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Heretic
((First Post))



Hello, all.


I own a copy of Shadowrun 3rd Edition, and I am ordering Shadowrun 4th Edition.

Now, I am wondering if there are any other books that I 'need' to have, and if so, what are they, and why?

Thank you.
Snow_Fox
The problem is that if you're going into 4th ed, we don't know what the books are, though we can guess, and when they will be out. We're all virgins with that. The key htingis what are you interested in? If you don't care for magic then that book will be less important than a book on say, guns or cyber.
Catsnightmare
I would suggest you go over both books (SR3 and SR4) decide which one you like better first and then decide which corresponding books you want to get.

Personally, I'd suggest you should just go ahead and cancel your order for SR4 and not even bother with it as it is just as screwed up (if not more so) as SR3. But at least there's errata, house rules, exsisting player/GM experience and the SR3R project all to help you out with SR3. But that's just me.
Kagetenshi
If you stick with SR3, the Shadowrun Companion, Man and Machine, Matrix, Rigger 3 Revised, and Magic in the Shadows are all excellent choices. Cannon Companion is useful too for extra gear.

I personally recommend SR3, but you may like SR4. If you're not entirely enthused by either system, come take a look at SR3R.

~J
Oracle
I would recommend to buy SR4. According to board-internal polls a minority of longtime players prefers sticking to SR3 and that's fine of course. But as a SR newbie you will find it easier to start playing with the new, more streamlined edition. That means you only need the SR4 BBB at the moment.
Synner
Get both core books. Read and compare. Both editions have a lot going for them, though SR4 is just starting off.

If you (and your group) find you prefer SR3 there's a truckload of material out there already. Kage has offered some good suggestions to which I'd add Sprawl Survival Guide for the feel of living in the Sixties.

If you find you like SR4's system better (one good thing about it is it does have a less steep learning curve), then you'll just have to wait a little longer to pick up the books. The first supplement will be Runner Havens (a location book) and Street Magic will be the first rulebook (replacing SR3's Magic in the Shadows) and they should be out in the next few months. After that comes Arsenal (Gear and Guns) and Augmented (Cyber, bio, etc) sometime early next year (according to the schedule).

As you can see from even a cursory glance at this board, vocal opinions are divided though polls in general seem to skew in favor of SR4. Some old timers like the change, others think its the end of the world as we know it - so in general we're not particularly helpful a reference. The only way to decide what's best for you is to compare systems for yourself, and go from there.
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