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Jumping back into Shadowrun

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raggedhalo

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« Reply #15 on: <10-05-10/0522:06> »
I actually think Unwired answers loads of the niggling questions that were raised by the Matrix chapter of SR4.  Definitely recommended.
Joe Rooney
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Mystic

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« Reply #16 on: <10-05-10/0810:19> »
Thanks for the list Joel! Now where's my sammich'...err...3039 list?  ;)

*throws turkey club wrapped in random BT TRO pages*
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Welshman

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« Reply #17 on: <10-05-10/1239:23> »
Thanks for the list Joel! Now where's my sammich'...err...3039 list?  ;)

I have people working on it as we speak.

For those not in the BT side of things, you could say I'm something of a Fixer for special BT projects. Yeah I write, but I also wrangle volunteers for various things. Peter here is a Mr. Johnson who wants his project completed by the "runners" I sourced the work out to.

Mr. Johnson is not happy, I need to go zap some runners.
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hazmat the monstar

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« Reply #18 on: <10-05-10/1853:23> »
in addition...I reccomend using SR missions 1. Just convert the storylines to sr4. They are great for new players, especially since i love seattle...

Malroth

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« Reply #19 on: <10-07-10/0857:56> »
Thanks for all the advice everyone. :)

I ended up getting Arsenal, Runner's Companion, Seattle 2072, and the 6th World Almanac.  Next up will be Augmentation and Unwired, when I get my next paycheck.

Welshman

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« Reply #20 on: <10-07-10/1634:41> »
A suggestion-

I just read SR4A cover to cover and then dove right into the Almanac. Having not followed the game since 2nd Edition, I'm lost on a few things that I think reading the other core rules would have helped a lot with. Like I think I've got what an Astral Shallow is, but I'm not 100% sure.

Read the core rules before you read the Almanac.

Best,
WM
The Welshman
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Kontact

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« Reply #21 on: <10-08-10/0409:37> »
Astral Shallow?  That's a new one on me. 
Are you sure it wasn't meant to be Astral Shadow, but it snuck past the spellchecker?

Angelone

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« Reply #22 on: <10-08-10/0803:36> »
An astral shallow is a place where the barrier between the astral and physical planes are so weak anyone can see through it. The biggest one I remember is in Hong Kong at Wuxings HQ. They are described in Street MAgic page 116.
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BIG BAD BEESTE

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« Reply #23 on: <10-08-10/1023:28> »
Wotcha-wa there Malroth, welcome back to the 6th World chummer.

Being a SR old timer myself and getting back into the scene after a decade's break, I'd recommend grabbing Seattle 2072 for starters if you're kickingup a new campaign. It's a damn fine piece of GM hardcopy and the good thing is, there's still a lot of old stuff from previous editions you can incorporate, say if you happened to have/remember the classic Seattle Sourcebool [1st Ed]. Always nice to have a familiarity with the campaign environment.

Second up would be additions that expand the ruleset that you're going to be using. Street Magic is one of my essential choices as it covers things like initiation and threats and stuff that is pretty useful to you as a GM creating NPCs as well as getting a firmer understanding on all the astral/magical phenomina out there. Players will fnd bits useful too.

{b]Augmented[/b] and Arsenal are other great back-up to the basic rules, primarily for the additional gear players and NPCs will want to use. But they also cover a lot of important areas that a GM should be knowledgable about - I particularly found the demolitions chapter of Arsenal to be very informative. (You know how player's like to blow things up?)

Likewise, Unwired is important for the Matrix 2.0 and the uimpact of the wireless world of data available to PCs. Personally though, I generally leave this to last because not many of my players are techy decker-types. (Besides, I'm still running my campaign in 2055, so there's a while to go before AIs and wireless networks screw up my carefully (1990's-era) laid GM plans. ;D) Runners Companion, however, is also a solid investment for a GM as it coevers a lot of things that'll make your life easier and the players' more interesting.

FastJack

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« Reply #24 on: <10-08-10/1046:54> »
Really, I've just come to calling them the Quints. ;)

Mystic

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« Reply #25 on: <10-08-10/1754:38> »

Mr. Johnson is not happy, I need to go zap some runners.

*hands Welsh a cattleprod stun batton*

In all seriousness, I too am a long time 'Runner, but new to 4E. I dropped off the grid as it were just before 4E came out and had to deal with other things so I never really got back into it. But as they say, you can take the runner from the sprawl, but you cant take the sprawl out of the runner.
Bringing chaos, mayhem, and occasionally cookies to the Sixth World since 2052!

"Just because it's easy for you doesn't mean it can't be hard on your clients"-Rule 38, The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries, Schlock Mercenary.

Coldbringer

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« Reply #26 on: <10-12-10/1629:24> »
Must haves to restart your Shadowrun: The 20th anniversary edition of the core book, Runners Companion, Street Magic, If you are setting your game in Seattle the Seattle 2072 book is awsome, and the new Sixth World Almanac is also good for feeling out the world. Augmentation, Arsenal and Unwired are nice but not mandatory, the Vice source book is fun too if you are having a more organized crime twist on your game, but still not needed.
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street.mage

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« Reply #27 on: <10-17-10/1551:22> »
Hmmm.  While Street Magic and Unwired are pretty cool, I've used Augmentation and Arsenal much more than the others.  Runner's Companion more so too.

Critias

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« Reply #28 on: <10-17-10/1636:09> »
The long and short of it is that your "must have" books vary based on the gaming group and what aspects of Shadowrun they tend to enjoy.

SR4A (20th Anniversary Edition), or at least the older core SR4 book, are cold, hard, must haves.  It's hard to go wrong with Runner Companion, too, but you can get by with just the basic book if money's tight.  At any rate, you -- obviously -- need the basic rulebook to jump in.  Everyone does, no matter what "flavor" of game they're into.

Setting wise?  If you're planning on the traditional Seattle sprawl, too, Seattle 2072 is a great book.  Depending on the flavor of the game, Vice is good stuff, too.  There's also Corporate Enclaves, Running Wild, and Feral Cities, that could all be very very helpful, or could be dead weight, just depending on what you, the GM, have in mind.

A more combat oriented game, with a group that's big on street sammies, mercs, and run-and-gun?  Fans of The Transporter or Heat or Collateral?  Augmentation and Arsenal will be important, along with Street Magic if anyone wants a cool Adept.  Arsenal's probably the most "must have" of these, because it's also the closest thing to a Rigger Black Book so far for SR4, with lots of vehicles and mods -- so someone can have fun with a Wheelman type -- and you might also want Vice depending on what sort of jobs and contacts you've got in mind.

A group with more of a fantasy background, that's likely to be full of guys who want to play folks slinging mojo and wading in with esoteric martial arts and weapon foci?  Street Magic, Street Magic, Street Magic.  Lots of stuff in this one for the feel and flavor of magic, not just crunch (though the crunch is quite nice).

You and your buddies techheads?  Eager to dive into the Matrix?  Unwired and Emergence will be great, and probably some Augmentation, too (for high tech goodies).

Etc, etc.  The "must have" books aren't "must haves" for everyone but us purists and collector's, really.  A lot of what you'll "need" to run a game will vary based on the game you want to run, and your players want to play in.  The basic truth is you can get probably by with just the basic rules if you want to, because it's a strong enough book to shoulder a campaign if you let it -- or, at least it can do so until you and your buddies talk after a game and someone says "Man, I wish I had more magic tricks" or "Oooh, new chrome would be awesome!"

Frostriese

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« Reply #29 on: <10-17-10/1719:23> »
Dont get me wrong, Companion is a really great book - but I dont find it near as fundamental as Street Magic and Unwired. Its IMO essential that (advanced) Matrix and (advanced) Magic are covered, but metasapients and metavariants? Eh, IMO, not so much.  In fact, personally I would find both more essential than Arsenal, too, but I guess Im just not rigger-y enough and find the equipment in SR4Core/SR4A to be sufficient, heh.