Masada
First Post
D20 Modern has a small list of equipment. Here are some suggestions on how to add variety to the equipment lists.
Think about the economy today. Is there one brand of cell phone? Do they all cost the same? Do they all essentially do the same thing? From a quick look in the MSRD we can see that a Cell Phone costs Purchase DC 9. From a game mechanics point of view the only reason a player needs a phone is to call contacts and other players. A player should ask the GM, “What can I get if I spend more on a phone?” The GM should be ready with some answers. Here are some suggestions for a cell phone:
A cell phone that works both in town and in remote areas; PDC 11
A cell phone that works in other countries; PDC 15
A cell phone that doubles as wireless data connectivity for a laptop; PDC 17
Another bonus a GM could apply is the “vanity bonus.” Usually folks are impressed by displays of wealth. We spend thousands more on goods that do the same thing as other products simply to have the bragging rights of ownership. Brand name recognition can gain certain bonuses to charisma based skills. In order for this to be effective the item must be visible. For each +2 of PDC the hero spends on a vanity item they gain a +1 bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks when interacting with character affected by such things (a priest isn’t likely to care about displays of wealth, but a business owner might.) The bonus can’t go above +4 and multiple items don’t stack—only the greatest bonus is applied.
Don’t forget “mastercraft” bonuses. These can be applied to virtually any device for a +1 here or there. In general, each additional +3 of PDC applied to an item gains a +1 to something associated with the item. The maximum bonus typically allowed for mastercraft is +3 and can be spread over different factors. A mastercraft weapon that deals +1 to damage and +1 to attack rolls is considered a +2 mastercraft weapon and would cost +6 more to acquire, if it was available at all. However, feel free to use less obvious bonuses. For example, an electronic compass that grants +1 to Navigation checks, computers that give +1 to Computer Use checks, or a coat that is fire resistant as well as stylish with +1 fire resistance.
Equipment durability:
Keep track of where the PC’s go and what they do with their gear. Nothing lasts forever and equipment used in rugged environments will break. Generally, anytime Fortitude saves are required, equipment may be impacted. Most things react poorly to water and in particular salt water. Don’t be afraid to declare abused equipment inoperable—even without rolls. A laptop dunked in the ocean is just gone, man.
Random Wealth Encounters:
Money comes and money goes. In any given month, you never know what’s going to pop up. As an option, make a random wealth encounter check once a month.
Think about the economy today. Is there one brand of cell phone? Do they all cost the same? Do they all essentially do the same thing? From a quick look in the MSRD we can see that a Cell Phone costs Purchase DC 9. From a game mechanics point of view the only reason a player needs a phone is to call contacts and other players. A player should ask the GM, “What can I get if I spend more on a phone?” The GM should be ready with some answers. Here are some suggestions for a cell phone:
A cell phone that works both in town and in remote areas; PDC 11
A cell phone that works in other countries; PDC 15
A cell phone that doubles as wireless data connectivity for a laptop; PDC 17
Another bonus a GM could apply is the “vanity bonus.” Usually folks are impressed by displays of wealth. We spend thousands more on goods that do the same thing as other products simply to have the bragging rights of ownership. Brand name recognition can gain certain bonuses to charisma based skills. In order for this to be effective the item must be visible. For each +2 of PDC the hero spends on a vanity item they gain a +1 bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks when interacting with character affected by such things (a priest isn’t likely to care about displays of wealth, but a business owner might.) The bonus can’t go above +4 and multiple items don’t stack—only the greatest bonus is applied.
Don’t forget “mastercraft” bonuses. These can be applied to virtually any device for a +1 here or there. In general, each additional +3 of PDC applied to an item gains a +1 to something associated with the item. The maximum bonus typically allowed for mastercraft is +3 and can be spread over different factors. A mastercraft weapon that deals +1 to damage and +1 to attack rolls is considered a +2 mastercraft weapon and would cost +6 more to acquire, if it was available at all. However, feel free to use less obvious bonuses. For example, an electronic compass that grants +1 to Navigation checks, computers that give +1 to Computer Use checks, or a coat that is fire resistant as well as stylish with +1 fire resistance.
Equipment durability:
Keep track of where the PC’s go and what they do with their gear. Nothing lasts forever and equipment used in rugged environments will break. Generally, anytime Fortitude saves are required, equipment may be impacted. Most things react poorly to water and in particular salt water. Don’t be afraid to declare abused equipment inoperable—even without rolls. A laptop dunked in the ocean is just gone, man.
Random Wealth Encounters:
Money comes and money goes. In any given month, you never know what’s going to pop up. As an option, make a random wealth encounter check once a month.
Code:
[b]Table 1.2 Random Wealth Encounters[/b]
% Roll Effect
1-50 Nothing happened
51-75 Minor expense due; -1 Wealth
76-85 Expenses; -2 Wealth
86-90 Major expenses; -3 Wealth
91-95 Cash flow crunch; -4 Wealth
96-99 Minor windfall; +1 Wealth
100 Got lucky; +2 Wealth
