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Catalyst Game Labs

Shadowrun 20th Anniversary Edition Hardcover – August 19, 2009

by Catalyst Game Labs (Author)

4.7 160 ratings

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The year is 2072. Magic has returned and creatures of myth and legend walk among us as megacorps bleed the world dry. You’re a shadowrunner―a deniable asset, a corporate pawn―using bleeding-edge science and magic to make your meat body and mind better-than-flesh. Stay on the edge, and you may survive another run on the mean sprawl streets. 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, and new magical discoveries. This full-color rulebook contains all the rules gamemasters and players need to create characters and ongoing adventures set in the popular Shadowrun universe. Shadowrun, Fourth Edition 20th Anniversary Core Rulebook is fully compatible with all Shadowrun, Fourth Edition books.

Language

English
Publisher

Catalyst Game Labs
Publication date

August 19, 2009
Dimensions

8.63 x 1 x 11.13 inches
ISBN-10

1934857319
ISBN-13

978-1934857311
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Catalyst Game Labs; Anniversary edition (August 19, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1934857319
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1934857311
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.63 x 1 x 11.13 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,404,905 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #59 in Shadowrun Game

Customer Reviews:
4.7 160 ratings

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A great 'rules light' version of Shadowrun 5e.

Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2023

Verified Purchase

I have been playing Shadowrun for years. The Shadowrun rule system has a well deserved reputation for being crunchy.

Shadowrun Anarchy is a great 'rules light' version of Shadowrun 5e.

Anarchy has the same feel as Shadowrun 5e, with much less crunch. Anarchy is the same setting, same dice pool mechanic and same races, but much more fast play. Character generation in Anarchy only takes about 20 minutes for new players - less for those familiar with the system.

You can play Anarchy in a couple of versions. A narrative version and more of a traditional Shadowrun 5e light version. My group has only played it in the Shadowrun 5e light version and has really enjoyed it.

If you are looking at Shadowrun but are reluctant to play it because of the complexity of the rules, you should look at Shadowrun Anarchy.

Redefining the classic.

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2012

Verified Purchase

I first entered the world of Shadowrun from the second edition which had been translated from english to my native language. Being at the time mostly a Cyberpunk 2020 player, I was interrested in the mash-up of cyberpunk and fantasy themes. I quickly realised the uniqueness of the Shadowrun setting and it's raw potential. The setting made it possible to play almost every kind of genre imaginable and still come out as feeling original and suitable to Shadowrun. Soon after, many years of fun gaming followed in the future Seattle and other detailed locations. I even made up some locations of my own, which I don't usually do that often. I like games to have some fluff and texture to grap on, which is why I tend to shy away from generic rpg systems. A backdrop which to the players and the GM can make their own mark. This Shadowrun achieved above all other systems I had played at the time.

I had long break from roleplaying after the 90's and only recently got back to rpg gaming. I mainly bought the 20th Anniversary Edition of Shadowrun out of nostalgia for the setting, but I was really pleasently surpriced of the quality of the book.

The book itself is basicly a blueprint of how to make a roleplaying game in this day and age. The illustrations are in tune with the setting, with a nice mix of new and classic Shadowrun art for the days of FASA, and the productions values are top notch. Everything is printed on high quality paper and the book's binding is sturdy. Catalyst Games is very forward in its in-book advertising of other 4th/20th Anniversary edition supplements. Some don't necessary like them, but it does give the new and old returning players pretty detailed information on how to expand the setting to their liking. All which is entirely opitional as all the rules needed to play the games are in the 20th Anniversary Rulebook.

The game system and the setting have changed since older editions. But this was to be expected as the game never existed in a vacuum. The setting is constantly evolving, even during the 2nd edition days and the new rule system reflects these changes instead of trying to weld the changes to the rules provided in the older editions. In the process much of the unnecessary complexity has been removed making the game much more accessable to new players. Which is the best rule system is debateable, but this edition has actully made the fringe character classes (namely the rigger and the decker) as viable player option from the point of running the game.

I wouldn't say the 20th Anniversary Edition is the best version of Shadowrun as the best is quite often defined by previous experiences with the older editions. But it is the most comprehensive, the most focused and the most newcomer friendly version of Shadowrun created to date. Its nice to see, that in the 20 years of its existence, Shadowrun has found itself and has managed to turn its melting pot of genres to something instantly recognizable.

3 people found this helpful

Carson Ferreira

Came as described and earlier than expected

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2023

Verified Purchase

I bought this for one of my best friends because I'm running a SR Anarchy campaign and they wanted the book but couldn't afford it.

Came before the date they originally said and the condition was listed as good and it's good. Thank you.

As for the game itself, if you want a faster paced Shadowrun game that's more like playing an action movie then having to deal with a math and rules heavy system like Shadowrun typically is, I highly suggest this system. It's very easy to convert any material meant for SR5thEd to Anarchy and with some work you can convert information back to 5th.

Benjamin Bradley

Worth the Price of the Updgrade

Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2009

Verified Purchase

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.

8 people found this helpful

New Life for an Old Game

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2010

Verified Purchase

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.

16 people found this helpful

SR4 Complicated, but Fun

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2011

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The setting and background is intriguing. It is set in an alternate earth future with magic thrown in.

If your running the game and need to know all the rules you need to spend a fair amount of time learning the rules, however if you are playing, you can concentrate on the rules specific to your character. In the anniversary edition quite a few rules regarding one topic are scattered throughout the book. The Shadowrun website has some very helpful people that can help you in the Rules and Such forums.

There is a lot of flexibility in the game with regards to character creation so you can come up with the style of character you want to play and it's easy to come up with a back story that fits what you want from simple to complex.

In the game I just started, our GM has allowed Arsenal, Unwired, Augmentation, and Street Magic. I also recommend these, and based on what type of character you want to play your GM can recommend which of these books you might want to peruse for your character.

I hope this helps, I recommend the game, but only if you have some serious time on your hands, or the ability to spend a little time each day on the game for some time to prepare as a GM. There are sample characters in the book and we've had 1 player play one of those with only minor modifications, so if it comes down to it a player has ways to create a character fairly quickly.

I hope this helps. Sincerely, the reviewer.

One person found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2010

Verified Purchase

I placed my order for this book yesterday and have not received it as of yet. However, I have read this book and played this game before. I have also played the previous 3rd edition of Shadowrun before and I'm familiar with the regular 4th edition book. Just to be clear, I do know what I'm talking about even though I don't have my own copy yet. Moving on...

This is the best edition of Shadowrun anyone can own and play. The mechanics are written clearly which is good when playing a crunchy game like Shadowrun. I know Shadowrun has been regarded as a game that everyone loves the setting but hates the system but here I don't see that being a problem anymore. Even though this shares the same newer streamlined rules that 4th edition had. The way it's written and organized in this books is much clearer then that one and it also sets the mood better. You read this book and see all the pictures and you think to yourself, wow I really wanna play this. Which is what a RPG rulebook is supposed to do. When I go back to the previous editions I feel like I'm reading a tech manual with a few illustrations here and there.

Now, this is still a crunchy system, though it's not complicated. It's got about as much crunch as the D20 system and most RPG gamers grasped that really quick. It's about an average difficulty so don't be afraid to try it. Most importantly, once you start playing Shadowrun it's a lot of fun and never gets old, even after months of play. I really love Shadowrun and I know many others will too. The only way this book could be better is if it came with a couple dozen d6s to get gamers started.

2 people found this helpful

Great work by Catalyst, polishing this up

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2013

Verified Purchase

First off, I don't know why it's so expensive on Amazon. When I came across it it was listed as just under 30 and out of stock. I decided for the price I would put in my order and wait. Since then Amazon is no longer listing it, but several third party sellers are asking ridiculous prices for this. I was able to purchase it through Barnes and Nobles for a decent price but I'm keeping my order open here in case it comes in again, a second book never hurts.

I've read many of the other reviews and they are all great and well thought out, I don't have a lot additional to add that wasn't already said. I actually found I didn't like the way the Shadowrun history was laid out in the book. I found it less fluid and harder to follow as compared to the third edition books. But that's about the only less than stellar thing I can say. The book is gorgeous, full color with wonderful artwork. The layout is wonderful, the little stories at the beginning of each chapter are a delight to read, and it's just all around nice. If you can find it, buy it.

Michael Russell

Great for new or returning players

Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2011

Verified Purchase

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.

One person found this helpful

Kindle Customer

As much as one could hope for from a core book!

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2018

Verified Purchase

the 4th edition game system can be almost overwhelming for a novice gamer. If you are an experienced gamer though or have played other versions of Shadowrun, then this book will absolutely be helpful to you as a reference and learning tool. The 20th Anniversary edition is better than the "regular" 4th edition core book IMO (I have both). It is much better laid out and has extra material inside. I'm not sure if they all do, but mine even came with a ribbon stitched in to serve as a bookmark. Beautiful pictures. I wish they would have paid as much attention to detail with the 5th edition book (spoiler alert: they didn't). But if you are set on playing 4th edition or buying it for nostalgic purposes, then this is the one you want.

Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2012

Verified Purchase

Just going to say the good stuff first. I like the rule system thought it takes a little bit to get used to and the concept is fun.

Don't buy the other book for this edition under any circumstances. Where this one is a little annoying that is chock full of errors that really should have been caught before publishing. Moving on I love playing this game but some of the rules are a bit vague like for crafting and repair and given my rigger preference that's important to me. Also its kind of off putting when the index references the side books. I'm not saying that isn't helpful for finding things but a lot of those books didn't really warrant being full supplements so it feels kind of tacky to be reminded that you need to buy them separately. Like the issue with crafting and repair this is probably just a me thing.

Could have been good

Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2020

Verified Purchase

This line could have been good. For a long time the barrier for entry into the Shadowrun rpg has been the very crunchy system. There are many people who'd like to get into the game but are turned away by the stupid dice pools. This game could have bridged the gap and brought narrative gamers into the setting.

Instead, we're given a half-finished game that tells you to go look at 5th Edition anytime you want more depth than a puddle. This was clearly written for the sole purpose of getting people interested in the setting, at conventions, and then selling them 5th Ed.

It's really too bad because I would have been the target audience for a narrative Shadowrun line.

6 people found this helpful

Dripping with flavor

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2011

Verified Purchase

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

7 people found this helpful

Shane Amazon Customer

Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2011

Verified Purchase

I have to say, if you need to update to Shadowrun 4th edition, then this book is the one to get. Everything is organized well, the full color pictures and stories are top notch, and the index in the back of the book covers all of the sourcebooks as well. I could not have asked for a better edition and it made my transition to 4th edition that much easier. I love the new rules system, as I think it is more dynamic and fast than the previous rule sets. The character generation bit can be a bit confusing for new players as the layout is broken out and you are constantly flipping pages to sections, but it is something that you get used to. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Shadowrun.

Thumbs up on 4th edition.

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2011

Verified Purchase

I was an avid Shadowrun player back in 2nd edition days. I played a whole variety of RPG games as a teenager and Shadowrun still remains my favorite. I decided to pickup the 4th edition, because I was curious about where the world has gone since I stopped playing over a decade ago. Wow... I am very happy with what Catalyst Games has done with the material. The character creation point system is much better and I like the edition of qualities. The general rules are more streamlined for a faster paced game. My only critique, which is more about mood and setting... I don't like technomancers. I feel the world of technology and magic should be separate beasts. Other then that, Shadowrun is still #1 in my book. Great work Catalyst Games!

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