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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 6230689" data-attributes="member: 6685730">Chapter 6: EquipmentWhen equipping a Modos character, you need to consider more than just your budget.  It's not like your Last fantasy game, in which you could carry everything that you could pick up.  However, you will find equally epic gear in this game, quite possibly in this chapter!Ownership Limits[sblock]                        In Modos, characters can own anything and everything to which their character concepts entitle them.  This is because most property doesn't affect the game; characters don't sit in plush sky-condos, watching virt-Vs and sipping martinis from their personal wet-bars when they're not at their exciting desk jobs.  Modos characters go out and solve problems.                        The GM has the responsibility of giving your character everything he deserves, while maintaining a reasonable balance between what game-relevant equipment each PC owns.  This is done by measuring what characters can do.  At character creation, each character should have the ability to do these things to comparable degree:- cause physical or mental damage,- protect himself from physical damage (protection),- transport himself,- acquire new equipment,- acquire food and shelter.These things balance themselves out in indirect ways.  For example, a warrior can protect himself from damage with a suit of armor, while a mage could do the same thing with a spell, and a scoundrel might not want armor (too cumbersome), but be happy to use a power shield.  Or the scoundrel doesn't need cash for new equipment because he's well equipped to steal everything he needs, while a knight owns much from being nobility, but a wizard might need lots of extra starting gold because magic is forbidden (along with his earning power), and one doesn't acquire assets while studying magic.                        As characters gain levels, their useful adventuring property should follow a set of two rules:- the equipment that a character regularly uses should make that PC feel like an equal contributor toward the party's goals,- a PC's gear should be an augmentation, and not a replacement, for that PC's personal contributions toward party goals.                        An example of the former: two sky captains fly a "skaravel" from place to place, pursuing different misadventures.  One sky captain owns the skaravel, and serves as captain of the ship.  The other sky captain, who is equal character level to the first, has a toy ship in his quarters.  These characters' property has the potential to make them feel like unequal contributors to the game's outcome.                        An example of the latter: a professional level barbarian finds a family treasure, an amulet, that turns him into a raging wood demon.  He cannot be defeated while in wood demon aspect, so he uses the amulet all the time.  This character's equipment is unbalanced, because the character itself doesn't matter; only the amulet matters.                        Of course, the simple system to balancing PC gear is to give each character a starting budget, and let them buy whatever they can afford, and try to earn or find anything beyond that.[/sblock]Carrying Limits[sblock]                        Sometimes what a character can afford exceeds what he can carry.  Characters are welcome to store excess property elsewhere, like in a family crypt or P.O. box.  However, what a character carries should generally be limited to the following for the purpose of adventuring: a primary weapon, a secondary weapon, a suit of armor, shield, and enough other gear to fill a large backpack.  This serves two purposes: making personal gear comparable between PCs, and allowing the GM to challenge players, since he knows they can't carry a solution to everything.  If a PC wants to carry more gear, let him spend his assets on a car, hover-tote, or slave.  That will give other PCs, who don't need the kitchen sink with them, the chance to spend assets elsewhere.[/sblock]Armor[sblock]                        Since PCs get into fights more often than not, armor is a very popular equipment type.  The Modos core rules provide several selections of low-tech armor, but that is by no means the limit of what can be used in the game.  The details of using armor in conflict are provided in the Conflict chapter.                        Each armor entry has the following information:- Price.  The cost in gold pieces.  Adjust for inflation as needed.- Size.  This is a temporary adjustment to your physical ability score, only while wearing the armor.  Tiny armor has no penalty.  Light armor gives -1 P.  Medium armor give -2 P.  Heavy armor gives -3 P.  Most shields do not allow you to carry anything in your shield hand.- Prot.  Protection for each failed (or missed) parry contest.- Special.  Exceptions and notes. <table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>Name </td><td>Price</td><td>Size</td><td>Prot</td><td>Special</td></tr><tr><td>Buckler </td><td>6</td><td>Tiny</td><td> </td><td>Parry +1, can hold tiny weapon</td></tr><tr><td>Shield, small </td><td>6</td><td>Tiny</td><td> </td><td>Parry +2</td></tr><tr><td>Shield, large</td><td>13</td><td>Tiny</td><td> </td><td>Parry +3</td></tr><tr><td>Shield, tower</td><td>30</td><td>Light</td><td> </td><td>Parry +4</td></tr><tr><td>Padded armor</td><td>5</td><td>Light</td><td>d4</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Leather armor</td><td>10</td><td>Light</td><td>d4</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Studded leather</td><td>25</td><td>Light</td><td>d4+1</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Spiked leather</td><td>35</td><td>Light</td><td>d4+1</td><td>+1 damage to fight-unarmed</td></tr><tr><td>Ring mail</td><td>50</td><td>Medium</td><td>d6</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Chain shirt</td><td>100</td><td>Light</td><td>d6</td><td>Includes leather armor</td></tr><tr><td>Hide armor</td><td>15</td><td>Medium</td><td>d6</td><td>High upkeep, or it has stench and bugs</td></tr><tr><td>Scale mail</td><td>75</td><td>Medium</td><td>d6+1</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Chain mail</td><td>150</td><td>Medium</td><td>d8</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Elven mail</td><td>300</td><td>Light</td><td>d8</td><td>Limited availability</td></tr><tr><td>Banded mail</td><td>200</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d8</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Field plate mail</td><td>600</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Full plate mail</td><td>1500</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10+1</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Dwarven plate mail</td><td>2000</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d12</td><td>Limited availability</td></tr></table>  Table 6-1: Armor  [/sblock]Weapons[sblock]                        The following is a selection of low-tech weaponry for use in Modos.  The details of using weapons in conflict are covered in the Conflict chapter.  The table has the following entries for each weapon:- Price.  Stated in gold pieces.- Size.  Generally refers to a weapon's weight.  Tiny weapons are easily concealed.  Light weapons are easily carried at the ready.  Medium weapons are usually one-handed, but bulky.  Heavy weapons are two-handed, and too cumbersome to use while mounted.- Damage.  How much the weapon deals on a successful fight contest.- Special.  Notes about the weapon.  Double means that a weapon requires two hands, but counts as using two weapons.  If an ammunition type is listed, it is followed by the price for 20 shots, and the number of actions required to reload.- Range.  Weapons can attack anything at the stated range or closer.  See the Conflict chapter for more on range. <table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>Weapon </td><td>Price</td><td>Size</td><td>Damage</td><td>Special</td><td>Range</td></tr><tr><td>Unarmed </td><td>Free</td><td>Tiny</td><td>d4</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Sling </td><td>Free</td><td>Tiny</td><td>d4</td><td>Bullet 1 / 1</td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td>Sap </td><td>1</td><td>Tiny</td><td>d4</td><td>Mental damage, parries auto-succeed</td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Bola </td><td>1</td><td>Tiny</td><td>0</td><td>Lose one move action</td><td>Medium</td></tr><tr><td>Gauntlet </td><td>Armor</td><td>Tiny</td><td>d4+1</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Dagger </td><td>2</td><td>Tiny</td><td>d4+1</td><td> </td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td>Blowgun </td><td>5</td><td>Tiny</td><td>d4+1</td><td>Requires poison, dart 2 / 1</td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td>Pick/Club</td><td>3</td><td>Light</td><td>d6</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Staff</td><td>1</td><td>Light</td><td>d6</td><td>Double</td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Chain, spiked</td><td>25</td><td>Light</td><td>d6</td><td>Double</td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Javelin</td><td>1</td><td>Light</td><td>d6</td><td>Missile only</td><td>Medium</td></tr><tr><td>Axe, hand</td><td>5</td><td>Light</td><td>d6+1</td><td> </td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td>Sword, short/rapier</td><td>15</td><td>Light</td><td>d6+1</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Net</td><td>5</td><td>Light</td><td>0</td><td>Movement -4.  Higher contest to escape</td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td>Flail</td><td>15</td><td>Medium</td><td>d8</td><td>Bonus to trip/disarm</td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Mace/morningstar</td><td>10</td><td>Medium</td><td>d8</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Bow, short</td><td>30</td><td>Medium</td><td>d8</td><td>Sheaf arrow 1 / 1</td><td>Long</td></tr><tr><td>Axe, battle</td><td>5</td><td>Medium</td><td>d8+1</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Sword, long</td><td>15</td><td>Medium</td><td>d8+1</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Lance</td><td>15</td><td>Medium</td><td>d10</td><td>Requires mount</td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td>Crossbow, light</td><td>35</td><td>Medium</td><td>d8+1</td><td>Light bolt 2 / 2</td><td>Long</td></tr><tr><td>Warhammer</td><td>2</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Spear/Polearm</td><td>7</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d8</td><td> </td><td>Short</td></tr><tr><td>Bow, long</td><td>75</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10</td><td>Flight arrow 1 / 1</td><td>Long</td></tr><tr><td>Axe, war</td><td>10</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10+1</td><td>Double</td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Sword, great</td><td>50</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10+1</td><td> </td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Flail, great</td><td>30</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10+1</td><td>Double</td><td>Close</td></tr><tr><td>Crossbow, heavy</td><td>50</td><td>Heavy</td><td>d10+1</td><td>Heavy bolt 4 / 2</td><td>Long</td></tr></table>Table 6-2: Weapons[/sblock]Gear[sblock]Although the GM decides, through establishing the campaign theme, what gear is available in the game, anything is possible.  Toothbrushes, wineskins, and auto-apply-compacts can all be found in a game of Modos.  Gear is the support material, objects, and tools that don't cost a lot, yet facilitate adventures.  Ownership of gear should not be too restrictive (carrying gear should be more restrictive), because it is the oil that makes adventures run.[/sblock]Special Equipment[sblock]Some gear can significantly improve a character's impact in the game.  This gear is the special equipment, magic items, hi-tech gadgets, or alien relics that characters use to further their goals.  Special equipment improves the stats of a character: his abilities, skills, and perks.  In so doing, special equipment actually makes a character more powerful, effectively raising his character level.  The following chart includes gear benefits and the level of character progress to which they correspond.<table style='width: 100%'><tr><td> </td><td>Level 1-3</td><td>Level 4-6 </td><td>Level 7-9</td><td>Level 10-12</td><td>Level 13-15</td></tr><tr><td>Damage die</td><td>d6</td><td>d8 </td><td>d10</td><td>d12</td><td>d20</td></tr><tr><td>Protect die</td><td>d6</td><td>d8 </td><td>d10</td><td>d12</td><td>d20</td></tr><tr><td>Ability bonus</td><td>+2</td><td>+4 </td><td>+6</td><td>+8</td><td>+10</td></tr><tr><td>Skill bonus</td><td>+4</td><td>+8 </td><td>+12</td><td>+16</td><td>+20</td></tr><tr><td>Spell level</td><td>3rd</td><td>4th </td><td>5th</td><td>6th</td><td>7th</td></tr></table>  Table 6-3: Level-appropriate special equipment.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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