Tools & Professional Equipment

This category covers a wide variety of specialized equipment used by professionals in adventure-related fields.

Some objects contain the tools necessary to use certain skills optimally. Without the use of these items, often referred to as kits, skill checks made with these skills are at a -4 penalty. Skills and the kits they are associated with are listed below. See the descriptions of the kits for additional details.

Note that kits should be restocked periodically (purchase DC 5 less than the original purchase DC.) Every time you use a Kit, make a d20 check. On a 1, your kit runs out of the items you need, and it cannot be used again until it is restocked.

Automotive Kit

Bulk: 3

Purchase DC: 20

Automotive tools are a necessity for all but the simplest automobile repairs. Even then, a fully-stocked garage with heavy equipment is required for more involved tasks such as engine or transmission replacement. If time is not a factor, any trained character with the Technical Science skill can repair a vehicle’s mundane issues without rolls. Complex modifications and enhancements, or massive damages, always require a greater effort to work out.

Battering Ram

Bulk: 2

Purchase DC: 7

The purpose of the battering ram is to bring down doors and other barricades with direct, focused force. A battering ram allows up to three other individuals to use aid another actions to aid the primary actor. The primary actor also adds a +4 bonus to her roll Athletics roll to break down the door. A ram ignores two points of Hardness.

Bolt Cutter

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 6

An exceptionally heavy wire cutter, a bolt cutter can snip through padlocks or chain-link fences. Using a bolt cutter requires an Athletics check (DC 10).

Caltrops

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 5

Caltrops are four-pronged iron spikes designed so that one prong is pointing up when the caltrop rests on a surface. A character scatters caltrops on the ground to injure opponents, or at least slow them down. One bag of twenty-five caltrops causes the terrain in Melee Range to become Difficult Terrain. 

Creatures moving through the area affected by Caltrops must make a Defence check against a DC 15. If they fail, the caltrop deals 1 point of damage on a successful hit, and the injury reduces movement speed by 1/2  (a successful Treat Injury check, DC 15, or one day's rest removes this penalty).

A charging or running creature must immediately stop if enters the area with a caltrop. 

Most caltrops in the modern day are used to slow or stop vehicles. See the avoid hazard stunt for the effect of caltrops on vehicles.

Car Opening Kit

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 6

This set of odd-shaped flat metal bars can be slipped into the window seam of a car door to trip the lock. The DC of a Disable Device check to accomplish this varies with the quality of the lock; see the skill description.

Cellular Interceptor

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 23

About the size of a small briefcase, a cellular interceptor can detect and monitor a cell phone conversation within a 5-mile area by listening in on the cellular service's own transmitters. Intercepting the calls of a particular cell phone requires a Computer Science check (DC 35); if the user knows the phone number of the phone in question, the DC drops by 10. Obviously, the phone must be in use for someone to intercept the call. A cellular interceptor cannot be used to intercept regular (ground line) phone connections.

Communications Headset

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 12

Communications headsets keep characters in constant contact. Different varieties work over different distances, but most commercial models work over about 200 feet. A common alternative is a conference call between cellular phones and Bluetooth headsets. If the users have practiced using their headsets together, they can gain the benefit of a Leadership skill check even when not in line of sight.Any heavy objects can obstruct a headset’s signal. Anything obstructing with Hardness  higher than 3 requires listeners to make an Awareness check to understand shared messages. This penalty increases by -1 for each point of Hardness over 4.

Cracking Software

Bulk: -

Purchase DC: 12

Crappy software’s a dime a dozen. Good, reliable cracking software is hard to come by. With solid software, a hacker can force passwords, breach firewalls, and otherwise be a nuisance in computer systems. The benefit such software offers is a sort of buffer between the hacker and security. Any effort to track the hacker takes two steps: one to identify the software, then one to trace it back to the source. 

Functionally, this means rolling twice on behalf of the security personnel, with an opportunity for the hacker to withdraw before detection.

Crowbar

Bulk:1

Purchase DC: 5

A crowbar is a curved piece of steel used to pry open shipping pallets, jammed doors, and other things a normal person would be incapable of doing by hand. When prying things open, it allows your character to ignore two points of Hardness on the lock or barricade. A crowbar can also be used as a simple weapon.

Cypher Kit

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 7

A code kit is a series of tools created for the purpose of making and interpreting a code for a specific audience. A common example is a book code, where a page, paragraph, and word from a certain book are used as the foundation for a cypher. This keeps any uninformed eyes off the intended message. In the case of a book code, a book is often chosen that all message recipients can access easily. This guarantees that the code never has to travel with the code key. A successfully-designed cypher is difficult to break. When using a Cypher Kit, you impose a -4 penalty to all Investigate checks made to perform Cryptography on your text without access to your reference key.

Demolition's Kit

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 13

This kit contains everything needed to use the Demolitions skill to set detonators, wire explosive devices, and disarm explosive devices. Detonators must be purchased separately.

Disguise Kit

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 12

This kit contains everything needed to use the Deception skill to disguise yourself, including makeup, brushes, mirrors, wigs, and other accoutrements. It doesn't contain clothing or uniforms, however.

Duct Tape

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 3

The handyman's secret weapon, the usefulness of duct tape is limited only by a character's imagination. Duct tape can support up to 8 Bulk pounds indefinitely, or up to 12 Bulk for 1d6 rounds. Characters bound with duct tape must make an Escape check (Athletics, Acrobatics or Unarmed Attacks) (DC 20) to free themselves.

A roll provides 70 feet of tape, 2 inches wide.

Electronic Tool Kit

Bulk: 2

Purchase DC: 14

This collection of hand tools and small parts typically includes a variety of pliers, drivers, cutting devices, fasteners, power tools, and leads and wires. This kit allows a character to make Technical Science checks to repair electrical or electronic devices without penalty.

Evidence Kit

Law enforcement agencies around the world use generally the same tools to gather evidence. Having an evidence kit does not grant access to a law enforcement agency's crime lab; it merely assists in the proper gathering and storing of evidence for use by such a lab. Without an evidence kit, a character receives a -4 penalty to use the collect evidence option of the Investigate skill.

Basic

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 7

A basic evidence kit includes clean containers, labels, gloves, tweezers, swabs, and other items to gather bits of physical evidence and prevent them from becoming contaminated.

Forensic

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 15

A forensic evidence kit includes all the materials in a basic kit, plus supplies for analyzing narcotic substances at the scene and for gathering more esoteric forms of physical evidence such as casts and molds of footprints or vehicle tracks, as well as chemical residues and organic fluids. It also contains the necessary dusts, sprays, brushes, adhesives, and cards to gather fingerprints. 

Using a forensic  kit allows one to analyze the presence of narcotics and other chemicals at a crime scene.

Fake ID

Bulk: -

Purchase DC: 11-14

Purchasing a falsified driver's license from a black market source can produce mixed results, depending on the skill of the forger. Typically, a forger has 1 to 4 ranks in the Law skill, with a +1 ability modifierr, which serves as the DC for the opposed check when someone inspects the fake ID. The purchase DC of a fake ID is 10 + the forger's ranks in the Law  skill.

First Aid Kit

Bulk: -

Purchase DC: 5

Available at most drugstores and camping supply stores, this kit contains enough supplies (and simple instructions for their use) to treat an injury before transporting the injured person to a medical professional. A first aid kit can be used to help a dazed, unconscious, or stunned character by making a Treat Injury check (DC 15). 

Forgery Kit

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 12

This kit contains everything needed to use the Law skill to prepare forged items. Depending on the item to be forged, a character might need legal documents or other items not included in the kit.

GPS Tracker

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 7

With the advent of the modern cellular phone, most modern people have a GPS-enabled device on their person at any given time. With a bit of know-how and access to someone’s phone, your character can track their every move (provided those moves are not in caves, tunnels, or sewer systems). Some characters will trade GPS data in case one member of the group becomes lost or if they have to follow someone without notice. Planting a phone on an unwitting subject can serve as a highly-effective tracking device.

Handcuffs

Handcuffs are restraints designed to lock two limbs, normally the wrists,  of a prisoner together. They fit any Medium-size or Small human or other creature that has an appropriate body structure.

Steel

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 7

These heavy-duty cuffs have hardness 10, 10 hit points, and require a Disable Device check (DC 25) or Escape check (Athletics, Acrobatics or Unarmed) (DC 35) to remove without the key.

Zip-Tie

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 6

These are single-use disposable handcuffs, much like heavy-duty cable ties. They have hardness 0 and 4 hit points, and an Escape check DC of 25. They can only be removed by cutting them off (Disable Device checks automatically fail).

Zip-Ties are purchased in packs of 25

Holy Water

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 15

A flask of holy water can be thrown as a grenade. The flask breaks if thrown against the body of a corporeal creature, but against an incorporeal creature it must be opened and its contents poured onto it. Thus, you can only douse an incorporeal creature with holy water if you are adjacent to it. Using holy water requires an Athletics check against the target's Dodge defence.

Holy water deals damage to outsiders with an allegiance to evil and to undead. A flask deals 2d4 points of damage on a direct hit plus 1 point of damage of splash damage to adjacent creatures. Holy water is also considered blessed, which means it has special effects on certain creatures.

Instrument

Keyboard

Bulk: 2

Purchase DC: 12

A portable keyboard, necessary in order to make a Perform (keyboard) skill check.

Percussion

Bulk: 3

Purchase DC: 10

A portal drum, necessary in order to make a Perform (percussion) skill check.

Stringed

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 13

A guitar or violin, necessary in order to make a Perform (stringed instrument) skill check.

Wind

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 8

A flute or saxophone, necessary in order to make a Perform (wind instrument) skill check.

Keylogging Software

Bulk: -

Purchase DC: 6

Keylogging software does exactly one thing: it logs keystrokes on a computer. This is usually done to record incriminating data or passwords. Usually, keylogging software is coupled with software to transmit the data once captured. The challenge for the would-be intruder is installing the software. Email scams are an unreliable way to get onto a specific computer, but could fool one member of a large organization. A thumb drive is very effective, but requires direct, physical access to the recipient computer. 

Proper Keylogging software offers a +2 bonus on attempts to breach a network or find important data.

Lineman's Buttset

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 13

This device resembles an oversized telephone handset with a numeric keypad on the back and wire leads hanging from the bottom. It functions as a portable, reusable telephone line tap. With a Repair check (DC 10), a user can connect to a phone wire and hear any conversation that crosses it. A lineman's buttset is a common tool for telephone repair personnel.

Lockpick Set

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 9

A lockpick set includes picks and tension bars for opening locks operated by standard keys. A lockpick set allows a character to make Disable Device checks to open mechanical locks (deadbolts, keyed entry locks, and so forth) without penalty.

Lock Release Gun

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 12

This small, pistol-like device automatically disables cheap and average mechanical locks operated by standard keys (no Disable Device check necessary).

Luminol

Bulk: -

Purchase DC: 5

Luminol is a chemical that reacts to certain metals in human blood and other bodily fluids. The reaction causes a faint neon glow for about thirty seconds, visible in the dark. It comes in an aerosol can and will seek out faint traces of bodily fluids, even after a thorough cleaning. In addition to showing the exact locations of violent crimes, luminol can assist in tracking wounded people and animals. Luminol’s provides a a +2 bonus to any roll to track by the fluid traces, or to piece together the details of a crime scene.

Mechanical Tool Kit

Bulk: 4

Purchase DC: 13

This collection of hand tools and small parts typically includes a variety of pliers, drivers, cutting devices, fasteners, and even power tools. This kit, which fits in a portable toolbox, allows a character to make Technical Science checks for mechanical devices without penalty.

Medical Kit

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 15

About the size of a large tackle box, this is the sort of kit commonly carried by military medics and civilian EMTs. It contains a wide variety of medical supplies and equipment. A medical kit can be used to treat a dazed, unconscious, or stunned character, to provide long-term care, to restore wound points, to treat a diseased or poisoned character, or to stabilize a dying character (see the Medical Science skill). Skill checks made without a medical kit incur a -4 penalty.

Metal Detector

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 11

This handheld device provides a +10 equipment bonus on all Investigate checks involving metal objects.

Multi-Tool

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 9

This device contains several different screwdrivers, a knife blade or two, can opener, bottle opener, file, short ruler, scissors, tweezers, and wire cutters. The whole thing unfolds into a handy pair of pliers. A multipurpose tool can lessen the penalty for making Technical Science checks without appropriate tools to -2 instead of the normal -4. The tool is useful for certain tasks, as determined by the GM, but may not be useful in all situations.

Night Vision Goggles

Bulk: L

Purchase DC: 17

Night vision goggles use passive light gathering to improve vision in near-dark conditions. They grant the user darkvision, but because of the restricted field of view and lack of depth perception these goggles provide, they impose a -4 penalty on all Awareness and Investigate checks made by someone wearing them.

Night vision goggles must have at least a little light to operate. A cloudy night provides sufficient ambient light, but a pitch-black cave or a sealed room doesn't. For situations of total darkness, the goggles come with an infrared illuminator that, when switched on, operates like a standard flashlight whose light is visible only to the wearer (or anyone else wearing night vision goggles).

Search-and-Rescue Kit

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 12

This waist pack contains a first aid kit, a compass, waterproof matches, a lightweight space blanket, a standard flashlight, 50 feet of durable nylon rope, two smoke grenades, and one signal flare.

Spike Strip

Bulk: 4

Purchase DC: 13

This device is designed to help the police end car chases. The strip comes rolled in a spool about the size of a small suitcase. Deploy it by rolling it across a roadway, where it lies like a flat, segmented belt. (The user can roll it out onto the road without entering the lane of traffic.) Until the strip is activated, the spikes do not protrude, and cars can pass safely over it. When the user activates it (via a control device attached to the end of the strip by a 10-foot-long cord), the spikes extend.

Each time a creature moves through a space  containing an activated spike strip, the creature must make a DC 15 Defence check or be hit. The strip deals 2 points of damage on a successful hit, and the injury reduces foot speed to half normal (a successful Treat Injury check, DC 15, or one day's rest removes this penalty).

Wheeled vehicles passing over the strip are automatically hit, although vehicles equipped with puncture-resistant tires are not affected.

Surgery Kit

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 16

About the size of a small backpack, this kit contains the instruments needed for rudimentary emergency field surgery. A surgery kit is used when performing surgery (see the Medical Science skill). A character performing surgery without a surgery kit takes a -4 penalty on the Treat Injury check. (This penalty is in addition to the -4 penalty that applies if the character does not have the Surgery feat.)

Surveillance Equipment

Bulk: 1

Purchase DC: 17

Standard surveillance equipment usually consists of motion detectors, cameras, and monitors. High-end versions may include infrared heat sensors, barometric scanners, or even more complex gear. Either way, the point of surveillance equipment is to survey, detect, and otherwise track who enters or leaves a location. Often, this also means locking down breached zones. Unless someone knows surveillance equipment exists and actively avoids it, his presence is noticed and recorded. If he tries to avoid it, contest his Stealth check against a DC equal to 10+the installing technician’s Computer Science bonus. If the intruder beats the DC, he remains unnoticed. Otherwise, he goes on record.

Talcum Powder

Bulk: -

Purchase DC: 3

Talcum powder can keep a baby’s bottom from getting diaper rash, but it can also show the presence of the unseen, and show evidence of intrusion if placed at a portal of entry. If an area is dusted with talcum powder, a character must achieve a DC 20 Stealth Check to enter without a trace. Some paranormal investigators use talcum powder as a way to give ghosts and other invisible entities a method for communication.

Ultraviolet Ink

Bulk: -

Purchase DC: 5

Ultraviolet ink, or invisible ink, as it’s commonly called, is an outstanding way to relay messages in plain sight. Since the naked eye cannot perceive the ink without an ultraviolet light, a character can scrawl messages for other recipients who are in the know. It also allows for secret information to be passed around through mundane channels. If someone’s being surveyed by nefarious forces, an ultraviolet message scribbled on a throwaway magazine is much easier to get into their home unmolested than, say, a suspicious letter slid through their doorframe. If you need to mark a path to a secret hiding place, what better way to conceal the guiding marks?