Shadowrun, Sixth World metatype
Elf
Elf is a metatype in Shadowrun, Sixth World: Graceful and long-lived metatype with raised Agility and Charisma maximums and easy access to polite society.
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Overview
Elves are built for the two things that get a runner paid: precision and presence. Raised Agility and Charisma maximums mean an elf can push the attribute behind Firearms, Stealth, and Athletics, or the one behind Influence and Con, higher than a human ever will. Long lifespans and a cultivated public image put elves in boardrooms and on the invitation lists a team needs to get inside a corporate function. The cost is visibility. An elf is recognizable, occasionally resented, and never the person a witness forgets. Elves also gain nothing in Body or Strength, so an elf who wants to soak damage buys it with armor, chrome, or the sense to not be hit.
How it works
Attribute Maximums: Agility and Charisma rise above the standard cap of 6, toward the racial ceiling of 8. Body and Strength stay at the ordinary maximum. Edge: Lower than a human's. Elves pay for their attribute range with fewer chances to reroll, so plan around succeeding on the first pool rather than fixing it afterward. Qualities: The classic elven traits are low light senses and longevity. This builder leaves Qualities as free text, so record the version your table uses rather than assuming a dice effect. Condition Monitors: No metatype help. Physical is 8 plus half Body rounded up, and an elf with Body 3 takes damage like any human with Body 3.
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Faces, adepts, and any shooter or infiltrator who wants Agility past 6, since Agility drives Firearms, Close Combat, Stealth, and Athletics. Character concepts: A trid celebrity funding a double life, a corporate negotiator who sells her employer out by the quarter, a street adept from the Barrens welcome in neither world. Synergies: Agility plus Firearms and Charisma plus Influence are both elven pools, so one character can be the shooter and the talker. Back it with Con for jobs where being memorable would end you.
Frequently asked questions
Elf or human for a face?
Elf if you want Charisma above 6 and the social access that comes with the lineage. Human if you would rather have the larger Edge pool to rescue a negotiation that goes wrong.
Can an elf be a front line fighter?
Yes, through Agility rather than Strength. An elf hits accurately and dodges well but has no raised Body maximum, so armor and staying out of return fire do the work a troll does with bulk.