Close Combat (Shadowrun 6th Edition)
Skills
Definition
Close Combat covers knives, swords, batons, monofilament nastiness, and bare hands. In the Sixth World it stays relevant because a lot of runs need silence, and a lot of buildings scan for guns at the door. It is also the answer when someone closes the gap on you. A firearms specialist with no ranks here is in trouble the moment a troll gets a hand on their jacket, and adepts build entire characters on this one skill.
How it works
**Linked Attribute**: Agility **Dice Pool**: Agility plus Close Combat, each 5 or 6 on a d6 counting as a hit. **Opposed Rolls**: Melee is resolved against the defender's own pool rather than a flat threshold, so the attribute behind it matters as much as the ranks. **Ratings**: 0 to 6 at creation, and a street samurai or adept usually parks 5 or 6 here.
Tips
**Best for**: Adepts, street samurai, and any runner who expects to work inside weapon-scanned buildings. **Character concepts**: A mystic martial artist, a knife fighter out of the barrens, a bodyguard trained to end things without noise. **Synergies**: Stealth sets up the approach, Athletics closes the distance, and Strength raises the damage your blade or fist puts through.
Frequently asked questions
Is Close Combat worth points if I carry a gun?
Yes. Quiet kills, weapon-scanned venues, and anyone who reaches you all bypass Firearms entirely.
Do blades and unarmed use the same skill?
Yes. One rating covers blades, clubs, and unarmed, so a single investment answers every melee situation.