UPGRADE SLOTS
You can make a finite number of modifications to a piece of equipment. There isn’t room to add every booster, reinforcement, and modification a character might find useful on a piece of equipment. To represent these limits, every item has a number of upgrade slots. Most upgrades take up a single slot, though a few particularly extensive modifications might take two or even three (and a few don’t require any upgrade slots, representing relatively minor modifications). If you don’t have enough slots for a given modification, you can’t add it to that piece of equipment. You can’t add modifications beyond an item’s available upgrade slots, but you can gain more upgrade slots (see below).
Every stock piece of equipment has a single upgrade slot by default. Pistols have 2 free slots. Rifles have 3 free slots. Medium armors have two free slots, and heavy armors have three. A few other models of items also include more upgrade slots as stock issue, though this is rare and specifically noted.
GAINING UPGRADE SLOTS
You can gain more upgrade slots for a piece of equipment by one of two methods. You can strip it – removing some existing feature, as detailed below – or you can increase its size. Unless a method of adding more upgrade slots specifies it can be applied more than once to the same piece of gear, it can’t.
STRIPPING EQUIPMENT
Stripping must reduce the capacity or utility of the equipment in a significant way; if it looks like stripping a piece of equipment won’t downgrade a game mechanical aspect of its function, you also don’t gain an upgrade slot. Each element that is stripped adds one upgrade slot to that piece of equipment. Upgrade slots can never be used to install enhancements to an area that has been stripped: If you strip the damage dice of a weapon, you can’t use any of the upgrade slots to gain a modification that improves its damage.
Stripping a piece of equipment to add one upgrade slot takes eight hours of work, requires a DC 20 Mechanics check, and has a cost equal to 50% of the base cost of the item being stripped. On a failed check the stripping goes badly: The item ceases to work until fixed and it doesn’t gain the additional upgrade slot. It takes 1 additional hour of work and the same cost before another DC 20 check can be made to fix the problem. Once a successful check is made, the equipment returns to functioning, and the upgrade slot is gained.
Stripping Weapons
You can strip a weapon in one of five ways.
Damage: Reduce the damage dice dealt by one step. The number of dice does not change, just their size. Change d12s to d10s, d10s to d8s, d8s to d6s, d6s to d4s, d4s to d3s, and d3s to d2s. For example, a heavy slugthrower pistol stripped of damage deals only 2d6 damage rather than 2d8.
Range: Reduce a ranged weapon’s range by one step. Change heavy weapon to rifle, rifle to pistol, pistol or simple weapon to thrown weapon, and thrown weapon to melee weapon (see Table 8-5: Ranged Weapons, page 129 SECR). Melee weapons can’t have their range stripped.
Design: The standardized design of a weapon can be stripped, making it an exotic weapon. (Weapons already in the exotic category can’t use this option). By moving things around extensively, more room for modifications is created at the cost of making the weapon difficult to learn to use properly; for example, some gunfighters modify their weapons so extensively that no one else can use them comfortably.
Autofire: Weapons with both a single-shot and autofire setting can be stripped to just having a single-shot firing mode.
Stripping Armor
Armor normally ones one to three upgrade slots available as stock gear. It can add more by becoming thicker and bulkier (see Increasing Equipment Size, below) or by either of the two methods described below.
Defensive Material: Armor can also have sections of defensive material stripped, lowering its armor bonus to Reflex Defense and equipment bonus to Fortitude Defense by 1 point (to a minimum of 0).
Joint Protection: Armor normally uses more fragile, more expensive material to cover its joints, frequently with extensive bracing to transfer the impact of an attack to stronger sections of the armor. Armor can be rebuilt to use standard, heavy materials everywhere and remove the bracing to make room for another upgrade slot. This doubles the weight and decreases the maximum Dexterity bonus by 1 (which can even reach negative numbers).
EQUIPMENT SIZE
The size of a piece of equipment is determined slightly differently for equipment, weapons, and armor.
Equipment – Unless otherwise noted, the size of a piece of equipment is determined by its listed weight (see table). If no size or weight is listed, treat it as diminutive (about the same as a medpac) for purposes of the upgrade rules.
Weapons – Weapon size represents how bulky it is compared to other weapons, so their listed sizes represent how big a character must be to use them in one hand. Weapons are the size of a creature two categories smaller (see table). Thus a slugthrower pistol, a Small weapon, is about the same size as a Diminutive creature.
Armor – Armor is the same size as the creature it is designed to protect, meaning that for characters it is almost always Medium.
| WEAPON SIZE | OBJECT SIZE | EQUIPMENT WEIGHT |
| Tiny or smaller | Fine | Less than 1 kg |
| Small | Diminutive | 1.0-1.9 kg |
| Medium | Tiny | 2.0-4.9 kg |
| Large | Small | 5.9-49 kg |
| Huge | Medium | 50-499 kg |
| – | Large | 500-4,999 kg |
| – | Huge | 5,000-49,999 kg |
| – | Gargantuan | 50,000-499,999 kg |
| – | Colossal | 500,000 kg or more |
INCREASING EQUIPMENT SIZE
Any piece of equipment can gain an upgrade slot by increasing its size by one step and doubling its cost. This has no effect on the equipment’s effectiveness. (For example, an enlarged slugthrower pistol has the same range and damage despite now being a Medium-sized weapon.) This represents both physically making more room within the equipment for an upgrade, and using sturdier, larger components to prevent the stress of the new modification from damaging the equipment. If armor undergoes this process, it doesn’t change size but instead becomes one step heavier (light armor becomes medium, medium armor becomes heavy). Heavy armor can’t benefit from this option.
No gear can gain more than one upgrade slot by increasing its size.
INSTALLING UPGRADES
Installing an upgrade can take anywhere from a few minutes of work to a week of frustrating machining and retooling in an overheated workshop. The amount of time and Mechanics check DC required depends on the number of upgrade points required and the quality of the upgrade (commercially bought or scratch-built):
A scratch-built upgrade costs twice as much as a commercially bought upgrade. After the time listed above, make a Mechanics check against the appropriate DC. On a success, the upgrade is installed and functioning properly. On a failure, the upgrade doesn’t work properly; you may attempt the Mechanics check again, but each retry requires the same amount of time and costs half as much as the original attempt.
Removing an upgrade requires the same amount of time, but reduce the Mechanics DC by 5. On a failure, the upgrade has been deactivated but not removed; you may attempt the Mechanics check again (which requires the same amount of time). If you don’t care about removing the upgrade intact, reduce the time required to the next lowest increment (for example, from 1 day to 1 hour, or 1 hour to 10 minutes), but the upgrade is automatically destroyed on a failed check. Once the upgrade is successfully removed (or destroyed), the upgrade slot that was occupied becomes available again.
| UPGRADE POINTS | COMMERCIALLY BOUGHT | SCRATCH-BUILT |
| 0 | DC 10, 10 minutes | DC 15, 1 hour |
| 1 | DC 20, 1 hour | DC 25, 1 day (8 hours) |
| 2 or more | DC 30, 1 day (8 hours) | DC 35, 1 week (5 days) |
UNIVERSAL UPGRADES
Universal upgrades can be used on a wide range of gear. Most universal upgrades can be applied to any type of equipment, though some have limitation or special rules when applied to armor or weapons.
| Modification | Upgrade Slots | Availability | Cost |
| Cloaked | 1 | Licensed | 750 |
| Componentization | 1 or 2 | Military | x5 or x10 Base |
| Dual Gear | 1 | Common | 1,000 |
| Environment Sealing | 1 | Common | 400 |
| Extra Power Source | 1 | Common | 200 |
| Memory Upgrade | 1 | Common | 4,000 |
| Memory Upgrade, Advanced | 1 | Common | 16,000 |
| Miniaturized | 1 | Common | 500 |
| Recognition System | 0 | Common | 200 |
| Remote Activation | 0 | Common | 100 |
| Secret Compartment | 1 | Common | 600 |
| Silverplate | 1 | Common | 2,500 |
| Spring Loaded | 1 | Common | 300 |
| Storage Capacity | 0 | Common | 100 |
Cloaked – Cloaked equipment has its energy signatures baffled, any noises it makes muffled, and its appearance camouflaged and slenderized, and it comes with a case that allows it to be placed in an inconspicuous location. When not in use, such equipment imposes a -5 penalty on any Perception or Use Computer check made to detect it. When in use, it imposes only a -2 penalty on such checks. Weapons are obvious when in use, even if cloaked. Cloaked armor does not help with Stealth checks made to sneak, but it applies when you make a Deception check to produce a deceptive appearance (such as making the armor appear as ordinary clothing).
Componentization – Componentization is a process where a single piece of equipment or weapon is composed of several different pieces, each of which is disguised to appear as another type of equipment, such as a comlink, a datapad, or even an electric razor. Or a gold cigarette lighter, gold cigarette case, gold cuff link, and a gold pen if you are a million-dollar-a-shot assassin breaking down a Tiny gold-plated pistol. Componentization is a common upgrade for assassins, smugglers, and anyone who want to carry weapons or other equipment into a location secretly. The basic componentization upgrade (one upgrade slot) breaks the item or weapon into two component parts, each one size category smaller than the original item. An item or weapon with the deluxe upgrade (two upgrade slots) breaks down into four items, each two size categories smaller than the original item. For example, a Medium rifle can break down into two Small objects with the basic upgrade or into four Tiny objects with the deluxe upgrade. A full round is required to assemble a componentized item from two parts. Two full rounds are required to assemble a componentized item from four parts. Identifying a component as part of this upgrade package requires a DC 30 Perception or DC 25 Knowledge (technology) check. Componentization costs five times the base cost of the item for the basic version, or ten times the base cost for the deluxe version.
Dual Gear – One piece of equipment can be built into another as an upgrade, but it is impossible to place a larger piece of gear into a smaller piece – you can’t cram a grenade launcher into a vibrosword. Dual gear can act as either piece of component gear without penalty. For example, a glow rod that has been upgraded to include a tiny pistol can illuminate or shoot, as the user desires. Normally, such equipment can’t act as both pieces of equipment at once. You must pay the full price for the piece of equipment being added to the primary object as dual gear.
Environmental Sealing – Environmental sealing places gaskets, protective coatings, nonreactive materials, and airtight seals throughout a piece of equipment to ensure that it does not fail because of environmental conditions. The equipment works normally in a vacuum, underwater, after being packed in dirt or sand, or in a snowstorm. It does not take damage from corrosive or toxic atmospheres, extreme temperatures, normal fires (as opposed to fire-based weapons, which deal damage normally), or radiation.
Extra Power Source – Any equipment that runs on energy cells or power packs can be modified to have two such power sources, doubling the duration the device will function. Its possible to make this modification more than once, adding an additional energy cell or power pack each time. The energy cells or power packs are typical for the device upgraded, and each is replaced at the normal cost.
Memory Upgrade – Any device that has an Intelligence score (such as a computer) can have its memory upgraded, improving its performance and storage capacity. The basic memory upgrade increases the device’s Intelligence by +2 and doubles the device’s storage capacity. Unless otherwise specified, an unmodified computer holds a number of memory units equal to 5 x the square of the computer’s Intelligence bonus. (A single memory unit holds the same amount of data as a datacard, and 10 memory units are enough to hold coordinates for a single FTL trip.) An advanced memory upgrade is also available, which increases Intelligence by +4 and multiplies the device’s storage capacity by 5. (This replaces the benefit of the standard memory upgrade.) Advanced Memory Upgrade and Memory Upgrade do stack with each other for the purposes of the Intelligence boost, but the storage capacity increase does not stack – if both modifications are installed, use the x5 multiplier.
Miniaturized – Equipment with the miniaturized upgrade weighs half as much, and is one size smaller. A melee weapon that is miniaturized has its damage dice reduced by one step (d6s become d4s, d4s become d3s, and so on) because it lacks the mass and striking surface area to deal more damage. Slugthrowers, pistols, rifles, etc, that undergo this modification have their magazine size halved (round up).
Recognition System – Equipment with a recognition system can identify its owner and won’t function for anyone else. Fooling a recognition system takes 1 minute and a DC 30 Use Computer check. The owner of gear with this upgrade can deactivate it as a free action (before passing a weapon to an unarmed ally, for example); optionally, the recognition system can have a code phrase that allows anyone to deactivate it.
Remote Activation – This upgrade allows a piece of equipment to be activated with a signal from a comlink or a similar communications device. Although typically associated with explosives or security systems, remote activation can be used to set a fusion lantern to flare to life, a computer to start running a program, or a holoprojector to begin a recorded projection. Activating a remote is a swift action, which includes entering the special activation code (allowing a single comlink to activate multiple pieces of remote gear, one swift action per item activated). The range of remote activation is determined by the comlink or other communication device used. Any comlink can be used to activate the gear, sending a signal with a specific code along a specific frequency. A character aware of a piece of remotely activated gear can find the necessary frequency and activation code with a DC 30 Use Computer check.
Secret Compartment – Like storage capacity (see below), this upgrade allows gear to carry smaller gear within it. However, the gear carried in a secret compartment is concealed. It takes a DC 30 Perception check to notice the compartment when it is used, and a DC 25 Perception check to find it with a close, hands-on examination. Equipment with a secret compartment upgrade can hold a single item one size smaller than the equipment itself. (This is actual size, not weapon size.)
Silverplate – Silverplate is a special chroming process that adds a layer of tough composite material across the surface of any piece of gear. In addition to looking stylish, this gives the gear +2 DR (maximum 20). Armor with silverplate does not grant its DR to its wearer, but does gain it against attacks directly at the armor.
Spring Loaded – Any equipment that can be held and used in one hand can be spring-loaded. Readying a spring-loaded piece of equipment is a swift action. It is most common for pistols to be spring loaded, but anything from grenades to datapads can use this upgrade. If you have the Quick Draw feat, you may draw the item as a free action once per turn.
Storage Capacity – This upgrade allows gear to carry smaller gear within or on it, in an obvious compartment. Equipment with the storage capacity upgrade can hold multiple items at least one size smaller than the equipment itself, as long as the total weight is less than the equipment with storage capacity.
WEAPON UPGRADES
The following upgrades are designed specifically for weapons. Some apply to any weapon, while others apply only to specific weapons (detailed in the upgrade description). A few can be applied to nonweapon equipment, but they rarely provide enough of a bonus to be worthwhile.
| Modification | Upgrade Slots | Availability | Cost |
| Additional Clip | 1 | Restricted | 100% of the weapon cost |
| Ammo Skip System | 1 | Restricted | 500 Credits |
| Automatic Fire | 2 | Military | 100% of the weapon cost + 2000 Credits |
| Barrel Extension/Reduction | 0 | Licensed (Extension), Illegal (Reduction) | 100% of the weapon cost (extension), 40 credits (reduction) |
| Bayonet Ring | 0 | Common | 100% of the cost of the weapon being added |
| Bipod | 0 | Common | 100 Credits |
| Double Trigger | 0 | Common | 800 Credits |
| Exchangeable Weapon Mod | As Mod | As Mod | 80 Credits + Cost of Mod |
| Extended Clip/Drum | 1 | Restricted (Clip), Military (Drum) | 1000 Credits (clip), 2000 credits (drum) |
| Gas Venting | 1 | Military | 800 Credits |
| Hair Trigger | 1 | Common | 1,200 Credits |
| Improved Range Finder | 1 | Licensed | 2000 Credits |
| Ion Charger | 1 | Licensed | 3,000 Credits |
| Laser Sight | 1 | Common | 100 Credits |
| Melee Hardening | 0 | Common | 300 Credits |
| Missile Load | 1 | Military | 250 Credits |
| Powered Slide Mount | 1 + Max Modification Slots | Licensed | 3500 Credits |
| Rangefinder | 1 | Licensed | 200 Credits |
| Retractable Stock | 0 or 1 | Common | 100 Credits |
| Slinker | 1 | Licensed | 1,000 Credits |
| Sniper Switch | 0 | Licensed | 500 Credits |
| Targeting Scope, Standard | 0 | Common | 100 Credits |
| Targeting Scope, Low-Light | 0 | Common | 1,000 Credits |
| Underbarrel Weapon | 2 | By Weapon Being Added | 100% of the cost of the weapon being added |
Additional Clip – The weapon has been radically modified to take an additional clip (i.e., both clips are loaded at the same time). If the weapon is a pistol, both clips are at 75% of their original capacity, while in the case of larger weapons the clips retain their original capacity. Weapons with this modification incur a -4 penalty to Stealth checks made to conceal them. If the gun is a smartweapon, the character can switch between the clips with a Free Action, otherwise a Swift Action is required.
Ammo Skip System – This allows the character to skip through the ammunition of his gun. For example, a character could load the first 10 shots of his clip with gel rounds for non-lethal purposes, and the remaining shots with explosive rounds. When the shit hits the fan, he can skip the remaining gel rounds to get to the good stuff. In all but revolvers, the weapon simply ejects the skipped ammunition. The character simply takes a Free Action (once per round at most) and ejects 1 round if a semiauto weapon, or 5 if an autofire capable weapon. If the character takes a Swift Action, he can increase that to, 3 if a semiauto weapon, or 10 if an autofire weapon. In the case of revolvers, the cylinder simply spins to the selected round with a Free Action.
Automatic Fire – This modification is not available for weapons using unusual loading mechanisms or exotic ammunition, like flechette launchers, shotguns, or tasers. It modifies the gun’s to be capable of full-automatic firing.
Barrel Extension/Reduction – Extending a firearm’s barrel increases each of the weapon’s range categories by 10% and incurs a -3 penalty Stealth checks made to conceal it. Reducing the barrel decreases the range categories by 20% and gives a +3 bonus to Stealth checks made to conceal it.
Bayonet Ring – A bayonet ring is a simple upgrade added to a melee weapon of Small or lesser size. Once upgraded, the weapon can be mounted on a specific type of ranged weapon. The ranged weapon must be chosen at the time you install the upgrade; the weapon must be of at least Medium size, and it cannot require a tripod or other mount for normal operation. While the upgraded melee weapon is mounted on its ranged weapon, the combined weapon becomes Large size, and it must be wielded in two hands. In addition, the melee weapon’s damage dice increase by one step: d2 to d3, d3 to d4, d4 to d6, d6 to d8, d8 to d10, d10 to d12. However, its damage type and weapon group stay the same despite these changes, and it is otherwise treated as a bayonet in all respects. Both the melee weapon with the bayonet ring upgrade and the ranged weapon can be used separately; mounting or removing the upgraded melee weapon requires a move action.
Bipod – A bipod is an attached two-legged stand that steadies the barrel of a rifle or heavy weapon when aiming or using autofire. Preparing a bipod for use is a move action, and you cannot prepare a bipod unless you are either prone or adjacent to low objects (or other waist- to chest-high cover) that are between you and your target. If you move, you cannot use the bipod until you prepare it again. A bipod counts as a mount for any weapon that requires it. For other weapons, a bipod makes aiming easier. If you have already aimed at or attacked a particular target, each subsequent aim action requires only a single swift action. (Under these circumstances, a character with the Sniping Master talent from the Assassin Prestige Class’s Assassin Talent Tree can aim as a free action once per round.) This benefit is lost if you attack or aim at any other target. A bipod adds 20% to the weight of the weapon (minimum 1 kg).
Double Trigger – A weapon with a double trigger treats one trigger as a safety, with the second trigger being a hair-trigger that fires when the slightest pressure is applied to it. Weapons of this type can be extremely accurate, since only a small amount of pressure is needed to fire them (reducing the chance of moving the weapon slightly while pulling the trigger), but this takes time and training. If a character has the Careful Shot feat, he gains a +2 bonus on attacks if he aims with a weapon that has a double trigger (rather than the normal +1 bonus provided by the feat).
Exchangeable Weapon Mod – This is a special option that can be chosen for many of the modifications described in this list (underbarrel weapons are the most likely candidates, but with the GM’s permission a character may also choose other modifications to become exchangeable). When designing a new modification, the player character has to announce that this will be an exchangeable modification. Once built, this special type of modification does not become a fixed part of the weapon but rather a standalone object that can only be attached to a weapon via a powered slide mount (see below). The number of slots mentioned in the modification’s description becomes the slot size of the exchangeable weapon modification.
Extended Clip/Drum – This increases the ammo capacity of a clip. The standard extended clip upgrade increases the ammo capacity of a normal clip by 25% (round up). A larger increase requires the clip-loading mechanism to be exchanged with a drum loading mechanism. This setup, available for SMGs and assault rifles, allows attachment of an ammo drum with an ammo capacity of 50 (-5 to Stealth checks made to conceal the weapon) or 100 (-10 to Stealth checks made to conceal the weapon).
Gas Venting – This modification improves the gas venting on autofire weapons, reducing the recoil and corresponding barrel rise that they suffer from. This leads to increased accuracy. A weapon with gas venting only suffers a -3 penalty when used on autofire, instead of the normal -5.
Hair Trigger – A modification made only to pistols, rifles, heavy weapons, and exotic ranged weapons that use a trigger mechanism to fire, the hair trigger upgrade makes it easier to fire several shots in succession by reducing the amount of pressure that must be placed on the trigger. Once per encounter, the wielder of a weapon with a hair trigger that uses the Rapid Shot feat to modify an attack roll may reroll the damage from the attack, keeping the better result.
Improved Range Finder (Smartguns only) – The standard laser range finder from the smart system is improved by two additional systems for range measurement: one based on microwave, the other on radar technology. All three systems have their disadvantages, but when added together, finding the exact range to the target becomes much easier, reducing attack penalties due to range by 2.
Ion Charger – An ion charger encases a melee weapon in a light ion field that flares to full strength anytime the weapon strikes something. This causes the melee weapon to deal 2d6 ion damage in addition to its normal melee damage. Feats and maneuvers that add to a weapon’s damage (such as Rapid Strike) have no effect on the ion damage dealt by a weapon with an ion charger.
Laser Sight (Non-Smartguns Only) – This gives a +1 bonus to attack when you aim your weapon using the Aim action.
Melee Hardening – The firearm has been modified so that it can be used in physical attacks and parrying without damage. Barring unusual circumstances, the weapon will not be damaged or unintentionally discharge during melee combat.
Missile Load – A grenade’s charge can be converted into a missile warhead. Once turned into a missile, the device cannot be thrown as a grenade. The primary advantages of missile loads are there greater effect and range when fired from a missile launcher. (The standard missile is essentially a missile load for a frag grenade, so applying missile load to frag grenades is pointless.) Increase the damage dice of the original grenade by 50% when converted to a missile load.
Powered Slide Mount – Sometimes it’s impractical or downright impossible to put all the necessary modifications into one gun at the same time. To get around this, one or more powered slide mounts can be installed on the weapon. Each such slide mount can hold up to one exchangeable weapon modification (p. 150) with a slot size of up to the slot maximum of the slide mount. For example, a slide mount with a slot maximum of 5 could hold one exchangeable weapon modification with a slot size of 1 to 5—it can never hold two or more modifications, even if the size would allow for it. Attaching and removing the exchangeable weapon modifications requires a Move Action.
Rangefinder (Non-Smartguns Only) – Any ranged weapon can have a rangefinder built into it. Such a weapon takes no penalty when used to attack a target at short range. This is essentially an improved version of a targeting scope and thus its benefits do not stack with those of targeting scopes. (However, a weapon can have both a rangefinder and a targeting scope, using the latter only when aiming at targets at medium or short range.)
Retractable Stock – Any rifle or pistol (as well as rifle- or pistol-like exotic weapons) can have a retractable stock added. This upgrade requires 1 upgrade slot for a pistol, but 0 for a rifle. (A rifle already has a stock, which can be replaced with the retractable stock.) When the stock is folded, treat the weapon as a pistol for the purposes of proficiency and range, and you cannot brace the weapon while using it in autofire mode. When the stock is extended, treat the weapon as a rifle for the purposes of proficiency and range, and you can brace the weapon when using it in autofire mode – and you take a -5 penalty when using the weapon in one hand (regardless of its size). Certain weapons come with a retractable stock as a standard feature, as detailed in their descriptions. No upgrade slots are spent in this case.
Slinker – Only firearms (except for shotguns) and missile weapons can be upgraded as slinkers. Once a weapon is made a slinker, it can no longer fire normal ammunition (and slinker ammunition costs twice the normal price). Slinkers are equipped with simple sensors and battle computers, and programmed to fly around obstacles or even around corners to strike a target. If a slinker is fired at a target with cover (but not total cover) the target does not gain the normal +5 cover bonus to its Reflex Defense. If an attacker wants to fire a slinker at a target with total cover (where the attacker cannot see, such as around a corner), the attacker selects a specific target square outside his line of sight and makes an attack with a +0 bonus against anything in that square. (This tactic is effective with area attacks, which can strike close enough to do damage even when poorly aimed). The path from the attacker to the target square cannot have more than a single turn (maximum 90 degrees).
Sniper Switch – A sniper switch allows a weapon that can normally be fired only in autofire mode (such as the M247 General Purpose Machine Gun) to be used in single-fire mode. However, the weapon no longer has reduced autofire penalties when braced because it is no longer an autofire-only weapon (see “Autofire” on page 156 of the SECR). Switching between the two firing modes is a swift action.
Targeting Scope, Standard – See Generic Equipment. Included here for completeness.
Targeting Scope, Low-Light – See Generic Equipment. Included here for completeness.
Underbarrel Weapon – Attaching an additional weapon under the barrel of another has a long tradition for all those who aim for tactical flexibility. If you instead want to rebuild a specific weapon into an underbarrel weapon and attach it to the barrel of your gun, you can do so as follows: The ammo capacity of the underbarrel weapon is halved (round up), and in some cases it is reduced to single-shot capacity (GM’s decision). Some weapon designs might not be suitable for underbarrel attachment (GM’s decision) and the underbarrel weapon cannot be larger than the weapon it’s attached to. In most cases, it is practically impossible to hide the whole composition, but for rules purposes assume a penalty to Stealth checks made to hide the weapon of -4. The underbarrel weapon modification cannot be combined with the bipod modification. You cannot attach an underbarrel weapon to another underbarrel weapon. You may make an underbarrel weapon attach to a powered slide mount with the gamemaster’s permission. This mod is generally only available for rifles and heavy weapons. It is also possible to install this system into melee and other unconventional weapons—popular options include single-shot weapons installed in parallel guns with an under-barrel one-shot shotgun barrel and smart swords with a small pistol in the hilt to fire a bullet along the blade, etc.
ARMOR UPGRADES
Armor upgrades are designed specifically for personal armors. Popular with special forces, they allow armor to be more than a protective item. Many individuals use their armor as a walking collection of gadgets and gizmos to avoid detection, process data, or escape combat.
| Modification | Upgrade Slots | Availability | Cost |
| Aquatic Adaptation | 1 | Common | 500 |
| Armorplast | 0 | Common | 900 |
| Armor Reinforcement | 1 | Common | 3,000 |
| Climbing Claws | 1 | Common | 200 |
| Diagnostics System | 1 | Common | 500 |
| Environmental Systems | 1 | Common | 600 |
| Gyro | 1 | Common | 250 |
| Helmet Package | 0 | Common | 4,000 |
| Holoshroud | 1 | Restricted, Rare | 5,000 |
| Integrated Equipment, 1 slot | 1 | Common | 200 |
| Integrated Equipment, 2 slots | 1 | Common | 500 |
| Integrated Equipment, 5 slots | 1 | Common | 1,000 |
| Integrated Equipment, 10 slots | 2 | Common | 2,000 |
| Internal Generator | 1 | Common | 1,000 |
| Jump Servos | 1 | Common | 100 |
| Mesh Underlay | 2 | Restricted | 2,500 |
| Powered Exoskeleton | 2 | Licensed | 4,000 |
| Radiation Shielding | 1 | Common | 400 |
| Rangefinder | 1 | Licensed | 500 |
| Ready Harness | 1 | Common | 500 |
| Shadowskin | 1 | Restricted | 5,000 |
| Shadowskin, Reflec | 1 | Military | 20,000 |
| Shockweb | 1 | Military | 6,000 |
| Vacuum Seals | 0 | Common | 2,000 |
| Vacuum Seals, Improved | 1 | Common | 5,000 |
| Weapon Mount | 1 | Restricted | 1,000 |
Aquatic Adaptation – This upgrade seals your armor against the pressure of deep ocean travel, allows you to filter breathable air out of water indefinitely, and uses fins and small jets to allow swift and easy motion through liquids. When wearing this armor, you gain a swim speed equal to one-half your armored walking speed and can breathe in water. Additionally, you can reroll a failed Swim check (keeping the better result) and can take 10 on Swim checks even when rushed or threatened.
Armorplast – This upgrades the standard materials of the armor with high-strength, lightweight equivalents. This reduces the weight of the armor by 50%.
Armor Reinforcement – The armor reinforcement upgrade increases the armor’s ability to harmlessly deflect incoming attacks by coating the interior of the armor with tough materials, adding an extra layer of defense. Reinforced armor grants the wearer DR 2 against piercing damage.
Climbing Claws – Climbing claws are retractable spikes worked into the arms and legs of a suit of armor. When wearing this armor, you gain a climb speed equal to one-half your armored walking speed. Additionally, you can reroll a failed Climb check (keeping the better result) and can take 10 on Climb checks even when rushed or threatened. The wearer can use climbing claws to attack foes in melee. The count as being weapons two sizes smaller than the wearer, and they deal slashing damage equal to the base claw damage for a beast of that size (see page 274 SECR). For example a Medium character would have Tiny climbing claws that deal 1d4 slashing damage. If you are proficient with the suit of armor you’re wearing, you are proficient with any climbing claws installed on it.
Diagnostics Systems – A diagnostics system is a series of sensors and simple computers that monitor both the armor and its wearer. Anyone making a Mechanics check on the armor or a Treat Injury check on its wearer gains a +2 equipment bonus from the diagnostics system.
Environmental Systems – Environmental systems come in two varieties: cold-weather systems and warm-weather systems. It is possible to install them both in the same suit of armor, but doing so counts as two separate upgrades. An environmental system makes you immune to the effects of extreme cold or extreme heat, as appropriate.
Gyro – A gyro helps keep armor upright and stable. While wearing armor with this upgrade, you gain a +5 stability bonus on checks and all defenses to resist attempts to knock you prone.
Helmet Package – See Equipment. Included here for completeness.
Holoshroud – A holoshroud upgrade places small holographic projectors at key points around the armor. These projectors are linked together and designed to place a holographic image over the armor (and its wearer). The image moves as the armor moves, making the illusion of a different appearance difficult to penetrate. The holoshroud can store only a single image, which must be of the same basic size and shape as the armor (generally humanoid). The image can be changed with an hour of work and a DC 20 Use Computer check. The holoshroud provides a +10 equipment bonus on Stealth checks made to conceal items (underneath the image) as well as any Deception checks made to create a deceptive appearance matching the image. However, the holoshroud doesn’t withstand scrutiny, so any observer who uses a full-round action to search the wearer gains a +10 circumstance bonus on the opposed Perception check. Furthermore, the holoshroud doesn’t have any tactile, auditory, or olfactory component, so observers with the scent species trait or using a sensor pack gain a +10 circumstance bonus on their Perception check. The holoshroud draws power from a standard energy cell, which gives enough power for twenty rounds of use (drawn in any increment). Such armors are often upgraded with the Extra Power Source or Internal Generator modification to extend this operating time. You can turn a holoshroud on or off as a swift action.
Integrated Equipment – An integrated equipment upgrade attaches one piece of equipment to the armor. The equipment must be three or more sizes smaller than the armor itself. For example, armor for a Medium character is Medium size, so it can mount a piece of equipment up to Diminutive size (such as electrobinoculars, a glow rod, or a medpac) or a weapon up to Small size (such as a slugthrower pistol or vibroblade). This equipment is constantly ready for use and need not be drawn or prepared before being used. Once a suit of armor is rigged for integrated equipment, it becomes increasingly easy to add new pieces of equipment as built-in modules. As a result, prices and upgrade slot costs are given for 1, 2, 5, or 10 slots of integrated equipment. It is easy to swap out the equipment attached to the armor with this upgrade. A single piece of integrated equipment can be swapped out for a different piece of gear in 10 minutes with a DC 10 Mechanics check. The price of any equipment attached to the armor is separate from the integrated equipment upgrade cost.
Internal Generator – A miniaturized version of a portable generator, an internal generator can provide continuous power for different upgrades on a suit of armor, including any integrated equipment. The generator can be activated or deactivated as a swift action. As long as it’s active, an internal generator can simultaneously power up to ten different devices that have negligible power requirements (anything without a listed duration). For devices with specific power requirements, an internal generator can store four units of energy (each the equivalent of an energy cell, power pack, or 20 rounds of power from a portable fusion generator), and it automatically recharges one such unit every hour. A suit of armor can receive this upgrade multiple times if more energy capacity is needed, but each internal generator adds 10 kg to the weight of the armor. The biggest drawback to a generator is its energy signature. If the generator powers anything but devices with negligible power requirements, any character attempting to detect the wearer with a sensor pack or vehicle sensors gains a +5 circumstance bonus on the Perception or Use Computer check.
Jump Servos – Jump servos are inertial-field aided systems that assist in making long jumps. When wearing armor with this upgrade, you treat all jumps as running jumps. Additionally, you can reroll a failed Jump check (keeping the better result) and take 10 on Jump checks even when rushed or threatened.
Mesh Underlay – The mesh underlay upgrade helps channel certain types of energy away from the wearer’s body, reducing the effectiveness of a potentially devastating blow. A character wearing a suit of armor with the mesh underlay upgrade gains a +5 equipment bonus to his damage threshold against stun damage.
Powered Exoskeleton – Only medium and heavy armor can have the powered exoskeleton upgrade. A powered exoskeleton operates for 20 rounds on a standard energy cell. (Suits of armor with a powered exoskeleton commonly have the internal generator upgrade, see above.) Turning an exoskeleton on or off is a swift action. When active, the exoskeleton gives the wearer a +2 equipment bonus to Strength. A powered exoskeleton adds 5 kg to the weight of the armor.
Radiation Shielding – Radiation shielding is necessarily heavy and bulky. Only medium and heavy armor can be modified with radiation shielding, and it increases the armor’s weight by 10 kg. The shielding grants a +10 equipment bonus to your Fortitude Defense against radiation attacks, and it reduces any damage dealt by a successful radiation attack by 5 points. In addition, any time you would move -1 persistent step down the condition track as a result of radiation damage while wearing this armor, you can make a DC 20 Endurance check to negate the persistent condition. You can make this check only the first time you move down the condition track due to a particular radiation hazard; if you fail, you must have the persistent condition cured normally.
Rangefinder – A rangefinder built into a suit of armor works like a weapon rangefinder (see above), but it only applies to ranged attacks made by weapons built into the armor on a weapon mount (see below). Its benefits apply to other ranged weapons only if you aim immediately before making the attack. Any attack using a rangefinder takes no penalty when used against a target at short range.
Ready Harness – A ready harness is a series of hooks, straps, and clips distributed around the armor, designed to make equipment easily accessible and to settle its weight more comfortably on the wearer’s frame. A ready harness can hold two Small pieces of equipment (Large weapon size), five Tiny pieces of equipment (Medium weapon size), or ten pieces of equipment up to Diminutive size (Small weapon size). Weight of equipment in the ready harness is halved for the purposes of determining your encumbrance and such equipment can be retrieved or replaced as a move action.
Shadowskin – A matte black finish of light- and sensor-absorbing material, a shadowskin turns any armor coated with it into a stealth suit. Normally coupled with a sound dampener (included in this modification cost), it is difficult to see, hear, or detect the armor with sensors. Armor with shadowskin grants a +5 equipment bonus on Stealth checks made by the wearer. A more advanced version of shadowkin uses a different material, Reflec. Reflec is more effective, but also more expensive. A suit of armor with reflec shadowskin adds +10 equipment bonus on its wearer’s Stealth checks.
Shockweb – A shockweb is a powerful electrified stun field that can encase the entire surface of the armor. It runs off an energy cell, which can power it for 20 minutes. Turning the shockweb on or off is a swift action. While the shockweb is active, any time you are the target of a successful melee attack, grab attack, or grapple attack, the attacker takes 1d6 electrical damage and 2d6 electrical stun damage. Each time an attacker is damaged in this way, the shockweb discharges 1 minute of duration off its energy cell.
Vacuum Seals – Any armor can be upgraded with vacuum seals, which include airtight gaskets around all joints and simple life support equipment that adds 2 kg of weight. This allows the armor’s wearer to survive for 10 hours in the vacuum of space or any other hostile environment.
Vacuum Seals, Improved – Medium and heavy armor can be upgraded with improved vacuum seals, which include airtight gaskets around all joints and simple life support equipment that adds 10 kg of weight. This allows the armor’s wearer to survive for 24 hours in the vacuum of space or any other hostile environment.
Weapon Mount – Armor can add any equipment using the Integrated Equipment upgrade (see above), but dedicated weapon mounts allow weapons to be added more efficiently. The number of weapon mounts gained for each upgrade slot spent is a function of the class of armor upgraded: Light armor gains 2 weapon mounts, medium armor gains 3 mounts, and heavy armor gains 4 mounts. A two-handed weapon requires 2 mounts, a one-handed weapon requires 1 mount, and a light weapon requires only half of a mount. You must be proficient with both the weapon and the armor on which it is mounted to be considered proficient with a mounted weapon. (Any weapon described as gloves or gauntlets, such as combat gloves, can be worn with armor without a weapon mount, but only one such weapon can be worn at a time.) This upgrade does not include the cost of the weapons to be mounted. Such weapons are designed only for mount use, and can’t be fired as hand-held weapons. It takes 10 minutes and a DC 10 Mechanics check to change weapons in a mount. A mounted weapon can’t be disarmed, and it need not be drawn to be used. Weapons in mounts are obvious unless the weapon mount is concealed (multiple upgrade cost by 3), in which case it takes a DC 25 Perception check to notice the weapon when it is not in use. A mounted weapon does not gain any benefit from the armor if the weapon takes damage.