Shadowrun

[Kesh]

Shadowrun is a very fun romp. It's quite flexible, and offers all sorts of potential for games.

From a D&D perspective, there's quite a few changes. Magic is a lot more flexible, but less powerful. There's no wish or even teleport (and certainly no raise dead!). Cyberware and firearms also change the tactics of the battlefield: rushing the enemy is a good way to get killed. Use cover, think about what you're going to do, and think about what the enemy might do.

In fact, planning is the most important change from D&D. A team that fails to plan out their run is going to get killed, or at the very least have Lone Star (the cops of the future) on your butt.

And never make a deal with a dragon.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I've only played Shadowrun a couple of times.

My memory of it was that you rolled fistfuls of d6s.

I don't know how well the system holds up but let's pray it doesn't go d20.

If you want a d20 experience in a similar genre, perhaps look at d20 Modern.

Don't forget Shadowrun's sister RPG: Earthdawn. I believe Earthdawn is kind of a pre-Shadowrun setting set in the same world but thousands of years earlier. Earthdawn is a medieval-type tech level, swords & sorcery fantasy -- I think.

Those boxes of d6? SR benefits greatly from those. I still have my original set from freshman year of college, 10 years ago, entirely complete.

It's very fun. It's very, very easy to get yourself killed, and healing can be hard to get if you wind up heavily cybered. Speed is, literally, life in this game. In previous editions, people with high initiatives could get multiple actions before slower people got their first action. Even if the slower people don't get killed, they can get severely messed up, and have wound penalties to all their actions. Now, in 3e, the super-fast get to go first, but take their extra actions after other people take their first actions, so it's not nearly as rude. However, you still get a strong temptation towards overkill, just to end the fight more quickly.

I kind of like Earthdawn, but I haven't seen the second edition of it.

Brad

 

[MacMathan]

Favorite setting Evah

I ran in some pretty long campaigns of SR in 1st and 2nd edition. 3rd edition was okay but I was disappointed they did not do more to fix up the mish mash of rules plagueing the magic system.

Overall though I would play it again any day I had a group to play in(mt current group is fantasy oriented). Some of my finest RP memories are tied to that game. Damn I miss FASA.

 

[MacMathan]

...

 

[Umbran]

My advice...

Shadowrun is an excellent game. Get yourself the core rulebook, and a published adventure or two. Don't bother with other sourcebooks until you decide you want to run a big campaign, though. While the sourcebooks are generally pretty good, you really don't need them for a couple one or two shots.

The decking rules are not as complicated as they look, but working with them is prety much like working with a split party of adventurers. The deckers are off in their own little world, working by their own rules. I, personally, tend to ask for no PC deckers. I make sure they have plenty of access to NPC deckers, so that the split-party syndrome doesn't slow down the gaming sessions.

 

[Loki_wolf]

Shadowrun is a great game. My personal favorite. one thing to remember, as has been mentioned before, LOTS of d6s. I personally have one of the Gamer's Bag's Royal bags(the largest size they have), full of D6's specifically for Shadowrun. What I would recommend is get the core rulebook and the Shadowrun Companion. I wouldn't worry too much about any of the other rules expansion books or the other sourcebooks until you get a firm understanding of the rules. and visit the dumpshock website that was posted earlier.

 

[Shemeska]

I adore Shadowrun.

Absolutely beautiful background and metaplot for the setting. And yes, damn do I miss FASA (since some of the new material, and all of the novels, are only being produced in German, which I don't speak).

Lots and lots of d6's, which also make conveniantly high rolling fireball d6's if they've been trained in SR.

 

[Dirigible]

It's pretty much the ENWorld of Shadowrun

Is that like being the Diet Coke of Evil?

 

[Thanee]

(since some of the new material, and all of the novels, are only being produced in German, which I don't speak).

That's only stuff referring to the german campaign setting, AFAIK.

There was the Germany Sourcebook, which detailed the stuff in the first germany book, but since then quite a few update sourcebooks have been put out, that were not translated. True.

About the d6 - if you play a d20 wizard (fireball), you should have enough of those to start!

About Shadowrun d20 - that's extremely unlikely from my point of view. And like many d20 conversion, it would be completely pointless.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Shadowrun has a great background, and I love(d) playing it.
The magic returned, and with it dwarves, elves, orcs, trolls, dragons and many other critters. But this doesn`t mean the humans forget technology - cyberware, firearms, copmuters, all does still exist.
(Urban Arcana seems to mimic Shadowrun a bit, but SR is also near future sci-fi / cyperpunk)

Like with D&D, I recommend to check every additional sourcebook you buy on unbalanced items and rules.

For the first few "runs" (adventures), the Core Rulebook should be enough.
Be aware that some of the adventures you can get are only for experienced players and characters. (read: It is not enough to have good attributes and skills, the player itself must know how to use them), especially Renraku:Shutdown and Brainscan. Despite its name, First Run does not seem to be a good introductionary adventure. I think the best really is to visit the Dumpshock forum and look around (check for FAQs).

Later it might be interesting to buy "Man & Machine" (a Cyberwarerulebook that adds several new options - and increases the overall powerlevel as well), "Arsenal" (weapons, weapons, armor and clothing, equipment) and "Magic in the Shadows" (magic - important for the development of magic characters). If you want charactercreating options and more, you might want the Shadowrun Companion.

Be aware there are some inherent flaws in the system, but if you´re willing to look over it, Shadowrun can be great fun, especially if you like planning your steps (tactics and strategy are quite important for a shadowrun). It might take some work to increase the pure roleplaying part, but this usually depends more on the players than the system.

About Shadowrun D20:
My group (like probably several others) created a D20 Moden adaption, but there are no official adaptions. Actually, on their web-site was an April`s fool regarding them creating Shadowrun D20.

Mustrum Ridcully