Shadowrun 3rd Edition Cheat Sheet
Making Tests
Target Numbers (T#) – 2+ 4 is average, 10 nearly impossible.
When rolling, 6’s explode, that’s how T# can be above 6.
*** Does NOT apply to Initiative Tests ***
1’s are always failures. If ALL dice are 1’s, the test is a botch.
Types of Tests
Success Tests
Standard Test = Attribute or Skill Rating vs. T#, to get a number of successes.
ex. Willpower (5) Test
Opposed or Success Contests
As Standard Tests, T# = Opponents Attribute or Skill Rating. Highest number of
successes wins.
For Success Contest, winner is net successes.
In the event of a tie, usually, nothing happens.
Open Tests
Usually to set a T#, Attribute or Skill Rating roll to achieve the highest number
possible.
Time
Combat Turns – Roughly 3 seconds long
Initiative – Initiative Passes/Combat Phase [Combat p.102]
Actions
During their Combat Phase, each character can take 1 Free Action and either 1
Complex Action or 2 Simple actions.
Delayed Actions [Combat p.103] – Characters can choose to act in a later
Initiative Pass in the Combat Turn, they may then intervene and take their action
as normal.
Attributes
Physical Mental Special
Body Charisma Essence
Quickness intelligence Magic
Strength Willpower Reaction
Magic Rating = Magic Attribute – Cyberware Essence Reduction (rounded down)
Initiative Total = (augmented) Reaction + Initiative Dice *** 6’s do NOT explode
***
Skills
Skill Types are either Active or Knowledge.
Specializations [p82] – Increase to one specific area of a skill, at a cost to the
rest of the standard skill.
Complimentary Skills, allow for a second skill to enhance a test made with
another skill.
Dice Pools
*** Pools refresh at the beginning of each Combat Turn ***
Combat Pool – Added to any offensive or defensive combat-related tests. May
also be used for dodge and to resist damage from normal attacks.
Combat Pool = (Quickness + Intelligence + Willpower) / 2, rounded down
The maximum number of Combat Pool dice a character can add to any offensive
test is equal to Skill Rating they are testing.
Can only be used to resist magic-related tests in the case of elemental
manipulation spells, to dodge or resist damage.
Surprised characters can NOT use Combat Pool dice to defend themselves.
Characters Combat Pool is reduced by 1 die for every 2 points the armor’s Ballistic
or Impact Armor Rating exceeds the character’s Quickness rating.
Magician’s Astral Combat Pool = (Intelligence + Willpower + Charisma) / 2,
rounded down
Rigger’s Control Pool – Used to augment tests strictly related to controlling
a rigged vehicle, such as Maneuver Tests or resisting damage.
*** Rigger must be rigged into the vehicle ***
Control Pool = Reaction modified by Vehicle Control Rig (VCR)
The maximum number of Control Pool dice that can added to any roll is equal to
the base dice pool rating.
Hacking Pool – May be added to any test made in the Matrix – System Tests,
Attack or Defense Tests, maneuvers, programming, or even Attribute Tests.
[Matrix p.227]
Hacking Pool = (Intelligence + Deck MPCP rating) / 3, rounded down
*** May NOT be used in Body or Willpower Tests to resist Gray or Black ICE,
or Ettiquette (Matrix) Tests ***
*** Only characters with a cyberdeck can use a Hacking Pool. ***
The maximum number of Hacking Pool dice that can added to any roll is equal to
the base dice pool rating.
Spell Pool – May be used to augment Spell Success Tests and Drain Resistance
Tests in spellcasting, Dispelling, and for Spell Defense. [p. 183]
*** Spell Pool dice can NOT be used to augment Conjuring or any other magic-
related tests. ***
Spell Pool = (Intelligence + Willpower + Magic Rating) / 3, rounded down
The maximum number of Spell Pool dice that can be added to any test is equal to
the base Sorcery Skill dice used in that test.
*** There is NO LIMIT to the number of Spell Pool dice than can be added to
a Drain Resistance test. ***
Karma Pool – Karma is awarded to characters at the end of an adventure. 5%,
for meta-humans, and 10% for humans, of awarded Karma goes into Good
Karma and used to improve Abilities and Skills. The remainder goes into the
Karma Pool. The Karma Pool is used to augment tests or get out of trouble.
Karma Pool refreshes every 24 hours of game time, next game session, or partial
based upon story milestones.
Karma Pool can be used for…
• 1 Karma Point may be spent to re-roll any failed test dice. The player may
spend 2 points to re-roll the die a second time, 3 points for a third time, etc.
The point cost is per die.
• 1 Karma Point may be spent to turn a botch into a simple failure.
• In Open Tests, players may spend 1 point to re-roll one die, 3 points to re-roll
2 dice, 6 points to re-roll 3 dice, etc.
• A character may buy additional Test dice to roll at the cost of 1 point for 1
die, 3 points for 2 dice, 6 points for 3 dice, etc.
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