LIFEPATH
You start with the Lifepath. In the Cyberpunk Red core rulebook, Lifepath is a flowchart of "plot complications" designed to help
you give your Cyberpunk Character an authentically Dark Future background. Its sections cover your national and ethnic origins,
your family, friends, enemies, personal habits, and even key events on a yearly basis. It's intended primarily as a guide; if you
encounter something you don't think fits the Character you've envisioned, feel free to change the path as you see fit.
In this Jumpstart Kit, you won’t be rolling as many options but you’ll still be generating a full background for your Character.
Remember: Cyberpunk hinges on roleplaying, so make use of the information in your Lifepath run. It's a guaranteed adventure
generator!
Lifepath: Enhancing roleplaying and fleshing out Characters’ stories since 1984.
Background
Somewhere in your early life, you inherited a background full of pain, desperation, or drama. Choose from the list
below or roll 1d10 to determine your story.
1 Your family lost everything through betrayal.
2 Your family lost everything through bad management.
3 Your family was exiled or otherwise driven from their original home/nation/Corporation.
4 Your family is imprisoned and you alone escaped.
5 Your family vanished. You are the only remaining member.
6 Your family was killed and you were the only survivor.
7 Your family is involved in a long–term conspiracy, organization, or association, such as a crime family or
revolutionary group.
8 Your family was scattered to the winds due to misfortune.
9 Your family is cursed with a hereditary feud that has lasted for generations.
10 You are the inheritor of a family debt; you must honor this debt before moving on with your life.
Motivation Goals
What makes you tick? What is the major driving motiva- What do you want from life? What is your ultimate
tion in your life? Choose or roll 1d10. goal? Choose or roll 1d10.
1 Money 1 Get rid of a bad reputation.
2 Honor 2 Gain power and control.
3 Your word 3 Get off the street no matter what it takes.
4 Honesty 4 Cause pain and suffering to anyone who
crosses you.
5 Knowledge
5 Live down your past life and try to forget it.
6 Vengeance
6 Hunt down those responsible for your life and
7 Love make them pay.
8 Power 7 Get what’s rightfully yours.
9 Having a good time 8 Save, if possible, anyone else involved in your
10 Friendship background.
9 Gain fame and recognition.
10 Become feared and respected.
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LIFEPATH
Friends Enemies
You lucked out and made a new friend (a rare occur- You’ve gotten in someone’s face. Enemies are a way
rence In the Cyberpunk world). Roll 1d10 and subtract 7 to of life In Cyberpunk, so don’t skip this step. Roll 1d10 and
see how many friends you have. For each friend, choose subtract 5 to see how many enemies you have. For each
or roll 1d10 to see who they are. enemy, choose or roll 1d10 to see who they are.
1 Like an older sibling to you 1 Ex–friend
2 Like a younger sibling to you 2 Ex–lover
3 A teacher or mentor 3 Relative
4 A partner or coworker 4 Childhood enemy
5 A former lover 5 Person working for you
6 An old enemy 6 Person you work for
7 Like a parent to you 7 Partner or coworker
8 An old childhood friend 8 Booster gang member
9 A relative 9 Corporate Exec
10 Someone with a common interest 10 Government official
Personality Romance
A Tragic Love Affair. Because if it were all happy, it
What is your basic personality like? Choose or roll
wouldn’t be Cyberpunk, now would it? Choose or roll
1d10. 1d10.
1 Shy and secretive 1 Your lover died in an accident.
2 Rebellious, antisocial, violent 2 Your lover mysteriously vanished.
3 Arrogant, proud and aloof 3 It just didn’t work out.
4 Moody, rash and headstrong 4 A personal goal or vendetta came between you
and your lover.
5 Picky, fussy, and nervous
5 Your lover was kidnapped.
6 Stable and serious
6 Your lover went insane.
7 Silly and fluff–headed
7 Your lover committed suicide.
8 Sneaky and deceptive
8 Your lover was killed in a fight.
9 Intellectual and detached
9 A rival cut you out of the action.
10 Friendly and outgoing
10 Your lover is imprisoned or exiled.
ace
In the Future, there’s no pl
to hide from yourself...
Lyle McClellan, Network 54
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6 6 10 7 4
STARTING HITS SERIOUSLY WOUN
LIFEPATH
A SAMPLE LIFEPATH
Athletics
(DEX) +3
Brawling
(DEX) +2
Concentration
(WILL) +4
Education Evasion Human Perception
SKILLS IN ACTION
(INT) +2
Local Expert
(DEX) +5
Marksmanship
(EMP) +5
Perception
(INT) +5 (REF) +4 (INT) +3
MoverPersuasion
the Solo Play
runsInstrument
his Lifepath.
Melee Weapon
(COOL) +6 (EMP) +6 (DEX) +3
He rolls:
6: Your family was killed and you
BACKGROUND
were the only survivor.
MOTIVATION 6: Vengeance.
5: Live down your past life and
GOALS
try to forget it.
1 Friend.
FRIENDS
2: Like a younger sibling to you.
2 Enemies.
ENEMIES 5: Person working for you.
4: Childhood enemy.
ROMANCE 8: Your lover was killed in a fight.
PERSONALITY 9: Intellectual and detached.
ALEXANDER DUDAR
What This Could Mean for the Player
Mover’s entire family was murdered, and he was the only survivor. He grew up to be an arrogant, proud, and aloof person.
Along the way, he picked up one friend who was like a kid sister to him. He also picked up two enemies: one from his child-
hood, and someone he’s worked with. His love life sucks: his lover was killed in a fight on the Street. With this history, Mover
is driven primarily by vengeance, but when he’s done avenging his lover’s death, his goal will be to live down his life of death
and vengeance, start a new life, and forget his whole dark past.
It’s All Good Fun for the GM, Too
A good GM can also have lots of fun using a Lifepath as a springboard for a whole series of adventures. Mover’s “sister” could
be kidnapped by his old childhood friend, who always hated the fact that Mover and his “sister” were close. Mover might find out
that his murdered lover faked their death and is now living with his work enemy. Mover’s rude and arrogant nature may have given
him a nasty Rep on the Street and now someone’s looking to take him down. For that matter, Mover’s family may have been tied up
in a long–running feud and now the guy who killed them is looking to wipe Mover’s entire line out for good.
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