Page 142 - World of Darkness

Silencer can be applied directly to Survival-based rolls. Such equip-
ment also forestalls penalties or damage normally inflicted
Durability 3, Size 1, Structure 4, Cost ••• upon your character by exposure (see “Temperature Ex-
Function: Killers who try to work discretely can add tremes”) for an additional hour per point of the
silencers to their guns. These devices muffle (but do not equipment’s rating. Thus, gear rated 2 spares your charac-
eliminate) the noise made. Bystanders might hear a shot ter action penalties for two hours before the effects of the
fired with a successful Wits + Composure roll, with a pen- environment kick in. Gear rating is also added to your
alty equal to the rating of the silencer. Some weapons such character’s Stamina + Resolve to determine how long he
as revolvers and shotguns can’t be fitted with silencers. can go before suffering harm from exposure. Indeed, the
Note that silencer ratings are not added to Dexterity + Storyteller might decree that survival equipment rated 3
Firearms rolls.
or higher might preserve your character from harm com-
pletely for days on end, assuming conditions aren’t too
Surveillance Equipment severe. Gear rated 3 can keep a person active and alive for
Durability 1, Size 3, Structure 4, Cost ••• a few days under freezing conditions, for example. In gen-
Function: Wire taps, long-range cameras, listening eral, assume that the rating of survival gear equals the
devices — the things your character needs to spy on some- number of days of food and water that the kit provides.
one without being noticed. Small sets offer small bonuses, After that period, your character must forage for food and
while large ones (that fill vans) have higher scores. Dice water or go without (see “Deprivation,” p. 175).
can be added to Stealth-based rolls to trail someone.

Sights, Laser Vehicles
Durability 1, Size 1, Structure 2, Cost ••• Planes, trains and automobiles. The stories you tell
Function: An aiming device that can be built into rarely remain fixed in a single setting. They probably range
almost any kind of firearm that literally draws a light bead across a city, between towns or involve activities country-
on a target. A laser sight improves accuracy, but the de- or worldwide. Whether characters need to get across town
vice is useless with autofire (see p. 160). Laser sights are or across the globe, they need vehicles. Storytelling games
only useful for hitting targets up to a weapon’s medium being about intrigue, tension and action, it’s inevitable
range; the normal -2 penalty to hit a target at medium that characters will use vehicles as weapons against oppo-
range is negated. A laser sight is ineffectual against tar- nents, or be the targets of attacks while traveling. But just
gets at long range or farther; the -4 penalty for targets at how challenging it is to drive at 80 mph and fire a gun out
long range still applies. If your character aims (see p. 162) a window? How much abuse can a sports car handle be-
and uses a laser sight, a successful Wits + Composure roll fore it’s wrecked? These kinds of questions beg rules for
allows the intended victim or someone around him to spot handling vehicles during play.
the bead. Initiative is rolled as a result, and your charac- The following information covers vehicles that char-
ter retains his full aim bonus only if his shot is fired before acters are likely to have or gain access to — ordinary cars,
the target acts in order of Initiative. If the target acts first, trucks and motorcycles. If you need information on any-
he presumably reacts and seeks cover and your character’s thing more exclusive or unusual such as private jets, yachts
aiming bonus is lost. It’s also possible for someone to tackle or surplus military tanks, feel free to extrapolate rules from
or move the intended victim before the shot is fired, in what’s offered here, and search for anything else you need
which case the aiming bonus is lost. online.
Sights, Telescopic The Basics
Durability 1, Size 1, Structure 2, Cost •••
Function: Mounted on a firearm, usually a rifle, a Vehicles are typically made up of a variety of parts
telescopic sight lowers the penalty for firing at long range fitted together to make a whole. For simplicity’s sake, these
from -4 to -2. A scope offers no bonus for firing at targets rules quantify the general toughness of an entire vehicle
at short or medium range. to determine how much punishment it can suffer before
being disabled and made inoperable. Damage done to a
Survival Gear chassis isn’t differentiated from that to an engine, for ex-
ample. It’s all considered harm to the same object. And
Durability 1-3, Size 1-4, Structure variable, Cost • to
••• yet, damage done to specific vehicle parts such as the tires
Function: Your character can be trapped or lost in or doors influences how well the machine performs, or
the wilderness with a handful of tools such as a canteen how well protected passengers are.
Comprehensive traits for various vehicles are provided
and a sleeping bag (+1 bonus). Or he can bear an array of under “Sample Vehicles,” p. 146. The following are traits
cutting-edge survival gear from a GPS receiver to a four-
season tent to freeze-dried meals (+3 or more). Bonuses and rules for the “vulnerable” parts of most vehicles that
can be targeted specifically.

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SYSTEMS- EQUIPMENT-VEHICLES