Rules reference
Advancement in Cyberpunk RED
How progression works and how to track it. Cyberpunk RED is a tabletop RPG set in Night City in the year 2045, a dystopian future where corporations rule, cyberware is common, and life is cheap. Players take on the roles of Edgerunners: cyberpunks, netrunners, solos, and other denizens of the mean streets trying to survive and thrive in a world of chrome and corruption.
Key points
Cyberpunk RED uses Improvement Points (IP) to advance skills and role abilities.
- 10 Roles: Netrunner, Solo, Tech, Medtech, Media, Exec, Lawman, Fixer, Nomad, Rockerboy
- d10 system: Roll Stat + Skill + 1d10 against Difficulty Value
- Improvement Points (IP): Used instead of XP for advancement
- Cyberware system: Enhance abilities but cost Humanity
- Role Abilities: Unique powers for each Role
- Combat system: Fast-paced action with armor, weapons, and cyberware
Cyberpunk RED progression: earn IP from sessions, spend it on skills, role abilities, and stats between games.
- GM awards IP after each session (typically 10-70).
- Spend IP on skills (new rank × 20 IP per rank) or Role Abilities (new rank × 60 IP). STATs can't be improved with IP.
- Buy cyberware with Eurodollars (money), not IP.
- Track Humanity loss as you install chrome: it is the progression pressure unique to RED.
Save IP for the abilities you actually use, then buy upgrades that reinforce your role (combat, hacking, fixing, etc.).
Cyberware and gear make you stronger. Track Humanity and consequences so the story stays grounded.
- Mistake: XP drift (nobody remembers what changed). Fix: Record gains/spends right after sessions and keep a short history.
- Mistake: Buying upgrades that don’t show up in play. Fix: Spend toward your concept and the scenes you actually get.