SILHOUETTE CYBERPUNK
ROLES & ARCHETYPES

Since Silhouette is not dependent on Roles for "Special Abilities," these conversions are less conversion and more Archetypes. The archetypes will typically spend anywhere from 20-30 of a character's 40 starting Skill Points. The remaining points should be spent by the player to "flesh out" their character, and build something hopefully beyond the archetypical Solo/Tech/Geekboy.

LIST OF ARCHETYPES

Solo EuroSolo Corporate Operative Ex-Cybersoldier Bodyguard
Bounty Hunter Street Samurai Shinobi Exo Trooper Martial Artist
Covert Specialist Assassin Covert Technician Divemaster Divemaster/Miner
Subjock Panzerboy Runner Aerojock Infantry
Marine Naval Sailor Netrunner Hacker Techie
Medtech Marine Biotechnician Nomad Outrider Pathfinder
Pirate Fixer/Mobster Black Marketeer Information Broker Shoemaker
Dealer/Pusher Talent Scout Talent Agent/Manager Pimp Smuggler
Cop Corporate Administrator Media/Freelancer Investigative Reporter
War Correspondent Social Reporter/
Celeb Hunter		 Musician/Rockerboy Private Investigator Prowler/Thief
Intelligence Agent Scavenger/Junker Streetpunk/Ganger Dancer/Prostitute  
KEY
[Archetype] [Points Spent]
Skill 1 Lvl Skill 2 Lvl
Description

 

Solo 18
Combat Sense 2 Stealth 1
Notice 1 Small Arms 2
HtH or Melee 1 Throwing 1
Athletics 1 Dodge 2
Hired gun, hitman, and general professional killer. Ever see The Professional, The Replacement Killers, Grosse Point Blank? Each of these movies' main characters (and a few of the supporting cast as well) would be considered Solos.

 

EuroSolo 23
Combat Sense 2 Etiquette 1
Notice 1 Business 1
HtH or Melee 1 Computer 1
Athletics 1 Dodge 2
Stealth 1 Foreign Language 1
Small Arms 2    
A slightly more refined variant on the Solo, Eurosolos are considered to be the elite of the urban mercenary society. Typically with better training, better style, and typically a much more professional demeanor. The relationship is similar to that between Rambo (Solo), and James Bond (Eurosolo). Oh, and if you hadn't guessed, they're usually from Europe (duh), or received their training there.

 

Corporate Operative 15-16
Combat Sense 2 Mechanics or Electronics 1
Notice 1 Drive 1
Business 1 HtH or Melee 1
Investigation 1 Small Arms 2
Interrogation 1 Dodge 1
A Solo who's sold out to a corporation, e.g. a corporate hired gun. Corporate Operatives are commonly assigned to the grey and black ops, with corporate espionage/counter-espionage as their most common assignments.

 

Ex-Cybersoldier 15-16
Combat Sense 2 Heavy Weapons 2
Drive 1 HtH or Melee 1
Mechanics 1 Small Arms 2
Notice 2 Dodge 2
Back in the early days of the 21st century, many militaries experimented with heavily cybered troops. Some are full-conversion cyborgs, whereas most are humans with large amounts of cyber implants (optics, limbs, neuralware, etc). In much of the military downsizing, many of these troopers were discharged, and many retained their cyber.

 

Bodyguard 25
Combat Sense 2 Electronics 1
Small Arms 2 Grooming or Style 1
Etiquette 1 Drive 1
Intimidate 1 HtH 1
Human Perception 1 Melee 1
Notice 2 Security 1
Dodge 1    
A solo who works for (typically) an individual, or group thereof. Hired as a "security specialist," it is the bodyguard's duty to ensure that no harm comes to the "principal" -- the one being guarded. Principals range from bureaucrats and diplomats, to corporates, to musicians and criminals. These jobs typically pay well, but part of the deal is that you might have to lay your life down for theirs...

 

Bounty Hunter 17
Combat Sense 2 Streetwise 1
Small Arms 2 Survival 1
Investigate or Computer 1 Drive 1
Stealth 1 HtH 1
Disguise or Intimidate 1 Melee 1
Notice 1 Dodge 1
Skip-tracer, private investigator, or court-appointed "judge, jury, & executioners," Bounty Hunters have the duty of tracking down criminals and bringing them to justice...dead or alive. Many ex-bounty hunters have become corporate operatives, and bodyguards, as much of their training makes them excellent at extractions -- or preventing them.

 

Street Samurai 22
Combat Sense 2 Style 1
Streetwise 1 Small Arms 2
Stealth 1 Drive 1
Theatrics 1 HtH 1
Intimidate 1 Melee 1
Notice 1 Dodge 2
The Street Samurai is one of the 21st century's more common urban warriors. Where the Solo is a mere killing machine, the Street Samurai adds a little more style. The Street Samurai are commonly ex-Corp solos gone "ronin" -- taking to the streets. Consider the Street Samurai to be the "city-focused" Solo, which is reflected in their additional skills (Style, Streetwise, etc).

 

Shinobi 24
Combat Sense 2 Mechanics 1
Notice 1 HtH or Melee 2
Stealth 2 Athletics 1
Disguise 1 Acrobatics 1
Electronics 1 Dodge 1
The Shinobi are both assassins and spies, using their stealth (and a wide range of other useful skills) to both outsmart organic and electronic security. Additionally, they tend to focus on close-range combat, optimizing on their stealth and the variety of means to incapacitate (both lethal and non) their foes.

 

Exo-Trooper 29
Combat Sense 2 Athletics 1
Small Arms 1 Pilot (Exo) 2
HtH or Melee 1 Gunnery (Exo) 2
Notice 1 Electronic Warfare 1
Dodge 1 Communications 1
The Exo-Trooper is given specialized training in the use and application of a wide variety of anthropomorphic combat systems, the grand majority of which utilize some form of linear frame or other master-slave control mechanism. Exo-Troopers are most commonly associated with the military, but security teams (e.g. E-SWAT) and even some corporate units are beginning to field Exo-Suits in increasing numbers.
A similar occupation is the Strider Pilot, replacing Pilot (Exo) and Gunnery (Exo) with Pilot (Strider) and Gunnery (Strider). Striders are typically non-humanoid walking vehicles, such as the Fuchikoma and Think Tank.

 

Martial Artist 21
Combat Sense 2 Intimidate 1
HtH 3 Stealth 1
Melee 2 Athletics or Acrobatics 2
Dodge 1 Notice 1
Bruce Lee anyone? Martial Artists have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of the martial arts, often to the disadvantages of other areas of knowledge. In general, most Martial Artists with HtH (or Melee) skills of 3+ tend to have some degree of familiarity with several fighting styles, even though they may practice one primarily. For swordsmen, reverse HtH and Melee skill levels.

Bruce Lee is perhaps an excellent example of a Level 5 HtH skill, perhaps even with specializations.

 

Covert Specialist 30
Primary 20 Secondary 10
Athletics   Demolitions  
Small Arms   Disguise  
Heavy Weapons   Drive  
HtH or Melee   Electronics  
Notice   First Aid  
Stealth   Human Perception  
Swimming   Foreign Language  
Survival   Mechanics  
Grooming or Style   Seduction  
Pilot (choose)   Etiquette  
Dodge   Theatrics  
Parachuting   Security  
    Tactics  
The Covert Specialist could easily summarize several "Special Forces" types of occupations -- Green Berets, Navy SEALs, antiterrorist agents, to name a few. Often Covert Specialists are tasked to perform a wide variety of operations, ranging from simple (ha!) covert combat ops, to intrusion/infiltrations, espionage, as well as PsyOps (Psychological Operations -- psychological warfare) and a list too long to include everything they can perform.

Obviously, due to the extremely skilled nature of such occupations, Covert Specialists work best for "experienced" characters, with more than the "standard" 40-skill point allocation. Not to say it can't be done on 40, but it's amazing how much an additional 10-15XPs worth of "pickup" skills help flesh out all of the other talents of a well-rounded SpecOps character (such as several languages, with at least one at Level 2), while still keeping them skilled (L2) for their "primary" skills of importance.

When creating a Covert Specialist, consider the Primary skills to be the set of skills most CovSpec's will have. Secondary skills are essentially his or her specialties. Obviously, it becomes more and more apparent that lots of these "other" skills at L1 is perhaps common, with their "specialties" at L2. It should be made clear that the list of secondary skills is not all-inclusive, but is a very abbreviated list of some of the most common. Some appropriate skills not listed: Sniping, Pilot, Gunnery, etc.

Example: Marcus is the demolitions expert on a counterterrorist team. He'll divide 20 points among everything in the primary column (save, Grooming/Style), with Small Arms, Dodge, HtH, Combat Sense at level 2 (or more). He'll pick Demolitions, Electronics, and Mechanics as his "specialties" each at L2, which conveniently adds up to 10 skill points. The remaining 10 (of his starting 40) will go towards tertiary and further "fleshing out" skills. Nearly all SpecOps types will have received some First Aid training, so L1 First Aid is appropriate.

 

Assassin 30
Primary 24 Secondary 6
Combat Sense 2 Archery  
Stealth 2 Disguise or Camouflage  
Athletics 1 Electronics  
Notice 1 Mechanics  
Small Arms 2 Theatrics  
Security 1 HtH or Melee  
Dodge 2 Sniper  
The Assassin is essentially a Covert Specialist whose emphasis is in assassination. Snipers are perhaps the most common subclass of this archetype, but other more subtle varieties (say, a Bond-girl styled villainess) also exist.

 

Covert Tech 9+ Specialty
Athletics 1 Notice 1
Small Arms 2 HtH or Melee 1
Dodge 1 Combat Sense 1
Plus Specialist Occupational Skills:
ELINT Ops 19
Electronics 2 Electronic Warfare 2
Visual Art: Photography 1 Communications 1
Computer Ops 18
Computer 2 Electronics 2
Investigation 1    
Remote Ops 17
Tinker, Comm, or EW 1 Drive 2
Electronics 1 Mechanics 1
Computer 2    
Demolition Ops 13
Combat Sense 1 Physical Science 1
Electronics 1 Demolitions 2
Intrusion Ops 11
Combat Sense 2 Electronics 1
Stealth 1 Mechanics 1
Security 1    
The Covert Tech is often a member of most SpecOps teams, and is usually the team member most directly involved in the more technical (...duh) aspects of an operation. Depending on their emphasis, their specific duties can be quite varied.

 

Divemaster 13
Combat Sense 1 Pilot (Exo) or (Naval) 1
Swimming 2 Small Arms or Heavy Weapons 1
Human Perception 1 Leadership 1
Notice 1 Dodge 1
The Divemaster is a nautical combat occupation, something akin to a less-diversified Navy SEAL. Divemasters are commonly trained in the use of SCUBA, NuSCUBA, and submersibles (conventional submarines with Pilot (Naval) and submersible Exo-Suits with Pilot (Exo) ), both for maneuver and combat.

 

Divemaster/Miner 10
Combat Sense 1 Small Arms or Heavy Weapons 1
Notice 1 Mechanics 1
Pilot (Exo) or (Naval) 1 Athletics or Acrobatics 2
Dodge 1 Notice 1
Physical Sciences 1    
Consider the Divemaster/Miner to be the civilian model of the Divemaster.

 

Subjock 26
Pilot (Naval) 2 Small Arms or Heavy Weapons 1
Gunnery (Naval) 2 Communications 1
Tactics 1 Electronic Warfare 1
Notice 1 Navigation 1
Survival 1 Swimming 1
The Subjock is a specialist "pilot" for naval and submarine operations. Typically most Subjocks are pilots of the small so-called fighter-subs, though many operate larger scientific and/or cargo submarines. Captains of the largest subs will typically replace Piloting and Gunnery skills with increased Tactics (L2, minimum), and Navigation, as well as strong Leadership skills (L2+).

 

Panzerboy 23
Combat Sense 1 Small Arms 1
Drive 2 Navigation 1
HtH 1 Dodge 1
Gunnery (Ground) 2 Electronic Warfare 1
Notice 1 Communications 1
Panzerboys are the elite drivers of the Big Iron -- ground-effect hovercraft (Panzers), tanks, and other armor resources. As many find employment as Smugglers, transferring goods, equipment, and personnel, as do those that are private dealers of military force -- Mercenaries.

...Of course, there are Panzerboys in the national militaries, too.

 

Runner/Smuggler 15-16
Combat Sense 1 Streetwise 1
Notice 2 Mechanics 1
Drive 2 Stealth 1
HtH or Athletics 1 Small Arms 1
Business or Haggling 1    
Runners and Smugglers primarily make their living making "deliveries". Transporting controlled resources (drugs, guns, cyber, technology, etc), hopefully while out of the eye of the authorities. They are a critical component of the black market -- you can probably get alot more for that shipment of Ingram Smartguns in the CAS than you could in the Free States...

 

Aerojock 26
Combat Sense 2 Athletics 1
Pilot (Aircraft) 2 Communications 1
Gunnery (Aircraft) 2 Electronic Warfare 1
Notice 1 HtH 1
Small Arms 1 Navigation 1
Pilots extraordinaires... Masters of the not-so-friendly skies, in their AVs, choppers, jetfighters or Deltas.

 

Infantryman 17+
Combat Sense 2 Notice 1
HtH 1 Stealth 1
Small Arms 2 First Aid 1
Heavy Weapons 1 Dodge 2
+ Specialist Skills (Demolitions, Tech, etc)
21st Century ground-pounder...

 

Marine 21+
Combat Sense 2 Stealth 1
HtH 1 Swimming 1
First Aid 1 Survival 1
Heavy Weapons 1 Melee 1
Small Arms 2 Dodge 2
Notice 1 + Specialist Skills
 

 

Naval Sailor 15+
Combat Sense 1 HtH 1
Small Arms 1 Swimming 1
Gunnery (Naval) 1 Pilot (Naval) 1
Notice 1 + Specialist Skills
 

 

Netrunner 20
Computer 2 Electronics 2
Notice 1 Elec. Design 1
 

 

Hacker 16-17
Computer 2 Stealth 1
Notice 1 Theatrics or Investigation 1
Electronics 1 Combat Sense 1
Mechanics 1    
 

 

Techie 21
Mechanics 2 Computer 1
Electronics 2 Notice 1
Tinker 1 Mech. or Elec. Design. 1
 

 

MedTech 25
Medicine 2 Notice 2
Life Science 2 Investigation 1
First Aid 1 Human Perception 1
 

 

Marine Biotech 24
Medicine 1 Notice 2
Life Science (Marine Biology)* 2 Investigation 1
First Aid 1 Human Perception 1
* Specialization      
 

 

Nomad 13
Streetwise 1 Athletics 1
Notice 1 Small arms 1
Melee 1 Mechanics 1
Drive 2 HtH 1
Survival 1 Dodge 1
 

 

Outrider 18
Notice 2 Small Arms 1
Survival 1 Athletics 1
Mechanics 1 HtH 1
Drive 2 Communications 1
Stealth 1 Dodge 1
 

 

Pathfinder 15
Notice 2 Athletics 1
Survival 2 HtH 1
Mechanics 1 Navigation 1
Stealth 1 Dodge 1
 

 

Pirate 15
Notice 1 Navigation 1
Pilot (Naval) 2 Athletics 1
Swimming 1 Mechanics 1
Dodge 1 Survival 1
 

 

Fixer/Mobster 15
Streetwise 2 Forgery 1
Notice 1 HtH 1
Small Arms 1 Mechanics 1
Melee 1 Intimidate 1
Sleight of Hand 1 Dodge 1
Theatrics 1 Haggling 1
 

 

Black Marketeer 11+
Streetwise 2 Small arms 1
Theatrics 1 Notice 2
HtH 1 Intimidate 1
Melee 1 Dodge 1
Plus Specialist Skills:
Braindance/VR 12
Electronics 2 Craft: VR Editing 2
Drugs 10
Physical Science 2 Life Science 1
Weapons 15
Mechanics (Gunsmith)* 2 Forgery 1
Body Parts 10
Life Science 2 Medical 1
Cybernetics 11
Forgery 1 Electronics 2
Mechanics 1    
Cars 10
Drive 2 Mechanics 2
Electronics 1    
Electronics 12
Electronics 2 Mechanics 2
Slavery 11
Life Science [drugs] 2 Social Science [Psych] 1
Intimidate or Craft: Torture 1    
* Specialization
[ ] denotes intended application, but not specialization.
 

 

Information Broker 19
Streetwise 2 Notice 1
Theatrics 1 Investigation 2
Forgery 1 Human Perception 1
Interrogation 1    
 

 

Shoemaker 24
Streetwise 2 Business 1
Forgery 2 Notice 2
Computer 1 Investigation 1
Bureaucracy 1    
 

 

Dealer/Pusher 18
Streetwise 2 Notice 1
Theatrics 1 Intimidate 1
HtH 1 Small Arms 1
Melee 1 Life Science [pharmacy] 1
[ ] denote intended application, not specialization.
 

 

Talent Scout 18
Streetwise 2 Intimidate 1
Theatrics 1 Human Perception 2
Etiquette 1 Interrogate 1
Notice 1    
 

 

Talent Agent/Manager 21
Streetwise 2 Intimidate 1
Theatrics 1 Notice 1
Interrogate 1 Leadership or Business 2
Etiquette 1 Human Perception 1
 

 

Pimp 18
Streetwise 2 Notice 1
Theatrics 1 Small Arms 1
Melee 1 HtH 1
Seduction 2 First Aid 1
Intimidate 2    
 

 

Smuggler 20
Athletics 1 Small Arms 2
Combat Sense 2 Streetwise 1
Dodge 1 Stealth or Forgery 1
Notice 2 Camouflage or Disguise 1
Melee 1 Drive 1
 

 

Cop (Detective) 27
Law 1 Investigation 2
Bureaucracy 1 Melee or HtH 1
Combat Sense 1 Notice 1
Computer 1 Small Arms 2
Dodge 1 Streetwise 1
Drive 1 Security 1
Intimidate 1    
 

 

Corporate 24
Business 2 Human Perception 2
Bureaucracy 1 Investigation 1
Etiquette 1 Theatrics 1
Grooming 1 Style 1
 

 

Administrator 26
Business 2 Streetwise 1
Bureaucracy 2 Investigation 1
Etiquette 1 Leadership or Tactics* 1
History 1 Theatrics 1
* Business Strategy      
 

 

Media/Freelancer 25
Bureaucracy 1 Literature 2
Business 1 Notice 1
Computer 1 Streetwise 1
Drive 1 Theatrics 1
History 1 Visual Art 1
Investigation 2 Interrogation 2
 

 

Investigative Reporter 20
Bureaucracy 1 Interrogation 1
Notice 2 Human Perception 1
Streetwise 1 Investigation 2
Literature or Theatrics 1 Visual Art: Photography 1
 

 

War Correspondent 17-18
Bureaucracy 1 Literature 2
Visual Art: Photography 2 Electronics or Mechanics 1
Interrogation 1 Theatrics 1
Tactics 1 Notice 2
Combat Sense 1 Dodge 1
 

 

Social Reporter / Celeb Hunter 15
Bureaucracy 1 Etiquette 1
Notice 1 Style 2
Literature or Theatrics 1 Visual Art: Photography 1
Interrogation 2    
 

 

Musician/Rockerboy 14
Notice 1 Seduction 1
Style 2 Music 2
HtH 1 Literature 1
Streetwise 1 Theatrics 1
 

 

Private Investigator 23
Investigate 2 Streetwise 1
Human Perception 1 Small Arms or HtH 1
Stealth 1 Intimidate 1
Computer 1 Dodge 1
Notice 2 Interrogate or Theatrics 1
 

 

Prowler/Thief 22
Stealth 2 Dodge 1
Sleight of Hand 2 Security 1
Athletics or Acrobatics 1 Disguise or Camouflage 1
Electronics 1 Notice 1
Mechanics 1 Small Arms, HtH, or Melee 1
 

 

Intelligence Agent 24
Disguise 1 HtH or Melee 1
Human Perception 1 Sleight of Hand 1
Interrogation 1 Theatrics 2
Stealth 1 Electronics 1
Small Arms 2 Mechanics 1
Dodge 1 Combat Sense 2
 

 

Scavenger/Junker 17
Tinker 2 Stealth 1
Notice 1 Streetwise 1
Mechanics 1 Drive 1
Electronics 1 Small Arms 1
 

 

Streetpunk/Ganger 13+
Combat Sense 1 Streetwise 2
Notice 1 Dodge 1
Intimidate 1 Melee 1
Small Arms 1 Style 1
HtH 1 + Gang Specialty Skill(s)
 

 

Dancer/Prostitute 18
Seduction 2 Theatrics 1
Human Perception 1 HtH 1
Grooming 2 Streetwise 1
Style 1 Dance 2
 

Last Updated: 01.08.01 13:16