Project lead and Shadowrun creator Jordan Weisman spoke to Game Informer to help explain. Ultimately however the game is designed to allow to player to develop their skills in any way they see fit. Archetypes in Shadowrun serve as a pre defined set of skills that help the player begin their journey playing a style of character that suits them. However, they are limited by the fact that their charisma and intelligence will always be sub-par.Īfter selecting their race, players will be asked to choose an Archetype.

Troll - Capable of strength and toughness that exceeds all others.

Ork - Strong and tough second only to the trolls in this regard, the orcs still remain reasonably well rounded in other capabilities.

Dwarf - While moderately strong and durable, the dwarfs' greatest strength is their willpower.

Elf - Swifter than the other races, they also gain a bonus to charisma.

Human - The most well rounded of the races, they gain an extra three karma points during creation.

Each race possesses a unique look as well as its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Since the awakening of 2012, five races have come to be considered Meta-Human and make up the world of Shadowrun. Next, the player will be asked to choose the race of their character.

Therefore, this is merely a cosmetic decision.

There are no statistical advantages or changes to the gameplay from choosing either male or female. First off, a new player will be asked to select their character's gender.

Shadowrun 5e sheet character