5 comments about Virtual Realities 2.0: A Shadowrun Sourcebook.

1. This book is an absolute must if you incorporate decking in your Shadowrun campaign. Never again will the decker character feel left out while he decks and the rest of you go for pizza. This new(er) rules supplement brings decking into real time gaming with a vengeance.

   Now everyone will want a datajack........




2. VR 2.0 is a definite must for any campaign incorporating deckers, and FASA's views of it greatly reducing the time matrix runs take (everyone who uses the old system has rented a flic while the decker is navigating through rough diagrams that look like crumpled spiders) are just. However, the amount of setup (beforehand) time in character creation is greatly increased, and a decent eratta sheet has yet to be published. Start bringing that calculator to gaming groups...



3. VRII is an excellent book. Throw away everything you knew about the old matrix rules before you pick this up, as almsot everything is different. You still have the same ICE types (Trace, Killer, etc) but they have added a few more surprises.

   The biggest change is actually how the Matrix works. Instead of just a generic number of successes to get something done, you have Target numbers for ACIFS (Access, Control, Index, File, and Slave), with your programs reducing the TNs. Want to log on? Look at the Access rating, reduce it by your Sleaze, and viola, you're in.

   The artwork does leave some to be desired (the Virtual Reality guide in VRI is better then the one in this book and the black and white artist doesn't seem to be able to draw a straight line to save his life). and there are a few places were the rules get sketchy (such as Scramble IC and in depth detail into the Otaku) and that can get annoying, but overall the rules are excellent.

   If you have people who want to be deckers, this is a MUST have. It will speed things up and make the game a lot more fun for both the GM and the players.

   PS: I have had a chance to speak to the author, Paul Hume, as he once assisted us on the Shadowrun MUX on the Internet. Very nice guy :)




4. There are three books that are "must haves" in the SR world, and this is one of them, with the other two being the main rule-book and Rigger2.

   Sure, you can run a campaign with just the BBB (Big Black Book, aka main rulebook) but why? Add in the spice of the decker, give him a place in the group. Combine this with the Rigger book and you have a well matched system. GMs! Give your deckers a reason to exist, buy this book and scare them out of the matrix!




5. Think you know it all about the 'trix cummer, guess again. You dont know drek but this book could change that. "Virtual Realities 2.0" is the most extinsive matrix suplament published by fasa. A great addition to any deckers library.

2 comments about Corporate Security Handbook (Shadowrun, No 7118).

1. Has a lot of good info on spicing up those standard "there's a package in research center 4-B we want you to get" runs. Nice new info on anti-magical security and executive protection too. Good if your runs are staring to go a bit bland, but hardley a fundemental.



2. The corp security handbook has informtion involving corporate security that I don't believe any book has captured to date. The rules may have been republished in other newer source books, but much is lacking in the reprinted material.

1 comments about Shadowrun: Germany Sourcebook (FAS7204) (Shadowrun 7204).

1. I really like the fact that the Germany sourcebook expands on the way people can play the game as far as I'm concerned FASA should release many more books like this to break free of the same old seattle run thing. New locations make new enemies and it also means that it encourages better roleplaying amongst players.

1 comments about Shadowrun Companion (Shadowrun).

1. This version of the Shadowrun Companion has been updated for 3rd edition. I sneaked a peek at the old edition of the Companion and they don't seem all that different though I imagine the tables, rules, and numbers have been tweaked quite a bit.

   Depending on how you look at it the information in this book is stuff that should have been included in the rule book. IMHO, however, the rulebook was thick enough as it was and most of this is optional rules you won't need for a while.

   The highlight of the book is probably the point based character creation system which is more flexible than the stanard priority based one. It also gives some brief data on metahuman sub-types that is interesting. It gives the game master a little advice on how to run a game (though new GMs would benefit from more examples) and some optional rules that give your games a little more realism (albeit at the cost of some more complexity).

   You don't need this book to start playing Shadowrun but I'd reccomend picking it up after you and your players have some new runs under your belt. A little bit hard to find and probably sold at full cover price.

2 comments about Shadowrun Game Screen.

1. If you play shadowrun without the GM screen, I feel for you. Really I do. This is the best purchase you can make ( other than core rules ). Don't think twice. You NEED the screen.



2. I was expecting a handy dandy game screen with a bunch of charts, but sadly I purchased it shortly after the release of SR3 which outdates alot of information there. Not to fear! You get a contact guide which has many various charicter sheets and archetypes. ***And*** they give you these really neat cardboard cutouts, so if you can't afford the miniatures you can at least use these. Its not just a screen. I was pleasantly suprised.

2 comments about Queen Euphoria, A Shadowrun Adventure.

1. This book takes you into the world of the brotherhod and the isect spirit life. Definately a great beginning for an intro to the Chicago life from Seattle!



2. This is one way to eventually introduce your players to Bug City. I don't want to give it away, but you're players are hired to get back this trid star that keeps getting into trouble. But, it just so happens somebody is out to make her a queen of a hive, and nothing your players do will stop it from happening. It would be best to run this campaign for brand new players to shadowrun who have really no clue what bug shamans are, or anything that happened in Bug City. What you won't find is any refference to the U.Brotherhood, but I'm sure if your players live, you can run them through the Missing Blood or Double Exsposure adventure with no problems.......