Shadowrun 4e
 

My gaming group is about the start a Shadowrun 4e campaign. I bought the main book, but I was looking for any input anyone else has on the game. It always looked fun, but I've never played in the universe.

well, Shadowrun 4E changed the system pretty thoroughly from prior editions (fixed target numbers, etcetera) as well as some of the stuff in the world.


what do you want to know?

Didn't even know there was a 4E. Sounds like a complete overhaul.

SI

I loved Shadowrun .. haven't played a 'real' RPG in years now though :(

Is it complicated?
Any tips on fun classes to play?
How about combat? Does combat take up most of the game?

The Sega Genesis Shadowrun RPG ranks up there as one of my favorite games of all-time.

Never got a chance to play the real deal, but I always loved what I read about it.

Can't give any tips as I think I've maybe opened the book 2 or 3 times. (I'm pretty much a RPG system "collector" and tend to grab up any systems I can get my mitts on that might have *any* info I can scavenge for my own games.)

I do remember from my brief look through and from many peoples comments online that the system was made much cleaner/simpler with a reduction to a universal resolution mechanic for all its sub-systems rather than the hodge podge it used to be. While it had many fan-boys in an uproar, most seemed to prefer the new system.

I'll take another look through a little later and see what else grabs me from the system. Thats if I can pull myself away from my Mutants and Mastermind 2e stuff... or my Game of Thrones stuff... or my new Weapons of the Gods book.. *sigh* I'm such a rpg geek/system whore.

Personally, I love building street samurai.. but that's just because I love seeing frankenstein's monster come to life.

Magician and Combat characters are the easiest to play in 4E. Hackers/Technomancers and riggers (the line blurs on them in 4E).. not so easy.

Combat WILL take a while if your group is new, but it gets easier to understand.

The different between prior editions and this one.. before the Target Number changed (it could go above 6, which meantif you rolled a 6, you had to roll the die again, and add 6 to it).

Now ymodifiers just modify the # of dice you roll.. and any five or six is a hit.

I think the fundamental problem with Shadowrun was that Deckers and Riggers, two of only, what, 4 or 5 real classes ("fighters", mages, shamans) spent a ton of skills and cash on unbalanced activities. On that, I mean, either they spent a lot of cash and the GM made it worth it by making long, drawn out times in cyberspace/driving or they had hardly any so that the other players didn't get excessively bored but then the deckers/riggers had a ton of money go to waste proportionally.

SI

it's better in 4E with the addition of the Wireless Matrix (plus plenty of evil GM chances to screw with the party), but it's not 100% fixed

Found this old thread when I was about to start a new one ...

My group is currently in the middle of a Mutants and Masterminds game, but we're getting into Shadowrun when this is over. I'm familiar with 1st edition Shadowrun. How much different is the 4th edition rules?

I've heard they're alot like the new White Wolf Vampire rules. Any truth in that?

I always enjoyed playing shadowrun. and rifts :)

and yes, that sega genesis shadowrun game is one of my all time favs as well

Oh, that was an excellent game!