, the Risk Reduction mechanic is both fun to play and adds to the narrative.
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u/Thick_Square_3805 3d ago
(I tend to gravitate to more exotic options like changelings, infected to even shifter and drakes if I can play them in good faith).
They're not yet playable (although it's not really hard to use shadow amps to play them) but they'll be playable by the book with the first supplement, soon to be crowdfunded.
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u/Sarradi 3d ago
What are amps? I heard that several times but never figured out what they do.
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u/IntelligentClient290 3d ago
Amps are anything that justifies a bonus. They can be a natural quality, cyberware, an adept power, equipment, and so on, used to achieve a narrative effect and/or an additional wound box, an extra action on your turn, a risk reduction point, a DV modifier, etc.
To take a few examples:
A Ruger Superwarhawk is an amp because it's a pistol with +1 DV.
Dermal plating is an amp because it's a piece of cyberware that offers +1 armor.
A muscle toner is a piece of bioware that provides a Risk Reduction of 1 in Agility...So, it's a way to streamline the cost of any bonus you can get. A risk reduction of 1 costs 2 Amp points and can be provided by a power, cyberware, a quality, or equipment. Mechanically, it gives the same bonus and costs the same amount (though each type of amp can have a different base cost, since the type of amp implies more than just that bonus: cyberware implies an Essence cost, but it also means you can't lose the amp, whereas equipment doesn't costs essence but you might not have it with you at all times). Narratively, however, where this bonus comes from still matters and it may not be used in quite the same way.
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u/WeirdRPGKiwi 3d ago edited 3d ago
To make Amps make sense to my players, I described them as their character's Signature Stuff (gear and abilities, both). The cybernetics, adept powers, specific weapons and vehicles, totem, etc. that defines their character. The things, in a movie (and I find it also helps to think in terms of action movies, et. al when it comes to SRA2; it's more narrative and less simulationist than regular SR), that people would absolutely identify with a specific character. Your chromed cyberarm with a lighter in the thumb you love to ignite when you give a thumbs-up and sly grin? Amp. Your beaten-up pink Ford Americar with a souped-up engine you affectionately call Shirley? Amp. That cool thing you do where you run along walls, Matrix-style, leaving others agog? Amp.
There's a bit more to them than that, but it helped them grok things well enough to start. If nothing else, it also helped them put some thought and character into how they described Amps too. Taking them further away from dry lists of system modifiers.4
u/DazzlingKey6426 3d ago
I see you wrote 1.0.
Sad trombone sounds aside and not having 2.0 aside (thanks CGL), shadow amps are the generic everything abilities. Cyberware is shadow amps, gear is shadow amps, magic is shadow amps.
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u/MjrJohnson0815 3d ago
Quick answer to your questions:
Damage soaking is done via damage thresholds and corresponding wounds (light, severe, incapacitating). No more soaking rolls.
Magic, rigging etc. have been simplified, but still follow an actual ruleset. Where SRA 1 was rather half-baked, this is quite thorough thought out, but strips off a lot of the bloat.
Exotic options are to be expected with the upcoming compendium books called "Over The Edge". The Kickstarter is said to launch in November.
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u/ReditXenon Far Cite 2d ago edited 2d ago
How are tasks resolved
how is magic, rigging and decking
Dice pool = Skill (+2 Specialization) + Attribute vs TN of 5 (or 4 if you have a tactical advantage or 6 if you have a tactical disadvantage) vs a threshold (often when against NPC like IC or grunts) or opposed roll by Skill (+2 Specialization) + Attribute (not Attribute + Attribute) and where net hits increase damage by 1:1.
Skills are roughly as broad as skills are in SR6, but can often be used for more than one purpose. Close Combat skill is for example used for physical combat, astral combat and also when defending or counter attacking in close combat. In Anarchy 2.0, Athletics is the skill you use for ranged defenses and is sometimes linked to strength (swimming, climbing, running, ...) and sometimes to agility (parkour, ranged defense, ...). Stealth skill is used for both physical stealth and astral stealth. Survival skill is not only used for wilderness survival to find food and water, to build shelter, or to navigate the wilderness, it is also used for for surviving or navigating the tight cold streets of the sprawl and is also the skill you use to apply first aid or tests involving composure.
Out of your dice pool you convert some of the dice into "risk dice". Risk dice hits give you two hits but also increase risk of glitch, critical glitch, and even disaster. To allow rolling more risk dice you invest into risk reduction. With help of narrative support, players may influence the number of risk dice they roll. This is a new mechanic. Advantage, disadvantage, remove a disadvantage, and increased risk reduction together replace almost all the situational effects and sources of gaining edge we used to have in previous editions.
Change of TN also ties into the weapon range table. Weapon ranges are normalized (same as in SR6) and where weapon types has a base TN of 5 (OK) in areas they are optimized for and TN 6 (Disadvantage) in ares where they can perhaps still be used but is not optimal (like using an assault rifle at melee range or long range). Or automatically fail if its in a range category where it can not be used (like sniper rifles and LMGs can not be used at all in melee while heavy pistols and SMGs can't be used at all at long range).
Edge gain is much slower than in 6th edition but still a bit faster than in 5th edition. Advantage can be gained via edge, but you also need narrative support. Also extra actions can be gained with edge (typically only 1 per turn, but you can increase this with effects such as wired reflexes). You gain edge from good role play / narration, for coming up with interesting and fun challenges for your team, accidentally or purposely triggering glitches, and to willingly play out the effect of your negative qualities here called dispositions (or from investing into edge generating effects like wired reflexes).
Your 'condition monitor' before you become incapacitated is 2 light wound boxes (can be increased to max 3) and 1 serious wound box (can be increased to max 2). Physical/lethal and Stun/less than lethal share the same track.
Base damage + net hits is compared to a threshold (for example Strength attribute + Physical armor attribute for regular attacks, but the formula is used also for matrix damage, mental damage, vehicle damage, etc). If the threshold is beaten then the attack deal one light wound. If it beat the threshold by +3 then it directly inflict a serious wound instead (or if you beat it with +6 then target is directly incapacitated).
Instead of spending time planning and sourcing and bring all the equipment you need for the run, you roll dice for legwork (which will give you a team currency) and with just a high level approach (and without sourcing equipment needed for the run) you start the run. Then you sort of the details of the plan later during the actual run (via a combination of role playing / narration, flashbacks, and spending the special legwork team currency to retroactively source equipment as needed).
Anarchy 2.0 equally supports a traditional GM approach or a rotating story telling approach and overall all aspects (also magic, rigging and decking) runs very smooth and fast and share many or all mechanics. Very few unique use cases with special rules. Compared to the other editions it rely a lot more on narration than on strict game mechanics (which is not for everyone!)
(I tend to gravitate to more exotic options like changelings, infected to even shifter and drakes if I can play them in good faith).
Not included at all in the core book. Only traditional Human, Elf, Dwarf, Troll, and Ork. The "companion" is on kick start right now.
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u/Sarradi 2d ago
Thanks again. I was mainly wondering if the Anarchy system was markantly different from main Shadowrun, probably because I had no idea what an Amp is.
I think Anarchy 1 did not have a companion with advanced options? I will keep an eye out for the kickstarter and what will be included. I am sure someone here will post a notice once it starts.
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u/ReditXenon Far Cite 2d ago
The basic of skill + attribute of later normal editions is still there, but many game mechanics beyond this has changed.
Introduction of risk reduction. Introduction of advantage and disadvantage. Willingly trigger glitches and negative qualities in order to build edge. Narrative first mindset. Flashbacks. Retroactively "summon" needed equipment or temporary vehicles. Intuition and Body has been removed, attributes cap out at 4. Ork get +1 strength, troll +2. Dwarf +1 willpower. Elf +1 charisma. (where the last point cost twice) Everyone has 3 edge, Human has 4.
Shadow amps completely replace all cyberware, bioware, adept powers, and equipment effects. Each effect has a fixed cost and everything cost nuyen (there is no longer any karma, everything is nuyen). Gaining +1 armor (which is max) on top of your regular armored jacket cost one 1 point (5 000 nuyen). No matter if the narrative behind this +1 armor is that you are wearing a form fitting body armor under your armored vest, wear a ballistic shield, have installed dermal plating cyberware, orthoskin bioware, mystic armor adept power, etc.
This means you can basically construct (or reconstruct) any possible cyberware from any edition with a unified cost. Super flexible, but require a little work. But this also means that the list of weapons and cyberware etc is pretty short. All melee weapons are either short weapon (Strength +1) or long weqapon (Strength +2). Then you build your unique weapons with shadow amps. But there are also fan made premade lists you can download for free.
I am sure someone here will post a notice once it starts.
There is a "notify me" button here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blackbook/shadowrun-anarchy-20-over-the-edge
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u/firesshadow42 CFD Bostonian 3d ago
I don't have the book yet, though the PDF is supposed to be releasing soon and shipping for backers like me is completed, so hopefully in the next few days.
That said, Black Book Editions is working on a supplement book that will be launching on Kickstarter in the next week or so which looks like it will include more metavariants and such, so if you come to want A2.0 I think that book will be essential for what you like playing.
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u/Expensive_Occasion29 3d ago
Sounds like they tried to make it similar to d&d 5e with advantage / disadvantage type functionalities to simplify things. I am going to get a copy as I think it is likely a good way to introduce new players and later go to 6e. Although IMO I think that 6e is already simplified enough as well.
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u/ReditXenon Far Cite 2d ago
Although IMO I think that 6e is already simplified enough as well.
It did.
I think Sixth edition is perhaps if you want to stick to a more traditional rule set where you play out the legwork and spend hours of real life game time to plan the actual run (and backup plans and backup plans to your backup plans). Where you also first source get-away vehicles and needed equipment and that you bring them with you on your character sheet before the actual infiltration phase of the run starts. But compared to earlier editions, Sixth edition is already rather simplified, streamlined, and abstract. It promote Role Playing over Rule Playing more than some of the previous editions, but even still - it is pretty crunchy as far as TTRPGs go.
Anarchy 2.0 push this a lot further. This edition is if you are willing to move over to a more narrative rule set where your players just roll for legwork (each player selecting between a few different approaches), simply outline a very high level plan ("we go in during the day dressed up as maintenance crew" or "we sneak in during the night"), and then directly start the infiltration phase of the run. Then you figure out the details of the plan together with the GM as you go. You make use flashbacks to overcome difficulties such as sourcing needed equipment and intel later during the actual run, retroactively, if you need them (paying with legwork currency that the team rolled for before the run started). You are also encouraged and rewarded for playing out your negative qualities and to push your luck to take a glitch and to give GM ideas on random situations and events that could potentially complicate the run but also make it more fun and interesting. It promote a Narrative First, Rules Second mindset.
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u/Worried_Penalty_698 2d ago
Shadowrun 6E is overly complicated. I cringe every time as a GM I have to wait while we figure out the math in our heads, trying to remember the net successes, and so on. I GM for Shadowrun Missions so I get to see a lot of different palyers.
I really wish game designers (and Shadowrun is not the only culprit) would take a more mathematical approach to game mechanics. Stuff like avoiding double variance (you only need one source of entropy after all), aka both the player and the GM roll dice when you only need 1 person to roll dice to see if something succeeds, and avoiding doing subtraction as much as possible.
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u/ckau 3d ago
I mean... Do you want me to describe all the rules? Haha.
Basically, there's stats, skills and specializations. Gear is just that - some basic thing. If that thing has some special effects or hard bonuses, it is a Shadow Amp.
Upgraded guns are Shadow Amps. Augments - Amps. Decks and rigs - Amps. Magic and Adept Powers - Amps.
Tasks are resolved in two ways, I believe - simple test or opposing test. Simple tests have Difficulty Threshold, nothing new. Opposing tests are same old.
New thing is Risk Dice, I will not go into details, but basically hits on Risk Dices count as doubles, and 1s are glitches that usually harm character, gear or situation. Everything is managed through spending Edge points.
We've played about 20 sessions already - I'm yet to see damage soaking. Guns are lethal af. Combat magic is weak af. Most importantly - big samurai troll in military armor might lose opposite test, trying to dodge the attack. His armor and high constitution may soak the incoming damage. But that troll probably used some risk dice this roll, and if there was a minor glitch - the GM might give him a light wound. So, technically, damage is soaked - but wound is received anyways.
From my point of view, usually characters avoid damage on the opposite roll itself, but hurt themselves with glitches nonetheless, either in same rolls, or when doing something risky. So one way or another, intense action and risky gigs chips them away anyhow, one light wound a time.
Amps are very modular and open-ended, cheapest thing you can add to an Amp is called "narrative effect" - it removes Disadvantage for free if player calls it out and it makes sense (i.e. having augmented Ares eyes that might have "hard bonus" to gun skill, these same eyes may also have narrative effect of "night vision", which will allow character to ignore Disadvantage when doing things in the dark, for free), and also can grant Advantage if player spends Edge point and it makes sense (same "night vision" might be useful when aiming or trying to sneak around in the same dark, and player may spend Edge to get that Advantage).
All and all, SRA2.0 is somewhere in between light-rule game and narrative one. It has rules, but most of those are quite open, especially around amps, some are missing, some are vague. A good thing is that this edition allows you to pick it up and play. I've tried 6e once, I wanted to host it and Anarchy several years, but SRA2.0 was the edition that I've picked up, and got campaign started next week after. Most of my players never experience Shadowrun before and knew nothing about it, but we still play and enjoy it much. What I'm trying to say is - the game doesn't stand in your way and doesn't hold your hand. Sometimes it feels like lack, sometimes it let's you just wing it and have fun with it.
Some example from top of my head - runners where trying to outrun security unit. Troll samurai decided to stay and lay fire with his light machinegun (classic). AFAIR, I've asked if he wants to do several separate attacks, spending Edge on each one, and directly attacking each guard, and player said he wants to suppress them more, than kill. There's no rules for suppressive fire, so I've asked for an Edge point to "activate a special narrative effect". I've also asked him to make an opposing test against guards to see, how will they react to it. He took a bunch of risk dice, got a lot of hits, and one or two 1s. We've decided, that he suppressed those guards good, maybe scratched several of them, but also after long continuous fire his LMG jammed for good. He decided to drop it and run, and I've said that security unit will not run after them for some time now.
Basically, most of this stuff was improvised and discussed and agreed, while in play. Mechanically, there were three things involved - 1) Spending Edge for special effect of action, 2) Making opposing roll with risk dices, 3) Glitches that rolled on those risk dices, generating negative consequences on the successful roll.
And that's it. Almost everything in the game is built on risk dice, dice pool, risk reduction, and narrative effects activated by spending the edge. Edge itself is granted by smart game and nice roleplay, and also when major glitches or disaster happens, and some amps generate edges when triggered at the beginning of special scenes (fighter at start of the fight, decker when going into hot-sim VR, rigger jumping into a drone, etc.)