Rules reference
Combat in Shadowrun 6th Edition
Turn flow, actions, and common combat rules. Shadowrun, Sixth World is the current edition of the classic cyberpunk-fantasy RPG. It is the 2080s: the Awakening brought magic back, metahumanity (elves, dwarfs, orks, trolls) walks the streets, dragons sit on megacorporate boards, and shadowrunners do the deniable dirty work the corps cannot be seen doing. You play a runner: part criminal, part specialist, part survivor, taking jobs from anonymous Mr. Johnsons in a world where the real power holds an extraterritorial charter.
Key points
Combat rules matter most when they keep scenes moving. This page focuses on decision points and the system’s core resolution loop.
- 5 metatypes: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Ork, Troll
- d6 dice pools: Attribute + Skill, hits on 5s and 6s
- Edge economy: earn and spend tactical advantage every combat round
- 19 consolidated skills covering combat, Matrix, magic, and social play
- Five paths: Mundane, Magician, Adept, Aspected Magician, Technomancer
- Glitches: half or more 1s complicates the roll, with no hits it turns critical
Shadowrun 6E rolls d6 dice pools: Attribute + Skill dice, counting 5s and 6s as hits against a threshold. Glitches (half or more 1s) complicate even successes, and Edge lets you reroll, add dice, or bend outcomes.
- Build your pool: relevant Attribute + Skill (plus modifiers), one d6 each.
- Roll and count hits: every 5 or 6 is a hit; meet the threshold (or beat the opposing roll) to succeed.
- Check for glitches: half or more of the dice showing 1s is a glitch (a critical glitch if you also scored no hits). Spend Edge to reroll failures or add dice when it matters.
Instead of “I attack,” state the goal: “I push them back from the door” or “I buy time for the escape.” This makes outcomes clearer.
Once the winner is clear, wrap it. Don’t grind out the last 10% if it doesn’t change the story.
- Mistake: Unclear turns and slow decisions. Fix: State intent, pick one action, resolve fast, and move on.
- Mistake: Grinding after the outcome is obvious. Fix: End scenes early and narrate the final advantage.