Gear Rules

In the technological future, having the right gear is a necessity.

Gear Design

The procedures of minifacturing and nanofabrication allow individual items to be manufactured with a unique (or at least different) look. In theory, this means few items should have a uniform, mass-produced look; in reality, most people go with the basics. Most equipment is designed with ergonomics and ease-of-use in mind, meaning that “blobject” looks — soft curves and form-fitting shapes — are common. Ovoids that fit comfortably in the hand are favored, as are shapes that can be easily worn or attached to clothing. Ambidextrous designs are the norm. Most gear is also designed with zero-g or microgravity functionality in mind, and can easily be clipped, tethered, or stuck to a surface with grip pads. The materials used to create everyday items are also advanced, ranging from aerogel and fullerenes to smart materials and exotic metamaterials with unusual physical properties (Future Materials).

Exotic Morphs: Most things can also be fabricated using designs that are wearable/usable by uplifts, non-humanoid morphs, and sleeves with unusual limbs or morphology. If you are stuck using gear that doesn’t fit your particular morphology, expect an impairment modifier between −10 and −30 — or you may not even be able to use it at all (GM discretion).

Gear Complexity

Each gear item in Eclipse Phase lists a complexity rating:

  • Minor [Min]: Common, simple items that are accessible and easy to nanofabricate. Most are readily available online or at physical stores/community dispensaries.
  • Moderate [Mod]: Less common items that take effort to track down and more intricate items that require longer to nanofabricate.
  • Major [Maj]: Uncommon, expensive, and hard-to-find items or complex gear that takes substantial time to manufacture.
  • Rare [Rare]: Unique, unusual, or highly valuable items may not be available or may require an extra expenditure of Rep/Resources or the acquisition of certain unusual feedstock for nanofab purposes.

Each gear item uses the same complexity rating, whether it is purchased, acquired from contacts, or nanofabricated. GMs can alter the complexity depending on the source if they choose.

Additionally, some gear items are classified as Restricted.

  • Restricted [R]: Restricted gear is illegal in many inner system/transitional economy habitats and possibly disfavored by the local community in outer system habs. To acquire this gear, you need to find a way to circumvent various legality and supply issues.

Gear Modifiers

Most equipment provides no bonuses, it simply allows you to perform a task you would otherwise be unable to do. For example, it is impossible to pick a mechanical lock without a lockpick.

In some cases, however, gear provides a bonus to the task at hand. Climbing a wall is a lot easier if you happen to have grip pads or other climbing gear. The specific modifier applied is noted in the item’s description, ranging from +10 to +30. In most cases, gear modifiers are cumulative, but GMs should exercise common sense, especially with items with duplicate effects.

Gear Quality

Not all gear is made the same. Tools can be well-crafted, state-of-the-art, or top-of-the-line, applying an additional +10 to +30 modifier. Or they can be outdated, shoddy, or in disrepair, inflicting a −10 to −30 modifier (in some cases canceling out the gear’s other modifiers).

Gear acquired through normal channels (Resources, rep, or nanofab) is assumed to be of average quality. GMs should use gear quality modifiers for special-case items, plot hooks, or the result of superior/criticals rolls. If characters are attempting to acquire gear of higher quality, increase the complexity one step for every +10 modifier (i.e., a Minor complexity item would be treated as Moderate at +10 and Major at +20). Gear quality will reduce over time through use and circumstances.

Gear Size

Matters of size, mass, and encumbrance are left to the GM’s common sense. Remember that the technology level of Eclipse Phase means many items are smaller and lighter. GMs should apply impairment and movement modifiers of −10 to −30 to characters who are overloaded. Remember that characters in low or microgravity environments can carry and move much larger loads, though bulkiness and inertia remain an issue.

Gear uses the same sizing as morphs (Sizes); all relevant rules and modifiers apply. A few other considerations are noted here:

  • Nano-sized items cannot be seen without a microscope or nanoscopic vision and cannot be manipulated without fractal digits or similar tools.
  • Very small objects have the Concealable trait.
  • Some small/medium gear has the Long and/or Two-Handed traits.

Concealing Gear

To hide an object from others, use Infiltrate or Exotic Skill: Sleight of Hand skill. This is opposed by Perceive. Objects with the Concealable trait add a +30 modifier. If the searcher is conducting a thorough physical search, treat as a task action and apply a modifier if they take extra time.

Meshed Gear

Most technology is wirelessly meshed with other devices around it (The Mesh). They contain a miniaturized computer, a wireless transceiver, and possibly laser or microwave links and/or various sensors. They can be tracked via the mesh, and are vulnerable to hacking and intrusion attempts, though protected by their firewall and device ALI. For privacy and security, most people puppet their carried and worn devices that make up their personal area network (PAN) to their mesh inserts or ecto (Puppeted Devices).

The Radio and Sensor Ranges table notes what range these devices operate at.

Interfaces

Common devices often have no visible controls — it is assumed the operator will interface with the device using augmented reality. This means that so-called “zeros” without ectos or mesh inserts may not be able to interact with or use them. It is trivial to add holographic or voice-operated control interfaces to most designs, however, and items crafted for emergency, combat, survival, or exploration situations will feature basic physical controls, just in case.

Almost all devices are loaded with a complete set of help files and tutorials. Most are also equipped with specialized ALIs that can assist you or operate the device on your behalf.

Power

Powered devices in Eclipse Phase require electricity to function, relying on solar cells, wireless energy transfers, or powerful batteries. Standard batteries are high-density, room-temperature superconductors with 25 times the capacity of the best batteries in common use in the early 21st Century. Such batteries can be flexible, printed on devices, or woven into fabric. They are good for 100–500 hours of use and will alert the user when they run low. More powerful radio-isotope nuclear batteries are also available, heavily shielded so they do not emit radiation, and good for 3 years or more of use. Nuclear and standard batteries are often included together, with the former recharging the latter. Wireless energy transmitters are common in habitats and spacecraft, automatically charging nearby devices.

In short, power should rarely be an issue in Eclipse Phase games, unless it happens to fit the plot. Power failure is an option for critical failure rolls.

Ware

Ware is a catch-all category for augmentations of different kinds:

  • Bioware (B) includes genetic modifications, nanosurgical tissue alterations, and implantation of bio-engineered organs. It is only available for biomorphs (including pods and uplifts). Because of its organic nature, bioware is hard to detect in scans; genetic testing or other bio-sampling is required. Use Medicine: Biotech to diagnose, implant, or repair.
  • Cyberware (C) is synthetic devices either implanted within a biological body or “grown” within using nanobots. It is only available for biomorphs (including pods and uplifts). Cyberware is detectable with x-ray and radar scans. It can also be hacked like other electronics. Use Medicine: Biotech to implant, Hardware: Electronics to repair the ware itself.
  • Hardware (H) includes add-ons to synthetic shells. It is only available for synthmorphs, bots, and vehicles. It can be hacked. Use Hardware: Robotics or an appropriate field for vehicles to install, diagnose, and repair. Many non-ware gear items can be mounted on or incorporated into a shell’s frame as hardware (GM discretion).
  • Meshware (M) refers to plug-in apps that enhance infomorphs. These may also be installed with cyberbrains. They are vulnerable to mesh combat. Use Program to install, diagnose, or repair.
  • Nanoware (N) refers to internal nanobot systems active within a body or shell. Nanoware includes an implanted hive that maintains and refreshes the nanobots. It is available for morphs of all types. Nanoware hives are detectable like cyberware, but the bots are only detectable with nanodetectors or detailed biological sampling. Nanoware can be hacked like other electronics. Use Medicine: Biotech or Hardware: Robotics to implant/repair.

Unless otherwise noted, each ware item can only be installed in the same morph once, no matter if it is available in different forms.