In this Cyberpunk RED Free Basic Rules, only the Streetrat and Edgerunners strategies are available. For the Complete Package, check out the Cyberpunk RED Core Book

Making a Character

In Cyberpunk RED, there are three ways to generate your Character. Streetrat (Templates), Edgerunners (Fast and Dirty), and The Complete Package (Calculated). Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Streetrats (Templates): If you've never roleplayed before or just want to get going without a lot of fuss, Templates are the fastest way to start creating a Character. But don't underestimate Templates! In the hands of an experienced roleplayer, even a template can be modified to make a unique and fully fleshed-out Character by expanding on the basics. By adding as you play, the Template gathers more individuality to itself, getting better and better the more you play.

Edgerunners (Fast and Dirty): As you'll soon realize, the Cyberpunk RED Character Generation system is designed to give you a lot of flexibility. You can tailor the Character the way you want it, with lots of personal touches all through the process. But when you need to create a Character quickly and without a lot of painstaking detail, the Fast and Dirty method is an excellent option.

Complete Packages (Calculated): The Calculated method is by far the most complex way to make a Cyberpunk RED Character. Yet the reward is the ability to create a Character that is exactly what you want, using pools of points to buy Statistics  and Skills and starting money to buy weapons, armor, gear, and cyberware.

The following sections give you the tools you need to create a Character. To help make sense of it, we're including handy step by step charts to guide you through the process.

There's this whole weird ecosystem to Night City. Execs work the board rooms and pay Solos and Netrunners to wipe out competition. And then, there's all these Medtech and Techs patching up the Solos and fixing everyone's gear. There's the Lawmen trying to keep a lid on the whole situation and Medias and Rockerboys writing songs and articles about it all. And pretty much everybody's gotta go through a Fixer to get anything these days. Hell, half the stuff a Fixer sells blows into Night City on a Nomad caravan! It's like everybody needs everybody else.... And nobody trusts anyone.

— Danika "The Tundra" MacDouglas

Tagging the Paths

To make navigating Character Generation easier, we're placing tags next to each relevant section so you can tell, at a glance, if a set of instructions pertains to Streetrats, Edgerunners, or Complete Packages.

#STREET
Streetrats

#EDGE
Edgerunners

#CMPLT
Complete Packages

Throughout the book, you'll also find the DATA tag near interesting information that enhances or helps expand upon what you're reading. 

#DATA
Data

Creating a Streetrat or Edgerunner Character

#STREET
#EDGE

#1: Pick a Role

• Set your Role's Role Ability to 4. 
• For more about Role Abilities see the Role Abilities page.

#2: Run Your Lifepath

• Make sure to run both the  general Lifepath and your  Role-Based Lifepath.
• Remember to pick your Cultural Origin Language. You get that as a Skill at Rank 4.

#3: Roll Your Statistics (STATS)

• What are the Statistics?
• How does a Streetrat roll STATS?
• How does an Edgerunner  roll STATS?

For answers to these questions see the What are Statistics? page.

#4: Calculate Derived Statistics

• What are Derived Statistics?
• How do you calculate them?

#5: Set Your Skills

• What different Skills are there?
• How does a Streetrat set Skills?
• How does an Edgerunner buy Skills?

For answers to these questions see the Skills page.

#6: Record Weapons, Armor

• For lists of Weapons and Armor see the Next Up - Weapons and Armor page.
• How do you know what  weapons and armor you get?  See the Next Up - Weapons and Armor page.

#7: Record Outfit

• For a list of gear see the Next - Your Outfit page.
• For a list of fashions see the Fashion page.
• How do you know what's in your Outfit?  See the Fashion page.
• What about Lifestyle & Housing?  See the Fashion page.
• You've also got 500eb to spend on extra stuff or keep for the game.

#8: Record Cyberware

• For a list of Cyberware see the Cyberware page.
• How do you know what Cyberware you get? See the Cyberware page.