[Nekojin]

I'm an old SR player, about to start a new 4th Ed campaign with some friends. Obviously, we need the core book (20th Anniv. edition). I looked for what other books I'd need, and hit on the Runner's Companion... but it's out of print and going for ridiculous prices. Does the 20th Anniv. Edition incorporate the Runner's Companion stuff, or is there some newer, revised book that covers the same material? Or is PDF my only non-insane-price choice for this?

Also, what other books would you consider essential for the first session back into the shadows, and what can be put off until the first session or two are done?

[Black]

Only SR4A is essential.

Runner's companion is probably almost the least essential of the core rule books.  Has expanded character creation methods and types, some more rules for contacts, enemies and lifestyles, additional qualities... none of which are essential.

Arsenal is my first choice.... more guns, weapons, vehicles, martial arts.
Street Magic is good if you have a player interested in magic, otherwise it can be used to enhance your magical adversaries.
Augementation has some extra cyber, bio and such... but the core book has most of what you need.
Unwired... master the matrix rules in the core book first... but otherwise good if hacking and AIs are a core focus of your game... otherwise (in may case) a book I rarely open.

Runners Black Book is good for more vehicles and drones.
Way of the Adept (PDF only) good for expanding the options for adepts.

I use SR4, Arsenal and Street Magic the most, but I guess every game will be a bit different....

[Nekojin]

Excellent input, MrBlack. Exactly what I needed to know, and well-explained. Thanks a tun*.

* No, that's not a typo. 

[All4BigGuns]

I consider SR4A core, Arsenal, Augmentation, Runner's Companion and Unwired to be absolutely essential (yes all of them). I also prefer War! and Attitude being available.

[Mirikon]

SR4A is absolutely essential, just as the PHB is essential in D&D. Every player should at least have a digital copy, though I personally have digital and hard copies.

Arsenal, Augmentation, Unwired, Street Magic, and Runner's Companion are awesome books that expand upon several basic parts of the world, and the rules. You should have at least one copy of each book at your table.

Setting books. Runner Havens and Seattle 2072 if you're in Seattle, for instance. In addition to telling you the layout, and showing who's who, it provides a nice list of hangouts divided by district.

Attitude is a must, from a fluff standpoint. The whole book just breathes life into the Sixth World, and some of the parts are extremely useful for teaching new groups, or for refreshing the memory of old hands. The gear is nifty. If you can't figure out a use for color changing clothes, you're not trying hard enough.

I'd have a copy of Sixth World Almanac at your table, too, to pass around to people now and then, so they get a picture of what the world is like.

Everything else you can leave off, and not miss too much, but I love them all.

[Nekojin]

Also excellent feedback, Mirikon. Thank you. =^_^=

[MisterJohnson]

I had put together this page for new players to the game.  Hope it helps!

http://contactmrjohnson.com/index.php/new-players

[Black]

I had put together this page for new players to the game.  Hope it helps!

http://contactmrjohnson.com/index.php/new-players

Nice site.  Your affiliated with RPGNOW?

[raggedhalo]

When I was running SR4, rather than SR4A, Unwired was absolutely essential for making the Matrix work in a much more satisfying way.  It might not be the case in SR4A, however.

[AJCarrington]

I highly recommend the Runner's Toolkit.

AJC

[Sengir]

Arsenal definitely is the most important book. Try to get the version with the old cover though, the third printing (with this cover) fell victim to CGL's new policy of de-errataing books.

After that come Augmentation, Street Magic (also stripped of errata in the newest printing) and Unwired, the order depends on what characters your group plays...you will eventually get all three anyway

RC has a lot to offer with the new qualities and the great lifestyle rules, but I have to agree with MrBlack that it's the least essential book for running a game.

[MisterJohnson]

I had put together this page for new players to the game.  Hope it helps!

http://contactmrjohnson.com/index.php/new-players

Nice site.  Your affiliated with RPGNOW?

Not in any official capacity.  No.
I buy all my RPG books from them.

[Neurosis]

Besides the core book, I would recommend Arsenal, Augmentation, Street Magic and depending on how much you like to use the Matrix, Unwired.

[SteelFox]

Although Runner's Toolkit isn't essential, it has lots of tools for beginning (and returning) GMs such as yourself, for a reasonable price, if I remember correctly.

Besides that, I agree completely with Mirikon's post. Shadowrun: Attitude can color your game like few other books can. =]

[Mirikon]

The two best things in Runner's Toolkit are the cheat sheets and the Anatomy of a Shadowrun. I used both when introducing a bunch of new players to Shadowrun. They were all seasoned D&D players, but as we all know in Shadowrun charging in to kill everything will get you turned into a nasty stain on the floor. So the cheat sheets are an excellent tool to help them get the mechanics of the system while they're learning, and the Anatomy of a Shadowrun bit was a good way to get them into the proper mindset.

Also, if you're starting new people on Shadowrun, I suggest that you get them to watch Blade Runner, Johnny Mnemonic, Hackers, and Ghost in the Shell.