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[Eindrachen]

I hopped down to the local Hobbytown USA; it hasn't got the widest selection, but the one here tends to get stuff sooner than anyone else (living in Mississippi sucks for getting latest-and-greatest gaming stuff; flip side is that used and old stuff tends to be easily obtained). I started to get Threats 2, but having flipped through SSG, I felt that for a beginning group, it'd be wise to get their feet wet with some local flavor. So, I lay out the cash and head home for some light reading.

I must say, without a doubt, that this should be considered an essential sourcebook, and not just for GMs. There's plenty of extras that players should read up on, for a number of reasons. There's lots of real juicy stuff, not about secrets, but about how the average Joe in the Sixth World lives their life. Aside from the price lists for various goods (household appliances/devices, forms of entertainment/dining, and fashion tidbits), there's a lot of time spent explaining the world of the 2060's.

There's just enough detail about daily life to explain things more or less globally, while leaving regional and geographic details blank for further explanation in other supplements. I kinda like it, because I don't really feel compelled to buy a dozen other sourcebooks; I just use SSG and wing it on what I know about various locations as best I can. But the part about how society views shadowrunners, and how they actually operate, was the best. That's a great "how-to" for gamers who are fine with nearly any other game (in which they are usually the "good" guys), but have never tried to role-play the criminal archtype before.

My only real complaint was that I felt it needed just a bit more detail on surviving on the street. The sample "news article" by a reporter-turned-shadowrunner was fine; the commentary from various shadow-folk helped fill in some gaps. But a bit more variety would have been welcome. Still, the expanded rules for credsticks/IDs and lifestyles more than makes up for this; now my players can enjoy giving their residences a bit of personal style, while sweating their ID checks using the cheap 'sticks.

I definitely feel I got my money's worth, and urge anyone who ain't got this one to do so when they can. GMs can make great use of the rules, and the price lists when the players want something that most sourcebooks don't really discuss (they even have a rough price for prostitutes). Players, however, get the most out of this book: an introduction to everyday life in the setting, and information on how to be a shadowrunner (and not look stupid or mess things up too much).

That's all I wanted to say; just sharin' the experience. Now, to save up for Threats 2, once my players are done runnin' BTLs across town, and other small-time stuff...