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Leadership (Cyberpunk RED)

Skills

Definition

Leadership is command presence: holding a group together under fire, giving orders that get followed, and keeping people from breaking when the plan collapses. It is not about rank, since almost nobody in an edgerunner crew has any, but about being the person others look at when something goes wrong. At the table Leadership mostly applies to NPCs. Player characters decide for themselves, so the skill earns its place with hired muscle, gang members, frightened civilians, and anyone the crew is temporarily responsible for. It is also the skill for the moment a job turns and twelve people in a corridor need to move in the same direction in the next four seconds.

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How it works

**Linked Stat**: COOL **Category**: Social **Resolution**: 1d10 plus COOL plus skill level against a DV set by how frightened, hostile, or unmotivated the group is. A natural 10 lets you roll again and add, a natural 1 makes you roll again and subtract. **Scope**: It works on NPCs and groups rather than on other players, who decide their own actions. Standing reputation matters too: a leader the group has seen deliver before faces a much lower DV than a stranger giving instructions.

Tips

**Best for**: Execs, Lawmen, and Nomads, all of whom come with people attached. **Character concepts**: A former squad sergeant, a gang lieutenant, an Exec who earns their team's loyalty, a Nomad who speaks for their family. **Synergies**: The Exec role ability Teamwork and the Lawman ability Backup both put people under your direction, and Leadership is what keeps them there. Persuasion covers individuals, Human Perception tells you who is about to run.

Frequently asked questions

Does Leadership work on other players?

No. Player characters choose their own actions. The skill applies to NPCs: hirelings, gang members, civilians, and anyone else the GM is running.

Is Leadership worth points in a small crew?

Less so if you never command anyone. It becomes valuable the moment your campaign involves hired help, a gang, a corporate team, or civilians who need to be moved somewhere safe.

How is it different from Persuasion?

Persuasion argues one person into a decision. Leadership directs a group in the moment, usually under pressure, and depends heavily on whether they already trust you.

Further Reading

Persuasion SkillConcentration SkillAll Cyberpunk RED Skills
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