Cyberpunk RED skill
Composition
Key facts
- Stat
- INT
- Category
- education
- Linked Stat
- INT
- Time
- Quality work takes time. A rushed piece raises the DV, and a long project can be handled as downtime.
Overview
Composition is the skill of making something new: songs, scores, scripts, poems, articles, and the other written or composed work that carries a name on it. Play Instrument covers performing, and Composition covers creating the piece to perform. At the table it matters most to Rockerboys and Medias, whose reputations rest on work people actually want to hear or read, but it is equally the skill behind a forged anthem, a viral jingle, or a speech that moves a room. In a city that runs on attention, a crew member who can produce content on demand is quietly useful.
How it works
Category: Education
Resolution: 1d10 plus INT plus skill level against a DV set by how polished, original, or time-pressured the piece needs to be. A natural 10 lets you roll again and add, a natural 1 makes you roll again and subtract.
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Rockerboys and Medias first, and any character whose concept includes making art. Character concepts: A songwriter for hire, a pirate-radio scriptwriter, a ghostwriter for executives, a poet who sells verses to the club scene. Synergies: Play Instrument turns the piece into a performance, Acting sells a script, and Persuasion gets it in front of the people who matter.
Frequently asked questions
Is Composition the same as Play Instrument?
No. Play Instrument is performing music, and Composition is writing it, along with other original work. Many artists take both.
Does Composition help a Rockerboy's role ability?
It supports the same career: a better catalogue gives Charismatic Impact more to work with. The role ability itself is a separate rank.
How high should Composition go?
Skills cap at 6 during character creation and 10 afterwards. A character who does not make art for a living rarely needs more than a few ranks.