In FKR, we have one motto: “Play the world, not the rule”. That’s why I use lots of random generators in my games. Contrary to No-AI purists, I believe that AI can be used as creative support, and that’s the way I use it.
I wrote more than 20 random generators that go deep into Shadowrun vibes. After many hours, I have reached a point where I can say, "“now they’re producing results that feel and sound like Shadowrun first to third edition”. Primarily, this is narratively oriented: the names and descriptions have to feel right. Technical specs are not important to me. I feed AI the generator tables and ask it to produce.
Today: 10 cyberdecks.
Sony TN-420-D
Tier: Ho-hum (Standard off-the-shelf deck; uses full skill rating without penalties).
Special Modification: Ihara-Grubb Backup Cache
Lore: Built on Sony’s stable consumer-grade electronics cluster. Features a ruggedized, matte-black case. The custom Ihara-Grubb cache is wired directly into the memory bus, allowing the deck to automatically maintain backup copies of standard utility programs in the event of system crashes or accidental deletions.
Erika BR-890
Tier: Drek (Cheap and slow; decreases all hacking skills).
Special Modification: Broadband Heatsink Selector
Lore: Housed in a blocky, grey plastic shell. Erika units are notorious for overheating. This custom unit features a retrofitted copper cooling grid that lets the decker cycle processing routes using a manual dial, shielding the internal chips from melting during prolonged runs.
Fuchi Cyber-9-P
Tier: Shit-hot (Cutting-edge military console; increases all hacking skills).
Special Modification: Active Microcircuit Decyphring Port
Lore: A beautiful, curved silver unit featuring a high-end neural interface that links directly to a cranial socket with zero latency. Its active prototype port utilizes specialized microscopic decryption pathways to unravel complex security protocols in real time.
CYCO Eta II
Tier: Ho-hum (Standard off-the-shelf deck).
Special Modification: Digital/Analog Data Generator
Lore: A heavy, industrial slab-style console wrapped in a textured rubber chassis. Its specialized digital-to-analog emulator board allows the decker to translate archaic physical systems and municipal grid dials into modern virtual data icons.
Renraku Seiran-Ittō
Tier: Ho-hum (Standard off-the-shelf deck).
Special Modification: ASIST Hardening Lockout
Lore: Crafted with Renraku’s signature martial-precision styling. It features a sleek, white ceramic shell. The ASIST interface is fitted with electromagnetic hardware hardening that clamps shut if a feedback loop is detected, preventing hostile black IC from causing immediate neural damage.
Novatech Veritas-X
Tier: Ho-hum (Standard off-the-shelf deck).
Special Modification: Fuzzy Logic Diverter Cable
Lore: A mahogany wood-veneer deck designed for high-class corporate coders. The modified fuzzy logic routing bus actively scrambles outgoing signal coordinates along the neural link, throwing off system trace operations.
Fairlight Paladin Prime
Tier: Shit-hot (Top-tier military-grade rig; increases hacking skills).
Special Modification: Central Fiberoptic IO Bridge
Lore: A flawless, razor-thin titanium deck used by elite corporate black-ops agents. Its central processors are linked via specialized high-bandwidth fiber-optic alignment pins, providing lightning-fast program transfer speeds.
MCT TR-330-J
Tier: Drek (Cheap, fragile, decreases hacking skills).
Special Modification: Laser-Optical Process Switcher
Lore: A budget trainee unit housed in a cheap, yellow plastic case. Spliced into its wiring is a street-modded laser bus that shifts simple diagnostic processes to secondary circuits, squeezing extra speed out of standard security utilities.
Transys Colossus Elite
Tier: Shit-hot (Cutting-edge cyberwarfare console; increases hacking skills).
Special Modification: Cranial Linkthru Codemachine
Lore: A massive, heavy steel-plated deck with an integrated liquid-nitrogen cooling pump. It features a direct-to-cortex linkthru module that translates complex system algorithms into geometric sensory signals for faster code navigation.
Hermes Caduceus
Tier: Drek (Cheap, fragile, decreases hacking skills).
Special Modification: Offline Deception Re-router
Lore: Housed in a simple, compact hand-held case designed for messenger-couriers. Spliced onto its network card is a bootleg loop router that floods active hosts with fake system queries to mask the decker’s actual navigation paths.
I'm not an AI-hater-- unless I'm doing a run in the Sprawl and a local AI is pissed at me-- then yeah. I hate that flippin' AI.