No, sorry, you are wrong.

I've got the 20th anniversary edition, which supersedes the errata, the FAQ, Street Magic, the base 4th edition book, and pretty much everything else that's been published. Regarding attributes, powers, passes, and the like, the shapechange spell say two things:

1) the caster does gain the physical attributes of the new form (+1 per success)
2) the caster does not gain the mental attributes of the new form (keeping his base stats)

The spell does not mention skills, powers, or other things (like the ability to breathe underwater, fly, or extra initiative passes). The book does not say that you don't get those things, it does not say that you do. It is undefined.

Furthermore, the FAQ is not the rules; in fact, it gets a fair number of things wrong, and is regarded as somewhat unreliable - better than nothing, yes, but not the final word by any stretch of the imagination.

Generally speaking, most people I've talked to assume, using basic logic, that turning into a bird gives you wings (meaning both the ability to move in the air and ranks in the Flying skill) and claws (meaning both the Natural Weapon power and ranks in the Unarmed skill). Likewise, turning into a shark gives you swimming (swim movement, swimming skill, and the untyped "thing" known as working gills). Otherwise, the spell is significantly weaker than it otherwise would be. Assuming that initiative passes also translate is a logical extension.

But you're right, the book does not specifically say that you do get an extra initiative pass if you turn into a wolf. It doesn't say that you grow fur or have your hands turn into wolf legs, either. it's implied.

Some implants and magic may give a character extra actions to
take in each Combat Turn. These are noted as extra Initiative Passes
on the character’s record sheet.


see the part of these are noted

Notes are not attributes

You may believe otherwise but that doesnt make you right. We may see things differently but I draw the line at attacks at my understanding of the rules. If you show me any quoted text from the current edition that states that a IP is one of the previously quoted thirteen attributes and not a notation I will withdraw my comment.

You definitely don´t get the skills, but initiative passes at ordinary critters are natural abilities based on the body-structure (like faster neural connections with cats etc.) and if you change into a critter, you should also have these natural abilities.

Would you kindly explain where the additional IPs come from in a mundane animal? They can't be from ware or from magic so they must be natural

As to your assurances that a notation is a attribute that is your opinion not a raw ruling and to say otherwise grants you power above your station. There are thirteen attributes not as you put it thirteen but one counts as two

We all know that there is a difference about the RAW and the INTENTION of the rule itself. I think the Devs. hoped that, if you are transformed into a quick animal, there shouldn´t be the question if its quickness also comes along if all the other stats are changed as well. The spell transforms you in another lifeform, you also get the same abilities, so why should there be an exception if it is not clearly excepted? Or to turn it another way: where in the rule stands, that the IP´s DON´T come along? There is only one exception to the base animal, and this is a benefit, not an disadvantage. If they wanted the IP´s not to be duplicated, they would have told us in the description.

Animals obviously get the extra Initiative Pass because it is noted in their description, in accordance to the rules that you yourself quoted.

If Initative Passes are not a Special Attribute why are Initative Passes listed under Initiative, which is a Special Attribute? What I'm saying is that they are a Special Attribute by extention, being a part of the Initiative Attribute itself.

Even so, you quantified the argument yourself: you only gain extra Initiative Passes when it is noted that you do. Can you show me the note in Shapechange where it tells you to gain an additional Initiative Pass?

Shapechange transforms a voluntary subject into a normal (non-paranormal)
critter

Anyone ever play a shapechanging magician and the character paid karma/BP for Flight skill?

Could I just point out the text of the spell?

SR4A
Doesn't say it gives you the SHAPE of the animal, it says you BECOME the animal. It then goes on to list how your magical shape is different from the natural animal. IP's are not mentioned, and thus are NOT different from the natural animal.

My 2 cents.

I don't see how this is a grey area at all.

In this game you only gain Initiative Passes when it tells you explicitly to get them. Shapechange does not in any way tell you specifically to get extra Initiative Passes. You do not gain extra Initiative Passes.

Cut, plain, dry.

If you wish to ignore the part of the spell which explicit says it transforms you into the animal, then you might otherwise be correct. However being transformed into said animal would grant you the same attributes of the animal unless otherwise stated. The spell then goes on to say how your stats differ from those of the animal, but IP's is not listed as being changed from that of the parent animal.

False. The spell then goes on to say exactly what was gained in turning into the animal - extra Initiative Passes were not mentioned.

EDIT: There's a difference between the fluff and the crunch. You should practice finding it.

False on your part actually. The spell says you are transformed into an animal, and then lists how your new form and the base animal are different.

If the animal has extra IP, you get em.