Shadowrun 6E Advancement cheat sheet
Progression loop summary. At-the-table reference for Shadowrun 6th Edition.
Shadowrun 6E advancement: earn Karma from runs and spend it on attributes, skills, qualities, spells, and contacts.
Advancement loop
- Earn Karma from completing runs, roleplaying, and GM awards (typical: 2-8 per session).
- Spend Karma on: skill ranks (new rank × 5), attributes (new rating × 5), new skills (5 karma for rank 1), specializations (5 karma), qualities (variable), spells/complex forms (5 karma each).
- Nuyen is separate: earned from run payouts, used for gear, cyberware, and lifestyle.
- Initiation (mages) and Submersion (technomancers): karma-expensive, unlocks metamagics/echoes and raises the Magic/Resonance cap.
Street cred and notoriety
- Street Cred: increases with successful runs. Provides social bonuses in the shadows.
- Notoriety: increases with messy runs, betrayals, or public exposure. Makes you a target.
- Public Awareness: corp attention. High PA means corps actively hunt you.
Common mistakes
- Karma and nuyen serve different tracks: you cannot buy gear with Karma or skills with nuyen.
- Attribute increases are expensive: raising BOD from 5 to 6 costs 30 Karma.
- Initiation costs escalate: each grade costs (10 + grade × 3) Karma.
- Essence loss from cyberware is permanent: plan your chrome path early.