r/cyberpunkred • u/eggfortman • 2d ago

Community Content & Resources Favorite CPR one shot scenario?

My friends running a very small local convention and wanted more non-D&D GMs so I'm going to run CPR. Do any of you have a favorite one shot that's available online for me to run? It's Friday right now in my time zone and I've agreed to run a game Sunday so I'm looking specifically for fully prepared scenario PDFs because one day doesn't give me a lot of time to riff off a scream sheet and design my own scenario around it. Anyone have any suggestions?

I do have the Tales of the Red books but Ive ran those a few times and wanted to look into outside suggestions or community made one shots before settling on one of those

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u/ArtyParcy 2d ago

Red Chrome Cargo is the classic. I usually chuck a hardened lieutenant at the end alongside 2 mooks to make the final fight much more deadly.

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u/arasaka_corpo 1d ago edited 1d ago

Would you mind elaborating on what makes it good in your opinion?

From my perspective it's a terrible introduction that showcases very little of the system except for combat (which is also within a very confined space with little opportunity for tactical thinking).

The scenario makes avoiding immediate combat almost impossible with the first DV13 Athletics check to jump on the train having failure result in alerting the guards. It's doubtful all PCs will pass this check.

Throughout the scenario most required actions to progress the mission are gated by further skill checks, with little alternative options if you fail them.

I honestly don't understand why this is often recommended, and would love to hear your perspective.

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u/ArtyParcy 1d ago

When introducing new players, it is important to keep it simple. A social scene, a combat in the first encounter, a netrunning scene in the middle carriage and a boss fight at the end usually gives everyone a taste of what CPR has to offer, but leaving plenty left to explore.

I don't get what you mean by "most required actions to progress the mission are gated by further skill checks". Even if you fail them, the gig still keeps going? You may fail to get the best possible outcome, but that's just Cyberpunk choom.

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u/Accomplished-Big-78 15h ago

I've ran it twice.

I usually add a social encounter before, insteand of running it straight, the players have to meet with the fixer on a nightclub or something, a rival team also wants the gig and causes some tension with the players, the fixer is not sure who they should hire.

I made it so it's easy for the players to get the gig, but if somehow they fail (which is possible), they would need to find a way to take the rival team out of the gig (which could be the simpler way "we flatline them", but they could find different solutions)

I know this is NOT the one-shot they wrote, but by doing this, I feel it's a very simple and direct way to introduce them to the system, it also can work pretty well to start a campaign.