Recently I got into playing the Shadowrun Returns PC game and have thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'd like to give the tabletop version a try, but I'm woefully unfamiliar with how it works.  I'm considerably more comfortable with Pathfinder/D&D.  Is there an SRD page for Shadowrun like there is for PF/D&D?

If anyone is willing to show a Shadowrun newbie the ropes I'd be super grateful.

I'm a Seattle native, so I've probably been to a lot of the most common locations used in Seattle-centric games!  If there isn't an in-game gang called the Fremont Trolls I will be sorely disappointed. :P

Every edition of shadowrun has it's ups and downs, but I'd like to give fifth edition a try, since I haven't played that before.

So, as long as you're looking, I would be interested in learning as well, if someone comes along who feels up to run a game.

To my knowledge there isn't any SRD page for SR any more. There used to be something similar, but I think it fell apart shortly after FASA got rid of SR - these days the Dumpshock forums are probably the closest thing, but it's pretty far from what you're looking for.

As far as games are concerned, SR Returns is much more akin to SR4/5 than it is to 1-3 (IMO). While 1-3 is a better system of rules, IMO, it's much easier to find games on RPOL that are 4e or (even more commonly) 5e.

There isn't an SRD, as Shadowrun has never had anything resembling an OGL.  So if you are used to Pathfinder and D&D then strange non-human races as PCs and magic are about the only similarities.
A true Shadowrun game typically revolves around the adventurers taking on shady jobs from a faceless mastermind who might or might not stab you in the back.  Your use of mission pre-planning and information gathering literally means the difference between life and death.  Most of the actual session will generally you and your teammates reaching out to contacts, bribing officials, co-opting targets, and so forth before you even get into the 'Dungeon Crawl' phase of the story.
I'm perhaps tentatively interested in running a campaign, but the last time I ran a campaign was in 3rd edition, I have a couple of the 5th edition books but I'd have to go over them before I commit to something, however.

Awesome to hear.

I always loved second and third edition, though I will be honest that I think fourth and fifth made some great changes that were needed.

I think they made the matrix more universal and easier to bring into the team, so that the decker wasn't always off by himself and uninvolved with the rest of the team.

I would also love to get in on something like this but it's been my experience that even people who say they are willing to run a game newb friendly want you to own the books (60 bucks minimum!) and cover character creation yourself
that seems strange to me when the game usually has like archetypes in the book but point is I have never found a truly newb friendly game (like for all new ppl trying to see if they would enjoy the game) that actually happened :o(

I have the 2e book if anyone is feeling nestaglic I can handle all those version rules

Well, I guess if there's no SRD it's going to be difficult to get a game going unless a decent number of people involved have some of the basic rulebooks.

I wouldn't be opposed to spending a little money on a player's guide, but I'd definitely want to have a game lined up before I commit to buying anything.

In reply to Keroman (msg # 7):

that's how I am but games on play by post just don't work that way, you get through character creation and if you are lucky an intro post and the game is dead
I can't drop sixty plus on that....

This message was deleted by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 15:19, Wed 07 Mar 2018.

This thread is two months old but I'm going to dust it off anyway.

First, while there isn't an Open Gaming License for Shadowrun, there are Quick-Start Rules for 5th Edition that are available for free:

http://shadowruntabletop.com/w...uick-Start-Rules.pdf

These provide a reasonable, high-level overview of physical combat, spellcasting, and the Matrix (hacking). There are four sample characters plus a short mission. It's enough to test out the rules and determine whether you'd like to sink $20 on a PDF of the core rulebook or $40-$60 on the hardback version.

Second, I am potentially willing to run an introductory mission for new players using the sample characters in the Quick Start Rules. I am currently in three different Shadowrun games on RPoL but all of them are moving slowly at the moment. I feel like I have enough time to commit to a one-shot game for new players, but not an ongoing campaign.

I just passed my 25th anniversary of playing Shadowrun and have been playing 5th Edition since it was released. I have a solid grasp of the rules and have run introductory missions for new players before. If players are responsive with their posting, a short starter encounter need not take longer than a month. It's fine if it takes longer than that, but the goal is for a toe-in-the-water rather than a full story arc.

If there is interest, I can tailor something for 1 to 4 players.
This message was last edited by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 09:31, Wed 18 Apr 2018.

Thanks for the info Tecumseh, that's really helpful stuff.  I'll take a look at the pdf but at this point I don't think I'm able to commit to any games.  If you decide to get a small game going then I do wish you the best of luck with it.