Protective Gear
Protective Gear / Armor
Unless otherwise modified by its equipment qualities, protective gear (or “armor”) provides no bonuses or advantages. A character can only wear one type of protective gear at a time, although that gear may provide up to two qualities. By default, protective gear is noticeable unless actively concealed under bulky outerwear, such as a trenchcoat, cloak, or heavy-weather clothing. Protective gear only functions when it is being worn. Removing or equipping protective gear requires three standard actions.
When building a piece of protective gear, you may choose up to two qualities from the following list:
• Ballistic: This type of protective gear applies a + 3 bonus to your defensive test pools when resisting ranged attacks from firearms. Further, it applies a +1 bonus to your defensive test pools when resisting Brawl, Melee, or thrown weapon attacks.
• Chest Plate: This type of protective gear has a hardened piece of metal over your chest and another over your upper back, effectively shielding your heart from damage. You cannot be targeted by the Pierce the Heart combat maneuver.
• Concealable: This armor is small and form-fitting, designed to be worn under normal clothing. You must be physically patted down, targeted by supernatural powers, or targeted with an electronic detector in order for the armor to be revealed. Protective gear with the Concealable quality cannot also have the Full Body quality.
• Full Body: This type of protective gear applies a +3 bonus to pool comparisons for the purpose of avoiding exceptional successes from Brawl, Melee, or Firearms attacks. However, Full Body armor is extremely obvious and cannot be covered with bulky outerwear. Anyone glancing at you can easily tell you’re wearing this type of protective gear.
• Hardened: This type of protective gear applies a +3 bonus to your defensive test pools when resisting Brawl, Melee and thrown weapon attacks. Further, it applies a +1 bonus to your defensive test pools when resisting firearms attacks.
• HazMat: This quality indicates that the equipment is specifically designed to shield against a certain type of hazardous environment. When you create this armor, choose one perilous circumstance, such as heat, methane gas, or deep-water pressure. While wearing this gear, you are protected from this type of environmental hazard. (Storytellers should use common sense as to the limitations of this quality.) Note that HazMat gear isn’t designed for combat use. If you are successfully hit with a piercing or slashing attack, such as bullets, claws, or swords, the HazMat protection stops functioning until the gear is repaired.
• Impact Absorption: You are not affected by the Knockback quality of ranged weapons, and you are unaffected by the Knock Out or Knock Down combat maneuvers.
• Rugged: This quality indicates that the gear is particularly hardy and capable of absorbing damage. The first time you are hit by a Physical attack while wearing this armor, the damage dealt by that attack is reduced by 2 points. This reduction occurs before reduction caused by Fortitude or similar supernatural powers applies. Rugged armor can absorb normal or aggravated damage. The player wearing the armor may choose which damage is absorbed, if more than 2 points are dealt. Once expended, rugged armor must be repaired or replaced before this effect can be used again.
