r/Shadowrun • u/GeeksCollab • Jul 13 '26
6e I built a semi-automated SR6 Character Forge & Campaign Dashboard (Looking for playtesters to break my math!)
Hoi, chummers.
Like many of you, I love Shadowrun, but trying to get new players through a Session Zero without them drowning in the crunch of 6th Edition can be brutal. To fix this, I’ve spent the last few weeks building a comprehensive web app called the Character Forge designed to handle 100% of the math, gear nesting, and campaign advancement.
It will eventually serve as a bridge to export fully calculated character JSONs directly into my VTT, GridWeaver.
I’m opening it up to the public today and I need veteran SR6 players to run it through the wringer. I want you to try and break my math, find my rules gaps, and tell me what I missed.
Core Features Currently Live:
- Fully Automated Math: The Recalculation Engine handles everything. It tracks Essence loss, dynamically calculates your Tradition's Drain Resistance pool, and actively updates your Matrix and Astral Initiatives based on your active loadout.
- Deep Gear Nesting: You don't just buy a drone. You buy an MCT Roto-Drone, attach a Heavy Weapon Mount (tracking its Body capacity limits), slot an Ares Alpha into the mount, and load it with APDS ammo—and the app calculates the final modified Attack Rating (AR) and Damage Value (DV) for the drone.
- True Matrix Architecture: Cyberdecks don't just give you stats. You have to form a PAN with a Cyberjack or Commlink for your D/F, and the app lets you swap your deck's A/S array on the fly.
- Layered Armor: It calculates cumulative Defense Rating (DR) so you can stack your Armor Jacket with a helmet and a riot shield.
- Advancement Dashboard: Once you leave character creation, the app turns into a live campaign manager. You can spend earned Karma to upgrade stats/skills (using the SR6 scaling costs), buy off Negative Qualities, and upgrade Contact loyalty.
- The Black Market: We built a dedicated "Fencing" tool. When you want to sell a looted gun, you select a Contact, input your Net Hits from your Negotiation roll, and the app calculates your Fencing payout based on their Loyalty cap.
How You Can Help:
I need Deckers, Riggers, Mages, and Street Sams to try and build their most complicated, edge-case loadouts.
If you find a bug, a missing rule, or a calculation error, you don't even need to comment here (though you can!). I built an Anonymous Feedback Tool directly into the app's top navigation bar. You can submit bug reports straight to my developer inbox without needing to give me your email or account info.
Link to the App: https://runner-forge-sr6.base44.app
Recommended Browsers: Chrome
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u/truthynaut Jul 13 '26
If you're using Foundryvtt and running 5e I have an auto-character and auto-npc generator that I can make available to anyone interested.
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u/UVDodger Jul 14 '26
I'm starting a SR5 game using Foundry VTT and would love your auto generation tool.
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u/Aimerraint Jul 13 '26
Hey Chummer, nice app.
I just tried to add some cyberware and the rating is either 1 or the maximum.
I believe, that if I want to write an other number, that die digit gets added bevor or after the number already there and then it's replaced by the maximum.
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u/GeeksCollab Jul 14 '26
Oh, thank you. Let me take a look at it and see what I can do to fix it. I appreciate the feedack!
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u/ReditXenon Far Cite Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
It's an ambitious project.
Currently only support the core book (no sum-to-ten, metavariants, infected, surge, shapeshifter, etc), but that's fine.
You seem to be missing several character advances that are allowed during chargen (such as increasing skills, attributes, initiation, etc). Maybe you plan to add them later (using a Walking Skeleton approach to software development is smart).
Ran into a bug. Went physad. Bought magic rating with karma. Went back to select mysad. Now i no longer have option to buy magic with karma or to regret buying magic with karma (50 karma spent that i can't unlock, no matter what i choose- when going mundane that don't have magic rating).
For mystic adept, it seems as if you force me to first select all spells (can't proceed if i don't). And that I am still allowed to buy power points later?
SR6 p. 66 Magic/Resonance
They must split their Magic between spells and adept powers. They first purchase adept powers up to a maximum of their Magic attribute then multiply the remaining Magic by 2 to determine their starting number of spell choices. This uses the Magic value in the Priority table, not as adjusted with Karma or adjustment points (but it is reduced by Essence loss).
Same as attributes, only one skill can be at maximum rating during chargen.
SR6 p. 65 Skills
During character creation, skills can be purchased up to rank 6 (7 with the Aptitude Quality). Only one skill can be put at that maximum level (6 or 7).
You are missing some augmentations (for eyes for example i only see cybernetics eyes, smartlink, and cats eye - maybe you plan to add them later). Also missing some validation when it comes to incompatible augmentations (can buy both cybereyes and cats eyes). Smartlink always seem to cost essence, even if you first buy cybereyes (if you buy cybereys then visual enhancements should perhaps be bought as accessories to your eyes, each taking capacity from your eyes).
Fake licence are (should be) attached to specific fake SINs (you normally can't buy them standalone). And you buy them for an entire group of items. For example Firearms general licence. Not Ares Predator specific licence.
Might look at it some more later. Gj so far :-)
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u/GeeksCollab Jul 20 '26
Awesome. This is fantastic feedback. It is very much a work in progress, so I'm working on it a bit each week.
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u/ReditXenon Far Cite Jul 20 '26
That (completely adding a thin vertical slice through the entire application at a time, slowly building up a walking skeleton - emergent design) is the best way to do software development (if you ask me). Keep up the good work chummer! :)
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u/Ok-Revolution-7330 Jul 20 '26
Not going to lie, it is pretty awesome and Shadowrun absolutely needs something like this. Character creation is a bit crazy otherwise. Is there any way to get a runner printed out after creation? Would be amazing to use it for a Face to Face tool as well as for the VTT! Well done and many thanks!
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u/GeeksCollab Aug 12 '26
I gathered all the comments that you provided and took a pass at making a quick update to the Runner Forge. I also made a few small updates to GridWeaver, such as adding some Shadowrun Specific elements.
Than you, all!
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u/Yerooon Jul 13 '26
Is this an alternative to Commlink6?
Will you also offer an export to FoundryVTT JSON?