I've recently gotten Paranormal Animals of North America, which I believe is based on SR 2nd edition. However, a lot of things seem to be missing from it. For example, it never says what the armour of the animals is, and it never explains what the () around the essence number means (I've guessed it means duel natured, but it doesn't seem to say that). It also doesn't seem to explain what an intelligence stat of 2/3 means, or a body of 4/2. Where can I find that information, or is it hiding in the book somewhere?

JaronK

It's actually based of 1st edition. If you have a copy of 2nd, I believe most relevant stats are under the sourcebook update section. It's one of my favorite books, by the way. First role-playing book I ever bought.

1st eh? Nice. My housemate just moved out, and left his 3rd edition, 2nd edition, and PA of North America books behind. Yoink!

JaronK

Well, in Critters the number before the slash is the actual intelligence of the critter, while the number after is the number of dice rolled for Perception tests. The first number for Body is Body, the second is Armor. Dunno if that's true for this or what the parentheses mean.

~J

Kagetenshi is correct. And the parentheses do indeed indicate dual natured (whereas an "A" afterwards means primarily astral, like a Corpselight). They also left out which critters get extra dice for initiative and how many they get. Maybe the errata were in SR2 under conversion? I don't remember where I got the info, but I have it all noted down in my copy if you need it.

Errata were in the 2nd ed handbook. However, an updated list of all critters and the rules for their powers is included in the back of Paranormals of Europe.

Don

Ah back when the para-animals had character

Devil Jack Daimond
and
Hellbender

my favorites

The copy of critters I have actually contain references to SR3 books. So presumably it's been updated to be compatible with the SR3 rules?

Critters (the book that came with the GM's Screen) is a different book. Critters is the 3rd Edition version of the two Paranormal Animals books. PAoNA and PAoE are both 1st Edition books and I think are worth owning for the pictures, shadowtalk, and size comparisons.

The Abstruse One

Paranormals of Europe is 2nd ed, but yeah, it's obsolete. OTOH, it's also the only source of the wraith (it got left out of MitS).

Don

On the other hand, the old Paranormal Animals books are great flavor material.

-Siege

Other than the flavor stuff, and the size comparisons, is there anything in PoNA or PoE that is missing from Critters?

If you don't mind doing some conversions, the earthdawn critters book (Paranormal animals of Barsaive) has good ones too.

In some cases, it repeats the entrys of the shadowrun books, and gives you a different viewpoint in the story text.

It also lists a few new creatures that supposedly died off by now, but by GM's descretion might still be around. I've used the giant cave crab against runners once.

Both books are written by the same people, so it's not that hard to convert, even if the stat systems are different.

Aye, I think so. SOmeone with it handy check Critters for Stone Toads, Mew Boars, Meistersingers, Grandfather Elk, six-limbed gargoyles and the hoop snake.

Hoop Snake takes on an entirely new meaning in Shadowrun.

~J

This was a bad time to think of the Gatorade commercials.

~J

When I get to it, I'm actually going to do a critter-by-critter take on all Earthdawn/Shadowrun crossover critters for my ED/SR page. Don't expect it soon though, my schedule is murder these days.

@ JaronK: I'll send it. I'm exhausted at the moment (its 2 am right now) and I still have to get ready to teach tomorrow. But I'll send it to you in the next couple of days.

Thanks. No rush.

JaronK