Science (Cyberpunk RED)
Definition
Science covers formal technical knowledge in a particular discipline: what an unlabelled compound is, whether a pathogen is engineered, how a piece of experimental hardware could possibly work. It is deep rather than broad, and it is bought per field, so a chemist is not automatically a biologist. At the table Science is the skill that turns a strange object into information. Cyberpunk RED plots run heavily on corporate research: leaked prototypes, unlicensed pharmaceuticals, biological samples somebody was paid a lot of money to move. Without a scientist, the crew delivers those things without ever learning what they were carrying, which is normally when the campaign turns on them.
How it works
Tips
Frequently asked questions
Do I pick a specific field?
Yes. Science is bought per discipline, so name it at creation: chemistry, biology, physics, pharmacology. It shapes which questions you can answer without a penalty.
Science or Basic Tech?
Science explains why something works, Basic Tech makes it work. A scientist can identify what a device does; a Tech is the one who can repair it or take it apart safely.
Is Science useful in a street-level game?
Less than in a corporate-research campaign, but drugs, poisons, and stolen samples show up in almost every Night City story. One rank or two often prevents an expensive mistake.