Mass: the Effecting/Elkoss Combine Catalogue

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The Elkoss Combine Catalogue[edit]

In Mass: The Effecting, characters can make use of a veritable bounty of high-tech devices, armaments and protections available. With many competing corporations, designers and fabrication facilities all battling for the custom of a galaxy's worth of different species and vocations, there's a near-unfathomable selection of tools of the trade available on the market.

Mass: The Effecting doesn't attempt to chart all of these different implements, VI interfaces, software programmes and vehicles; nor does it attempt to differentiate between products from, say, Devlon Industries and Rosenkov Materials. Instead, you'll find entries for broad categories of key items of equipment, particularly weapons, armour, omni-tools and biotic amps.


Weaponry[edit]

In the Mass Effect setting, ranged weaponry makes use of mass effect fields to shave slivers of metal off an ammunition block and launch them at high velocity. This creates a great deal of heat, resulting in the need for thermal clips – disposable heat sinks that serve a similar function to old-style ammunition clips.

The weapons detailed here replace the weapons available in the core nWoD system.

Autofire: In Mass: The Effecting, many weapons are capable of autofiring to some extent; however, not all of these weapons can necessarily use all of the options of long, medium and short bursts. A weapon noted as S (semi-automatic) is capable of firing single shots; a weapon noted as BF (burst fire) can fire short bursts; and a weapon noted as A (automatic) can fire medium and long bursts. A weapon can only fire in the modes noted – so a weapon noted as BF/A has to fire short, medium or long bursts but cannot fire single shots.

Clips & Ammunition: Weapons of the same category can share thermal clips with one another; thermal clips for a pistol-sized weapon can be used for a light pistol, heavy pistol or SMG, for example. Support weapons disobey this rule; all support weapons have unique ammunition types that only they can use.

Weapon Traits: The weapons listed below come with a number of traits that are additional to those in the core nWoD system.

Arc: A rare few weapons discharge energies that can leap from target to target, striking each in turn. If it successfully strikes a target, an arc shot will then jump to another target within a number of yards equal to the Arc trait (so Arc 10 will strike another target within 10 yards). It then jumps one last time to a tertiary target. Both secondary and tertiary targets suffer basic weapon damage and any other additional weapon effects. A single shot will never strike the same target twice with its arcs.

Armour Piercing: Weapons with the AP trait are designed to punch through or ignore armour with greater efficiency than normal. Any hit with an AP weapon reduces the damage reduction from the target's armour by an amount equal to the AP trait. AP from different sources stack together, so shooting a target under the effects of an inferno grenade with a battle rifle would offer AP2.

Auto-Targeting: Rockets and other heavy projectile launchers often use onboard guidance systems to lock on and home in.  These weapons always give a +2 aiming bonus to attack rolls when fired, which is not cumulative with normal aim actions.

Concussive: Some weapons and explosives deploy immensely powerful blasts to throw enemies off their feet. A target hit by a Concussive weapon must succeed on a roll of Dexterity + Athletics – damage levels inflicted by the attack. Failure results in being knocked prone.

Cryo: Cryo weapons convey chemical payloads that undergo a massive endothermic reaction, flash-freezing a victim. A weapon with the Cryo trait that hits an unshielded target applies a -2 penalty to the target's attack rolls and a -5 penalty to Speed for one round.

Disrupt: Disruption weapons use electromagnetic charges to overload shields and ravage the systems of synthetics. A weapon with the Disrupt trait that hits a shielded target does an additional level of damage to the shields equal to the Disrupt number, applied separately before the rest of the weapon's damage. If the weapon strikes an unshielded synthetic, then it deals Aggravated damage rather than Lethal or Bashing.

Entangle: Entangle weapons hurl nets, glutinous chemicals or mass-effect-charged webs. A target who is hit by an Entangle weapon must roll their Strength whenever they attempt to move; success allows them to shed the entanglement, halving their current Speed for 1 round them allowing them to move freely. An exceptional success sheds the entanglement and inflicts no penalty on Speed.

Heavy Weapon: Heavy weapons are cumbersome and weighty, difficult to use with finesse. A Heavy Weapon inflicts a -3 penalty on any attempt to fire it while moving; additionally, a character cannot take aim actions with a Heavy Weapon.

Inferno: Some incendiary weapons burn with a fiercely corrosive chemical flame. All other attacks against targets that are doused in an inferno weapon's flame benefit from Armour Piercing 1 for the single turn that the flames last.

Lift: Some extremely rare armaments deploy mass effect fields directly against targets. A lift weapon affects targets within a radius in yards equal to the Lift rating (so a Lift 5 weapon affects targets within a 5 yard radius), hauling them 2 yards from the ground. This effect lasts for 1 round.

Multi-Target: Due to advanced targeting systems or sheer weight of fire, a multi-target weapon that uses autofire can target multiple characters in the usual way – however, it does not suffer any restriction on the proximity of those targets to one another.

Precision: Weapons that are designed for snipers and long-range targeting can become unwieldy to use against close-range targets. Rather than the usual range penalties, Precision weapons suffer no penalty for shooting at medium range, a -2 penalty for short and long-range and a -4 penalty at point-blank range.

Shredder: Some armaments are designed to inflict horrendous levels of damage on organics. Damage done to an organic target with a Shredder weapon is always Aggravated damage.

Smoke: Smoke projectiles spew out a plume of thick smoke wherever they land. The smoke covers an area radius equal to the Smoke trait (so Smoke 5 covers an area of 5 yards radius) for 5 rounds, providing a -3 concealment penalty to all attack rolls made against targets within it. A Perception check with a -3 penalty is necessary to make out targets beyond the smoke cloud if it blocks line of sight from the attacker, and even on a success the target still benefits from the smoke's concealment.

Storm Shield: A few manufacturers produce armaments designed to shield the bearer, usually through plasteel or mass effect fields that provide partial cover. A Storm Shield weapon grants a character light cover (-1 penalty against attack rolls) against any attacks originating in front of them, as long as they have the weapon raised and ready.

Stun: Stun weapons are designed to temporarily disorientate or incapacitate targets. A target hit by a Stun weapon must succeed on a roll of Stamina – Stun weapon's base damage rating. Failure results in being stunned for 1 round.


Sidearms

Pistols       Damage  Range      Clip   ROF     Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Light Pistol   1L     20/40/80   10     S/BF 
Heavy Pistol   1L     20/40/80   10     S       9-again, AP1
Machine Pistol 1L     25/50/100  20     S/BF/A
SMG            1L     75/150/300 15     S/BF
Stun Pistol    0B     5/10/20    5      S       Stun

Rare & Specialist Sidearms

Pistols                   Damage  Range      Clip   ROF     Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asari Warp Pistol          1L     10/20/40   3      S       Disrupt 2
Krogan Flechette Pistol    1L     10/20/40   1      S       Shredder, 9-again and AP2 at short range
Quarian Arc Pistol         1L     20/40/80   3      S       Arc 5, Disrupt 1
Geth Plasma SMG            0L     25/50/100  100    A
Salarian Scorpion Pistol   1L     20/40/80   6      S       Blast 5

Longarms

Rifles             Damage  Range        Clip  ROF     Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assault Rifle       2L     150/300/600   40   S/BF/A
Combat Rifle        2L     150/300/600   30   BF      AP1
Battle Rifle        2L     200/400/800   30   S       9-again, AP1
Light Machine Gun   3L     150/300/600   80   BF/A    Heavy Weapon
Light Sniper Rifle  2L     250/500/1000  12   S/BF    AP1, Precision
Heavy Sniper Rifle  3L     250/500/1000  5    S       9-again, AP1, Precision
Light Shotgun       3L     20/40/80      12   S/BF    9-again at short range
Assault Shotgun     4L     20/40/80      6    S/BF    9-again at short range

Rare & Specialist Longarms

Rifles                    Damage  Range        Clip  ROF     Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asari Blast Shotgun        3L     20/40/80     6     S       9-again at short-range, Concussive
Assault Machine Gun        3L     100/200/400  50    BF/A    Heavy Weapon, Storm Shield
Batarian Harpoon Rifle     3L     250/500/1000 1     S       9-again, AP1, Entangle, Precision, Shredder
Geth Pulse Rifle           1L     150/300/600  80    A
Krogan Flechette Shotgun   4L     10/20/40     1     S       9-again and AP2 at short range, Shredder
Quarian Storm Rifle        2L     100/200/400  20    S/BF    Disrupt 1
Turian HEAP Rifle          3L     250/500/1000 1     S       9-again, AP1, Burst 5, Precision, Shredder
Turian Suppression Rifle   2L     250/500/1000 20    S/BF/A  Precision
Urban Assault Shotgun      3L     20/40/80     6     S/BF    9-again at short range, Storm Shield

Support Weapons

Support Weapons            Damage  Range        Clip  ROF   Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anti-Materiel Rifle        5L      250/500/1000 1     S     9-again, Precision
Entrenched Machine Gun     4L      150/300/600  100   A
Flame-Thrower              4L      10/20/30     30    BF/A  8-again, Inferno
Grenade Launcher           3L      100/200/300  6     S/BF  AP1, Blast 10
Light Rocket Launcher      4L      150/300/600  3     S     9-again, AP1, Auto-Target
One-Shot Rocket Launcher   6L      200/400/600  1     S     8-again, AP 3, Auto-Target, Blast 5
Riot Launcher              2B      100/200/300  6     S/BF  Blast 10, Concussive

All support weapons have the Heavy Weapon trait.

Rare & Specialist Support Weapons

Support Weapons            Damage  Range        Clip  ROF   Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arc Projector              3B      100/200/300  5     S     9-again, Arc 10, Disrupt 1, Stun
Batarian Energy-Net Gun    3B      20/40/80     1     S     Concussive, Entangle, Stun
Cryo-Launcher              2B      200/400/600  5     S     Blast 10, Cryo
Multi-Launcher             3L      200/400/600  5     A     AP1, Auto-Target, Multi-Target
Spitfire ASMG              3L      150/300/600  100   A     Disrupt 1
Supply Pylon               -       -            1     -     *See equipment entry

All support weapons have the Heavy Weapon trait.


Grenades & Explosives

Proximity Mines: Proximity mine versions of grenade types exist. A proximity mine version of a grenade can be placed, taking an instant action if done in a combat situation. The mine then becomes armed after a period set by the user (minimum 2 rounds); after this, anyone stepping within a 5 yard radius will trigger it.

Some proximity mines allow for a delayed detonation, so that the mine will only detonate one or more rounds after being triggered. Higher quality proximity mines also allow for IFF systems that can detect identifying signals broadcast from allies' armour.

Grenades            Damage  Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arc Grenade         1B      Arc 5, Disrupt 2
Concussive Grenade  2B      Blast 5, Concussive
Cryo Grenade        1B      Blast 5, Cryo
Frag Grenade        2L      AP1, Blast 5 
Inferno Grenade     1L      Blast 5, Inferno
Lift Grenade        None    Lift 5
Smoke Grenade       None    Smoke 5
Stun Grenade        None    Blast 5, Stun


Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons                 Damage Special
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unarmed Attack                0B    
Unarmed Attack, Heavy Armour  1B    
Assault Baton                 2B
Batarian Enforcer Gauntlet    1B     Concussive
Biotic Lash                   2B
Bladed Armour                 1L
Improvised Club               1B
Knife                         1L
Omni-Blade                    1L     AP1
Omni-Shield                   2B
Stun Baton                    1B     Stun


Armour & Shields[edit]

In the Mass Effect setting, personal protection comes in two main forms – armour and kinetic barriers. Modern technology has resulted in armour plating that can hold off small arms fire with some success, while biotics and shield generators both provide effective barriers that can absorb incoming attacks.

Armour suits are still heavy, however, due to the bulk of the plating and the kinetic barrier generators that they need to carry, and can impede the fine control that technical experts and biotic users require to get the best out of their talents.

Cumbersome: A suit of armour inflicts a penalty to the wearer's Defence and Speed equal to its Cumbersome rating. Heavy armour inflicts the same penalty to Initiative as well.

Impeding: All rolls to use Tech Processes and Biotic Disciplines suffer a -1 penalty when used by a character wearing medium armour, increased to -2 for heavy armour.

Medi-Gel: Armour has a standard reservoir of 3 doses of medi-gel that the wearer can use on themselves. Onboard systems will automatically apply a dose for medi-gel's Emergency Trauma Injection use if the wearer has all their health boxes filled with Lethal damage.

Onboard Systems: As per standard, armour comes with a set of onboard systems. This includes a comm-link, a high powered torch, a HUD, target recognition systems and a short-range radar (50 yards), along with light amplification systems that can negate up to a -2 penalty on ranged attack rolls due to low-light conditions. It also includes an onboard oxygen supply good for 2 hours, and an environmental filtration system that grants a +4 bonus to Stamina-based rolls to resist inhaled toxins and poisons.

Webbing: Most suits of armour come with enough webbing and pouches to hold up to six thermal clips for a rifle-sized weapon. Alternatively, a single thermal clip can be exchanged for a grenade or two clips for a pistol-sized weapon. Two thermal clips can be exchanged for a clip for a support weapon.

Shield Generators
			Armour	Shields	Cumbersome
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal Generator	-	3/5/8	0
Barrier Generator	-	10	-
Kinetic Generator	-	15	-

Personal Generator: A relatively small personal barrier generator allows unarmoured individuals to benefit from some level of protection. The version of this device that offers 3 Shield points is the most common; the version that offers 5 Shield points is very rare, an example of cutting edge technology or powered by an unwieldy generator back-pack. Finally, the version that offers Shields 8 is nearly unheard of, the kind of personal protection that a Councillor might carry. Personal shield generators lack the medi-gel reservoirs and onboard systems of true armour.

Barrier Generator: These rare and exotic devices are large, heavy objects used to reinforce emplacement defences. They restore 1 lost shield level per round to a single target within 15 yards, initially targeting the closest allied character with any lost shield levels and then continually reinforcing that target until their shields are full or they move out of range. Attacks against the generator itself strip shield levels; when reduced to 0, the generator shorts out and switches off.

Kinetic Generator: Kinetic generators are not designed for personal shielding; instead, they project a protective wall, usually fifteen feet wide and five feet high, to offer cover for combatants. A kinetic generator is at least the size of a heavy backpack and must be placed and prepared before use; once activated, a character can benefit from the screen as cover in the usual way. Attacks against the generator itself strip shield levels; when reduced to 0, the generator shorts out and switches off.

Light Armour
			Armour	Shields	Cumbersome
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Light Armour		2	7	-1
Prowler Armour		1	7	0
Reconnaissance Armour	2	3	0
Relay Armour		2	5	-2
Surveyor Armour		2	4	-2

Light Armour: Common light armour offers little encumbrance but still has the power for a potent kinetic barrier.

Prowler Armour: Prowler armour sacrifices armour plating in return for thick cables of artificial muscle-fibre, boosting the wearer's physical capabilities. This armour provides its wearer with a +3 equipment bonus to Athletics checks.

Reconnaissance Armour: Specialised light armour designed for infiltrators and scouts, recon armour features a stealth field which puts a heavy drain on the generator.

Relay Armour: A common form of light armour for military comms-mechanics and engineers, relay armour features an additional tech processor and comms relay built into its back and shoulders. This reduces any Interfacing penalties for transmitting or receiving transmissions by 1, and increases the range of any Tech programmes the wearer uses by 50 yards.

Surveyor Armour: Explorers, engineers and planetary surveyors wear protective suits to survive in hazardous environments. Surveyor armour includes an onboard oxygen supply good for 12 hours, and increases the environmental filtration bonus to +6.

Medium Armour
			Armour	Shields	Cumbersome
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Armour		3	7	-2
Assault Armour		3	5	0
Battle Armour		3 (4)	6	-2
Havoc Armour		3	5	-2
Paladin Armour		3	7	-3
Phoenix Armour		3	5	-2

Medium Armour: Sacrificing speed and mobility for additional armour plating, medium armour is the standard level of protection worn by dedicated combat troops.

Assault Armour: Specialised medium armour designed for shock troops and vanguards who need the additional mobility, assault armour cuts some of the power to shields in return for more potent servos.

Battle Armour: Favoured by infantry in urban battle-zones, battle armour offers additional plating and buffering layers designed to protect against explosives and ordnance. Battle armour provides a user with an increased Armour of 4 against any attack with the Blast, Concussive or Inferno traits.

Havoc Armour: Havoc armour employs an advanced propulsion pack built into its structure – providing enough force to let the wearer make great, bounding leaps across the battlefield. When the jets are activated, the wearer gains a +10 bonus to Speed, and adds five successes to any attempts to jump; however, they use their Pilotiing skill in place of Athletics, and the sound and light of the propulsion pack precludes any form of stealth.

Paladin Armour: An advanced form of armour, a paladin suit incorporates a large omni-shield generator into one of its forearm segments, necessitating a larger, heavier power plant to sustain the shield in the face of hostile fire.

Phoenix Armour: An extremely rare armour prototype, phoenix suits incorporate bulky biotic lash generators into the forearms, drawing power away from the shield units.

Heavy Armour
			Armour	Shields	Cumbersome
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heavy Armour		4	8	-3
Aegis Armour		3	8	-5
Colossus Armour		4	10	-5
Destroyer Armour	4	6	-4
Mule Armour		4	6	-3

Heavy Armour: Big, heavy and slow, heavy classes of armour go the whole hog; since they need a larger generator to power the servos already, they also enhance the kinetic barriers.

Aegis Armour: A hulking suit studded with shield projectors and bearing a huge power plant built into its back-plating, aegis armour is a highly advanced battle support suit. As long as the wearer has any Shield levels remaining and if they do not move, then all allies (not including the aegis armour wearer themselves) within 20 yards restore 1 lost Shield level on their turn. Additionally, the wearer gains a bonus to the roll for any Shield Boost programmes that they use equal to their remaining Shield levels.

Colossus Armour: The ultimate answer to the need for personal protection, short of taking a step up into the mechanised walker class of vehicles, colossus armour is slow as hell but very resilient.

Destroyer Armour: Destroyer armour is built with advanced fire control and targeting systems, creating a mobile weapons platform on the modern battlefield. If the wearer does not move, they reduce any cover penalties, range penalties and environmental penalties (such as smoke or the Haze power) to ranged attack rolls and Perception checks they make by 1. This effect ceases as soon as the wearer moves again.

Mule Armour: Big, heavy suits of mechanised armour, mule exoskeletons are designed more for heavy physical labour and weight-moving in dangerous environments rather than combat environments, but can be turned to the task if needed. Mule armour offers 12 webbing slots, and a +2 bonus to any Strength-based checks to carry, move or exert force, including grapple checks but not including other melee attacks.


Armour Mods[edit]

A suit of armour can have a single armour mod, representing a tinkered upgrade, manufacturer's enhancements or bolt-on augmentation purchased separately. Armour does not need to have an armour mod, but there is no penalty for having one.

Advanced Sensor Suite: Adds a +1 bonus to Perception dice pools.
Armour-Jets: Provides inbuilt armour-jets for the suit, allowing the wearer to make Piloting checks for short-ranged vertical jumps and to slow descent. Dropping into combat leaves the wearer unable to act in the first round as they touch down.
Automated Weapon System (Heavy Armour Only): Provides a light missile launcher or flamethrower attack that can be fired from the armour without changing weapons. In both cases the clip size is reduced to 1 and the ROF to semi-automatic.
Bladed Armour: Provides bladed armour as a melee weapon that is always available to use.
Charged Coil Projectors: Adds a +1 bonus to the wearer's dice pools for Attack programmes.
Command and Control Uplink: Adds 2 to the amount of dice that a character adds to the team's Command dice pool. The character must possess at least 1 dot in the Command regimen to grant this bonus, and a team can only benefit from a single Command and Control Uplink on a single tactical network.
Cryothermic Fluid Reservoir: Allows the character to reflexively expend a dose of medi-gel to add the Cryo trait to a single attack that they make. May not be used with Heavy Weapons.
Cyberwarfare Defences: Inflicts a -2 penalty on all attempts to hack the wearer's systems or to affect them with Tech Processes.
Drone Operation Suite: Allows the character to operate up to 10 drones at once, and to apply a single Drone running programme to as many of those drones as desired.
ECM & Lock Alert (Heavy Armour Only): Negates the Auto-Targeting trait on any weapon fired at the wearer, and the wearer is never surprised by an attack from a weapon with that trait.
Element Zero Fluid Reservoir: Allows the character to reflexively expend a dose of medi-gel to extend the range of a single ranged biotic power by 50 yards.
Enhanced Arm Servos: Increases the wearer's melee damage by 1.
Enhanced Leg Servos: Increases the wearer's Speed by 2.
Extended Medi-Gel Reservoir: Increases the armour's medi-gel reservoir to 4 doses.
Fortified Shielding: Increases the armour's Shield levels by 1.
Full Environmental Systems: Increases the oxygen supply by 2 hours and offers a +2 bonus to all Stamina checks to resist radiation and environmental effects.
Incendiary Fluid Reservoir: Allows the character to reflexively expend a dose of medi-gel to add the Inferno trait to a single attack that they make. May not be used with Heavy Weapons.
Omni-Grip Fibre-Plates (Light Armour Only): Grants a +2 bonus to any Athletics-based dice pools for climbing.
Onboard Targeting VI: Reduces any cover penalty to ranged attack rolls by 1.
Scanning Array: Grants a +3 bonus to any rolls made with Scan programmes.
Sound-Suppressing Overlay (Light Armour Only): Inflicts a -2 penalty on any Perception checks made to hear the wearer.
Stimulant Fluid Reservoir: Allows the character to reflexively expend a dose of medi-gel to grant them a +2 bonus to Dexterity for 1 round.
Vehicle Integration Plugs: Grants a +1 bonus to Piloting checks in a vehicle.
Workhorse Capacity Upgrade: Increases the number of rifle thermal clips (or equivalent) that can be carried by 3.


Other Equipment[edit]

Tactical Network

Military and mercenary personnel commonly use tactical networks to link up squad-mates with a suite of combat telemetry readouts.  These provide each member of a team with data on their colleagues' bio-signs, hardened comm channels and visual and audial feeds from their suits of armour, among other things. A single tactical network can include up to a dozen team members.

Due to the bio-sign readouts and the two-way stream, a medic can easily observe their team's medical status and even directly engage with a team-mate's onboard medi-gel systems.  Medicine programmes (and a few other specific Tech programmes) can be used from any range on another character sharing the same tactical network as long as they are within comms range, regardless of line of sight.  The character can even use the Medicine skill remotely via this method.


Medi-Gel

An incredible medical substance patented by the Sirta Foundation, medi-gel skirts close to banned genetic engineering but is so useful that this is overlooked by most. Medi-gel aids with healing, seals wounds, clots blood and serves as an anaesthetic.

Medi-gel has the following applications, in amounts denoted as doses. Armour usually comes with a reservoir that can hold up to 3 doses, applying medi-gel as needed to treat injuries.

Continual Healing: At a cost of 1 dose of medi-gel per week continual use of small amounts of gel, stimms and other medical fluids can bolster the body's natural healing rates. This allows a character to heal Lethal and Bashing damage at twice the normal natural healing rates, but is no help with Aggravated damage – such wounds are simply too severe and need real medical attention.
Emergency Trauma Injection: When a character is injured to such an extent that they begin dying due to having their health boxes filled with Lethal or Aggravated damage, 1 dose of medi-gel can immediately stabilise them.
Rapid Biological Restoration: Via systemative intensive treatment of injuries with 1 dose of medi-gel, a character can give up efficiency for relatively rapid repair. This heals 1 Lethal point of damage over the course of 1 hour, or 3 Bashing points of damage over the course of 15 minutes, on top of normal healing rates. Extensive overuse of this function is not recommended as it both drains medi-gel reserves rapidly and can be deleterious to long-term health unless overseen by a qualified health professional.


Biotic Amps

Biotics require implants to be able to properly control and harness the power of the eezo nodules in their bodies, and amplifiers can be plugged into these implants for greater effectiveness. There are a great number of different biotic amps on the market, often tailored to further enhance specific Disciplines or techniques.

A biotic character can only benefit from a single biotic amp at a time. Changing from one amp to another is a relatively simple process but takes some time and requires care, so cannot be done during combat.

Biotic Lash Amps: These provide no bonuses to Discipline dice pools, but do grant the user a biotic lash (see Other Tools below).
Discipline Amps: These amplify one of the three Disciplines, offering a +1 equipment bonus to all dice pools for using powers of that Discipline.
Technique Amps: These amplify a single biotic power, offering a +2 equipment bonus to all dice pools for the use of that specific power only.


Omni-Tools

Omni-tools are common, multi-purpose personal computational devices that serve as micro-fabrication facilities, interfacing tools and diagnostic systems. Basic models are extremely common, but more specialised versions are available for technicians, soldiers and scientists who need further functionality.

Several omni-tools have a Library Size number. This is the amount of programmes for each Tech Process that the omni-tool can hold in its data library. All omni-tools apart from the basic model provide an omni-blade facility, flash-forging a weapon with the device's fabricator to deliver a devastating melee attack.

Basic Omni-Tool (Library Size 0): A cheap, regular-quality omni-tool offers no exceptional qualities.  While it lacks the sophistication to run elaborate Tech programmes, it is fitted with simple fabrication patterns and interfacing systems to make it a useful tool.  A basic omni-tool gives a +1 equipment bonus to one of either Engineering, Interfacing, Medicine or Science skill rolls.
Enhanced Library Omni-Tool (Library Size 8): A omni-tool with extensive memory banks, this tool can store a great deal of programmes for retrieval by its user for whatever situation faces them.
Enhanced Processor Omni-Tool (Library Size 6): Sacrificing memory for high performance, this omni-tool offers a +1 equipment bonus to the use of programmes from a single Process talent.
Specialist Omni-Tool (Library Size 4): Designed for a very specific purpose with exceptional performance needs, these omni-tools provide a +2 equipment bonus to the use of programmes from a single Process talent.
Military Omni-Tool (Library Size 4): A military-grade omni-tool used by soldiers includes an augmented omni-blade facility, increasing the weapon's basic damage to 2L.


Other Tools

Ballistic Shield: A ballistic shield takes one hand to hold up, and provides the user with a very resilient composite shield that provides them with some measure of cover. Making full use of a ballistic shield offers a -2 cover penalty on attack rolls against the character, but the character suffers the normal penalty from firing from cover themselves (so suffers a -1 penalty to their own ranged attack rolls). Opponents with sufficiently powerful weapons may choose to simply try and punch a hole through the shield; in this case, no cover penalty is applied to the attack roll, but the shield-bearer benefits from 2 additional points of Armour on their Shield and health levels.
Biotic Lash: A rare and exotic piece of technology, a biotic lash usually takes the form of a pair of biotic projection bracers, plugged in to either a specialised biotic amp or the advanced systems of phoenix-type armour systems. Activating the lash is a reflexive action that may only be done by a character with at least 1 dot in a biotic Discipline, costing them 1B. This extends glowing 'whips' of biotic force from these tech-bracers for the rest of the scene, allowing the user to make melee attacks at a range of up to 20 yards using their Assault skill as normal. Additionally, a biotic lash can be used to initiate a grapple at this range.
Drop Casing: While armour-jets will suffice for dropping from an aircraft into combat, they are insufficient for orbital drops; equally, not all troops have armour-jets built into their suits. Drop casings are bolt-on one-shot additions designed to protect the wearer from entry into an atmosphere and to slow their descent, detaching and falling off as the trooper hits the ground. Drop casings are usually programmed with guidance systems so that no Piloting checks are required from the wearer; however, if the situation has changed then the wearer can take control and use their Piloting skill to try and make small adjustments to their trajectory and landing zone. Dropping into combat leaves the wearer unable to act in the first round as they touch down.
Laser Target Painter: Looking somewhat like a heavy weapon, a laser target painter is an advanced piece of equipment that can be used to aid precision strikes from aircraft or orbital craft. Keeping a laser target painter on a moving target can be difficult, requiring a successful Dexterity + Firearms check.
Med-Pack: The size of a satchel or backpack, a med-pack can carry up to six doses of medi-gel, and comes with application nozzles and ports so that it can be used on injured individuals or to top up armour reservours.
Omni-Shield: Generated by a sophisticated projector, like that found in paladin armour, an omni-shield is a kinetic barrier that projects out in the shape of a shield to offer its bearer protection from enemy fire. An omni-shield offers the same benefits as a ballistic shield, and is activated or deactivated as a reflexive action on the user's turn. Unlike a ballistic shield, an omni-shield does not take the use of a hand to hold up. Additionally, an omni-shield may be used as a melee weapon when activated.
Remote Drone: A remote drone is a small bundle of circuitry and energy projection mechanisms around a mass effect generator and power source, coming to about the size of a human fist. When activated, a remote drone generates a holographic display around itself and hovers a metre above the ground. Remote drones are usually used as helpers by technicians, offering a +1 teamwork bonus to Engineering, Interfacing, Medicine or Science rolls made by the drone's user, but special programming can improve their performance. Drones move at Speed 15 and have 1 point of Armour, 3 Shield points and 2 health points if directly attacked. These are not to be confused with military drones, which are sizeable unmanned attack or scout vehicles.
Rocket Drone: A modified combat chassis of a remote drone, a rocket drone is bulkier and larger, containing a small clip of rockets that they can fire at targets. Rocket drones have the same stats as remote drones, but offer no teamwork bonus and can fire at targets with an attack pool of 5 dice affected by cover, range and so forth as usual. Their internal launcher is a light rocket launcher with 3 rockets loaded. Rocket drones cannot reload by themselves and carry no additional ammunition. Rocket drones are a great deal more expensive than the relatively cheap remote drones.
Supply Pylon: A supply pylon is a high-tech generator and omni-fabricator that can be carried by engineers and support troops. A supply pylon is treated as a heavy weapon, but is not used to make an attack; instead, each expended 'ammunition' represents a fresh fuel/matter pack and allows the supply pylon two turns of operation. A pylon must first be deployed before it can be activated, taking an instant action; once deployed, the pylon unfolds and stands free via a mass effect field. When activated, the pylon can be set to one of three modes – ammunition manufacture, shielding projection or power transmission. Ammunition manufacture mode causes the pylon's omni-fabricator to create one grenade and one longarm or sidearm heat clip each round. Shielding projection restores one lost Shield level to all allies within 25 yards each round. Power transmission recharges a single expended charged programme of one ally within 25 yards each round. Changing mode is an instant action. A deployed pylon has 1 point of Armour, 7 Shield points and 3 health points.
Tactical Cloak: With an abundance of radar and other detection systems, unaugmented attempts at stealth can be difficult in some situations. Modern stealth systems have compensated with tactical cloaks, capable of rendering the user near-invisible to most forms of detection. Using a stealth system is an instant action taking a full round, and being invisible isn't much help if hostiles are still aware of where the character is. A successful attack with any kind of weapon against a cloaked character will cause the cloak to drop on the following turn. As long as the character moves up to their normal Speed the cloak remains intact, but running or charging provides too much interference and will break the tactical cloak's stealth field. Since a cloak is usually powered by the onboard generator of a reconnaissance armour suit, it can maintain its effect for up to ten minutes, or five minutes if the character is on the move, requiring a pause of ten minutes to recharge after this period. Rare personal stealth systems that are not part of a suit of armour can generally cloak for a far shorter period of time. 


Vehicles[edit]

Vehicle rules are currently in progress. For the time being, the following are offered as work-in-progress guidelines around vehicle shields and armour.

Vehicle Shields: Vehicle shields are powered by much larger energy plants than those used for personal armour, and can easily shrug off the lesser firepower of pistols and rifles. Any attack with a sidearm or longarm, or a support weapon that doesn't have the AP or Disrupt trait, that successfully hits a shielded vehicle deals only 1 Shield level of damage, regardless of how many successes were rolled. The only exception to this is that an exceptional success (5 or more successes) on an attack with a weapon firing on burst or automatic fire will deal 2 Shield levels of damage.

The following are rough outlines for vehicle defensive stats. They should be tweaked or amended as appropriate for a particular vehicle.

Vehicles
					Armour	Structure	Shields
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Civilian Vehicle			4	20		6 (if any)
Common Civilian Flyer			3	15		7 (if any)
Massive Civilian Vehicle		5	30		6 (if any)
Armoured Civilian Vehicle		5	25		8
Armoured Civilian Flyer			4	20		9
Massive Armoured Civilian Vehicle	6	40		8
Light Combat Vehicle			5	20		10
Light Combat Flyer			4	15		12
Heavy Combat Vehicle			7	25		12
Heavy Combat Flyer			6	20		15


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