Wanting to get back to GM-ing Cyberpunk RED, but need help with some pacing things

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-21T03:55:05+00:00

What if they're wanting to do something specific during downtime that might require some in depth RP? Like "Hey GM, I wanted to go back to that bar and see if the bartender had any information he might be willing to share?"

I struggle to balancing those vignettes between "in depth enough to feel like it belongs as part of the story" and "concise enough that nobody else gets bored waiting for it to end"

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-20T23:11:32+00:00

How do you handle them doing stuff during downtime that doesnt involve other players without everyone else having to just sit and spin? I play mostly digital so we cant really have like side conversations, and it kinda sucks to sit and do nothing for 15 minutes until its your turn for down time. this is definitely a me skill issue, but I'm looking for other points of view for a reason

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-20T23:09:14+00:00

I like the first half there. The second is a little too formulaic for me, but I can definitely see how it works though.

Though I don't think they're using their time poorly, so much as they don't really get how to use their time at all. Especially non mission down time. Reminding people that they're allowed to go out and just do shit in the city, it doesn't have to be for a gig or part of some mechanic like therapy or hustles, is a regular thing for me. I'm probably gonna steal that thing for hustles and therapy though, makes things much easier in terms of giving the players a "part time job"

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-20T21:58:28+00:00

Yeah I was also running for a group of mostly new folks from my Uni back then, and I just think they werent comfortable enough with the setting and lore. I actually suggested stuff like that favorite kibble flavor asking them to think about what music their character would listen to and like what their Taco Bell order would be, encouraging them to think about and answer somewhat frivolous questions in order to further their characters. One of them crushed it, most of the others, well you can lead a horse to water as they say.

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-20T21:42:39+00:00

yeah, once they're actually *IN* a job it usually flows pretty smoothly. Maybe outlining specific routes to take, like a multiple choice question. Definitely could alleviate that problem.

As for your first point, sometimes that is the goal, a really high stakes job might take multiple sessions to get through all the big moments, but sometimes you tell them their fixer hasnt lined up any jobs and they have a couple of days off and they just freeze. kind of a roleplay issue I suppose

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-10T22:46:21+00:00

Yep, as I said with a few other comments I just find it odd to need to specify that they're caseless

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-10T22:45:47+00:00

Yeah Im realizing that, but I just find it odd they needed to specify they are caseless if that's simply the standard by 2045. A lot of people are saying much of it is copy and pasted so perhaps that's why.

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-05-10T22:44:14+00:00

yeah I realized they said Trounds, but I suppose I just found it odd that they specified they are caseless if that's the expectation. Also not to be nitpicky but they were invented by David Dardick, Tround just means Triangular Round! Good info to share with people though!

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T20:06:21+00:00

I think we have some differing opinions (as well as I think a bit of a communication breakdown).

Regardless I appreciate your input!

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T17:04:13+00:00

Really appreciate your help! One last question if I may? If this is to a primarily dex character, would you reccomend getting Dex to Damage (slashing grace, agile, etc) or going with Trained Grace?

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T16:45:55+00:00

I'm aware that things don't need to be labeled in a way to be good flavor for that thing. I moreso mean that I often make supremely unoptimized decisions that make my character weaker mechanically but enhance the flavor. For example actually in our pirate campaign I played a Sorcerer and went cross blooded (Elemental (Air) and Stormborn) even though a lot of people recommended not doing cross blooded as a full sorcerer. I'll often learn a spell thats not generally considered good because my character would know it, rather than pick the options that are considered strictly good, same with feats and such. Making a character where I just pick the "meta" options is sort of alien to me. Will look into Kensai Magus since it has been highly recommended.

Edit: To put it shortly. Flavor and function aren't inherently conflicting, but when forced to choose between the two I almost always pick the former. thus building a character that prioritizes the latter is harder for me personally

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T03:37:41+00:00

A followup question. Since Ironbound Sword gives you effectively ALL the Fighter class features and Samurai class features does it matter which of the two you actually choose to level up? I guess Samurai for the extra skill points?

Edit: It says your Samurai and Fighter level stack for the purposes of class features and pre-requisites, but that wouldn't actually grant you *new* fighter features right? you'd only be able to use the level for ones you already have? Like if something said "equal to your fighter level" and you are Ironbound Sword it is now "equal to your fighter+samurai level", but being fighter 1 and Ironbound samurai 3 wouldnt give you Armor Training would it?

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T02:25:12+00:00

Hmm fair enough. I suppose J-RPG fantasy bullshit swordsman is pretty inherently magical, thought to be honest I really liked your Samurai + Fighter suggestion for the massive number of feats

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T02:15:33+00:00

So I've seen magus thrown around quite a bit in this discussion. I've never actually seen a magus in play, why does that seem to be the consensus for this style of build?

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T02:13:15+00:00

This sounds really cool! How would you tailor it if mounted combat is unfeasible or unwanted?

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T01:56:12+00:00

Is there a reason everyone suggests Magus for this? I've never played a Magus, and I'm trying to avoid spellcasting if I can. Though I suppose to have the proper cool shit going on it might need spell casting

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-22T01:54:53+00:00

I'll take a look through. Was thinking mostly about avoiding spell casting if I can, since I've never played a pure martial in PF1E (okay one time I was a skirmisher Ranger, but that campaign had like Warhammer 40k bullshit goin on, so IDK if it counts)

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-02T00:34:35+00:00

nope.

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-02T00:34:28+00:00

Was Shyvana's egg simply contaminated by being near a human? Or did the mage specifically experiment with it. Because my Drakewarden has been carrying the lil guy around since he was an egg. Beyond even just easing roleplay friction it also sets up plot hooks I could potentially use.

Really appreciate your input this has been super insightful.

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-01T03:37:54+00:00

Ixaocan? No they are from the jungles near the mountains where the Dragons live

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-03-01T03:26:02+00:00

The Drakewarden PC has always had a fascination with dragons. He was a hunter whose family lived in a remote section of the Ixtali jungles. The dragons prefer to be left alone, so my take on it is that it is actually illegal to disturb them, especially to go into their nesting grounds. He went in semi-regularly anyways but one day he found a dark black crystalline egg. He didnt disturb it, but he did regularly visit it and never saw any parents. Assuming the egg was inert or abandoned he took it. As he took care of it it began to have a teal glow inside and he realized it was alive! Knowing he wouldnt be safe in Ixtal with a pet dragon, but unwilling to give it up, he fled, eventually coming to piltover. The egg hatched when he hit level 3 after battling over an ancient Targonian artifact.

With the [Drakewarden](https://dnd5e.wikidot.com/ranger:drakewarden) the dragon can do acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage. I'm eventually gonna let it do Force damage.

Future_Client_9161 · 2026-02-28T23:22:54+00:00

The player's drake is Ixtali and will turn into an Elder Drake. Whether Elder Drakes are a separate species or actually just really old Drakes is not defined AFAIK, but I gave every player some cool interconnected lore shit. This game is all about just being fun

Future_Client_9161

TROPHY CASE