Product Description
The Shadows Have Evolved The year is 2070. The world is not only Awakened -- it's wired. Cyber and bioware implants make your meat body better-than-flesh, while the wireless Matrix enhances your perceptions with hyper-real senses. Deals are made in steel and lead more often than gold or nuyen; success and failure live only a razor's edge apart. Creatures of myth and legend walk the streets, while the arcane skills of spellslingers are in high demand. Above it all, monolithic megacorps bleed the world dry, sabotaging each other in covert cutthroat competition as they go to war over the bottom line You're a shadowrunner, a street operative, scratching out a living on the mean sprawl streets. You may be human, elf, dwarf, ork or troll. From lethal street samurai to well-connected info brokers, spell-slinging mages or code-cracking hackers. No matter what, you're a -- professional corporate pawn or "deniable asset," -- you get the job done. Shadowrun, Fourth Edition offers a completely new rules system that is simple, integrated and accessible. The state-of-the-art has also been advanced, introducing a new level of augmented reality, new gear, new magical discoveries, and more. This hardcover rulebook contains all the rules gamemasters and players need to create characters and ongoing adventures set in the popular Shadowrun universe. Note that the Shadowrun, Fourth Edition will replace the Shadowrun, Third Edition rules set. Source material from previous editions will still be compatible.
Customer Reviews:
Stream lining the shadows.......2007-06-27
the 4th edition of shadow run is great. It simplifies and streams lines alot of what 3rd tried to do. For vet's of 3rd edition They'll see alot of the old stuff they knew and loved but it's gone above and beyond what their used to be, now everything is wireless and the new AR (augmented Reality) means your hacker can be right there with you and the new system works to integrate combat and hacking/magic better to eliminate the "i'm gonna get a soda while the hacker hacks" scenario. For the New players, as i said earlier, it's been stream lined and much of the rules of old still there but better explained and esier to pick up and learn, even if you've never done any RP games before. If you're a fan of Cyber-punk meets magic and fantasy then this is a must play/have item.
Show's how a good game can last for ages.......2007-06-19
Shadowrun has been around for ages. And that's a good thing. Far too many games have gone into the D20 slump. Far too many good games, over the years, have been lost to the sands of time. Yet to see that some names, like RuneQuest and Earthdawn, are still around brings a cheer to this old gamer's heart. And it is even better to see that games like Shadowrun, instead of falling into a spiral, can actually grow better and better. Shadowrun is kicking and alive in all its intricate glory. Still has the wonderful fantasy appearance, still has the grand cyberpunk grime. A lot of games have problems if they try to throw too many concepts and genres together. Shadowrun has never had that problem. The character creation is easy to learn, easy to work with. The dice system is reasonable and also easy to grasp. I think though that what really draws people to this game, as people have been drawn to it since it first opened its eyes with FASA, was the setting. The setting works. It is just that simple. You can dive into the setting and find new things to develop, new points to discover, and new avenues to explore. The campaign world is one of the best. If you are tired, and I really am myself tired of D20, then you really need to take a second look at this game. Buy it. It is worth it. You as the GM will love it, your players will love it.
What a Great RPG.......2007-05-15
I absolutely love what they've done to Shadowrun in 4th Edition. I haven't read a Shadowrun book since 2nd Edition and I welcome all of the improvments. The book is very well organized too. I find it very easy to use.
I'm still learning the new rules. Tonight I sat down and figured out how to calculate odds to clear any confusion. Please forgive my lack of expertise in writing mathematical equasions, but hopefully you can follow this.
First, calculate the number of possible ways that 6 sided dice can land when rolled. Do this by multiplying 6 to the power of the number of dice rolled. If four dice are being rolled, it's 6 x 6 x 6 x 6, which equals 1296.
Now, figure out the possible chances that a five or six could not be rolled on a single die. This is 4/6, or simply 4. Now, you will multiply 4 to the power of the number of dice you will be rolling. So, if you're rolling four dice, it's 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 which equals 256.
Now, to figure out how many chances of rolling a 5 or 6 one time there are, subtract 256 from 1296. This gives you 1040.
When you divide 1040/1296 you get 80%.
Enjoy.
A New Look at an Old Game.......2007-05-10
Let's talk about Shadowrun. An old FASA game, Shadowrun for years languished in that terrible state that can consume a game when a fantastic world is saddled with a horrid rule system. An amazing and vibrant setting, Shadowrun had a rule's system so pathetic that after two or more years of playing it, I had never even learned how to handle damage. This is not the first game that I didn't try to learn while playing. The is the first game where I succeeded in remaining ignorant. I had my rules lawyer friend to give me character development ideas and I knew how to spend karma. The Game was so obfuscated under its own byzantine system of exceptions that no amount of time playing was able to batter its way through my rules-ambivalence. That was version one or two. I never played three.
For those that don't know, Shadowrun is a magical cyberpunk game set in a future where magic has returned to earth and Japanese corporations threaten to consume American life (which is on the ropes anyway because the country has fractured). Most games take place in the line's signature city of Seattle and it hinges around the Shadowrun. In a typical Shadowrun, a nameless corporate suit, called Mr. Johnson as a matter of tradition and convenience, hires the Shadowrunners to do some deed. A Shadowrun is any illegal or quasi-legal activity, most typically some for of corporate espionage, theft, sabotage or kidnapping. Come on, Chummer. You know you want play.
So how's version four?
Well, let's start by saying that from what I understand, Fanpro, the holder of the current license, took a wise approach to releasing this product. They released the eBook version of the game on August 31st, and by the 1st of September, their first errata list was available online. They revised the game and released it nine days later after getting initial feedback from their fanbase. Only then did they release the print version. While this isn't enough to get a full playtest out of their customers, it is enough to make sure that the print book had been throughly combed for inconsistencies and unclear test. So, did this trick give them the product they wanted?
Well, let's take a walk through the book, shall we?
After a piece of opening fic and your standard "What is a Roleplaying Game" fare, the book moves on to immediately play to its strength: the Setting. It starts with a history chapter, which advances the Shadowrun timeline to the year 2070. In this section they manage to incorporate modern real world tech into the world that the game previously missed (wireless, anyone?) and advance the world to a slightly newer age. Forgive me if I don't know how far this leapt beyond third edition, but it's a fine an necessary section. Next comes the obligatory section on the world in general, after which a new player should have some idea what's going on in this awakened setting.
Next you'll see the game concepts. Here is where the system take a leap beyond what I've played in the past. All fives and sixes are "hits" now instead of basing all target numbers on enemy stats. You roll a skill check by adding your stat and skill together and rolling that many d6. The more "hits" the better the result. For instance, if you have a three reaction and a three dodge and you try to dodge an attack, you roll six dice and you will probably score two "hits." These would be subtracted from the enemy attack to determine if they landed their. "Hits" also add to damage, and once the damage is figured out, the character rolls his dice to soak. It's very simple, isn't burdened with the exceptions of previous version. Most of all, it's intuitive. If you've read half the rules of the game, you could fake the other half. Elegant.
Next the game walks you through creating a Shadowrunner. This is a straightforward process and it has decent safeties installed to make certain that character's aren't too min-maxed. Still, most every character will be min-maxed, because it is foolish not to. A linear system is used to create characters, where raising a stat from four to five typically costs as much as raising from one to two. Since during play one has to deal with diminishing returns, the game begs you to min-max. Of course, many games do.
After character creation, the game presents some sample characters and skills. The is a handy section, especially for players of previous versions thinking in an "old mode." Deckers are gone and now are just called hackers. There are technomages, who build personas as agents in the net, but a hacker is all a team needs. Better yet, the hacking system is now a straightforward skill system, which means that every time you plan a run, you don't have to run a solo adventure of the decker, alone in the net, running a massive scenario. Since this fragmented every game I've ever played with a decker, I applaud the change. Give me a few rolls and move on.
Next the game explores combat. Combat in the new system is simple, fast and easy. Unlike other versions, it's actually possible to kill anyone with any weapon (you might have to spend an edge, sort of a luck stat, to get the exploding dice necessary is you don't have the base damage or skill). Damage is easy and straightforward (I've played in two combats now and, alas, I already understand it. The game has a few innovations, as well. It uses a pass system to deal with multiple attacks, where everyone goes once, then everyone with actions left go again, and then again, and so on until no one has actions left. This isn't the first game to use such a system, but it is the first game I've personally seen that had one that didn't completely break the movement system. If you are going to attack an enemy and you have three attacks and they have only one, you still move in step together through the initiative phases despite the discrepancy in number of action. Initiative is easy. Attacks and damage are easy. None of it makes me stare and shake my head at poor design. In other words, a world above previous versions.
Next is the Awakened World section, where you can play a mage or a shaman or an adept (a sort of magically-enhanced warrior) or a mystic adept (which is a mage/adept). I have no complaints about the magic system, other than to say many people are going to wait for future supplements for Fanpro to reintroduce new version of the magical specialties they want. I suppose that is unavoidable.
Then the Wireless World, a section on the net. I've already expressed my opinions on what they've done with hacking, so I'll move on.
Running the Shadows, the section on GMing. Let me take a moment to point out the one thing that is still pretty broken about this game . . . spending karma. In former versions of Shadowrun, stats did not help skills and I think they haven't fully shaken that mentality. A trait costs 3x its target to raise, an active skill 2x and a knowledge skill 1x. Now, in a system when one trait can give you a bonus to a dozen different skills, charging only 50% more than a skill just doesn't make any sense. Why would anyone every raise a skill before their stats top out? The other big problem here is that the cost is based on the end total, not the number of times you've raise the trait. For instance, if you make a troll character and only put one in strength, you will have a five due to the race's bonuses. If you have a human with the same stat, you've put five points into strength and your maximum is six. But it costs the same amount of points to raise both characters, despite the fact that this is the simplest effort for a troll and the supreme culmination of human ability for his counterpart. You might have to make house rules for both of these sections. Otherwise, all trolls with be completely min-maxed and all other characters will spend all their karma on traits.
Then there is a friends and foes section dealing with NPCs and monsters and the like. Finally, the section on street gear. Tech is a little more advanced in this version (due to the advancing of the timeline and therefore the state of the art) and the rules are different enough that all the old books are now likely useless where rules are concerned. The main problem I have here is a certain incompletelness. For instance, if you want to buy drugs, you won't find prices in the new book. On the forums, people say they are using their third edition books for the missing prices, but for new players, it's on-the-fly pricing or nothing.
The main problems with this game are spending karma and a lack of compatibility with the massive tonnage of books that some players already have. The first they could have avoided, but the second was probably a lost cause. Old versions of the game labored under ridiculously badly-designed rule systems and I think it's unlikely they could fix this without losing that backward compatibility.
So, in conclusion, this new edition is what people like me have been waiting for for years. My most anti-Shadowrun friend is playing the new version with glee. Finally, Shadowrun advocates don't have to be Shadowrun apologists. If the rules have held you back from buying the game in the past, get it. If you're a longstanding player, I'd still recommend it, but know it will render most of the rules in your existing Shadowrun library obsolete.
Shadowrun, 4th Ed........2007-01-09
This is the 4th incarnation of the Shadowrun game. I have played Shadowrun since the original release. This book is a continuation of the timeline. The "history" is updated and new items are added.
A new rules system has been used and from my initial read through, seems to work better than the old.
If you are fan of Shadowrun or are interested in getting started, I highly recommend this book.
Product Description
Master Your Mojo The advanced magic book for Shadowrun, Fourth Edition. Details the nature of magic and its effects on society in the year 2070. Also contains advanced rules for alternate magic traditions, initiation and metamagic, enchanting, new spells and adept powers, the metaplanes of astral space, and a host of magical threats. Street Magic contains everything the players and gamemasters need for magic in Shadowrun, Fourth Edition
Product Description
Across the Globe, Biz is Biz This first core setting book introduces the players to two of the world s premier shadowrunner sprawls: Seattle and Hong Kong. Each city is described in detail for a shadowrunner s point-of-view, covering key topics such as the balance of power, corporate and underworld affairs, places to see, strange magics, and key features of interest. A wealth of plot hooks are also included. Four other runner-favored cities Cape Town, Caracas, Hamburg, and Istanbul are also covered in lesser detail, and gamemaster advice is provided for transforming any specific urban locale into a shadow hotspot.
Customer Reviews:
A inevitable companion.......2007-05-19
Anyone purchasing Shadowrunner 4th Edition with intentions to GM some games with your friends shall get this GM Shield.
Book Description
Earth, 2063. Long-dormant magical forces have reawakened, and the creatures of mankind's legends and nightmares have come out of hiding. Megacorporations act as the new world superpowers, and the dregs of society fight for their own power. Sliding through the cracks in between are shadowrunners-underworld professionals who will do anything for a profit, and anything it takes to get the job done.
Kellan Colt has come to Seattle to make a name for herself. But her first run proves that in her line of work, there's no such thing as a sure thing, and that in her world, there is only one law-survival.
Customer Reviews:
Nice easy read.......2007-07-03
This was a fun book, easy to read and a descent intro to the Shadowrun universe.
The plot was a little thin and you could see many of the twists a mile away, but it was an entertaining read and worth a look.
Overall a good book to start reading the shadowrun series and for those new to shadowrun.
Enjoyable introduction to new series........2006-10-25
I am always on the lookout for new franchises to get involved in and Shadowrun caught me by surprise as I was about to exit my fave Sci-Fi shop empty-handed. I had never heard of it before and I thought it had a really cool cover, so I decided to check it out.
Set in the future, when America and Canada have been divided up into smaller nations and magic have come back into the world. Humans now live alongside trolls, goblins and elves and MegaCorporations run the world. Industrial Espionage is rife and the people who make money living in the shadows of these companies are the shadowrunners. Using their magical powers as an edge to get things done.
The main character of Kellan Kolt is fairly new to the Shadowrun scene, so as she learns the basics, the reader does too. Which I thought was a nice way to introduce people who are unfamiliar with the franchise to the Shadowrun universe. There is not a huge amount of techno-jargon or complicated lingo, though I do suspect that this sort of stuff will appear in later books.
The Shadowrun series has been around for about 10 or so years and there are already dozens of books before this. But I believe this is a reboot of the franchise or a brand new splinter story arc. Either way, I will be reading more.
Their Baack!!.......2006-09-29
While the reappearance of the Shadowrun series has been a mixed blessing over all, the lead off trilogy is something of a treat for jaded eyes. They are the story of Kellan Colt who has decided to move to the Seattle from Kansas City in a determined effort to become a a shadowrunner in the place where runners go for the big run and either crash and burn or settle into a life of comfort. In no time at all she is drawing unwanted attention and an early crisis reveals unexpected magical skills. When a lucky break offers her the opportunity to become the student of Lothan, a troll wizard, Kellan seizes the opportunity. When she isn't practicing spell casting she's taking part in some of Lothan's bizness. With mixed results.
But her big day appears to be on the way. Lothan has been hired for a major weapons run and Kellan is to play a major part. In most Shadowrun novels the problem is that the runs never come off as expect. This time it's the opposite case. The problem is that the run works perfectly, but the Johnson pays off even though the catch is a load of bargain store electronics. Kellan, ever one to look a gift horse in the mouth investigates more than she should, and manages to turn a mundane run into a web of intrigue and betrayal.
Kellan is a sympathetic character, seeking success and the truth about her mother. She is a bit too assertive and often creates her own problems, but this isn't unexpected in the world of Shadowrun where if you don't grab your share, someone else will. Stephen Kenson writes smoothly and comfortably about the complicated world of Shadowrun with its whole different spin on ethnic and national differences. It's a world where you can inherit talents or have them installed and it takes someone like Kenson to make a tale that works at all levels.
Quick Read, Great Intro to Shadowrun.......2006-07-08
I haven't read any previous Shadowrun novels so I am not biased by that. I have played the game some and read some of the sourcebooks. Born to Run starts off a whole new series with a new cast of characters. The writing is not difficult to read, and the action is fast paced. You get to know some of the shadowrunners in Seattle, and follow the career of a new runner named Kellan Colt. Because the story plays out from Kellan's perspective most of the time, you learn the world of shadowrunning along with her. I consider this book to be light reading, and it won't win any literary awards, but it was a really fun read and I enjoyed it immensely. I recommend it for anyone new to the world of Shadowrun or even to more seasoned Shadowrun fans who want to go back to their roots.
Amateur reading material.......2006-06-04
While following the life and times of an up and coming runner can be made into an interesting story, this book is not one of them.
The book follows along an acceptable storyline, however it feels like it was written for teenagers, or perhaps pre-teens as it was overly simple to read and felt like someone's first novel...ever. I would not recommend this book to anyone with a high school reading level as it will bore you to death. Could be decent for those interested in some fast paced action and bathroom material but other than it doesn't hold much promise.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but not good enogh.......2000-12-19
Well, I must say that this book is mixed blessing. On the one hand there are excellent piece about New Orleans, description of smuggling routes, underwater cities and rules section (very helpful). On the other hand there is section about Vladivostok, which I, as Russian, found disappointing.
One word: MAPS.......1998-10-23
This book has a wealth of material smuggling routes, and long overdue info on border crossings. It also incorporates a much overlooked element in the shadowrun setting: regional maps. The mainland of North America is blocked out with not only international borders, but also the major cities are well marked. The New Orleans info is detailed enough to stage well thought-out runs there. Vladistock is detailed smoothly as well. This book makes an excellent companion to "The Underworld Sourcebook."
CyberPirates and Underwater Yakuza Bases, Oh My!.......1998-10-14
Concise, with an insight to New Orleans. This book links Seattle with the world, providing trade routes and creative ideas to run players into all kinds of trouble. As a GM, I love it!
This would have made a great novel!!!!!!.......1998-07-16
This book contained so much background information on places that it did not really help me much as a DM. It is great for a history lesson, but would have been more interesting if written as two seperate novels. It mainly gives background info on New Orleans and surrounding areas, as well as a port in good old Russia. Also don't let the picture above fool you. This is not the picture that I had on the book I received. It was a pitcure of a Vooduan buying body organs. The only helpful thing in the book for me was information on Talisleggin and organleggin. This is the aquisition and sell of talismen materials as well as, organs and body parts.
Product Description
Will Your First Run Be Your Last? This introductory adventure for Shadowrun, Fourth Edition sends the players in pursuit of an archaic media chip with priceless contents, mixing them up with a media legend s ancient history. This adventure is seeded with helpful advice to immediately acquaint new gamemasters with running Shadowrun and also includes a number of tips that veteran gamemasters will find useful. It is also intentionally designed to familiarize gamemasters and players with various key aspects of the Shadowrun universe. On the Run is perfect as a stand-alone adventure, but it is also the first in a continuing series of adventures. At a low cost, this adventure is a perfect companion to the SR4 Gamemaster Screen, creating a package that will make any new gamemaster ready for action!
Customer Reviews:
Solid, great start........2007-06-28
It does what it says, for players new to Shadow Run 4th edition, or Shadowrun in general, it has encounters that are designed to step the players through different parts of the rules. Very complete. I like it.
Average customer rating:
- Some More Meta-Story Updates
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Threats 2 (Shadowrun)
Fanpro
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Binding: Paperback
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Shadowrun, Fourth Edition
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Customer Reviews:
Some More Meta-Story Updates.......2003-10-26
The creatively titled Threats 2 is the new incarnation of the Threats by FASA. It follows the 3rd edition trend of less artwork and multiple authors.
Threats 2 is in some ways a follow up to Year of the Comet. It simply introduces some new wrinkles into the game universe. Most of them are pretty interesting and the book itself is a pretty entertaining read. There are enough ideas in it to give game masters and players some inspiration for new campaigns. It also gives a small update on some previous plotlines such as Deus and Shedim spirits. This is nice as it's good to see the game story continue to move along, especially at a somewhat slower pace than Year of the Comet.
This is not a must have book but could be used to inject some fresh blood into your campaign. It seems to be kind of hard to find and will probably go for the full cover price.
Product Description
Tradition vs. Progress "Asia. The East. A land of contrasts, from glittering megacorp skyscrapers to humble sacred temples. Japan, Malaysia and Hong Kong set the world's accelerated pace of progress, but next door in Indochina and Indonesia it's still last century. It's a mystery to most, but if you know your drek, youll find it's a land of opportunity. Anything you want is here. Cred. Gear. Flesh. Hell, I even heard of a guy finding Enlightement. Theres always a price, of course, whether it's selling your soul to the corps of your sister to the slave trade." Shadows of Asia provides information on each country in Asia, from the internal strife of the Middle East to the enlightened new Japan, from the struggle for power in Russia to the war-torn jungles of Indochina. The important underworld figures, corps, crime outfits and political leaders for each nation are described, along with maps and details on the unique outlook of Asian magical traditions. For use with the Shadowrun roleplaying game.
Book Description
Shadowrunner Kellan Colt thinks she's ready to strike out on her own when she discovers the location of a secret cache of military weaponry-right in the heart of the supernatural creature-infested Awakened wilderness.
Customer Reviews:
More sci-fi pulp.......2007-07-15
After enjoying the first in this new Shadowrun series, Poison Agenda was just as fun and makes for a good read. There's no fat here, so it's pretty fast moving. Something all low-class pulp books really should be.
Kellan Colt, now a slightly more experienced Shadowrunner, comes across some priceless information about ancient weapons buried deep in the wilderness. None of her pals really want to touch it, believing it tainted or false. But she still assembles her own team and decides to go for it, no matter how much trouble it might end up.
Undemanding, unpretentious fun for sci-fi and Shadowrun fans. This new series doesn't seem like it will run out of steam any time soon.
Excellent continuation!.......2006-01-14
"Poison Agendas" was a surprisingly fun book! Being a staunch fan of classic Shadowrun, and having a deep interest in RPG genre books, I have to admit I was a bit leery about the return of Shadowrun, and various alterations it might have.
Stephen Kenson's new series, of which "Poison Agendas" is the second, gave me not only the reassurance I needed, but also hope that my favorite game from high school wouldn't be turned into something awful in future generations.
The characters are well developed, and the plots are the delightfully twisty and fast-paced ones that Shadowrun is famous for. The magic and science are once again well thought out and in harmony with the game, while not being oppressively rulebound or annoying. All in all, it's great fiction, and was a blast to read!
I recommend this book, and it's predecessor, "Born to Run," to any who have an interest in science fiction, fantasy, or adventure. Enjoy!
Revenge of the mediocre.......2006-01-09
I must first say that I am a fan of Mr. Kenson earlier Shadowrun novels, but I must say that these new ones leave something to be desired. Both this novel and the first, Born to Run, seem rather thrown together. Like other reviewers, I felt somewhat betrayed by the blatant attempt to remarket Wizkids failed Shadowrun miniatures line, by reusing their names in these novels, it just seems rather forced. Also, I don't know if I am seeing things or not, but the font in the new novels seems bigger. I would be curious as to the word count of these novels compared to the older novels. In all fairness to Wizkids, I am assuming that they are trying to restart the novel line and need to provide basic information to new readers, but with the advent of Shadowrun 4th edition and the 2070 timeline, I was hoping for a jump in the story line and some backfill of info. Lastly, I am more of a fan of more experienced characters and another "starting in the trade" series of books doesn't appeal to me as much.
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