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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells $6.95
Average Rating:3.9 / 5
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by cs w. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/14/2018 16:37:59

While there are new spells and player options, where this book really shines is world building and fluff. It delves into some detail about new magic factions like gangers, political groups, militarty, cults and a few others. While I feel a lot of this content should have been included in street grimoire, it comes across more as afterthoughts that a malicious conspiracy to steal your nuyen. I would certainly reccomend picking it up, particularly if you are a GM looking for new plot hooks.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by A customer [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/06/2016 11:32:38

Catalyst's Shadow Spells is a fun secondary source book.

An adequate amount of content for the price, nothing revolutionary, and there are a few spells that first time storytellers should think carefully before allowing into their campaign (rot, petrify etc) but for a module to add some bang to your dry spell list, it serves its function. There are more listed traditions, but they all seem bland compared to the existing ones, there are a few that might pique the interest of someone who wants a pre-generated tradition that was not laid out in the Grimoire, and it provides some good flavor for the 6th World, but this will not make or break anyone's collect of SR5 pdfs.

Ultimately a fun buy for the mage of the group but ultimately missable.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by Sean H. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 01/10/2016 09:46:17

Shadow Spells provides additional information about magic in the Shadowrun setting filling in some gaps left by the Street Grimoire. With the niche nature of the new spells and powers and the groups and threats provided, it seems aimed primarily at GMs who should definitely pick this product up if they are running a game that is magically oriented. Players who are focused on the magic side of the game will probably want a copy too.

Shadowrun: Shadow Spells, is an additional resource on magic in the Sixth World of Shadowrun building on the material provided in the Street Grimoire providing new traditions, magical societies, threats, and (unsurprisingly given the title) more spells, ritual and adept powers.

Unlike most 5th edition books, this one is devoid of fiction (though not of in setting commentary) which I find as welcome for a focused source like this one. There are four new traditions, each ending with a paragraph description of an example (and semi-famous) practitioner, they are: Aboriginal, (Ancient) Egyptian, Norse and (my favorite) Psionic.

Next are five magical groups running from gangs to political parties, two get short write up on their most prominent member, these are useful for using as patrons or targets in a campaign. Then we have three threats, which will be used as opposition, one gets a creature (with a new power), the next three NPCs and the last, just a single NPC so they can be dropped into a game with only a little work.

The final section is new spells, around forty of them, including some classics (mob mood), a few that only work on specific types of being (ghouls, vampires), some designed for villain use (inflict disease, rot), and lots of interesting narrow purpose spells. While most of these spells are not general use, when you need them, they will be good to have. Three new rituals are included which seem to have clear use as scenario seeds. Lastly, seventeen new Adept powers, covering increased swimming, performance, and various other fun but unlikely to be seen often options. There is also a box listing the costs of reagents at the end, though I am not sure why.

Overall, a good addition to the resources for Shadowrun providing books hooks for a GM to hang adventures off of and new tools for magically active characters.

Note: Read more reviews and other gaming articles at my journal https://seaofstarsrpg.wordpress.com/



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by Joanna N. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/26/2014 14:45:50

Yes, this book contains material that was in Street Magic but that did not make it into Street Grimoire. Does that make Street Grimoire incomplete with a nefarious plot to sell you back lost content using this supplement? Probably not.

Shadow Spells throws in more magical traditions, some of which have been tweaked in drain code formula from their previous appearance, more magical societies with their membership and stat blocks (!) of their leadership, threats to Awakened individuals, and new spells, ritual magic, and adept powers. This particular supplement feels more like designed for GMs, considering most of the powers have a pretty nasty bent to them. However, there are some nice adept powers in here and the costs are far more in-line with what's present in the SR5 core book. And yes, there are adept powers here that were referenced in Street Grimoire but had not been included in the first print. HOWEVER, the errata for Street Grimoire also includes those missing powers.

There's a couple typos here and there and words that should not be, and a weird reagant cost table floating around at the very end that applies to nothing in this book. I wish there was an index though there is only 24 pages to flip through. But overall, I was pretty pleased with this supplement. It's very straightforward. Not exactly groundbreaking, but I did really enjoy the potential adventure hooks presented here.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by Steven H. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/25/2014 22:58:00

I am just not impressed. All of this should have been in Street Grimoire. In my opinion nothing in this book is imaginative or new. It is a rehash of 4th Edition. I frankly wish my group had stayed in 4th at least we had all the books.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by Matthew B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/25/2014 18:27:54

This is the RPG equivalent of Day 1 DLC. Lots of content that should have been in SG, such as the Norse tradition, but wasn't. It's only $7, but it's a ripoff just the same.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by Jordane T. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/25/2014 13:45:07

Like other people mentioned it is a pretty straightforward supplement. Nothing ground breaking, but overall some nice additions for a pretty decent price.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by Jonathan K. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/25/2014 13:40:43

Fun little addition to the SR5 line - I really like these mini-pdf's - and totally worth the price of a latte + scone to me.

Four new traditions, a smattering of organizations & threats, and some welcome new spells & adept powers. It's a pretty straightforward little supplement, nothing really life-altering here, but I'm happy I picked it up.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Shadowrun: Shadow Spells
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
by Jon R. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/25/2014 12:22:48

After lackluster Street Grimoire, I was hoping for spell creation rules - not here

Traditions are nice but nothing special.

A few more adept powers from last edition make it in.

One new type of combat spell (nova type, aka frost nova) makes it into the book….



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
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