Hack and Slash Shadowrun Options

[dirkformica]

I really like the setting, the atmosphere and the feel of Shadowrun. I want something different from the traditional medieval fantasy game. I vaguely remember having fun playing Shadowrun back in the 1st edition era (yes I’m old, but wait for the party where I’m still a 12 year old when it comes to games.) I really think a game where humans, elves, orcs and dragons can kill each other with magic and machine guns is awesome. I also like a lot of the mechanics.

However, I am a Hack and Slasher. I DON’T like a lot of role play. I don’t want to act out my character. I don’t want to have lengthy conversations with NPCs. I don’t want to have to track down a lot of clues and figure out mysteries and puzzles. I like tactics, but only those that end up with me having favorable odds to killing people. And I really like killing people and taking their stuff. If the majority of my game involves my character fighting and I win, then that is a successful night. If I get killed but did pretty well before I fell, that’s pretty great too.

This seems pretty contradictory with Shadowrun as presented. I do NOT want to change my perspective and desires. I do NOT want to become a Role player. I LOVE being a Roll player; that’s why I still play. If I have the choice between throwing dice at a problem to solve it, or acting something out, I NEVER WANT TO ACT IT OUT; I ALWAYS want to throw dice at it (preferably where I end up alive and the problem ends up dead.) Like I said, when I play I want to be a 12 year old boy who solves problems by beating them up, not by talking them through.

A lot of this seems contradictory to the Shadowrun system. It’s especially difficult since most of the time when you are fighting someone whoever goes first kills someone. If I go first, I machine gun you in your face until you’re dead and you don’t get to do anything. If you go first, you cast a spell and everyone is dead before they get to do anything. While it’s fun to annihilate it sucks to get annihilated. Also, being unstoppable is fun every so often and I think it should occur; but if you are ALWAYS unstoppable that’s boring.

So what are some ways to make the system work with those goals in mind? Does anyone have some tips or house rules to make Shadowrun more hack and slashy without the extreme lethality?

Just a note, if this isn’t your gaming style, please don’t jump in. If this offends you somehow, go to another thread. I’m just looking for ways to FORCE Shadowrun to conform to what I want out of a table-top game.

Thank you for your time.