Introduction

Every GM needs to rely on some pre- created NPCs from time to time, but repeatedly pulling out the same old street sam can be downright embarrassing. So for gamemasters, and those looking for a new twist on the old standbys, we offer seven samurai archetypes for your enjoyment. Each archetype will be preceded by several topics:

Concept

The basic idea behind the archetype.

Rules

The rules used to create the archetype. This includes which system was used to create the archetype and lists any non-standard rules used. Some of these archetypes are not exactly by the book, but any rules transgressions are well-labeled. For example, by-the-book archetypes may not begin with any item with a rating greater than 6 or an availability greater than 8 (p. 60, Shadowrun 3rd Edition). Items that violate this rule will be marked with a *. In Third Edition, bioware is more balanced than before, so is no longer explicitly prohibited by rules for starting characters; however, the previously mentioned rules for availability apply to bioware for archetypes, as do the rules for Essence Index (p. 77, Man & Machine). As many campaigns use house rules preventing bioware for starting characters, the archetypes presented here are not as bioware intensive as they could be.

Alternates

Some archetypes list quick modifications that could be made.

Cost

This describes the priorities chosen or the point distribution for the archetype.

All archetypes are given two free level one contacts (p. 61, Shadowrun, 3rd Edition). The archetypes described here include these two contacts in their contact count. All characters begin with 3d6 x 100¥ in cash. This is listed for each archetype's starting cash, plus 10% of any tech money left over (p. 63, Shadowrun, 3rd Edition).

All characters start with a number of points for language skill equal to their intelligence times 1.5, rounded down (p. 91, Shadowrun 3rd Edition).

Any vehicles are priced using the prices from Rigger 3, which features very different prices than earlier books.

2060 Samurai

Concept: An update of the SR2 Street Samurai archetype, using the same priorities.

Rules: Standard priority system. Martial Arts rules from Cannon Companion.

Alternates: Can be made an ork or dwarf without the corresponding attribute changes affecting the cost of skills.

Cost: Attributes A, Tech B, Skills C, Magic D, Race E (human)

Cyberware

Cybereyes (alphaware)

[with lowlight, flare compensation, thermographic and rangefinder]

Datajack (alphaware)

Dermal Sheath: 1 (alphaware)

[+1 impact armor]

Muscle Replacement: 1 (alphaware)

Skillwires

[Max rating: 3, Max memory: 27Mp]

Smartlink II (alphaware)

Wired reflexes: 2

[with Reflex Trigger]

Contacts

Choose (2) contacts

Lifestyle

One month middle lifestyle prepaid

Gear

Bug Scanner: 6

Colt Cobra TZ-110

[caseless, smartgun II, 3 clips]

Colt Manhunter

[caseless, smartgun II, 5 clips, silencer, concealable quick-draw holster]

Cougar Short Blade

Dart Pistol

[smartgun II, 4 clips narcoject, concealable quick draw holster]

Doc Wagon Contract: Basic Service

Franchi SPAS-22

[40 rounds stun, 40 rounds regular]

Harley Scorpion

[anti-theft 6]

Pocket Secretary

[broadcast encryption 2]

Secure Jacket

Skillsoft Jukebox

[4 ports, 108 Mp]
Activesoft: Car 3
Activesoft: Computer 3
Activesoft: Shotgun 3

Sword

Starting Cash: (3d6 x 100¥) + 14¥

Bug Hunter

Concept: Specialist in seeking and destroying insectspirits.

Rules: Standard priority system. Martial Arts rules from Cannon Companion. Some non-official equipment (marked with †).

Cost: Skills A, Tech B, Attributes C, Race D (ork), Magic E

Cyberware

Chemical Analyzer: 6 (alphaware)

Datajack (alphaware)

Dermal Sheath: 1

[+1 impact armor]

Display link (alphaware)

Filtration System: 4

[Blood]

Gas Spectrometer: 6 (alphaware)

Headware Memory

[60Mp]

Orientation system

Wired Reflexes: 2

[with Reflex trigger]

Contacts

Choose (7) contacts

Lifestyle

Two months low lifestyle prepaid

Gear

Ares Viper

[6 clips, concealable quick draw holster]

Armtech Mgl-6

[6 "stink bomb" minigrenades†, 6 insecticide minigrenades†]

Binder: 6

[vs. insect spirit venom†, 10 doses]

Camouflage Armor Jacket

[urban, 5/3]

Chemical Analyzer Program: 6

[49Mp, in headware]

Climbing Gear

[harness, kit, gloves, 50m rope]

Combat Axe

Cougar Long Blade

Dart pistol

[4 clips insecticide dart†s, 4 clips narcoject darts]

Doc Wagon Contract: Basic Service

Forearm Guards

[+1 impact armor vs. melee attacks]

Form Fitting Armor

[full suit, 4/1]

Hyundai Offroader

[anti-theft: 6]

Katana

Pocket secretary

Sony Abacus

12 Shuriken

[coated with insecticide†]

Starting Cash: (3d6 x 100¥) + 114¥

Hardboy

Concept: An over-the-top, munchkinesque, non-subtle, heavy combat samurai. Not suitable for all campaigns.

Rules: Standard priority system. This archetype is a rule-bender, more suited for heavy opposition than as a player character. Some equipment beyond availability 8 (marked with *). Starts with bioware. Note that not all weapons listed can be carried or mounted simultaneously.

Alternates: The articulated arm takes up all of the ECU from the cyber torso. If removed, these ECU could be replaced with Body plating. Removing the arm (and, therefore, the DNI, router and arm-mountable guns as well) frees 127,118¥ and 0.23 Essence. The torso and skull could then support 8 points of ablative plating (yielding a +3/+3 to armor when intact), an extra level of Muscle Augmentation and two extra levels of Muscle Toner, with 1,118¥ left over.

Cost: Tech A, Attributes B, Skills C, Magic D, Race E (human)

Cyberware

Cybereyes

[with low light, thermographic, flare compensation, rangefinder]

Cyberskull (alphaware)

[obvious, +3 bonus for Intimidation]

Cybertorso (alphaware)

[obvious, articulated arm*]

DNI

[to articulated arm]

Router

[ports to DNI, smartgun, eyes]

Smartgun II (alphaware)

Wired 2 (alphaware)

[with reflex trigger]

Bioware

Muscle Augmentation: 3

Muscle Toner: 2

Contacts

Choose (8) contacts
Choose (1) buddy

Lifestyle

One month high lifestyle prepaid

Gear

Ares Alpha Combat Gun

[5 clips, mini-grenades: 8 smoke, 8 IPE offensive, 8 IPE defensive HE]

Ares HVAR*

[DNI adapted to articulated arm, caseless, smartgun II, 6 clips regular, 6 clips gel rounds]

Ares Predator III

[caseless, smartgun II, 4 clips, concealable quick draw holster]

Ares Roadmaster

[anti-theft: 6, runflat dual-purpose tires]

Combat Axe

Dart rifle

[DNI adapted to articulated arm, smartgun II, 2 clips narcoject]

Doc Wagon Contract: Gold

Medkit

Mossberg CMDT

[cyberchoke, smartgun II, 5 clips]

Pocket Secretary

[broadcast encryption: 2]

Secure Jacket (5/3)

Stun Baton

Starting Cash: (3d6 x 100¥) + 7¥

Pit Fighter

Concept: A highly augmented gladiator, geared toward hand-to-hand combat. Perhaps thought of best as a lethal professional wrestler or mixed martial artist.

Rules: Standard priority system. Martial Arts rules from Cannon Companion. Starts with bioware.

Alternates: Can be made an ork or dwarf without the corresponding attribute changes affecting the cost of skills.

Cost: Tech A, Attributes B, Skills C, Magic D, Race E (human)

Cyberware

Ceramic Bone Lacing (alphaware)

[+2 impact armor, (Str+3) M unarmed]

Cybereyes

[with flare compensation, thermal, lowlight]

Reaction Enhancer: 4

Wired Reflexes: 2 (alphaware)

[with reflex trigger]

Bioware

Muscle Augmentation: 2
Orthoskin: 3

[+2/+1 armor]

Suprathyroid Gland

Contacts

Choose (4) contacts

Lifestyle

Two months high lifestyle prepaid

[suprathyroid increases lifestyle costs by 40%]

Gear

Combat Axe

Doc Wagon Contract: Basic Service

Eurocar Westwind 2000 Turbo

[anti-theft: 6 w/ shock, runflat tires, 4 electronics ports]

Forearm Guards

[+1 impact vs. melee attacks]

Morrissey Alta

[5 clips]

Pocket Secretary

Secure Ultra-Vest

Telescoping Staff
Starting Cash: (3d6 x 100¥) + 77¥

Quick Troll

Concept: A very fast, and somewhat stylish, troll.

Rules: Point-based design system from Companion.

Cost: Points spent on attributes (52), skills (33), metahumanity (10, troll) and tech (25).

Cyberware

Dermal Sheathing: 1

Reaction Enhancer: 5

Smartgun II

Wired Reflexes: 2

[with reflex trigger]

Contacts

Choose (6) contacts

Lifestyle

Three months high lifestyle prepaid

Gear

Browning ultra-power

[caseless, smart II, 5 clips]

Forged identity: 6

Form-fit body armor

[full suit (4/1)]

Honda Viking

[anti-theft: 6]

Pocket secretary

Trés chic clothing

Samopal vz 88V

[caseless, smart II, 5 clips]

Starting Cash: (3d6 x 100¥) + 42¥

Stealth Samurai

Concept: A samurai with difficult-to-detect-augmentation, geared towards corporate infiltration missions.

Rules: Standard priority system. Starts with bioware.

Alternates: Can be made an ork or dwarf by reducing the Etiquette skill by one. If such a change is made, the Cat's Eyes system may also be eliminated in favor of three extra contacts.

Cost: Tech A, Attributes B, Skills C, Magic D, Race E (human)

Bioware

Cat's Eyes

Cerebral Booster: 2

Damage Compensator: 2

Enhanced Articulation

Mnemonic Enhancer: 3

Nephritic Screen

[+1 Body and -1 Power vs. toxins and pathogens]

Orthoskin: 3

[+2 ballistic/+1 impact]

Synaptic Accelerator: 2

Toxin Extractor: 3

[-3 Power vs. toxins]

Tracheal Filter: 3

[-3 Power vs. gas]

Trauma Damper

Contacts

Choose (6) contacts

Lifestyle

Two months mid lifestyle prepaid

Gear

Dart Pistol

[5 clips narcoject, concealable quick draw holster]

Ford Americar

Form Fitting Armor

[full suit (4/1)]

Keypad Sequencer

Microtronics Kit

Pocket Secretary

Starting Cash: (3d6 x 100¥) + 7¥

Sub Samurai

Concept: An elf samurai, built for underwater action.

Rules: Standard priority system.

Cost: Skills B, Tech B, Race C (elf), Attributes D, Magic E

Cyberware

Air Filters: 6

Balance Augmenter

Cyberears

[high-frequency, amplification, damper]

Cyberfins

Datajack (alphaware)

Internal Air Tank (alphaware)

[tracheal vent]

Kevlar Bone Lacing (alphaware)

[+1 ballistic]

OXSYS Cybergill

Smartlink II (alphaware)

Wired Reflexes: 1

[stepped reflex trigger]

Contacts

Choose (4) contacts

Lifestyle

Two months high lifestyle prepaid

Gear

Ares Predator III

[caseless variant, concealable quick draw holster, 4 clips, silencer]

Bug Scanner: 6

Cougar Fineblade Knife, Long Blade

Doc Wagon

Eurocar Westwind 2000

[anti-theft-6, runflat tires]

Forged Credstick: 5

Ingram Warrior-10

[caseless, smartgun II, gas vent 4, concealable quick draw holster, 5 clips]

Pocket Secretary

Secure Long Coat

6 Stim Patches: 6

2 Trauma Patches

Starting Cash: (3d6 x 100¥) + 3777¥