Chapter 11: Equipment

Design Principles

• Equipment is progression.
• Inspiration teaches skills.
• Gear improves Stats, survivability, and tactical options.
• Item category defines damage, AP, hands, range, capacity, or function.
• Quality defines Stat modifier or accessory bonus.
• Properties define special behavior.
• There is no global equipment stat bonus limit. The Foreman adjudicates edge cases.
• Proper gear is expensive. Quality 0 is professional-grade, not common.

Equipment Anatomy

Equipment has three layers:

• Category: Damage, AP, hands, range, capacity, or basic function.
• Quality: Adds or subtracts from a Stat, or determines an accessory bonus.
• Property: Adds special behavior: Coiltech, Overwhelming, Arcane Conduit, Concealable, Collapsible.

Example: Fitted Coiltech Light Ranged Weapon.

• Category: Light Ranged, damage 3, one hand, Nearby range, occupies shield slot.
• Quality: Fitted, +1 Dexterity while used.
• Property: Coiltech, may spend Magcells for powered effects.

Quality modifiers are applied only when the item is being used in the relevant way. Weapon quality modifies checks made with that weapon. Armor, shields, prosthetics, and accessories modify the relevant Stat while worn, equipped, or attached. Carrying an item is not enough to gain its quality modifier.

Quality

Use the -3 to +3 scale because it maps directly to the mechanical Stat modifier.

Quality Cost Guidance

Stat Tags

• Dexterity: Weapons, ranged weapons, shields, mobility gear, precision gear.
• Constitution: Armor, prosthetics, braces, heavy structural gear.
• Intent: Staffs, rings, amulets, casting gear, focus items.
• Spirit: Cloaks, amulets, rings, recovery gear, paca-related gear.

Weapons

Weapon Properties

Armor

Armor provides AP and modifies Constitution through quality.

Heavy armor requires Constitution 20+ to use effectively. Without Heavy Armor Mastery, it imposes -4 Dexterity and disadvantage on physical Skill Checks.

Shields

Shields provide AP and modify Dexterity through quality. Block still uses Constitution.

Shield Examples.

If shield, pack, armor, wounds, or other penalties reduce Dexterity to 0, the character is immobile.

Coiltech and Magcells

Coiltech is a property. Any weapon, armor, shield, prosthetic, or accessory can be Coiltech if the Foreman allows it.

• Magcell: Rules term. Short for magik cell.
• Charge: Casual speech. "I have two charges left."
• Majicoil Cell: Formal corporate or military term.

Coiltech armor and Coiltech shields should not feel redundant. Armor protects the wearer. Shields protect space, allies, and the line.

Coiltech items, especially +2 or +3 Coiltech items, should look obviously unnatural, restricted, altered, or dangerous. A Coiltech weapon might be overtaken by magik, threaded with glowing veins, half-organic crystal growth, impossible heat shimmer, floating components, whispering coils, or other out-of-this-world features. Using one should leave evidence, attract attention, or create repair problems when that makes sense.

Accessories

A Contractor can wear one cloak, one amulet, and one ring. Accessories are the simple non-weapon, non-armor Stat-growth lane. They do not use negative quality in normal loot tables.

• Cloak: Dexterity, Constitution, or Spirit. Movement, concealment, weathering, morale, presence.
• Amulet: Constitution, Intent, or Spirit. Protection, focus, recovery, oath, identity.
• Ring: Dexterity, Intent, or Spirit. Precision, focus, control, social or magik resonance.

Accessory Quality:

• 0: No Stat bonus. May have narrative value or minor utility.
• +1: +1d4 to one rolled or chosen Stat.
• +2: +2d4 to one rolled or chosen Stat.
• +3: +3d4 to one rolled or chosen Stat, plus likely unique property.

Roll a d4 for the Stat:

• 1: Constitution.
• 2: Dexterity.
• 3: Intent.
• 4: Spirit.

The Foreman may roll or choose. Roll for loot. Choose when the item has a clear identity. Negative accessories exist only as cursed, deceptive, damaged, parasitic, fake, or story-relevant items.

Masterwork and Legendary Items

Masterwork and Legendary items should not feel like generic stat sticks. A +2 item should usually have one unique property and a clear visual identity. A +3 item is a campaign object: named, recognizable, dangerous to own, and tied to the campaign's factions, history, or future consequences.

Rare gear should be visually obvious. A Masterwork blade might have an impossible balance, a visible maker's mark, a strange alloy pattern, a ceremonial grip, or a reputation that reaches the room before the Contractor does. Legendary gear should have a name, reputation, visible signature, and consequences for carrying it.

Coiltech rare gear should be even harder to hide. A +2 or +3 Coiltech item might be overtaken by magik, threaded with glowing veins, half-organic crystal growth, impossible heat shimmer, floating components, whispering coils, or industrial parts that keep moving after the user stops. It should look restricted, altered, or dangerous.

The danger of owning rare gear should be explicit. Majicoil may hunt for it. Factions may recognize it. Thieves may target it. Repairs may require illegal specialists. Using it may leave evidence, attract attention, damage reputations, or escalate the campaign.

Packs and Cargo

If the party is not surprised, a Contractor may drop their pack for free before combat to reduce the dexterity penalty. If they flee, abandon the field, or lose the scene, the pack may be lost.

Hands and Capacity

Capacity measures what a Contractor can carry secured on their body, belt, pockets, straps, or pack. Hands are separate.

A Contractor can hold one one-handed item in each free hand. A held item does not need to fit in capacity while it remains held, but that hand is occupied.

If the Contractor wants to stow the item, free the hand, climb, use a shield, use a two-handed weapon, carry another object, or travel with the item secured, the item must fit in capacity or be carried by an ally, Paca, cart, wagon, or left behind.

A shield occupies one hand. A two-handed weapon occupies both hands. A Light Ranged weapon occupies the shield slot as normal.

What Counts as an Item

Identifying Gear

A Contractor does not automatically know quality or unique properties. They can learn by using the item in a meaningful situation or asking an expert.

Buying and Selling