With Tactics I rule it where if the player using it comes up with a plan for a combat encounter ahead of time and succeeds on the roll I’ll let them pick to give the entire group +1 for the first successful attack (per player) each round or +1 initiative for all players
New graphics, formatting, and text looking really good man, much cleaner and well formatted compared to the older stuff. Keep the great content coming!
Had a stand off with millitech mercs after a fender bender during an ongoing buddy cop campaign. Used tactics to see where they were likely to move before combat started. Thankfully it didn't turn into a shootout. We did give millitech corpo d-bag a speeding ticket though ;)
After almost a year of play, I find that play instrument is a really good skill I've used it a ton for my rockerboy You can get places with a rockerboys "You can play at X venue" skills, but once you get in you have to deliver the promise with play instrument. But that's also an opportunity, you can make fans, impress important people and more importantly, get famous With really high play instrument rolls my character has released music that's been a city wide hit and impressed people like Kerry Eurodyne now that it's a +18 Last session during downtime my character released a new single and rolled a 22 on play instrument and 20 on charismatic impact and it was basically an instant hit. Turn style into substance, become a legend
I think Wardrobe and Style could be a great skill for infiltration. If you dress convincingly enough like the local gangers, they might think you're one of them
Not a critique of a video or game, but I found it a little disappointing/underwhelming (at least in my experience) where one of the core gameplay ideas is "style over substance", Wardrobe & Style are being almost dismissive in a lot of situations unless its a very clear that you need it - like you're trying to dress as one of the gang mebers, or you go to a club, areas where the need to have appropriate or good clothing is a requirement, but I feel this should be extended to much more - you're walking in an alleyway and meet some booster gang, if youre wearing something like nomad leathers or gang outfit and have high W&S, well maybe even without having guns you look dangerouns enough for them to be cautious/respect you. Feel like its a bit underused skill that should at least come in as a complimentary for many social situations.
In my Witcher-Campaign, I removed the languages from the skill list and just allowed my players to learn a new tongue during time jumps. The first time they do it, they have make an INT-check for every time they try to speak or understand the language. But if they use a second time jump, they don't need to roll anymore. I think I'm gonna use this method in Cyberpunk as well.
Thanks for the explanations! Getting ready for Session zero and my first go at CPR GM and these are great info. P.s When's the next Night City Council vid coming?
do you have any advice on having players use human perception? I want to give them a a chance to spot a liar but im worried that asking them to roll it is just gonna give it away. My players aren't too bad about metagaming but are there any trick for this?
Yes 👍, no problem. That is the design intent of the skill. Your NPCs will have to roll Persuasion vs your player’s Human Perception. I usually tell my players that their instinct tells them they’re lying or telling the truth (depending what’s appropriate). If your players are going around using that skill on everyone, then it can be disruptive. I would tell them “this NPC isn’t trying to persuade you to believe them. They may be lying. They may be telling the truth. It’s irrelevant at the moment. Your instincts tell you that you need more information.”
There's nothing wrong at sugesting players to roll something if you want to give them a chance to spot something. Try be non-chalant about it. Human Perception is equivalent for Insight in dnd 5e, for example, you dont need to give away any set-in-stone answers. "You notice this NPC is glancing arround and not making eye contact. I see you have Human Perception as one of your skills, you can roll it if you think your character can take useful information out of it". This can be anything, it doesnt spoil anything about your plot, you can even have something like this for an unimportant NPC, and just explain it away as this person having social anxiety, some other mental characteristic, being on drugs, being hunted by someone, etc. tl;dr dont be afraid of "nudging" your players towards a roll that could, if successfull, reveal interesting information about the plot or a character, or solve an issue they arent aware could be cumbersome later on. (From what i've seen, this nudging can even motivate your players to be more atentive of their skills and start requesting rolls naturally through the game, which is good because it shows engagement, even if it doesnt lead anywere most of the time)
I don't understand how languages work in this game. Look, in character creation you gain free 4 points in one language you choose, based on your character ethnicity. Like Russian, Spanish, Japanese, etc. And now there's skill called Language, which gives you an additional language to speak every time you put a point in it. Also, there's Fixer's role ability that too gives you additional languages when you upgrade it.
Well, now when I think a little, I thought it works like - you got new language through skill or role ability, this language starts at 1 and now you can progress it like any other skill, which shows how good you at speaking/writing/reading in that specific language. Am I right?
Jonjon, as of v1.25 of the core rule book, Play Instruments is a Tech skill.
with the Tactics skill I give access to gesture communication (military/swat) and knowledge of basic radio codes (like police or army).
With Tactics I rule it where if the player using it comes up with a plan for a combat encounter ahead of time and succeeds on the roll I’ll let them pick to give the entire group +1 for the first successful attack (per player) each round or +1 initiative for all players
New graphics, formatting, and text looking really good man, much cleaner and well formatted compared to the older stuff. Keep the great content coming!
Thank you! Im trying to get better and better over time as much as I can. I appreciate the support
Had a stand off with millitech mercs after a fender bender during an ongoing buddy cop campaign.
Used tactics to see where they were likely to move before combat started. Thankfully it didn't turn into a shootout. We did give millitech corpo d-bag a speeding ticket though ;)
After almost a year of play, I find that play instrument is a really good skill
I've used it a ton for my rockerboy
You can get places with a rockerboys "You can play at X venue" skills, but once you get in you have to deliver the promise with play instrument.
But that's also an opportunity, you can make fans, impress important people and more importantly, get famous
With really high play instrument rolls my character has released music that's been a city wide hit and impressed people like Kerry Eurodyne now that it's a +18
Last session during downtime my character released a new single and rolled a 22 on play instrument and 20 on charismatic impact and it was basically an instant hit.
Turn style into substance, become a legend
My games have been suffering from to many persuasion checks and I completely glossed over Acting. Thanks JonJon!
I love Acting! You can just improvise a complete story for everyone to believe in and it ends up becoming "real" for the social encounter!
Conversation could also be used to stall for time
I think Wardrobe and Style could be a great skill for infiltration. If you dress convincingly enough like the local gangers, they might think you're one of them
Not a critique of a video or game, but I found it a little disappointing/underwhelming (at least in my experience) where one of the core gameplay ideas is "style over substance", Wardrobe & Style are being almost dismissive in a lot of situations unless its a very clear that you need it - like you're trying to dress as one of the gang mebers, or you go to a club, areas where the need to have appropriate or good clothing is a requirement, but I feel this should be extended to much more - you're walking in an alleyway and meet some booster gang, if youre wearing something like nomad leathers or gang outfit and have high W&S, well maybe even without having guns you look dangerouns enough for them to be cautious/respect you. Feel like its a bit underused skill that should at least come in as a complimentary for many social situations.
I like this series! Helps a ton to think about cool story hooks and obstacles using stuff we wouldnt normally use.
In my Witcher-Campaign, I removed the languages from the skill list and just allowed my players to learn a new tongue during time jumps. The first time they do it, they have make an INT-check for every time they try to speak or understand the language. But if they use a second time jump, they don't need to roll anymore.
I think I'm gonna use this method in Cyberpunk as well.
Really finding your videos helpful. Thank you for your efforts.
Thank you once again JonJon!!!
Coincidentally I had just started watching your first two parts, so I'm happy this has come out when it did!
Melee Weapon is a great Complimenary Skill Check for Interrogation..
Great video and content in general!
Thanks for the explanations! Getting ready for Session zero and my first go at CPR GM and these are great info.
P.s When's the next Night City Council vid coming?
Glad to be of help choom! James and I just finished recording moments ago. Expect it soon
do you have any advice on having players use human perception? I want to give them a a chance to spot a liar but im worried that asking them to roll it is just gonna give it away. My players aren't too bad about metagaming but are there any trick for this?
Yes 👍, no problem. That is the design intent of the skill. Your NPCs will have to roll Persuasion vs your player’s Human Perception. I usually tell my players that their instinct tells them they’re lying or telling the truth (depending what’s appropriate). If your players are going around using that skill on everyone, then it can be disruptive. I would tell them “this NPC isn’t trying to persuade you to believe them. They may be lying. They may be telling the truth. It’s irrelevant at the moment. Your instincts tell you that you need more information.”
There's nothing wrong at sugesting players to roll something if you want to give them a chance to spot something. Try be non-chalant about it. Human Perception is equivalent for Insight in dnd 5e, for example, you dont need to give away any set-in-stone answers. "You notice this NPC is glancing arround and not making eye contact. I see you have Human Perception as one of your skills, you can roll it if you think your character can take useful information out of it". This can be anything, it doesnt spoil anything about your plot, you can even have something like this for an unimportant NPC, and just explain it away as this person having social anxiety, some other mental characteristic, being on drugs, being hunted by someone, etc.
tl;dr dont be afraid of "nudging" your players towards a roll that could, if successfull, reveal interesting information about the plot or a character, or solve an issue they arent aware could be cumbersome later on.
(From what i've seen, this nudging can even motivate your players to be more atentive of their skills and start requesting rolls naturally through the game, which is good because it shows engagement, even if it doesnt lead anywere most of the time)
I don't understand how languages work in this game. Look, in character creation you gain free 4 points in one language you choose, based on your character ethnicity. Like Russian, Spanish, Japanese, etc.
And now there's skill called Language, which gives you an additional language to speak every time you put a point in it.
Also, there's Fixer's role ability that too gives you additional languages when you upgrade it.
Well, now when I think a little, I thought it works like - you got new language through skill or role ability, this language starts at 1 and now you can progress it like any other skill, which shows how good you at speaking/writing/reading in that specific language. Am I right?
Thanks for the guide
Funnily enough, for rp reasons, my rocker has a 16 in both grooming and style
That’s fun!
What about opposed tactic checks grant an initiative bonus?
Go for it choom!
💕