Shadowrun RPG - Catalyst Game Labs

Vice Previews and Street Date

AdamJury — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:12:51 +0000

The criminal underworld of the Sixth World has never been exposed like this. Vice talks criminal operations worldwide, from small fry to international syndicates. Vice is a 192-page softcover for Shadowrun, Fourth Edition.

And it comes to gaming stores on the street date of Tuesday, February 23rd! Give your local store a call this week or next and let them know that you want a copy, and they should be able to have it for you that date or later that week. Overseas customers, as usual, will need to give it another week or two to get across the pond!

Take a look at the first two Vice preview: the Table of Contents and the first few pages of the International Syndicates chapter in one preview, and part of the Yazuka section in another!

Vice

Illegal is a strong word.

It means you’re doing something that the government doesn’t want you to do. You’d never do anything like that, right? Or would you?

It might be that some laws are… misguided.

It’s civil disobedience and a moral imperative to oppose those laws.

Gandhi taught us that.

My friends and I—we’re here to help you make these difficult moral choices. We’ll even provide you with a support network, if someone objects to your strong moral compass. And, hey, if everything works out, maybe all of us might come out ahead. Don’t worry! We’ve got your back.

IQ&A correction

JasonHardy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:16:47 +0000

It’s been pointed out to me by various diligent people that my first answer contained a mistake (there’s a reason I pointed out that I’m not that bright). The level of adept powers is limited by the character’s Magic attribute. So in order to have Mystic Armor at level 12, the character would need a Magic attribute of 12. Which would be rather rare.

Sorry for the mistake!

IQ&A: Mystic Armor

JasonHardy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:03:22 +0000

Edit: Please take a look at the correction to this post.

A while ago I asked if people would be interested in blog posts on questions that come into the info@shadowrun4.com address, and the responses were positive. So welcome to the first in the IQ&A (which stands for “Informal Questions and Answers”) series. Remember the “I”–these answers should not be taken as the final word on any subject. They merely represent my thinking at the moment. And I’m not that bright.

Our question today comes from a fine player named Daniel, who writes:

I've been running Shadowrun since I found it in the late 80s and I
have a few questions with the new edition which I deeply enjoy by the
way. They are:

There's nothing in the books but is there a realistic cap on the
number of levels of Mystic Armor for Adepts?  I have a player who is a
Troll Physical Adept who took this 12 times for his new character.

Also do Mystic Armor and the Armor spell stack?  I could see the arguement either way.

Thank you

My answer: Glad you’re enjoying the new edition! The first part of your question is somewhat simple. Mystic Armor is limited the same way any other adept power is limited–the combined cost of the adept powers selected cannot exceed the character’s Magic attribute. Mystic Armor costs 0.5 points per level, meaning that to buy 12 levels of it, a character needs to have a Magic attribute of 6. That would be the only adept power they had, and the character could not cast spells.

So if the character wanted Armor cast on him, someone else would have to do the casting. The result is a judgment call, but I’m going to base it on the descriptions in the text. Mystic Armor “magically toughens your skin,” while Armor “creates a glowing field of magical energy around the subject.” I don’t see a reason why the glowing field should interfere at all with the magically toughened skin, so I would assume that the effect of the Armor spell would stack with the Mystic Armor. This could make the troll a tank–but I should note that the Adept quality would cost it 5 BP, the 2-5 Magic points would cost it 40 BP, and the 6th Magic point would cost it 25 BP. The fact that it’s a troll adds in another 40 BP. That’s 110 BP spent, with all attributes at 1, no Skills, no cash, and no gear. He’ll be a tank, but he’ll have some vulnerabilities, too. There might not be enough points to make this guy offensively skilled and strong-minded. If I faced this guy, the first thing I’m doing is going with Control Thoughts to see if I can get that tank pointed in the other direction. Just sayin’.

Shadowrun Missions: Jackknifed!

AdamJury — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:20:25 +0000

The most recent Shadowrun Missions adventure is now available for download for only $3.95!

Defend a truck—What could possibly go wrong?

This 17-page scenario includes a complete adventure, plus six pages of player handouts and record handling sheets for participating in the Shadowrun Missions (SRM) campaign.

Shadowrun Missions is an international shared campaign. The goal is to have characters and adventures that all share the same universe, and of course have fun while doing it. Missions are played at local game stores, conventions, game days, and as home games. Players who participate in these scenarios will have a real opportunity to influence the Shadowrun game world, and play their characters in events worldwide.

Remember that if you haven’t checked out Shadowrun Missions yet, the first installment of the current season—Everyone’s your Friend—is free at DriveThruRPG and BattleCorps!

Vice was Nice but now it’s Even Better

AdamJury — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:53:18 +0000

We just uploaded an updated PDF version of Vice—whether you bought it on BattleCorps or DriveThruRPG, you’re entitled to free downloads of the updated version. And if you haven’t bought it yet … well, no worries, you get the new version too!

By the way, please make sure that you tick the “send me email updates” box when you buy our PDFs, and that way you’ll get directly emailed when—and only when—we issue updates to them!

Shadowrun, 20th Anniversary Edition Reprint Available!

AdamJury — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:35:03 +0000

The second printing of Shadowrun Fourth Edition, 20th Anniversary Edition is shipping through distributors and into stores now. Reprints typically don’t have street dates, so we can’t guarantee when your local stores will have it.

The holidays are usually a little zany regarding shipping times (and of course, retailers are hopefully very busy!) so they may not yet be aware that the reprint is available. Be kind and let them know!

There are no changes from the first printing in this reprint.

Artifacts and Vices Available for the Holidays

AdamJury — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 06:29:59 +0000

In addition to our awesome price reduction on core books we have two new PDFs and print-pre orders available for you!

Vice

Illegal is a strong word.

It means you’re doing something that the government doesn’t want you to do. You’d never do anything like that, right? Or would you?

It might be that some laws are… Misguided.

It’s civil disobedience and a moral imperative to oppose those laws.

Gandhi taught us that.

Vice is a sourcebook for Shadowrun, Fourth Edition. It provides a detailed look at all levels of organized crime, from the major transnational syndicates—like the Yakuza, the Triads, and the Mafia—to the smallest street gangs and specialist organizations. History, personality, and membership of these groups are provided along with suggestions on how best to use them as key players in a Shadowrun campaign. The crimes they commit, the metahumans they recruit, the law enforcement they oppose, and the shadowruns they sponsor are all in here. Whether your team of runners works in concert with the criminal underworld or tries to oppose it, Vice will offer new insights and options to your campaign.

Dawn of the Artifacts: Midnight

There are deep secrets in the Sixth World, and there are people who will do anything to uncover them. Some secrets reach into the ancient past, but they still have the power to shake the world. What they will do depends on whose hands they fall into…

Dusk was only the beginning. Jane “Frosty” Foster is back and ready to continue her artifact hunt. If they’re game, runners will join her in a chase across North America, from the frozen, bug-filled wastes of Chicago to the political hotbed of Denver to the Deep Lacuna lurking under Los Angeles.

Midnight is the second adventure in the Dawn of the Artifacts series, giving skilled runners the chance to find a second powerful artifact—and perhaps uncover clues about what makes these treasures so valuable.

Catalyst Game Labs Price Reduction On All Core Rulebook PDFs

JasonHardy — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:59:16 +0000

Happy holidays to all! We have excellent news, especially for you last-minute Christmas shoppers! You can buy, download, and give Catalyst Core Rulebook PDFs and have ‘em on time for Christmas, and now you can do it at the new reduced price! Here’s the entire announcement, with all the details you need:

Effective immediately, Catalyst Game Labs is lowering the prices for its core rulebook PDFs for all game lines. This includes:

SHADOWRUN

Shadowrun 20^th Anniversary Edition: $15
Runner’s Companion: $12
Arsenal: $12
Augmentation: $12
Unwired: $12
Street Magic: $12

BATTLETECH

Total Warfare: $15
TechManual: $15
Tactical Operation: $15
Strategic Operations: $15

CTHULHUTECH

CthulhuTech Core Rulebook: $15

Catalyst Game Labs has embraced electronic publishing as a vital medium for expanding a community’s enjoyment of a game line. This is readily apparent with the launch of Eclipse Phase under the Creative Commons license and at a $15 price point, simultaneously with the release of the print rulebook into standard distribution. Catalyst Game Labs continues to follow this pattern with the recent publication of Leviathans’ Lieutenant’s Manual, the first major miniatures game release also utilizing the Creative Commons license, embracing the open-minded nature of the electronic medium.

At the same time Catalyst Game Labs is dedicated to supporting brick-and-mortar hobby stores, still the life’s blood of our hobby and the greatest avenue for new players to be exposed to new games. The Catalyst RED (Retailer Electronic Distribution) combines Catalyst embracing of electronic distribution and retailer support into a single system that allows retailers to sell our PDFs directly to customers.

The release of both Eclipse Phase Core Rulebook and Leviathans’ Lieutenant’s Manual PDFs at a reduced price showcased the willingness of gamers to “check out a new game” if the price is reasonable; especially combined with the willingness of a publisher to stand by the quality and strength of their game line. With two of the most icon universes in our industry (and a fabulous up-and-coming game line) Catalyst Game Labs is standing by the strength and quality of its game lines, lowering the price of its introductory products for the entire gaming community.

If you’ve always wanted to check out Shadowrun or BattleTech (or would like to return after a long hiatus), there’s never been a better chance to grab a PDF and see what the excitement is all about! Our PDFs are available from our own BattleShop or DriveThruRPG.

More Seattle 2072 Previews

AdamJury — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:19:15 +0000

Here’s two more peeks into Seattle 2072—in stores now, and something fine to stick under the tree [or your other December-gift-giving

Welcome Home

It’s a screwed up city. Isolated from the rest of the UCAS, it’s haven for criminals—smugglers, syndicates, gangers. Legal criminals, too—megacorporations, governments, politicians.

As beautiful as she is dysfunctional, Seattle is urban sprawl amid rolling hills and forests nestled up to man-made wonders next door to natural and man-made disasters. Whether you’re a native or not, Seattle will draw you in like no other.

You can run for a lifetime and never leave Seattle, but some say you can’t run for a lifetime without entering.

Quick question about quick questions

JasonHardy — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:27:59 +0000

Hey there all you shadowy types! I’ve got a question for you—as it turns out, there is a nice flow of rules-related and other questions coming into the info@shadowrun4.com address. I don’t get to them frequently, but when I do occurs to me that people besides the original letter-writer might be interested in the answer. So—would you all like the blog to include quick questions from players, along with the best answer I can piece together? Let me know if this would be useful to you!