Shadows
A cybernetic, supernatural roleplaying game fueled by cinematic, collaborative play. Welcome to NYTE City, 2099.
What is Shadows?
Shadows is a cybernetic, supernatural roleplaying game that uses the Synergy System and is fueled by cinematic, collaborative gameplay. Set in the dystopian near-future of 2099, players create characters to inhabit NYTE City, a megalopolis spanning the entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States.
Together with the GM, players take on every kind of threat NYTE City has to offer — from street punks looking to make a name for themselves, to eldritch horrors trying to consume the world from within.
What is the Synergy System?
The Synergy System is our home-brewed d10 system, built to reward ingenuity over cookie-cutter play — done right, no two games of Shadows feel the same.
A single d10 resolves almost anything a scene calls for: hacking the NET, dispatching enemies, casting a spell, or talking your way out of a holding cell. Full mechanics live in Rules Preview.
How do I make a character?
Character creation is straightforward, with plenty of room to grow as the campaign goes.
- Roll for points, based on the campaign's power level.
- Assign points to your Stats — this is who you were before power found you.
- Select an Archetype (or run baseline Human) — the pivot that sharpens who you're becoming.
- Allocate Skill Points, then spend Character Points on Advantages and Disadvantages.
As the campaign progresses, characters earn Improvement Points and Milestones for new Abilities and Powers. Full walkthrough on the Character Creation page.
Core Rulebook
The Shadows CRB is in active, ongoing development, chapter by chapter. Below are real spreads from the current manuscript — become a Patron to see more in-depth previews as they're written.
See the game live
Curious how Shadows actually plays at the table? These are real, full-length actual-play campaigns of the Synergy System in action.
Shadows 2.0
Our longest-running campaign — 60-plus episodes following the Cult of Personality storyline that shaped NYTE City from the ground up.
Watch the playlist →Shadows: World's Apart
A new crew steps into NYTE City once the dust from the first great campaign finally settles.
Watch the playlist →Shadows: The Old Regime
Extra-long sessions following Arad's journey through a city on the edge — fewer episodes, a lot more table time in each one.
Watch the playlist →Shadows: 13th Floor
A tight two-part side story — a missing persons case that spirals into something much stranger.
Watch the playlist →Rules Preview
The site's visual shorthand for the CRB — stats, skills, advantages, archetypes, and gear.
Browse Rules Preview →The World
NYTE City, 2099 — a world that pushes back, told the way the setting speaks about itself.
Meet the world →Latest Update
Dated project milestones — CRB progress, playtests, and site updates.
Read the News archive →Follow along and get in the game
Want to follow our development progress, or see deeper previews before they're public? Follow us on Patreon to get updates as they happen, free or otherwise.