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Bandit

Dealing with street gangs is a fact of life for many, and as the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them. Bandits work their way through the dangerous underbelly of society. They might start as lowly thugs, but if they’re ambitious and ruthless enough, they might be the next crime boss of the city.

Every gang has its own style (something that obviously goes double for poser gangs). Raffen Shiv form highway robber gangs while booster gangs might have nearly religious veneration for enhancements. Players with Bandit characters should talk to the GM about what their gang is like. One of those in Cyberpunk RED on page 308-309 might be a good start. Once you have a name for your gang, you can use the lifepath tables to help flesh it out.

A combination of their ability to handle the roughest part of society and the contacts within their gang is what defines bandits. In cyberpunk, attitude is vital to anyone who wants to get anywhere, but in a gang, it’s all you really have. Those who are good at what they do and demand respect for it rise in rank, those who aren’t good but demand respect anyway will die. But those who don’t stick up for themselves won’t get anywhere, and that’s worse.

Individuality and community are equally important to Bandits and without the former, you won’t get the latter. For a gang to be strong, everyone in it has to be as tough as possible and that’s how you’ll know that calling on the others gives you the best ruffians the streets can muster. Prove how badass you are and everyone else will try to prove themselves to you! Rule the streets and let everyone hear the roar if their toughest Bandit!

[quote|Maelstrom recruiter]Ya strong ‘nuff to chrome up? Split some nerves?[/quote]

Lifepath

What kind of gang are you in?
1d10 Type
1Poser gang for a specific style. Choose one or roll 1d6: 1: steampunk, 2: glamor and glitter, 3: gothic rock, 4: film noir, 5: classic movie, 6: a specific artist
2Booster gang that praises cybernetic enhancements.
3A violent power gang where might is the goal.
4Exotic poser gang that uses body sculpting to give members a non-human appearance.
5Chemical booster gang. Emphasis is on combat drugs and bio-enhancements.
6The gang are idealists who see themselves as the ultimate protectors of the innocent, opposition to fascists, patriots, or some other virtue.
7The members have joined up only from disdain for other gangs and will only stick around for now.
8The gang is centered around a family or bloodline
9Doomsday cult or a conspiracy theorist group.
10Cult who worships some obscure entity or has a very alternative take on a traditional religion.
When things go wrong, they use...
1d6 Methods
1Murder. Corpses don’t talk back or tell on you.
2Blackmail and coercion. Which means needing dirt on everyone, just in case.
3Fear. Which means following up on even the worst threats or they’ll all lose their meaning.
4Dependency. If they can’t make it without your drugs or cyberware, they have to come back.
5Kidnapping. No one will believe a joytoy doll on the other side of the world.
6Framing. With enough connections, the police arrests the ones you want.
How does the gang make money?
1d10 Main Source
1Illicit drugs
2Racketeering
3Robberies
4Sex work
5Smuggling
6Hacking
7Gambling
8Fighting or Racing
9Scams
10Scavenging
What’s the gang’s main hangout?
1d6 Hangout
1Night Club or Bar
2Abandoned Factory
3Thematic to the gang type, such as a cemetery for a goth gang
4Secret hideout
5Behind a legitimate business venue
6A privately owned homestead
The gang’s current boss is...
1d10 Boss
1Violent and ruthless, but fair
2Leaves almost everything to underlings
3Self-indulgent but fun
4Paranoid and scheming, but an effective leader
5Prone to nepotism, but caring and friendly
6Just one in a long line of bosses who never survive long
7A former Edgerunner who took a bullet to the knee
8Likely in the pocket of a megacorp, but pulls in eddies
9A complete creep, but keeps other nasties at bay
10Unclear. The boss got killed and now there’s a power vacuum at the top

Establish a name for the gang’s leader and talk to the GM about who in the gang you would typically answer to.

Connection Qustions

Ask these questions to different players about their characters to build existing relationships.

  • What trouble with my gang did I get you out of?
  • Who did I attack for you?
  • Why would you trust my gang over others?

Role Ability

Add your Bandit rank to facedowns within your gang and half (rounded down) with members of other gangs who’ve heard of you. Criminal connections are reflected in your ability to bully other gang members into doing what you want. The lower ranks fall in line easier, but they’re the least capable and most reckless. Sacrificing members without rewards will soon result in no one listening to you, despite your rank.

Your tough attitude allows you to suck it up when you’re injured. A number of times depending on your Role eank, you ignore any penalties for wound states for the next minute and you heal 1d6 HP. Dor the duration, you take 2 instead of 5 damage due to the Foeign Object Critical Injury, but other critical injuries are unchanged.

Rank1-34-67-910
Uses2345

Bandit Rank 1-2

You still haven’t proven yourself enough to boss others around, but attempting it is good practice.

Bandit Rank 3-4

After a successful facedown, fresh recruits will follow your orders for as long as they think you can check up on them. They still won’t risk their lives or the lives of loved ones.

Bandit Rank 5-6

The low-level thugs of the gang will follow your orders if they don’t have a reason not to, but they won’t risk their lives or the lives of loved ones without a successful facedown.

Bandit Rank 7-8

Newer members know to follow your orders unquestioningly if they want to stay in. After a successful facedown, more seasoned thugs or even a specialist (comparable to an Exec’s team member) will do a job for you.

Bandit Rank 9-10

You are part of the leadership or even the top honcho! As a result, only those in positions of power would question your orders and a snarl is enough to get the rabble in line. This power comes at a price; the overall power of the gang depends on your actions. If you don’t provide for the gang, you’ll have to deal with coup attempts or find that being the boss doesn’t mean much without a gang to boss.

Starting Gear

Weapons and Armor
Outfit
Starting Cyberware

PSYCHE loss: 17; Max PSYCHE reduction: 5

Starting gear notes
€$400

Created by

WriterV.

Statblock Type

Cyberpunk Blue - Role

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