⚔️ Solo
“I was young, hungry, and poor. When Militech offered me three squares a day and a cot, you better believe I signed up. After the War, I took the new chrome the Corp medics gave me and went local. Turns out, when a city’s blown to hell and rebuilding, there’s plenty of folk who’ll pay for my services.” — Abril “Mover” Montella, Private Contractor
🎯 Identity
Play this if you want to be like… John Wick • The Punisher • Major Kusanagi • The Mandalorian
You want to be the deadliest person in the room. You solve problems with violence — efficiently, professionally, and without hesitation. You’re a bodyguard, assassin, soldier-for-hire, or all three.
Born Again
“You were reborn with a gun in your hand—the flesh and blood hand—not the metallic weapons factory that covers most of your other arm.” — Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook
💡 Character Concepts
- The Reluctant Killer — You’re good at violence, but you wish you weren’t. Every job costs you a piece of your humanity.
- The Adrenaline Junkie — Combat is the only time you feel alive. Peace bores you.
- The Professional — No personal feelings. It’s just business. Clean, efficient, gone.
- The Protector — You don’t kill for money. You protect people who can’t protect themselves.
- The Cyberpsycho’s Edge — Too much chrome, too many combat drugs. You’re barely holding on.
- The Veteran — The 4th Corporate War left scars that never healed — inside and out.
🎮 Role Ability: Combat Awareness
Your edge in a firefight. At the start of combat (or with an Action during combat), you distribute your Combat Awareness points among up to six combat abilities. Total points = your Combat Awareness Rank (starts at 4). You can redistribute them by spending an Action on your turn.
| Ability | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Initiative Reaction | 1 pt each | +1 to Initiative per point. Trained reflexes let you act first. |
| Precision Attack | 3 / 6 / 9 pts | +1 / +2 / +3 to all Attack rolls. Precise shots for greater accuracy. |
| Spot Weakness | 1 pt each | +1 damage (before armor) on first hit each Round. Finds gaps in armor. |
| Damage Deflection | 2 pts each | −1 from first damage each Round per 2 pts. “Roll with the punches.” |
| Threat Detection | 1 pt each | +1 to all Perception checks. Enhanced situational awareness. |
| Fumble Recovery | 4 pts (flat) | Ignore critical failures (1s) on attacks. Still treated as a 1, not re-rolled. |
Damage Deflection Scaling: 2 pts = −1 damage, 4 pts = −2, 6 pts = −3, 8 pts = −4, 10 pts = −5 from the first damage you take each Round.
Precision Attack Scaling: 3 pts = +1, 6 pts = +2, 9 points = +3 to any Attacks made that Round.
Example: Rebecca at Rank 4
Rebecca puts 4 points into Initiative Reaction, giving her +4 to all Initiative rolls. Her Initiative becomes REF (8) + 4 + 1d10 = crazy fast.
📘 How to Play
Roleplay Tips
Solos are professionals of violence in a world that runs on it. But the best Solo stories aren’t about the killing — they’re about what happens between the firefights:
- What lines won’t you cross? Everyone has a moral compass, even if it’s broken.
- What happens when the chrome takes over? Cyberpsychosis is always lurking.
- Who do you protect? The most interesting Solos have someone worth fighting for.
Common Situations
| Situation | Roll This | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting someone | REF + Handgun or Shoulder Arms | Check range DVs for weapon |
| Dodging ranged attacks | REF + Evasion | Only if REF 8+ |
| Melee combat | DEX + Melee Weapon or Brawling | Opposed by Evasion |
| Reading a battlefield | INT + Tactics | Plan before you shoot |
| Spotting an ambush | INT + Perception | + Threat Detection bonus |
| Moving tactically | DEX + Athletics | Climbing, jumping, sprinting |
| Sneaking into position | DEX + Stealth | Surprise attacks deal bonus |
| Resisting torture | WILL + Drugs | For when things go wrong |
Tactical Tips
- Distribute Combat Awareness wisely. Initiative Reaction is strong early; Precision Attack is king at high ranks.
- Position matters. Use cover, flanking, and elevation — you’re not invincible.
- Invest in Evasion. If your REF is 8+, you can dodge bullets. That’s a lifesaver.
- Carry two weapons. A pistol for close, a rifle for range. Switch based on DV tables.
- Don’t neglect Perception. You can’t shoot what you can’t see. Threat Detection helps here.
- Stealth opens with advantage. A surprise round is often more valuable than +1 to attack.
🔑 Key Skills
🎯 Primary — Combat
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🔍 Tactical
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💪 Physical
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📋 Quick Reference
Recommended STATs
| Priority | STATs | Why |
|---|---|---|
| High | REF, DEX | Shooting and dodging |
| Medium | BODY, WILL | HP and staying power |
| Low | INT, TECH | Not your specialty |
Starting Gear
- Heavy Pistol or Assault Rifle
- Light Armorjack (body and head)
- Agent (smartphone)
- Combat-ready clothing
📜 Role Lifepath
What kind of Solo are you?
d6 Type 1 Bodyguard 2 Street muscle for hire 3 Corporate enforcer (side work) 4 Corporate/freelance black-ops 5 Local vigilante-for-hire 6 Assassin / hitman
What's your moral compass?
d6 Morals 1 Tries to do good; targets “bad people” 2 Won’t harm the innocent/vulnerable 3 Mostly decent, but slips sometimes 4 Purely profit-driven; works for anyone 5 Pragmatic; bends rules to get it done 6 Fully unethical; enjoys the dark work
Who's gunning for you?
d6 Enemy 1 A corporation you crossed 2 A boostergang you embarrassed 3 Law enforcement (corrupt or mistaken) 4 A rival corporate Solo 5 A Fixer who sees you as competition 6 A personal nemesis Solo
Operational territory?
d6 Territory 1 Corporate zone 2 Combat zones 3 All across the city 4 One corporation’s turf 5 A particular Fixer’s turf 6 Wherever the money is
🔗 Connections
Related Roles
- Lawman — Combat + authority and institutional backing
- Nomad — Combat + vehicles and road war
- Exec — Often the one hiring Solos
World & Lore
- Solo Lore — History and details of Solos in Night City
- Afterlife — Where Solo mercs find their next gig
Rules & Mechanics
- Skills — Complete skill list and descriptions
- Combat — Core combat rules
- Ranged Combat — Weapon DV tables and firing modes
- Damage and Wounds — How damage, armor, and wounds work