Book reccomendations please, I'm behind help me catch up. Options

[OneTrikPony]

Apparently I'm experiencing my beennial shadowrun revival.

The last book I actually read was ghost cartels and I got Seattle 2072 for xmass this year. Which books should I get to catch up to the sota?
thanks for your advice.

[edit] PS: I gather that most people (here and on the sr4 forrum hated WAR! can anyone give my a quick synopsis of what sucked? Was it the plot or the gear or both. If it wasn't the plot is it worth reading just for that?

and, I really liked the old NeoAnarchist stuff Is attitude a good book? I can't find much about it here.

thanks again.

[CanRay]

I'd suggest State of The Art 2073 then. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

War! sucked because of a number of issues, not the least of which were a lot of writers leaving, problems with editing paid-for work with new writers, drifting chapters, and the fact that it would be better named "Bogota!" than "War!". Also, major, MAJOR power increase in the equipment section, especially for CommLinks, despite the high expense and availability of the equipment. I'd get the PDF if you want to be a completest.

Attitude is a decent book, not as good as the old Neo-A stuff, but a step in the right direction. It's almost all fluff, with a small amount of gear (In bad tables and even worse fluff. Editing errors, I believe), and no power increase. All things on how the world really is. Compared to old Shadowrun, not really as good, but it's a sign that CGL is getting it's drek back in order.

If you're getting a group in order, RUNNER'S TOOLKIT! IT'S A MUST HAVE! The sheer amount of awesome they put into this box set cannot be told! Honestly, I brought it with me to a new Con started in the area, and everyone just marveled at it and what it had, and how useful it'd be for beginners and experienced GMs and Players. I didn't see anyone have the same kind of fit over any other game item ever.

Street Legends is a fluff book that details a lot of big names in Shadowrun. It's just characters, and high-powered ones at that. STATS FOR LOFWYR for $Deity's sake! It's getting mixed reviews mostly due to people going, "They're Mary Sues!" and "They're exactly what we need to fill out the world!".

Street Legends Supplemental is a PDF-Only boost to Street Legends, and is good if you want a taste of Street Legends without the expensive outlay.

Despite the joke at the beginning, State of The Art 2073 e-book is a good buy for the vehicles on their own in my mind (Even if the art is... Meh). It moves the Metaplot along, and has a lot of other things that extend previous books and the world itself.

The Way Of The Adept gives Adepts some much-needed loving, and if you like them, you'll love this e-book. It's pretty cheap, too.

I'd pass on the other e-books not mentioned above (With the exception of Missions), and get Runner's Black Book (Which is ONLY in book format! Don't go looking for the PDF, it doesn't exist), which combines them, with improved art for This Old Drone, and adds a few new items. I've got both sets (PDF and Book), and do indeed find the book worth the purchase just because it's so much easier to carry around than printed out sheets in a binder.

*Catches Breath* Hope that helps.

[OneTrikPony]

Thanks CanRay! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
So War is a setting book about Aztlan columbia and bogota and comlinks get a boost? This actually seems like a good book to me. I hate technomancers seems like power creep in comlinks is a good idea given that it's impossible to a game company to put a nerf collar on st00pid. And Aztechnology is the corp I love most.

Now I'm even more undecided, I really want a book about war with Aztlan/Aztechnology.

Glad to hear about Attitude! Although I did suspect it could never match the attitude presented in the old stuff.

What about corporate intrigue? is it as good as emergence/ghostcartells?

[CanRay]

I'd suggest getting War! on PDF then if you can read on a screen. Cheaper that way.

Corporate Intrigue is on my list of things to read. I just can't get to it for some reason, it's sitting on my HDD, mocking me. OK, just pulled it up and skimmed through it. It's a combination of an ongoing story that JackPoint has been suffering (Mainly, someone hacked their way in and was making posts with no name), so there's a story about that, getting an old friend back, and a few others. The fluff is all conspiracy theories and intel on London and Washington, DC so you can have groups go there and know what they're like in the 2070s.

Oh, right, the major problem with War! (And CI that I just noticed) is that there are NO MAPS! No shiny maps whatsoever. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) That makes me sad inside. I think CGL lost their map guy too.

[Sengir]

I really want a book about war with Aztlan/Aztechnology.

Many people wanted. What we got was a disjointed essay collection about Bogota, half of which did not even seem to acknowledge that a war is supposed to be going on, and close to nothing about the actual war (no a single map, no timeline of major engagements, nothing about where the front is and how it moved...). What the book does have are dungeon crawls in Auschwitz complete with killing undead victims once more, submersible aircraft carriers (because the author didn't bother to look up what "Ballast Tanks 2" means), horrible layout, and tons of typos.
The only reason to read this book is for the camp factor.

If the last book you read was GC...do you have Runner's Companion yet? If not you should definitely get that one before you descend into the madness of Corporate Guide and everything after that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[snowRaven]

Corporate Intrigue is on my list of things to read. I just can't get to it for some reason, it's sitting on my HDD, mocking me. OK, just pulled it up and skimmed through it. It's a combination of an ongoing story that JackPoint has been suffering (Mainly, someone hacked their way in and was making posts with no name), so there's a story about that, getting an old friend back, and a few others. The fluff is all conspiracy theories and intel on London and Washington, DC so you can have groups go there and know what they're like in the 2070s.

I'm sure CanRay means Conspiracy Theories, which is all about conspiracy theories, London and Washington DC, and powerful magical rituals...there's a lot good fluff here I think - especially if you want fleshed-out juicy rumors/conspiracies to make your players go 'huh?' or 'wtf?' or 'oh drek!'

Corporate Intrigue is a campaign book with 17 (if I remember correctly) adventures all relating to corp stuff in one way or another (No maps here either, btw). Some of the runs and their plots look very good to me, though I have yet to read through everything properly. A lot of it is bouncing-around-the-world stuff (and even 'off the world' - one run is to the Zurich-Orbital...), so it's of limited use to a more street-level campaign.

[Paul]

What do you have already OTP?

[CanRay]

I'm sure CanRay means Conspiracy Theories, which is all about conspiracy theories, London and Washington DC, and powerful magical rituals...there's a lot good fluff here I think - especially if you want fleshed-out juicy rumors/conspiracies to make your players go 'huh?' or 'wtf?' or 'oh drek!'

Corporate Intrigue is a campaign book with 17 (if I remember correctly) adventures all relating to corp stuff in one way or another (No maps here either, btw). Some of the runs and their plots look very good to me, though I have yet to read through everything properly. A lot of it is bouncing-around-the-world stuff (and even 'off the world' - one run is to the Zurich-Orbital...), so it's of limited use to a more street-level campaign.

Tea, then post. Got to remember THAT is the order. Thanks snowRaven.

[snowRaven]

Tea, then post. Got to remember THAT is the order. Thanks snowRaven.

LoL Anytime (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[OneTrikPony]

What do you have already OTP?

I guess i should have mentioned that.
I have... wow! About 4.5 linear feet of FASA and fanpro SR1,2&3 not including the fiction. Thanks for the opportunity to brag BTW (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
More to the point I've got all of SR4 up to ghost cartells; the 4 core rulebooks (although my magic book has a blue cover), Runners companion, Runner's havens, Emergence, Ghost Cartells, Feral Cities, Corporate Enclaves, and Seattle 2072.

I think that the books I'm most interested in are;
Vice
Attitude
corporate guide.
Conspiracy theories looks kind of interesting.
Let me know if there's something I need if I seem to be unaware. I'm really not a completest for SR anymore.
I just want suff that will catch me up to the metaplot, Anything about the Azzies, and cybertech

Thanks for all your input

submersible aircraft carriers (because the author didn't bother to look up what "Ballast Tanks 2" means),

Fucking SERIOUSLY?! Please tell me that's a joke or some type of hyperbole.

[KarmaInferno]

No, they stuck "Ballast Tanks" in a bunch of surface watercraft. The author pretty clearly did not read what Ballast Tanks actually do in Shadowrun.

Also, a spell that as a side effect can create a perfect bullet barrier at Force 1, but doesn't actually accomplish it's stated purpose very well.

Another spell that apparently replicate the encrypted coded energy pulses used by target designators. If you want to replicate radar or infrared versions of the target designators, you need cyberware or other essence-paid means to see in radar or infrared normally.

Let's not forget Bogota somehow having coastal access despite being 2600 meters above sea level on the side of a mountain.




-k

[Critias]

Fucking SERIOUSLY?! Please tell me that's a joke or some type of hyperbole.

Only if by "joke" or "hyperbole" you mean "writer error." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Instead of continuing to dogpile on War!, though, I'll humbly (and admitting my personal bias) also suggest the Spy Games sourcebook. Reviews of it were more positive, and many a campaign can find some fun stuff in there, especially if espionage is your cup of tea, and/or you're a fan of the Denver setting for shadowruns.

[OneTrikPony]

:headdesk [sighs]
Ok I'm unsold on WAR! thanks for the wave off.
Damnit! that could have been a good book about the Aztlan and now we're never going to get one. :[

Since I'm ok with derailing my own thread:
Did they fix any of the st00pid in Street Magic or did they just give it a new red cover?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Since I'm ok with derailing my own thread:
Did they fix any of the st00pid in Street Magic or did they just give it a new red cover?

I'm curious... What did you consider Stupid about Street Magic?

[Sengir]

Fucking SERIOUSLY?! Please tell me that's a joke or some type of hyperbole.

That is actually one of the less "ZOMG WTF" moments of W!.

For something really bad, I dug out my rant and the follow-up from the original thread on War!.

Then again, the sheer camp factor might actually be worth it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Neraph]

STATS FOR LOFWYR for $Deity's sake!

They made a mistake. He has stats, now he can be killed.

[CanRay]

They made a mistake. He has stats, now he can be killed.

Yeah? How? Facehugger on Steroids?

[Neraph]

Yeah? How? Facehugger on Steroids?

I haven't seen the stats yet, but I'm sure I could kill him. I mean, he has stats so that means he can die.

For example, in the Other Game, at 20th level, I can kill every deity and monster in all the books EXCEPT: Great Wyrm Prismatic dragon (which can't hurt me either) and; The Lady of Pain. She has no stats so she cannot be killed. Lofwyr has stats - he can be killed. It's simply a matter of time before someone figures that out.

And I'm ignoring Thor shots or Radiation, which can kill things that don't even have stats because they do not do damage, they only kill.

Fucking SERIOUSLY?! Please tell me that's a joke or some type of hyperbole.

No. Fully submersible aircraft carriers and supertankers. I was the one who pointed that out, by the way.

[CanRay]

I haven't seen the stats yet, but I'm sure I could kill him. I mean, he has stats so that means he can die.

For example, in the Other Game, at 20th level, I can kill every deity and monster in all the books EXCEPT: Great Wyrm Prismatic dragon (which can't hurt me either) and; The Lady of Pain. She has no stats so she cannot be killed. Lofwyr has stats - he can be killed. It's simply a matter of time before someone figures that out.

And I'm ignoring Thor shots or Radiation, which can kill things that don't even have stats because they do not do damage, they only kill.

*Cough*Eqiupment: Saeder-Krupp and all subsidiaries.*Cough*

First, you have to get through S-K HQ and all it's security... Then you have to get through his personal guard... Then you find yourself looking at a golden-haired man who is smiling at you and says, "Congratulations, you passed the job interview. Please, sit down. The easy part is now done."

[snowRaven]

I haven't seen the stats yet, but I'm sure I could kill him. I mean, he has stats so that means he can die.

Well, there aren't any suggested quickened spells, but he has quickening and Magic 27, so - hardened armor 20/20 + a quickened armor spell Force 30 or so... Plus his Reaction of 13 and Init of 43 with 4 passes. Mystic armor 20, shielding...

He has a Force 15 great fire spirit, 4 Force 12 guardian spirits, 5 each Force 10 air spirits, earth spirits and task spirits.

Offensively, he has a Sorcery dice pool of around 40; slay spells for all major races, demolish gun, demolish missile, mob mind, and a few indirect combat spells plus his natural flamethrower, natural weapons and venom. Body 32 and Strength 57.

Add the 'Twist Fate' power to cancel your edge, and you're in for a hell of a ride even if he's alone with his spirits. Add some S-K personell, and possibly Scale to that...

Have fun! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Blade]

Vice

Underwhelming. There are a few good things here and there (the "DIY crime" boxes are interesting) but it suffers from the fact that the Shadowrun underworld has never been handled really well. I guess this book could have been an opportunity to make it better but it's doesn't. It still has some good ideas and information.

Attitude

I had hopes for this one, and I was disappointed. Some chapters are decent, other miss the point, and some are just... completely useless or absurd. There are a few good ideas scattered in the book, but there are just too few of them.
I was so disappointed that I started writing my own book, Style Over Subtance, which you can find on the link in my signature.

corporate guide.

It's decent in itself, but it lacks fact-checking. You end up with "old men" who are actually in their thirties, big companies that suddenly belong to another corp without a single mention about it, and IIRC at least one belongs to two corporations at the same time (without it being explained).

[Paul]

Man it's alien sometimes, to me, the view points people take or at least present themselves as holding. At any rate it sounds like you have a pretty comprehensive collection so the suggestions in here are all pretty decent. I have a bunch of books I am currently trying to read-PDF's just can't keep me at the machine to read, I hate the format-but I am reading Spy Games; War; Corporate Intrigue and Street Legends.

All have selling points, all have stuff I could pretty easily not wish on my worst enemy. All in all I think the cats writing the game are trying-obviously you can please some of the people some of the time, and all that.

[Stahlseele]

Can you german?
If so, the german ones are better.
Especially the german Version of Bogota!

[OneTrikPony]

Can you German?

That's a big nada on the German. I signed up for the "translate the web" thing but then never did it. Speaking of Sprekenzie Deutch though; I have a MET2000 character I'd like to play someday, would you mind coaching me on some German military lingo?

Man it's alien sometimes, to me, the view points people take or at least present themselves as holding.

I'm trying really really hard to not bring my hatred of SR magic back to the game with me. I'm only having moderate success. Sorry bout that.

So, I bought Vice. It's ok so far. They kinda sucked all the flavor out of the Vory v' Zakone. I was dissappointed that most have abandoned the thieve's code, but I can understand it's difficult to predict how their code could survive the next seventy years. At least the Vory in Seattle are oldschool Red Vory.

[Stahlseele]

That's a big nada on the German. I signed up for the "translate the web" thing but then never did it. Speaking of Sprekenzie Deutch though; I have a MET2000 character I'd like to play someday, would you mind coaching me on some German military lingo?

The german i can do.
Never having been in the military myself, the military lingo could be a bit more of a problem, but we'll see.
Just ask and i will try to help ^^
PM's produce a nice little popup, so i usually notice them too ^^