Shadowrun Essentials, What resource books do I need? Options

[SoulKage]

Hi everyone! First off I'd like to say this forum is awesome, so many helpful people. :) I was wondering what books I need to get a complete rules set for all types of characters? I had started a topic called “Problems with magic” and everyone was so helpful that they offered more rules than I knew about, such as foci addiction, astrals monsters, and armor hardening. I’ve even read about armor/weapon creation rules.

So, I currently own the BBB and I’m going to buy MitS because everyone made references to it on my last topic. However, what about all that other stuff? I have one guy who wants to be a Decker (I haven’t even read the rules yet because they were a bit confusing at first glance) and another guy who wants to be a strait up brawler.

The brawler feels he’s at a disadvantage than the ranged guy cuz if the ranged guy misses no big deal. If the brawler fails, he gets attacked. So is there a melee book so other rules? Let me know what books are common among you veteran SR players, and where to get them (my local game shop doesn’t stock a lot of new SR, mainly a lot of SR2 stuff). Thanks!!

[Herald of Verjig...]

Select core books as you need them:
SR3: mandatory
Companion: edges, flaws, ghouls and wierdos
Cannon Companion: guns and thuggery
Man and Machine: cyber, bio, etc.
Magic in the Shadows: mages, adepts, and more
Rigger 3 (Revised): if you really want to start rigging
Matrix: if you want to get into serious decking

From there, SOTA books add some great material for characters, and there are little details spliced in other books as they show up for the first time.

[Cynic project]

Well, the books I say that you nedd to have Are Man and Machine, Canon Compain,Shadow Comp, Matrix for deckers, and the Rigger book. Other nifty books that are worth looking into are the SOTA books,SONA, YOTC, MJLBB, and the Awakened a nd wasted lands.

[Connor]

There are some optional martial arts rules in Cannon Companion, but I don't think they'll completely address your players problem. To oversome some of these issues you may want to look at using an Adept for the brawling character. Brawling characters will almost always be at a disadvantage to the ranged characters. You may want to look at setting up close quarters situations that limit the effectiveness of the ranged character so the brawler can shine, even with the increased risk.

For the player interested in becoming a decker you may want to take a look at Matrix. It covers all facets of being a decker in detail, including deck building, program creation, etc.

[Bane]

I think of the BBB (obviously), MitS, Cannon Companion, and Man and Machine as the essential ones.

CC has the expanded rules on melee combat (I realize that some people don't like these... but they're there, regardless).
MitS obviously has the magic stuff, as you seem to already know.
Man & Machine has a bunch of new cyberware, and bioware. It also includes rules for surgery, cybermancy, etc... but if you're new to the game it's probably best to just ignore them.

I guess I consider these essential because they have a ton of new content, but don't include too many new game mechanics that you have to sit down and learn. You'll notice that I left the Matrix book off of this list for that very reason. While it does contain some new operations and utilities, as well as rules for custom cyberdecks and such, the ratio of "new rules you have to learn" to "actual stuff you can use in-game" is pretty huge, so I tend to avoid it. The BBB's rules for the Matrix are more than adequate for your needs, I think.

Obviously everyone has different opinions on this.

[Feonyx]

I have roughly the same question. I bought a "lot" from Ebay and while I did get a few SR3 for the players to look through I also picked up:

Cannon Companion
Rigger Black Book (1991)
The Grimoire (1992)
Awakenings: New Magic in 2057 (1995)
Shadowtech (1992)
Virtual Realities 2.0 (1995)

Are any of these books still viable? I mean Shadowtech seems to deplete body more than essense for alot of its cyber, etc. Knowing that I own the above books would "upgrading" to Man and Machine, SotA2064, etc?

Thanks in advance!

Feonyx.

PS. I've been reading the boards for weeks now and the help and knowledge here is just awesome :).

[blakkie]

If the brawler can close and keep close to his opponents, especially ones that rely heavily on ranged attacks, he'll do just fine. Also, if he goes with an Adept instead of relying heavily on cyber he'll be able to carry his lethal "weapons" past any MAD (stands for "metal alloy detector", i think), bomb/chem sniffer, x-ray scanner, magical warding, etc.

[Birdy]

I would go for the following books (descending order)


Basic book

The character generator programm (Link in the Dumpshock Matrix)

Magic in the shadows (Can't use magic without the book, need the explanations)

Man&Maschine (More cyber but Sammies can start with the basic book and software above)

Shadowrun Companion (Alternate character generation, edges&flaws etc, play first games with more basic systems/characters)

Street Survival Guide (For a lot of "feeling")

Canon Companion (Not for the weapons but for the rest of the stuff)

Mr J LBB (For the bad guys and some nice "fast hacking" rules)

Rigger 3 (Cars don't come into games that often)

Matrix and Target:Matrix (One is rules, One locations)

The Target book for your area



Don't ask a Martial Artist on the Martial arts rules. No matter what game system they always! find problems. Even with Gurps:Martial Arts (90+ pages of the stuff)

Just my opinion.

Birdy

[Req]

[Namer18]

Most people I think have it right in terms of the base books of stuff:
Rigger 3 Revised if someone wants to be a rigger
Matrix if someone wants to be a decker
Cannon Companion if someone wants to use weapons or the GM wants to give his players a variety of weapons.
Man and Machine if someone wants to go with cyber, also good for making NPCs
Magic in the Shadows if someone wants to be an adept or mage, or if the GM wants to try and throw out more challenges to the magically active characters.
Shadowrun Companion a great all around book with more options for diversifying characters as well as some flavor and some GMing advice.

Then there are a lot of location/flavor books. I'm not going to list all of them, but some of my favorites.
Mr. Johnson's Little Black Book is good for the GM if he wants some help and ideas on running the game.
New Seattle is one book I love in terms of specific location. It isn't just physical locations but also atmosphere and the interactions of the citizens.
Cyberpirates is a whole bunch of settings, and a different group of settings then your usual shadowrun may be in.
In general though if your planning on running in a specific area I would think about picking up its location book.

There are also a fair number of adventure books, but you probably want to hold off on those until you've gotten a feel for what you like in your game so you can pick an adventure book that matches your style, or at least doesn't completely clash with it. Overall I think almost all the books add something, except for maybe some of the stuff books if your never going to have a decker or a rigger. Also the SOTA books are a good combination of stuff and flavor. There you go that's my opinion, I probably forgot something, but I'm sure someone else will bring it up.

[Artemus]

You already have the one book you really need: the BBB.

IMHO, if you are just starting out stick to the BBB, the Shadowrun Companion, New Seattle and maybe MrJLBB (lots of good GM advice and tools). After you are more comfortable with the basic rules, then pick up the expanded rules books such as MitS, Canon Companion, Man and Machine, Rigger 3, and Matrix. If you try to take on the basic rules and the advanced rules at once as a beginner you will probably burn out.

If you think you want to run something outside Seattle, you could pick up SoNA, SoE or another Target of book of your choice.

As for your decker I believe there was a thread on running the matrix for beginners that started not too long ago. And MrJLBB has simplified rules for decking too.

@Feonyx: If you are running a third edition game I would say yes. However that doesn't mean that the books you bought are worthless. A lot of people will tell you that the pictures and flavor text of the second edition books are worthwhile in and of themselves.

[toturi]

General SR Essentials: (descending order of importance, IMO)

SR3 + Critters(which I do not have :( )
MitS
SRComp
M&M
Cannon Comp
Rigger
Matrix

Optional:
Target: Wastelands
SOTA:2063
SOTA:2064 (again I do not have this :( )

[crone]

[Feonyx]

[Kagetenshi]