This skills remake is not meant to fix every problem in the Shadowrun Fifth Edition Core Rulebook. It is specifically meant to focus on issues related to the skill system, and changes to rules seemingly unrelated to skills are only made when they are absolutely necessary for the framework.
Rules Changes
Linked Attributes
Active Skills do not have linked attributes. Instead, always use the attribute that is most appropriate to the context of the Test. The removal of linked attributes applies to skills used for combat purposes just as it does to any other skill. For example, if you’re using Unarmed Combat to perform a quick strike before the opposition can react, you would be rolling REA because that is the attribute most appropriate for this task. If you’re wailing away at a wall with a large club, you would be rolling STR or BOD because one of those attributes would be most appropriate for the task (note that damage codes would still be calculated with STR even if you also end up using STR for the skill Test).
- When in doubt between INT and LOG, use INT for Social Active and Physical Active Skills and LOG for anything else. Note that LOG could still be used for Social Active Tests when you are trying to convince someone using reason and/or appealing to the rational mind.
- When in doubt between STR and BOD, use STR for bursts of power, and use BOD for power over a long duration.
- When in doubt between AGI and REA, use AGI when flexibility and precision are more important, and use REA when speed and anticipating movement are more important.
With the exception of Power Foci, items that affect skill dice based on linked attributes now just increase the attribute’s augmented value. Power Foci instead give a bonus whenever MAG is used in combination with an Active Skill.
Items that change a skill’s linked attributes no longer exist.
Items that require you to select a skill-based on a linked attribute work as follows: Outdoors counts as linked to INT, Physical and Combat Active Skills count as linked to physical attributes, Social Active Skills count as linked to CHA, and Technical Active Skills count as linked to LOG.
Active Skill Overlap
If it is ever unclear which Active Skill should be used for a Threshold Test, follow the same rules as for Knowledge Skill Tests: any eligible skill could be used, but the GM can alter the Threshold based on how appropriate the skill is to the task.
If it is ever unclear which Active Skill should be used for an Opposed Test, any eligible skill could be used, but the GM is allowed to impose additional dice pool modifiers to the user and/or the opponent depending on how appropriate the skill is to the task.
Artisan, Forgery, and Other Crafting Skills
Unless a particular skill explicitly lists a specialization/subskill for creating a particular item or item type (e.g. Software for writing code, Demolitions for improvising explosives), making physical objects is handled by Knowledge Skills. Keep in mind that Active Skills can always be used as Knowledge Skills. If you believe a particular Active Skill you have would be appropriate for making a particular item (e.g. Mechanics for making a bicycle), your GM may still allow you to use it and set the Test’s Threshold based on how appropriate the skill actually is.
In cases where it is unclear whether something requires an Active Skill or not, it does not require an Active Skill, though the Active Skill in question could still be used as a Knowledge Skill.
Creating magic-infused items requires a MAG rating greater than 0 regardless of the skill being used.
Creating Resonance-infused items requires a RES rating greater than 0 regardless of the skill being used.
Small Unit Tactics & Mixed Unit Tactics
While both skills could be taken as a Knowledge Skill, using the actions described in Run & Gun and Street Lethal use the Combat Tactics Active Skill.
Perception
Perception is now an INT + LOG Test for anything other than searching (see Query). As an Attribute Test, it is no longer subject to a Limit. Any improvement that provides a bonus to the relevant Limit should add directly to the die pool instead. Many of these items include a wireless bonus that adds dice — it becomes the base benefit, instead of a wireless-only one.
Perception Tests and Spell Resistance Tests against physical illusion spells are now one and the same. Bonuses granted to Perception now also affect Tests to resist physical illusion spells, and bonuses granted to resisting specifically physical illusion spells now also grant bonuses to Perception (e.g. the Piercing Senses adept power also gives a bonus to Perception Tests, but the Magic Resistance and Arcane Arrester qualities do not).
Drones operating autonomously use a Pilot + Pilot [Sensor] Test, while riggers operating remotely make the same INT + LOG Test, limited by the drone's Sensor Rating. They also make a Cyberwarfare + INT [Sensors] Test in place of the Query + INT [Mental] Test people make for an active Search Test.
Defaulting
With a few category- and quality-based exceptions, a character may always default on an Active Skill:
- Characters without a MAG rating cannot default on Magical Active Skills
- Characters without a RES rating cannot default on Resonance Active Skills
- Characters with Unaware in a skill group cannot default on any skill in that group.
- Characters who are otherwise barred from learning a skill cannot default on that skill.
Drones & Jumped-In Riggers
Drones and jumped-in riggers use the same skills for weapons as a normal person would use. The Gunnery skill is only involved with missiles and when using Sensor Targeting[1].
Exotic Skills
Exotic Ranged Weapon, Exotic Melee Weapon, and Pilot Exotic Vehicle no longer require separate skills. They can be used with existing skills.
Eliminated Skills
When RAW would call for the use of a skill that has been removed by the system, look for the skill or subskill containing a specialization that seems to be most appropriate. For example, using Etiquette to hide in a crowd would now end up needing Sneaking instead, while using Etiquette to butter up a character would now end up needing Socialize instead.
Magical Skills
Magical Active Skills can only be used as Active Skills by characters with a MAG greater than 0. Non-awakened cannot increase ratings of Magical Active Skills, though they can learn equivalent skills as Knowledge Skills instead.
- Magicians and Mystic Adepts have full access to the Aetherology, Conjuring, and Sorcery Skill Groups.
- Aspected Magicians have access to the Aetherology Skill Group, and must choose either Conjuring or Sorcery. Enchanters no longer exist.
- Adepts, Aware, and Explorers have access to the Aetherology Skill Group, but do not get access to Sorcery or Conjuring.
Disjoining is now a part of Counterspelling. All other uses for disenchanting are now part of Artificing, which itself is now a part of Arcana.
Banishing can be used against free spirits. They resist with Force×1, and each net hit deals 1 unresisted Stun damage to the spirit.
Power Foci only give a bonus when MAG is used in combination with an Active Skill. Since there are no linked attributes anymore, it’s possible for pools unrelated to Magical Active Skills to be affected. They do not provide any benefit when MAG is not paired with an Active Skill.
Resonance Skills
Resonance Active Skills can only be used as Active Skills by characters with a RES greater than 0. Non-emerged cannot increase ratings of Resonance Active Skills, though they can learn equivalent Knowledge Skills instead.
Technomancers now use a separate skill called “Threading” to thread complex forms instead of Software.
Technomancers can use “nested forms”. Nested Forms mostly follow the same rules as Alchemy, but using RES instead of MAG and using Complex Forms for their base instead of spells. They exist as file icons instead of physical preparations. The contact trigger is unavailable but is replaced by an interaction trigger, which activates when a persona performs a Matrix action on the icon.
In addition to the Kill Complex Form action, technomancers get a Counterthreading pool that functions similar to how Counterspelling works for magic users.
Deregistering can be used against free sprites. They resist with Level + Edge, and each net hit deals 1 unresisted Stun damage to the sprite.
Qualities
Acrobatic Defender any other quality that substitutes a skill into the Full Defense pool no longer exists.
As Perception is no longer a skill, Perceptive Defender no longer exists; see Deductive Defender for a replacement.
Skill Chart
| Class | Group | Skill | Example Specializations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combat | Firearms | Handguns | Light, Machine, Heavy, Pneumatic[2], Revolvers |
| Heavy Weapons | Assault Cannons, Flamethrowers, Machine Guns | ||
| Long Arms | Assault Rifles[3], Pneumatic, Precision[4], Shotguns, Submachine Gun | ||
| Combat | Close Combat | Edged Weapons | Axe, Large Blade[5], Monofilament Flexible, Small Polearm, Powered, Small Blade[6] |
| Blunt Weapons | Battering Ram, Flexible Bludgeon, Large Club[5], Small Clubs[6], Shield, Staff | ||
| Unarmed | Disarm, Implanted, Leverage[7], Strike, Subdue, [By Martial Arts Style] | ||
| Combat | Projectile Weapons | Projectile Launchers | Grenade Launchers, Grapple Guns, Net guns, Harpoon Guns |
| Throwing Weapons | Grenades, Small Blades, Small Clubs, Polearms, Flexible Weapons[8] | ||
| Archery | Bows, Pistol Crossbows, Rifle Crossbows, Slingshots, Blowguns | ||
| Physical | Stealth | Locksmith | Physical Key, Electronic, Biometric, Combination |
| Sleight Of Hand | Palming, Pickpocketing, Trapping | ||
| Sneaking | Astral, Physical, Social, Vehicular | ||
| Physical | Prowess | Acrobatics | Climbing, Contortion, Falling, Jumping |
| Athletics | Running, Cycling, Skating, Skiing, Flying[9] | ||
| Aquatics | Diving, Endurance, Speed | ||
| Physical | Driving | Pilot Groundcraft | Open Wheeled[10], Enclosed Wheeled, Tracked, Bionic/Walker |
| Pilot Watercraft | Sailing, Modern Boats, Modern Ships, Submarines, Bionic | ||
| Pilot Aerospace | Gliders, Fixed-Wing, Rotorcraft, VTOL/VSTOL, Spacecraft, Lighter-Than-Air, Bionic | ||
| Physical | Outdoors | Query | Navigation, Searching, Tailing/Tracking |
| Survival | Urban, Wasteland, Open Sea, Forest, Desert, Jungle | ||
| Animal Handling | Herding/Driving, Riding, Taming/Teaching | ||
| Social | Stagecraft | Con | Advance Fee Scam, Insurance Fraud, Three-Card Monte, The Badger |
| Performance | Singing, Dancing, Keyboard, Plucked Strings, Bowed Strings, Woodwind | ||
| Acting | Make-Up, Voice, Emotional[11], Physical | ||
| Social | Influence | Command | Intimidate/Interrogate, Instruction, Leadership |
| Socialize | Street, Squatter, Low, Middle, High, Luxury, Commercial, Traveler | ||
| Persuade | Seduction, Diplomacy/Debate, Bargaining/Bartering | ||
| Technical | Military Science | Combat Tactics | Guerilla, Siege, Ambush, Patrol, Reconnaissance |
| Demolitions | Defusal, Improvisation, Placement | ||
| Gunnery | Small Arms, Artillery, Rocket/Missile Launchers, Energy | ||
| Technical | Engineering | Mechanics | Groundcraft, Watercraft, Aerospace |
| Armorer | Firearms, Close Combat Weapons, Projectile Weapons, Ammunition, Armor | ||
| Electronics | Commlinks, Cyberdecks, Cyberware, Hard Nanoware | ||
| Technical | Computers | Cyberwarfare | [By Attack, Sleaze, or Firewall Action, other than "Control Device"] |
| Software | Programming, Matrix Sculpting, Simsense Design | ||
| Matrix | Sensor Operations, Control Device, [By Data Processing Action] | ||
| Technical | Biotechnology | Chemistry | Analysis, [By Drug or Compound] |
| Medicine | Surgery, Extended Care, Bioware, Geneware, Soft Nanoware, Magical Health | ||
| First Aid | External Damage, Internal Damage, Stun Damage | ||
| Magical | Aetherology | Arcana | Arcane Lore, Artificing, Disenchanting, Initiation |
| Ceremony | [By Ritual], Disrupt Ritual | ||
| Astral | Assensing, Astral Navigation, Astral Combat | ||
| Magical | Sorcery | Spellcasting | [By Spell] |
| Alchemy | [By Preparation] | ||
| Counterspelling | Instant Spells, Sustained/Permanent Spells, Disjoining | ||
| Magical | Conjuring | Summoning | [By Spirit] |
| Binding | [By Spirit] | ||
| Banishing | Summoned Spirits, Bound Spirits, Free Spirits, Exorcism | ||
| Resonance | Processing | Threading | [By Complex Form] |
| Nesting | [By Nested Form] | ||
| Counterthreading | Instant Complex Forms, Sustained/Permanent Complex Forms, Nested Forms | ||
| Resonance | Tasking | Compiling | [By Sprite] |
| Registering | [By Sprite] | ||
| Deregistering | Compiled Sprites, Registered Sprites, Free Sprites |
Skill Remappings
| Old Skill | Replacement Skill(s) |
|---|---|
| Automatics | Handguns, Longarms |
| Heavy Weapons | Heavy Weapons, Launcher Weapons, Gunnery |
| Clubs | Blunt Weapons |
| Free-Fall | Acrobatics |
| Flying | Athletics |
| Diving | Aquatics |
| Navigation | Query, Astral |
| Impersonation | Acting |
| Pilot Aircraft | Pilot Aerospace |
| Leadership | Command |
| Instruction | Command |
| Negotiation | Persuade |
| Automotive Mechanic | Mechanics |
| Nautical Mechanic | Mechanics |
| Cybertechnology | Electronics |
| Cybercombat | Cyberwarfare |
| Electronic Warfare | Cyberwarfare, Matrix |
| Computer | Matrix |
| Counterspelling | Counterspelling, Ceremony |
| Artificing | Arcana |
| Assensing | Astral |
| Pistols | Handguns |
| Blades | Edged Weapons |
| Disguise | Sneaking, Acting |
| Gymnastics | Acrobatics |
| Escape Artist | Acrobatics |
| Running | Athletics |
| Swimming | Aquatics |
| Tracking | Query |
| Pilot Walker | Pilot Groundcraft |
| Intimidation | Command |
| Etiquette | Socialize, Sneaking |
| Con | Con, Socialize, Persuade |
| Industrial Mechanic | Mechanics |
| Aeronautics Mechanic | Mechanics |
| Hardware | Electronics, Cyberwarfare |
| Hacking | Cyberwarfare |
| Software | Software, Threading, Counterthreading |
| Biotechnology | Medicine |
| Disenchanting | Arcana, Counterspelling |
| Astral Combat | Astral |
| Ritual Spellcasting | Ceremony |