[Redwulfe]

Thank you for the replies, all! I think many of the issues raised here are only a problem if I focus too tightly on one style of play (e.g., combat). My hope is that I'm able to run some adventures that divvy up focus between combat and non-combat interests somewhat evenly.

part of me always believed that that was the point in early editions Combat was deadly and definitive. I remember when we played we tried to avoid combat whenever possible and it made for a fun game because it really felt like we were trying to avoid the LAW and be ninja by not getting into combat. Each session was a puzzle to be solved. Fail and you ended up in a combat that could actually get your character killed, succeed and you ninjaed your way into a payday. Some combat were unavoidable but if you played smart even those could be mitigated a bit and that shaped the way I play shadowrun today.

I honestly miss the days of really deadly combats.

[jdrakeh]

part of me always believed that that was the point in early editions Combat was deadly and definitive. I remember when we played we tried to avoid combat whenever possible and it made for a fun game because it really felt like we were trying to avoid the LAW and be ninja by not getting into combat. Each session was a puzzle to be solved. Fail and you ended up in a combat that could actually get your character killed, succeed and you ninjaed your way into a payday. Some combat were unavoidable but if you played smart even those could be mitigated a bit and that shaped the way I play shadowrun today.

I honestly miss the days of really deadly combats.

I always hear people elevator pitch Shadowrun these days as "D&D with technology" but my friend sold it to me back in the day as "Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay with technology" which I think is a more accurate pitch (at least for the editions I'm most familiar with). Life is brutal, often short, and combat is something you want to avoid if you can (it's not always avoidable, as you point out, but careful application of tactics can mitigate the mortality rate). You're street-level trash just trying to survive the night, not epic heroes fighting to save the day. And, maaaaaaan, I love that Shadowrun.

[Redwulfe]

part of me always believed that that was the point in early editions Combat was deadly and definitive. I remember when we played we tried to avoid combat whenever possible and it made for a fun game because it really felt like we were trying to avoid the LAW and be ninja by not getting into combat. Each session was a puzzle to be solved. Fail and you ended up in a combat that could actually get your character killed, succeed and you ninjaed your way into a payday. Some combat were unavoidable but if you played smart even those could be mitigated a bit and that shaped the way I play shadowrun today.

I honestly miss the days of really deadly combats.

hear hear!!

we still play this way today with my old group. We even up the damage of most things just to scratch that itch once and a while.

I always hear people elevator pitch Shadowrun these days as "D&D with technology" but my friend sold it to me back in the day as "Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay with technology" which I think is a more accurate pitch (at least for the editions I'm most familiar with). Life is brutal, often short, and combat is something you want to avoid if you can (it's not always avoidable, as you point out, but careful application of tactics can mitigate the mortality rate). You're street-level trash just trying to survive the night, not epic heroes fighting to save the day. And, maaaaaaan, I love that Shadowrun.