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Rules reference

Equipment in Shadowrun 6th Edition

Gear basics and how equipment impacts play. 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

Equipment changes what’s possible in the fiction: access, leverage, and risk management. This page focuses on the gear that matters most.

Key facts
  • 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
Roll loop reminder

Shadowrun 6E rolls d6 dice pools: Attribute + Skill dice, counting 5s and 6s as hits against a threshold. Glitches (more than half the dice showing 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: more than half of the dice showing 1s is a glitch (a critical glitch if that glitch also scored zero hits). Spend Edge to reroll failures or add dice when it matters.
Example: Agility 5 + Firearms 4 = 9 dice vs threshold 3: rolling three 5s and a 6 gives 4 hits, a clean success unless five or more dice came up 1s.
Examples
Example: Gear as leverage

The best gear changes what’s possible: access, safety, speed, and options. Track what lets you do something you couldn’t do before.

Example: Use equipment to reduce risk

If a roll is dangerous, gear can change position: better tools, better cover, better information.

Common mistakes
  • Mistake: Tracking too many tiny items. Fix: Track gear that changes options, safety, speed, or access.
  • Mistake: Buying gear without a use case. Fix: Ask: what scene does this gear make easier or safer?
Character creation
Step-by-step checklist.
Cheat sheets
Quick lookup while you play.
Build guides for Shadowrun 6th Edition
Street samurai
Chromed combat specialist: guns, blades, and wired reflexes.
Decker
Matrix infiltration, data theft, and cracking the host.
Combat mage
Spellslinger and astral scout with summoning on tap.
Adept
Magic burned inward: a body tuned past human limits.
Face
The team’s voice: negotiation, cover identities, and contacts.
Rigger
Drones, vehicles, and overwatch from the back of the van.
Technomancer
The Matrix without a deck: sprites, threading, and Resonance.

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