Customer Reviews

Shadowrun 20th Anniversary Edition

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're new to Shadowrun or to the 4th edition, be sure to look at the reviews of the old 4th edition book here: Shadowrun 4th Edition or visit Shadowrun's official website.

I picked up the 4th edition core book (BBB) shortly after it came out and it made me want to finally put all of my 1st and 2nd edition stuff on the shelf (we'd been using them since 1994- duct-tape keeping them alive- [3rd edition didn't offer enough incentive for me to buy a whole new edition]). At first glance the system seemed to have made a quantum leap forward allowing it to compete with other high order RPG rules sets like White Wolf's Storyteller System.

We began playing 4th e- but with some difficulty. We would regularly run into problems in the rules and have to come up with a work around, house rule or snap GM decision to keep things moving, but we still had a great time with it. I found that I had a particularly hard time reaching a working understanding of the matrix rules (let's face it- the Matrix is a notoriously tricky thing to get your mind around). I realized, after some time, that I couldn't find ANYONE who understood it well. There were holes in that chapter so big that you could drive an Ares Citymaster through them.

Then came Catalyst (bless their little hearts) who began doling out our regular fix of source books and really bringing the game to life.

With the 20th Anniversary Edition, I feel that Catalyst has reached the pinnacle of Shadowrun's evolution. It's packed with great new fiction, the rules have been tweeked here and they've entirely rewritten the chapter on the matrix. This release also sports the benefit of being published AFTER the source books which has 2 major benefits:

1.) all of the revisions to the core rules to tie neatly into the appropriate source material, galvanizing 4th edition into the most integrated and comprehensive Shadowrun system ever with this book at its core

AND

2.) it includes a complete, color coded index that covers ALL of the core source books. This really helps when your characters try to derail your game with stunts that they see in the movies and you've got to figure out what to roll- and then what happens... `what book did I see that in again?'

In addition to the content, this book looks fantastic. Shadowrun has always featured a grab bag of art in its pages: some phenomenal and some really shameful. In the 20th Anniversary Edition, Adam Jury and Matt Vaillancourt have really outdone themselves. I would say the ALL of the art in this book is really fantastic. Visualizing the setting is a big part of a roleplaying game and it's important to have great art to inspire you and your players. This printing won't let you down with inconsistent quality like the old 4th Edition book did (turn to page 334 in the old 4th e for example- you'll see what I mean).

In a sentence: Buy this book.
Do it and your team will thank you.

Watch your back.
Shoot straight.
Conserve ammo.
And never, ever, cut a deal with a dragon.
--Street proverb

Shadowrun can be distilled into three important words: "Magic cyberpunk noir."

If you're looking for a sci-fi RPG you can really sink your teeth into, this is the one. Shadowrun is quite possibly the richest, most detailed, and most beloved sci-fi RPG setting I have ever played. The way the rules and fiction are presented in this rulebook quickly dispels the "cyberpunk with namby-pamby elves" stigma (which usually originates from people who write off the game without really knowing anything about it). On the contrary, this book makes Shadowrun's world of magic and technology come alive.

This particular rulebook by far the most beautiful and lovingly crafted presentation I have ever seen in an RPG book. Printed in full color, with gorgeous art (the cover alone is fantastic), lavish page designs, and a ribbon bookmark, you just can't ask for a better package. Also included as easter eggs for veteran players are some classic pages of art from Shadowrun's rich, 20-year history (such as the cover art for Shadowrun 1st/2nd Edition rules, the cover of the DMZ box set, etc.)

The rules themselves are another big draw. At first I refused to try 4th edition rules simply because 2nd edition rules worked well enough for me and because they re-branded iconic "decker" characters with the generic "hacker" moniker. For one, I am glad I waited to pick up this Anniversary Edition because this book incorporates errata and important revisions to the original 4th Edition book released a few years ago. I also discovered the 4th edition rules themselves are a worthy successor to the 2nd edition rules (which were first released 17 years ago!) and greatly streamline gameplay.

My only regret is I still miss the term "decker," but in the end it doesn't make sense calling someone a "decker" when cyberdecks are a thing of the past (gotta keep up with SOTA, after all).

The 20th Anniversary Edition of the Shadowrun Core Rulebook is more than just a pretty face. This is not to say the top notch full colour artwork and the extra fiction aren't appreaciated, the Shadowrun setting is not based on a movie or TV series so anything that makes it easier for GM and players to visualise the setting and all the inherent possiblities it contains is a great bonus. It was also nice of Catalyst to take the opportunity to make a few corrections and include a few things they'd overlooked with previous printings (Putting ratings and capacities on visual and audio sensors was a nice idea). From my viewpoint however the best part of this book has to be the fact Catalyst took advantage of the fact that this rulebook came out after the rules expansions to include a colour coded meta-index so if a rules question comes up you can quickly find out which book and page contains the answer. Yes it costs more than the standard core rulebook but it is worth the extra cost.

This book is definitely worth the upgrade cost for three reasons: 1) Organization 2) Fiction 3) Artwork

1) In my opinion, the biggest improvement in this book is the organization. I just started a game 4 months ago and almost everyone at the table is brand new to gaming (including myself) and I found that the learning curve was very steep, in part due to the confusing structure of the core rule book. In the new edition, they have streamlined everything, especially the process of Character Creation. Character Creation can be a very slow and sometimes painful process for new players and my game almost never got off the ground because of it. This new edition makes the whole process much, much more straightforward. It will still take a long time to generate a character but it won't be nearly as confusing and therefore a lot more enjoyable. Almost every other section of the book also benefits greatly from the reorganization and layout changes.

2) The fiction in 20th Anniversary Edition is excellent and a much needed improvement over the previous edition. I skipped over most of the fiction before because I would get confused or bored or both. But I decided to read one of the chapter intro fiction sections and I proceeded to read all the rest before I looked at anything else. Without exception, they were all fascinating, very well written and really got my imagination rolling with adventure ideas. They did a wonderful job of conveying the feeling and atmosphere of this amazing setting.

3) The artwork was also a very welcome change. I've fallen in love with the Shadowrun setting but most of the artwork up to this point has been totally stuck in the 90s. No, not the 2090s, the 1990s. I'm a visual person so I really rely on the artwork to stir my imagination in creating interesting characters and adventures and the new artwork helps a lot. In particular, the Matrix and Augmented Reality aspects of the artwork did a much better job of matching the written descriptions of the Sixth World.

The only thing that I would really liked to have seen is simplified Matrix rules. I still find the Matrix rules very difficult to understand and use and have yet to incorporate them effectively into our game. Other than that, this book is amazing and the game itself is really fun. As a new GM, I only wish I had this book six months earlier.

For anyone who played the Original few versions of Shadowrun. This version breaths new life into, most of the changes are for the better.

First: The book is Hardback and well bound. I haven't had a single page come loose, which was a real problem with the older versions.

Second: They updated everything so that modern tech no longer outpaces theirs in the year 2072. Since they take place in the future they needed a Wireless system. They also found a better way to use both Cyberware and Bioware together.

Third: They revamped the system. It loses some of its originality (dice pools), but those did tend to confuse people. Now it has a system more like White Wolfs (w/D6's). You take a Base Attribute and a Skill and roll them together. All Target numbers are now 5 and you take dice away from your total before the roll to do more difficult activities.

Fourth: Since the Matrix is now Wireless, your Hacker can actually go on runs and be part of the action. They also mixed him in with the Rigger. So now the Rigger can go in the building and not get stuck sitting in the Van.

Fifth: Damage no longer has the coding system (9M for an Ares Predator), now it simply does 6 damage. Also if the Armor Value is above the Damage of the Weapon then it becomes Stun instead of Physical (done to simulate the armor catching the bullet). The Defender now rolls his Body (attribute) + Armor Value as a soak role following the rules above.

Sixth: Character Creation no longer uses a Priority System. It now has a point based system. You start with 400 points and then spend those on Race, Attributes, Skills, Magic (if you have it), Money and Contacts. Each Category has it's own prices so that you have to choose what means the most to your character (Races cost from 0-40, Attributes cost 8, Skills cost 4, Magic costs 1 for each point of focus, Money costs 1 for 5,000 New-Yen, Contacts cost 1 for loyalty and 1 for value).

Overall: The changes seem to make things easier and more streamlined. I approve of their changes and hope others give them another chance.

This is possibly the nicest looking rulebook I've ever had the pleasure to own. Full color all the way through, with art of a way higher quality (and consistency) than a lot of the previous SR books (there are some classic pieces thrown in too, I was especially excited to see the old SR 2 core cover on the first page). All the necessary background and flavor for understanding the 6th world (the physical world as well as the matrix and the astral plane) is included. It's not a full history, as that would have to be a much larger book, but more of a summary of the major events, and the book does a great job of getting you into the mindset of the shadows, circa 2072. It also has a handy little bookmark attached to the binding, adding to the overall classiness of the presentation.

As the other reviewer mentioned, this is a pretty ideal reprint of the core rules-all the errata, plus new fiction and art. And, most important, the all-book index, which is a total lifesaver. I only just got the book, and it's already improved/sped-up gameplay significantly. There is also an index of all the various tables, so next time you need to swim or blow through a wall with shaped charges, that is also a breeze. I've been consistently happy with Catalyst's handling of all the Shadowrun stuff, and this just makes me like them better.


I would definitely recommend this to anyone playing Shadowrun, it's well worth the $30.

Now if they'll only put out a full-on rigger book....

The Shaodwrun 20th Anniversary edition combines several sources and some new art into a great starting point for new players. I quite enjoy the book and find that it's laid out relatively logically, though some of my players have complained that it can be a touch more difficult to use then the Shadowrun 4th edition (SR4) book. Character creation is exceedingly flexible, allowing you to build almost any character you'd like.

The book opens with establishing the setting, the magical world 2071 where for sixty years magic has returned and changed everything. Next it covers character creation, followed by example characters, how skills work, combat, advice on running the game and creatures, then at last gear and equipment. A great addition from SR4 book is a marker ribbon, allowing you to easily mark one place while looking up other things. The book is of generally high quality with good binding, a durable cover and thick pages.

My only quibbles with the system are that it's relatively simple to create a character that can act 2 to 3 times as quickly as a normal person, meaning in many combat situations there can be someone getting twice as many turns as anyone else. Reflex Wiring (Cyberware), Reflex Boosters (Bioware) and Improved Reflexes (Adept power) are very, very powerful.

This book exceeded every expectation I had set for it.

First, I receive the book and it's nice and heavy, and feels quite sturdy. Then I open the book and I'm blown away. Every page is in full color as opposed to the bog-standard black and white.

The rules are still compatible with older books and for good reason. One of the main reasons to own this book is the massive 22 page GM Master Index at the end of the book that lists page numbers in all of the core rulebooks as well as the main SR4A book.

The book is beautiful and I'm glad to have it in my collection.

Summary:
Even if you don't like the mechanics, this book is worth considering for a Shadowrun fan just on the basis of the wealth of art and stories.

Pro:
- Stories galore
- Lots of art, both nostalgia-inducing and novel
- Index is very handy for looking things up in this book as well as in expansions
- Built-in bookmark ribbon! How posh is that?

Con:
- Matrix rules remain wonky (I suggest "The Ends of the Matrix" by former SR writer Frank Trollman ([...]) for a drop-in replacement)
- I miss the strategic decisions of allocating dice pools (Combat, Magic, etc) of earlier editions.
- I miss the excitement of earlier editions' "Exploding Dice" mechanic, which allowed even a low-ranked player to occasionally overcome seemingly impossible odds.
- In-book advertising, while it makes sense, spoils the mood. "This chapter is incomplete, if you want the full version, buy this other book! Here's what the cover looks like!"

My star scale:
-1 Give me my money back
-2 Next time I'd make a different choice
=3 Worth the cost of admission, would buy again (if I didn't already have one)
-4 As good as can reasonably be expected
-5 Excellent, unreasonably good, strikingly above and beyond

I tried Shadowrun years ago, but my issues with the GM led to not try again until now. Definitely liking the system much more now. It's doing what I hoped it would and restarting my creative juices with a new genre. Really impressed by the character creation system. Very well done and highly recommend.