Cyberpunk RED skill
Play Instrument
Play Instrument is a skill in Cyberpunk RED: Performing music live, whether on synth, guitar, or something stranger.
Last reviewed
Key facts
- Stat
- TECH
- Category
- performance
Overview
Play Instrument is musical performance: technique, timing, and the ability to hold an audience through a set. It is keyed to TECH rather than COOL, which reads oddly until you consider that it measures the craft of playing rather than the charisma of being on stage. At the table it is the Rockerboy's working skill and a strong cover for everyone else. A musician has a legitimate reason to be in a venue, backstage, at a corporate function, or on a stage in front of the exact crowd the crew needs to reach. It also generates money and contacts, which for a street-level campaign is a genuinely useful engine that does not require anyone to be shot.
How it works
Linked Stat: TECH Category: Performance Resolution: 1d10 plus TECH plus skill level against a DV set by the difficulty of the material and how demanding the audience is. A natural 10 rolls again and adds; a natural 1 rolls again and subtracts. With the role ability: For a Rockerboy, performance is the delivery mechanism for Charismatic Impact, which is what moves the crowd. Play Instrument makes the show good; the role ability turns a good show into an effect on the people watching.
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Rockerboys above all, and any character who wants a legitimate public identity. Character concepts: A Combat Zone punk with a message, a session player picking up corporate gigs, a Nomad who plays at every stop, a Media who tours as cover. Synergies: Charismatic Impact turns the performance into influence. Wardrobe and Style and Personal Grooming build the image, Streetwise finds venues that will book you, and Composition writes what you are playing.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Play Instrument based on TECH?
Because it measures craft: technique, timing, control of the instrument. The charisma half of a performance is COOL and, for Rockerboys, the Charismatic Impact role ability.
Do I need to be a Rockerboy to take it?
No. Any character can play. What a Rockerboy adds is a role ability that converts a performance into influence over the crowd, which is a separate thing from playing well.
Can it make money?
Yes, modestly and reliably. Regular gigs supply income, a reason to be in specific rooms, and a steady stream of contacts, which is often worth more to a campaign than the eddies.