I'm a huge fan of the genre, so bought this one and a couple other variants from other publishers. Sadly, though this one had more of a polished appearance in passing, substance wise it feels very much like minimal effort in the realm of wares and just grabbing the reader. Would probably have returned it if that didn't feel cheap, so instead I'd just suggest you spend your money elsewhere. This could have been a great system/supplement, but it needs a complete rework for that to even be a hope.

I backed this on Kickstarter, not really looking at the details. I was a bit surprised that it's Dnd 5e rules reskinned to cyberpunk. I am not a huge DnD fan, so it was a bit of a letdown at first (I should have read the description, I know).

Nevertheless, I tried out the game on one of our local RPG game nights, and was pleasantly surprised. Carbon plays smoothly, it is fast and fun. Some of the gamers were DnD fans, so it was not a big change for them, all others got into the system quite quickly.

Due to this, I can recommend the game, it is fast and fun, the core book offers tons of adventure ideas and adversaries, I am looking forward trying out the mission books at some point. It plays like a fast and easy cyberpunk variant, much lighter (IMHO) than Cyberpunk RED, for example (which arguably offers more depth).

My only issue is that there is no real VTT support - one might rig a Dnd 5e module to play it, but I have not tried this yet...

I was looking for a cyberpunk-style game, but something different to the others on the market. My players are huge into D&D 5th, and they wanted something else to try out. After watching various people let's play this game, I dived in previously and we've been having a lot of fun with it. I got the updated core recently, and it's even better with a couple of new gangs too and they go great with the Combined Cities book.

If you want something that's cyberpunk, puts a different spin on it, and provides a simpler version of D&D 5th Edition's rules, then this is the game for you. The setting is extremely well realised, and there's more of a sci-fi theme and flavor to this one. The world is just as bleak as other cyberpunk genre ones, but there are bits of Cowboy Bebop here, Blade Runner, Akira, and more.

You won't find any wizards, or techno-magicians in this game at all. You will find a lot of cyberpunks vs. corporations, and the dark future of earth is perfect for the backdrop of global disaster and economic collapse.

I have been telling all kinds of stories with this one, and even ones which take place in corporate controlled space outside the realms of earth itself. I've found the rules easy to use, follow, and my players love it.

Hoping to see more from this IP in the future.

This is nothing more than 5e re-skinned. Absolutely no innovation on the rules, no improvements, a setting as cliche as cyberpunk gets. That said, it's not a bad port.

Poorly wrote and edited.

A book of 292 pages but is using very large fonts (14 or 16) and with many white (waste) spaces. With a smaller fonts (the font size of 5E books), the book should be condensed into 190 pages or less pages.

No index. For a so called core rulebook, no index is really a doom to the players or DM. It is another evidence of poorly edited.

Several errors and typos, for example, the sole adventure included (started on page 276) stated that is the adventure can be started with Part I or Part IV. In reality, only Part I and Part II included.

The so called leveling system isn't work with this adventure, as the 13 pages of large fonts adventure (including maps and stat blocks) with only 2 encounter locations for 13 rooms that will give all the party level up to 3rd level.

Boring ememies. Nearly all enemies stat blocks are similar with no unique special abilities. Ememies from CR 0 to 11 just an increasing of HP, and larger damage (different guns).

The world section with just 4 pages of timeline, followed by 19 half-pages corporation description, 8 half-pages gangs description, and 11 half-pages groups of interest description. Nothing interesting and lack of details (on average only 200 words description for each organisation). The section of San Francisco suppose for the Hometown of the campaign, again the lacking of detail doesn't helpful to use the section as reference for the game.

There are many better options for 5E cyberpunk, like Ultramodern 5E.

Avoid this book (this series) and don't waste your time or money on it.

Some problems I've encountered. Rules as written are too constricting. Forcing characters to strictly follow 5E level based advancement. To material rewards? As in you can't get advanced cyberware unless you're the right level? As opposed to cash on hand. Also the game goes out of it's way to limit access to ammo etc. Because again, artificial restrictions. Because the 2nd level wizard can't get a machine gun too early... even they're everywhere. Because blah blah bio chip.

Poorly written, numerous gramatical errors, content isn't all that great even on its own.

Shoddy book by a shoddy publisher. Just what you'd expect from a kickstarter scam that has the gall to try to charge people twice for a product they failed to deliver.

This is a VERY simple review. This game is a great. Five stars. However, I seriously hate when they say the pollution creates a max visibily is 600ft. Seriously? In this book, most drawings/paintings show entire cities,seeing the mountains, looking at cars in front of buildings, etc. Right now (2022) the first reason creating air pollution is vehicle combustion. Even now, electric vehicles are become somewhat easy to see them around. I'd expect less air pollution 163yrs away from now. However, entire species of animals are still getting screwed. Also, the thought that cities will be underwater...um...that's actually the dumbest thought. In 1989 ( reported with a AP Associate Press story) a senior U.N. official stated, "Entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by rising sea levels if the global warming trend is not reveresed by the year 2000". Again...official said that in 1989. Got it?

Basically a cyberpunk adaptation of D&D 5E, but a damn good one. It presents a cool, well fleshed out cyberpunk setting with a handful of cool original mechanics. Lots of cybernetics, weapons, and feats, simple easy to understand classes, and lots of lore. If you want multiple cyberpunk systems in your cellection, this is definitely worth your while.

if you already play 5e this is the cyber punk game for you. easy to run, well supported on Discord, and as at mid 2021 already has 3 APs

A fun game built on a fun system, a great way to bring a new genre to the table when sword an scorcerry start to get a little stale. The automatic weapons rules need some house rulling to be more useable, but overall a great platform.

Ring Side Report-RPG Review of Carbon 2185

Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea every day!

Product- Carbon 2185 System-DnD 5e Producer- Dragon Turtle Games Price- $ 25.10 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/283725/Carbon-2185--A-Cyberpunk-RPG-Core-Rulebook?term=carbon+2185?affiliate_id=658618 TL; DR- Dungeons and Shadowrun, kind of 90%

Basics- Want some cyberpunk with your DnD 5e mechanics? Carbon 2185 uses the DnD mechanics you love but moves them to a nonmagic, cyperpunk future. Let’s break it down

Mechanics-If you can play DnD 5e, you honestly know everything you need to. It’s d20 + ability modifier + proficiency modifier if they are proficient. This is the elegance of the DnD 5e system, and it's fully on display here as skills, attacks, and saves all come across into this game.

Character generation-Again, DnD 5e is on display, but there are some drastic changes. You choose a not-race called an origin, then you choose a background. This is honestly the biggest change from DnD 5e. Here you choose an occupation then roll 2d6, adding half your Intelligence modifier to see if you last five years in your chosen occupation. Roll below your threshold and you are injured and lose your job! Survive long enough, and you get paid as well as gain a skill. You can take as many five year time periods as you want, gaining skills and money along the way. All characters get a retirement gift when they leave but if you go long enough you get a retirement bonus. This also changes the game in a weird way. This is an old mans game. If you need four times five years to get a retirement bonus, then your 18 year old going into work ends up 38 coming out. Heck, if you pull another five years in for the sweet, sweet money, you end up middle aged! Age alters the stats a bit, but it’s something to consider.

Classes-Carbon 2185 is DnD 5e, so there are base core ideas that will be here. The Daimyo is the barbarian and so on, but Carbon 2185 has subtle changes to the system that will keep it fresh. Your Daimyo also has bard abilities that make it a bardbarian. Most of the classes are represented, but they end up with a Carbon 2185 twist that does make them fun.

Cleric/Doc-You can’t really have a high hit point game without a healer, so this system has the Doc. The doc doesn’t get spells, but gets a lot of other toys that make them kind of a fighter or other splash classes. Healing abilities refresh after short rests to keep your characters fighting.

Wizard/Hacker-Everyone wants a spellcaster in their DnD, and cyberpunk is no exception. The hacker is the class that has nanobots that do things. In this system everyone basically has Matrix-like hookups that allow them to go online, so you can use that to manipulate them either with pain or distractions. This character also is the one who can manipulate computers, but there is also the hacking skill.

Now the breakdown!

Mechanics or Crunch- I like the crunch here, but I feel that other cyberpunk games have ruined me. Shadowrun has deckers who are hackers, but in this game you can’t really hack a computer and make it do all the things you want to do. Hackers have limited uses of their “spells” so it feels a bit off. Why can’t my hacker hack more than three computers a day at first level? I know the “why” is mechanics based, but it doesn’t quite fit. It's fun, and it’s fast, but some things don’t fit as well as I want them to. Also, this game is VERY random. Character backgrounds have a very wide variety as some lucky players can get MASSIVE amounts of money and skills while an unlucky one won’t get money or skills from their background. Base abilities are the same with no point buy in the basic system . There is the basic array, but I still want my point buy. Furthermore, no feats!? You get character advancements, so feats may come one day. But, I want them! Let’s hope they come out in another book. Overall, Carbon 2185 works mechanics, but there are some issues that may affect your fun in the crunch. 4/5

Theme or Fluff-Carbon 2185 is its own setting. It’s not exactly just cookie cutter cyberpunk, but is it's own world that builds fairly organically from today. It's depressing as all hell, but it feels real. I enjoy playing in this setting while I would NEVER want to live there! 5/5

Execution- PDF? Yep! Hyperlinked? YEP! I like the book in general, but I feel that more is needed to further define things like computer security level and how some skills work. More are the major things I need here. Like more pictures of enemies in the back of the book. More explanation of things that are talked about, but not shown. I like what's here, but give me more to help better understand the world. 4.5/5

Summary-I like this book, but other things may have influenced me. Cyberpunk is a fun world to play in, and the DnD 5e system works lightning fast. But, some of those pieces don’t work well, like the hacker’s “not spells” and hacking computers. That hurts things a bit in terms of flow. The world is fine, but I want more stuff to show myself and the players to help me see the world and better understand the flow and crunch of it. I foresee a number of expansions to this and that would really help the players make the characters their own. It's a solid RPG with a few issues that hurt it. If you want some Cyberpunk and some simple gaming, this will be your new favorite. 90%

Early kickstarter, had high hopes, more than a bit dissapointted.

I've been running this game for my group for about 7 sessions now. And while we've had fun playing in this cyberpunk world there are multiple things that I as a game master have not enjoyed about this game. Here's a list of them, in no particular order

1. There are multiple spelling errors in the PDF's (and worst is that they are in the book!!!).

I feel that the publishing was rushed and not enough time was spent on proofreading.

1. The layout of the book is inconsistent.

2. Subclasses and Suborigins should have the same layout and typefaces for accessibility:

This causes an effect where it's not possible to find what you are looking easily and fast.

For example:

Font choices in Origins and Classes. Origins have a decent distinction between Traits' headings and explanations. The Synths choice between manufacturers is clearly laid out. Huoston dynamics is one manufacturer and the things below that are traits that are included, and with the different manufacturer there are those fonts clearly laid out to differentiate between manufacturer, and character abilities and traits that are included.

Same with the korporate kid and badlander suborigin.

When it comes to classes, it is difficult to tell where one option ends and other one begins. The Daimyo Focus has different fonts compared to the suborigins of the origins selections! This is not good. Same with every other class. I wish the font choices would be the same if there was a selection to be made during character creation and leveling up. It makes these things difficult to understand at a glance, which option belongs to which subclass. Subclasses and Suborigins should have the same layout and typefaces for accessibility.

1. and lack of text boxes in these selections makes it double difficult to read. Since there are text boxes else where in the book, why not in character classes and origins?

2. Hacker exploits should be more clearly marked. Again a readability issue.

3. How do grenades work? With a ranged attack against enemies AC? Or just have the enemies do a save? Things like this makes it infuriating while running the game, that there have been no clear answer.

4. Too much stress on the gm:

the world building is too vague and too restrictive at the same time.

What kinda technology exists and how to use it is not clear enough, except on augmentations. How are comms like smartphones? Are they pieces of tech you carry in your pocket, or like ONIs in Altered Carbon? This is a critical piece of information.

The world details are great, history, the info on the corporations and gangs and groups of interest. Though there are more than enough of these. And I feel that this took more effort and time than did the rules.

1. Reading, understanding and using the rules is difficult. Understanding D&D 5e rules is almost a requirement. I've needed to check multiple pages to find out that when shooting a gun I add dex mod bonus. I did not find this on the weapons page as it should have been. There would have been benefit in having the same rules multiple times in multiple places than having it just once, or atleast there should be "you can find rules on how to use weapons on page x"

2. What is cyberpunk and what should the players as cyberpunks be doing? There needs to be explanation to both. What this game expects the players to be doing? Is it hacking things? (clearly not since the rules are so light on this) Is it running and gunning and stealing and looting? Or is it conspiracy against big corporations or such? What are the actions that are expected of cyberpunks? What are the things players and their characters are rewarded for doing?

This in my opinion is more critical than any world building you have done. Why are these fundamental questions not answered in the first page like "In Carbon 2185 you are cyberpunks, criminals, outcasts and sick of the current status quo, you want power to the people and bring down the mega-corporations that rule the planet and end their reign." or something like that. A quick summary of what the players are supposed to be doing in this game. Now this said I realize that this book could have been intended as a source and rules material, and that the group that is playing chooses themselves the quests and missions that they want to run. But this too, should have been stated.

Too many things left unclear with too little explanation. I am disappointed, I had such high hopes for this, but these things make it difficult for me to enjoy gm:ing this game.

It is the outstanding quality of the book that gets me. No scribbled line drawings here, just gorgeous artwork enhancing the experience of owning and using this book. The layout is easy on the eye and a lot of thought has obviously gone into the book to make it easy to use as a reference to the game. Rarely have I been so pleased with a purchase from DriveThru

Its good, very good and I dont even like 5th ed. Its artwork and world building are Great. Its rules are solid enough and the classes are well thought out.

It would get 5 Stars but havnt quite hit that Cyberpunk vibe, needs gritter rules, some tidy up of combat etc, background etc well worth it and you can convert 5th ed players over :)