[Jack_Spade]

For everyone interested:
Howling Shadows brings critter armor back - at very competitive prices, as well as googles and earphones + a sensor collar.

The Shapechange spell and Shifter's animal form make now very viable options for runs. Especially since armor stacks with natural armor.
A bear can now have 12 worn armor + 3 natural. Add to that an armor spell or a possessing spirit in the armor and you can actually start to tank in animal form.
And let me tell you: The bear is a mean combat machine: 9 BOD, 4 AGI, 5 REA 8 STR and a run multiplier of 8 make them a fearsome close quarters combatant

If you can manage to bring your body up to 10 somehow, you also can change into an elephant. 16 STR and a 18P AP-2 Tusk Attack is enough to break into almost any building (not to mention 6 natural armor + 15 critter armor + 12 BOD)...
and a run multiplicator of 18!
72m per round for a standard elephant - 24m/s or roughly 86 km/h are insane (And I assume it's probably meant to be 8 )

[Beta]

And interestingly, if I remember from what I skimmed last night, the domestic cat now has a body of 2 -- meaning that a body 4 mage has access to a pretty good prowling form, as well as some decent combat forms at body 6 (great cats, wolves).  (that the domestic cat had body 2, and raccoons a body of 1, rather surprised me, I admit.  There is some possibiliity that I garbled all of this in my memory as I was almost falling asleep by the time I had a chance to glance at the new toy)

[FST_Gemstar]

It does seem a little flashy to have an armored bear or elaphant on run.   

"No officer, we come from the cyberpunk combat circus that just came to town, nothing strange, promise!"

[Rooks]

Unless you buy the fancy business type animal barding

[cyclopean]

Hahaha cyberpunk combat circus will definitely now be appearing in my game

[Tym Jalynsfein]

Unless you buy the fancy business type animal barding

New from Zoe... The Safari Line - Business Barding for your Pets.

Gives a whoie new meaning to the term Corporate Shark.

[Jack_Spade]

@FST_Gemstar

As funny as that would be, the book sadly neglected to give the prices for those creatures. Shapechanging is therefore the easiest way to get that circus going (or stealing animals - that works too  )

[FST_Gemstar]

I don't have the book...

But it does feel funny that you can go shopping for elephant armor. But you can't buy an elephant. Like, who is doing this casually?

"Oh, I am just looking. I'm definitely not a shifter or anything. No No, I just make lifesize elephant models and I would like to dress them up in something fancy." 

[Medicineman]

But You can buy Elephants
SR is a Roleplaying Game not a Boardgame where you can't do anything if there is no Rule for it.
You just work out the Price with your GM and a little bit of Common Sense
or use the 4A's Running Wild Table
( Oh, I'm using sooo many Rules from 4A because they're missing in 5th Ed, or they're simply better.....)

with a self-determined Dance
Medicineman