Miscellaneous Gear
Miscellaneous Gear
Miscellaneous gear is non-combat equipment that may be used in other types of opposed challenges. This category of equipment includes items such as musical instruments, computers, crafts-making tools, or scientific equipment, as well as many other things. Bonuses provided by miscellaneous gear cannot be used in any sort of combat challenge. You cannot gain bonuses from more than one piece of miscellaneous gear at a time.
When building a piece of miscellaneous gear, you may choose up to two qualities from the following list:
• Antique: This item was created generations ago. While it may have some minor negatives (it may be more fragile or more difficult to use), it is also rarely considered useful. You can usually convince mortals that the item is nonfunctional, purely prop or artistic, and thus can more easily smuggle it into otherwise restricted areas. An item with this quality sells for three times normal value.
• Artisan: This item is an exquisite, artistic example of its kind. This item’s beauty will trigger the clan weakness for members of the Toreador clan. Characters with a Crafts skill of 3 or higher who score an exceptional success while creating this item may add the Artisan quality; characters with a Crafts skill 6 or higher may add the Artisan quality without needing an exceptional success. Adding the Artisan quality in this manner does not consume a quality slot. A weapon with this quality sells for three times normal value.
• Concealable: This item is unusually small for its type, and easy to miss on casual inspection. When in its sheath, in a pocket, or otherwise hidden, this item is impossible to notice. You must be physically patted down, targeted by supernatural powers, or targeted with an electronic detector in order for the item to be revealed.
• Customized: This piece of equipment is specifically customized to give you a bonus in a specific circumstance, which must be narrower than the overall utility of a single skill. For example, your computer might be customized for hacking, defended against virtual intruders, or optimized for graphic design. When using a piece of customized gear in this specific circumstance, you receive a +2 bonus in that challenge. This bonus does not stack with the bonus granted by the Superior quality, although an item can possess both qualities; your computer could gain a +1 Superior wild card bonus for general usage or instead gain a +2 for being Customized in specific hacking challenges. You cannot benefit from the Customized quality if you do not have the appropriate skill to perform the related task.
• Flashy: This piece of gear is curious and notable, gaining attention easily. When you are using this gear, it may distract nearby individuals, causing them to forget to ask other questions or be unable to concentrate on what you are saying or doing. While this is not a supernatural effect, such items can be very useful in redirecting the attention of mortals so they do not notice nearby breaches of the Masquerade.
• Masterwork: This is a magnificent, one-of-a-kind item. This item’s beauty will trigger the clan weakness for members of the Toreador clan. Characters with a Crafts skill of 5 or higher who score an exceptional success while creating this item may add the Masterwork quality to that item. Adding the Masterwork quality in this manner does not consume a quality slot. An item with this quality sells for five times normal value.
• Nondescript: This item is somewhat common to look at, with no particular distinguishing features and no signs of exceptional quality or value. When other things around it are stolen or destroyed by random causality, this particular item has a way of avoiding notice and managing to remain completely overlooked.
• Secure: This item is exceptionally hard to compromise. If it has a lock, hidden compartment, computer protocols, or other protective functions, the item gains a +3 wild card bonus to resist all attempts to discover or gain access to the secure area.
• Streamlined: This piece of equipment is optimized to perform its function faster than most tools of its type. When using this item for its intended purpose, you can use a simple action to perform a test that would ordinarily take a standard action to complete, or you can finish a downtime task in half the time the task would ordinarily require.
• Stylish: Your equipment, clothing, or other gear is stylish, expensive-looking, and utterly cutting-edge. Those who recognize and value such items will consider you very important, and they are more likely to allow you access to reserved seating, restricted areas, or private rooms. They may also give you the benefit of the doubt, allow you to bypass lines, or attempt to impress you. At the Storyteller’s discretion, stylish equipment can reduce the difficulty of feeding, effectively granting you an additional level of Herd (maximum 6).
• Sturdy: This item is a particularly solidly-built object of its type. While other items shatter if they take a significant impact, this item can suffer 5 health levels of damage before becoming nonfunctional.
• Superior: This piece of equipment gives you a +1 bonus to your test pool when used for its intended purpose. For example, a Superior set of lock-picks gives you a +1 bonus when using the Security skill to pick a lock. A Superior computer gives you a +1 bonus when performing any standard Computer skill test. You cannot benefit from the Superior quality if you do not have the appropriate skill to use this item. This quality may be applied multiple times to a single item.
