Equipment
Equipment is an important factor that heroes must consider while adventuring. Proper access to armour, weapons, rations, and other items can make all the difference when facing off against monsters or traveling across harsh environments.
This chapter details the important equipment that may be used during the game, as well as how to keep track of each character's wealth throughout the course of adventuring.
Wealth
Tracking individual gold pieces (or any other currency you might use) is often unnecessary and slows the game down far more than necessary, so a simplified system is used in Tabletop Arcade for tracking wealth.
Every character has a Wealth Score between 0 and 9. Generally, player characters are assumed to start off with a Wealth Score of 2 - they're not rich, but have relatively steady funds. The Wealth Overview table gives examples of the relative lifestyles of people with different Wealth Scores, and some examples of goods and services available to each Wealth Score.
This scale can of course be adjusted based on the setting. The maximum is always 9, and the minimum is always 0, but exactly what these numbers mean can be changed. For example. in a space-faring campaign, a Wealth Score of 9 might be enough to buy a fleet of spaceships rather than boats.
Acquiring Goods and Services
At the start of a campaign, allow players to choose any gear for their character with a cost less than or equal to their starting Wealth level.
Wealth Overview
| Wealth Score | Example Lifestyle | Example Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | beggar, urchin | basic food and lodging |
| 1 | labourer, student | a chicken, a night out, leather armour, simple weapons, a meal out |
| 2 | skilled worker, town guard, mercenary | a goat, sheep, or pig, a rowboat, chainmail armour |
| 3 | expert, artisan, village chief | a cow or horse, full plate armour, an apartment |
| 4 | noble, mayor of a town or city | a small ship, a modest house |
| 5 | state governor, mob boss | a shipment of weaponry, an extravagant home, a large cargo ship |
| 6 | famed hero, high chancellor | a small militia, a large estate, a large warship |
| 7 | monarch | a private island, an elite task force, a military stronghold |
| 8 | emperor, legendary hero | an army, a castle |
| 9 | planetary ruler | a huge army, a naval fleet |
When buying goods or services, compare the cost of the good to your Wealth Score. If the cost is less than your Wealth Score, you can acquire the item without taxing your resources significantly - your Wealth Score does not change.
If the cost is equal to your Wealth Score, you can acquire it, but the expense is pretty significant. Afterwards, you can't acquire new goods at that level or higher for a week.
If the cost one level higher than your Wealth Score, you can acquire it, but the cost is so great that your Wealth Score is reduced by 1. You can't do this if your Wealth Score is 0.
Under the right circumstances, the Narrator may also allow you to claim your character already has some item on-hand that hasn't been previously discussed. This tends to make the most sense when the character is in a familiar area where they have access to a range of their possessions, like within their home. You can only do this with items that have a cost less than your Wealth Score.
You can also craft items with the Narrator's permission. The cost of crafting an item is one less than the item's normal cost. Crafting items will usually require additional time and access to tools, and the Narrator may also require you to make a skill check to succeed. A good rule of thumb for setting skill check DCs for crafting items is 10 plus double the item's normal cost. Failure usually isn't absolute when it comes to crafting - maybe you get the item you wanted, but it's of low quality or takes a very long time to create.
Of course, items may also be stolen. If a character is attempting to steal something with a cost equal to their Wealth Score, you could simply deal with this using a single skill check if you don't want to roleplay the whole heist. With higher value items, it's generally better to make the theft into a small adventure.
Special Circumstances
Certain circumstances can alter how these wealth rules function in practice. For example, when lost in a foreign country, buying from the black market, or when there is a shortage of some good. In all these cases, it makes sense for the cost of regular items to vary - use your imagination and common sense.
Likewise, when attempting to purchase something very large, like a regiment of soldiers or a large estate, the Narrator may rule that even if it is well within your means it may take some time to acquire.
Gaining or Losing Wealth
Throughout the course of the game, each character's wealth will fluctuate. It is ultimately down to the Narrator when circumstances lead to your character's Wealth Score increasing, but common examples include when the party has slain a dragon and taken their hoard of treasure, advanced their careers in some way, or successfully sold a rare item. Likewise, if a character has fallen down on their luck and lost a significant source of income, the Narrator may reduce their Wealth Score.
Using the Wealth Overview table can be a helpful guide for setting a new Wealth Score. Most of the time, a character's Wealth Score will only increase or decrease by one point at a time.
If a character has made a small advancement to their wealth, but not enough to justify changing their Wealth Score permanently, the Narrator may instead give them a temporary increase. Increase the character's Wealth Score by one, and after one week set their Wealth Score back to it's initial value if it is higher.
Your Inventory
The rules for tracking your equipment in Tabletop Arcade are deliberately fairly abstract and simplified to avoid spending time on inventory management. When it comes to tracking your possessions, only keep track of stuff that may actually have an effect on the game - you don't need to include your clothing, or a personal trinket.
Your personal inventory is simply limited to 12 items. These are the items that you have access to during combat, and shouldn't include particularly heavy or bulky items. Up to 10 multiples of the same item can be counted as one item, such as multiple vials of acid or rations for several days of travel. Likewise, if multiple items come together like in a camping set, they only count as one item.
If the party has another means of storing items with them, like a cart or pack mule, they can store as many items as they want with it. However, these items cannot be accessed during combat. The Narrator is also free to decide that if something particularly large or heavy is stored this way, nothing else can be stored there.
Weapons
The Weapons table gives players a selection of different weapons that often appear in typical fantasy settings, including the various details as to how they function in-game.
Cost
The Cost of a weapon tells you how expensive it is to purchase. See the Wealth section earlier in this chapter for an explanation of how that works.
Weapon Categories
The Category of a weapon tells you how it can be used.
Weapons in the Two-Handed category need two hands to use, so they can't normally be wielded alongside other weapons - but they generally deal more damage.
One-Handed weapons require only one hand to wield, so they can be used alongside other weapons or items.
Versatile weapons can be used in either one or two hands, and gain a benefit when two hands are used. When a Versatile weapon is used two-handed, increase the damage die of the weapon by one die step.
Weapons in the Light category are particularly small, and only require one hand to use. They differ from normal One-Handed weapons in that they can be dual-wielded. Dual-wielding is explained later in this chapter.
Worn weapons are worn on the body, and don't require a free hand to wield them. In this way, they are pretty similar to natural weapons. Like Light weapons, Worn weapons can also be used with dual-wielding.
Finally, we have Natural weapons. These are not weapons that are bought or equipped, but instead form a natural part of a creature's body. They don't require a free hand to be used. Natural weapons are most often seen used by monsters, but they can be acquired by player characters through the Living Weapon feat.
Range
The Range of a weapon is simply the range that attacks and other actions using it have. More information on action range is given in chapter 6: Combat.
Attack Type
The Attack Type of a weapon tells you what attributes are used to determine the total attribute bonus for attacks using them.
A Forceful weapon uses SIZ+STR. These are weapons you can really throw your weight behind when attacking. Most melee weapons are Forceful.
Precise weapons are often smaller and lighter, and they use AGI+STR. They rely on the speed and accuracy of their attacks to deal damage.
Rather than using force generated by whoever is using them, Mechanical weapons use energy stored within the weapon to attack. The most common example is a crossbow, with energy stored in it's flexible limbs. These weapons use 2xAGI. Additionally, when attacking with a Mechanical weapon it's user does not add the TAB to the damage roll, unless the TAB is negative.
For example, Tulkoth has an AGI of 1, so he would add 2 to attack rolls using a crossbow. As 2 is not negative, he would not add this modifier to the damage roll. On the other hand, the clumsy wizard Lisa has a -2 to AGI. If she were to attack using a crossbow, she would add -4 to the attack roll. As -4 is negative, she would also add this modifier to the damage roll.
The trade-off for not adding extra damage from your attributes is that Mechanical weapons typically deal two dice of damage rather than one.
If a weapon has multiple attack types, you can choose which one you are using to attack each time you attack with it.
Damage
The Damage column gives what damage the weapon deals on a successful attack, given as a die roll and damage type. Rules regarding damage types and making damage rolls are given in chapter 6: Combat.
Properties
The Properties column gives additional descriptors that make each weapon unique. Each property influences how the weapon is used.
Ammunition (Type): You can only use this weapon if you have the correct ammunition for it in your inventory. You don't need to keep track of the specific number of normal ammunition that you have.
Covert: You have advantage on skill checks made to conceal or hide this weapon.
Defensive (X): While wielding this weapon, you gain a bonus to your Guard equal to X. If you are wielding multiple weapons with this property, you only gain the highest bonus.
Weapons
| Weapon | Cost | Category | Range | Attack Type | Damage | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melee Weapons | ||||||
| Battleaxe | 2 | Versatile | Close | Forceful | 1d8 Slashing | - |
| Blackjack | 1 | Light | Close | Forceful | 1d4 Bludgeoning | Covert |
| Buckler | 1 | Light | Close | Forceful | 1d4 Bludgeoning | Defensive (1) |
| Club | 1 | One-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d6 Bludgeoning | - |
| Dagger | 1 | Light | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d4 Piercing | Thrown, Covert |
| Flail | 2 | One-Handed | Close | Precise | 1d8 Bludgeoning | - |
| Glaive | 2 | Two-Handed | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d10 Slashing | - |
| Greataxe | 3 | Two-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d12 Slashing | - |
| Greatclub | 1 | Two-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d10 Bludgeoning | - |
| Greatsword | 3 | Two-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d12 Slashing | - |
| Handaxe | 1 | Light | Close | Forceful | 1d6 Slashing | Thrown |
| Javelin | 1 | One-Handed | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d6 Piercing | Thrown |
| Light Hammer | 1 | Light | Close | Forceful | 1d4 Bludgeoning | Thrown |
| Longsword | 2 | Versatile | Close | Forceful | 1d8 Slashing | - |
| Mace | 1 | One-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d6 Bludgoning | - |
| Maul | 2 | Two-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d12 Bludgeoning | - |
| Morningstar | 2 | One-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d8 Piercing | - |
| Pike | 2 | Two-Handed | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d12 Piercing | - |
| Quarterstaff | 1 | Versatile | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d6 Bludgeoning | - |
| Rapier | 2 | One-Handed | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d8 Piercing | - |
| Shield | 2 | One-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d4 Bludgeoning | Defensive (2) |
| Shortsword | 2 | Light | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d6 Piercing | - |
| Sickle | 1 | Light | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d4 Slashing | - |
| Spear | 1 | Versatile | Close | Forceful, Precise | 1d8 Piercing | Thrown |
| Spiked Gauntlet | 2 | Worn | Close | Forceful | 1d4 Piercing | - |
| War Pick | 2 | One-Handed | Close | Forceful | 1d8 Piercing | - |
| Warhammer | 2 | Versatile | Close | Forceful | 1d8 Bludgeoning | - |
| Whip | 1 | One-Handed | Close | Precise | 1d4 Slashing | Covert |
| Ranged Weapons | ||||||
| Alchemist's Fire | 3 | Light | Long | Precise | 2d4 Fire | Expendable, Special |
| Acid | 2 | Light | Long | Precise | 2d6 Acid | Expendable |
| Blowgun | 1 | One-Handed | Long | Precise | 1d4 Piercing | Ammunition (Darts), Covert |
| Hand Crossbow | 3 | Light | Long | Mechanical | 2d6 Piercing | Ammunition (Bolts), Covert, Reload (1) |
| Heavy Crossbow | 2 | Two-Handed | Long | Mechanical | 2d10 Piercing | Ammunition (Bolts), Reload (1) |
| Holy Water | 1 | Light | Long | Precise | - | Expendable, Special |
| Light Crossbow | 2 | One-Handed | Long | Mechanical | 2d8 Piercing | Ammunition (Bolts), Reload (1) |
| Longbow | 2 | Two-Handed | Long | Precise | 1d10 Piercing | Ammunition (Arrows) |
| Net | 1 | Light | Long | Precise | - | Expendable, Special |
| Shortbow | 1 | Two-Handed | Long | Precise | 1d8 Piercing | Ammunition (Arrows) |
| Sling | 1 | One-Handed | Long | Precise | 1d4 Bludgeoning | Ammunition (Bullets), Covert |
Expendable: When this weapon is used to make an attack, it is used up and lost.
Reload (X): You can make a limited number of attacks with this weapon before you need to reload it, equal to X. Reloading a weapon is a Minor Action. This action includes retrieving the ammunition from your inventory - it doesn't need to already be held.
Special: A weapon with this property has some property that is unique to it. These properties are explained later in this chapter.
Thrown: You can attack once with this weapon with at Long range by throwing it. Afterwards, any combatant can retrieve the weapon using a Major Action. You make the attack exactly the same as if you had attacked with the weapon normally, except the range of the attack is Long.
Special Weapons
Weapons with special rules are described here.
Alchemist's Fire: On a successful attack with this weapon, the target gains the Persistent Damage (I, Fire) persistent effect.
Holy Water: Attacks using this weapon against fiends and undead deal 2d6 Radiant damage.
Net: On a successful attack with this weapon, the target gains the Immobile persistent effect.
Dual-Wielding
If you are wielding two different weapons with the Light, Natural or Worn categories, you can choose to attack with both of them when you are attacking a target that is valid for both weapons.
You must make the attack using only one attack type - you can't attack with the Forceful attack type with one weapon and the Precise attack type with the other, for example. The attack type you choose must be available for both weapons.
Apply the damage of both weapons on a successful attack. Applying this damage follows the same process as applying damage normally - if this results in an attack that deals damage of multiple types, work out how much damage each type does, then add any modifiers at the end.
Unarmed Strikes
All characters in Tabletop Arcade have can make unarmed strikes. Unarmed strikes count as a Natural weapon, have a range of Close, and both the Forceful and Precise attack types. They deal 1 bludgeoning damage. Unarmed strikes can be made with any part of the body, and include punches, kicks, and any other basic bodily attacks.
Improvised Weapons
Sometimes, characters are caught off-guard without their weapons. Maybe they've been ambushed by assassins at a formal event, or just caught in a barroom scuffle. In these situations, improvised weapons can be used.
An improvised weapon is any object you can wield in one or two hands that isn't designed to be used as a weapon. If an improvised weapon is fairly similar to an actual weapon, it can be treated as one.
If an object doesn't have an immediate parallel to an actual weapon, simply treat it as a weapon with a range of Close, the Forceful attack type, and that deals 1d4 damage of a type chosen by the Narrator. The Narrator decides if the improvised weapon is One-Handed or Two-Handed based on it's size.
Using a ranged weapon to make a melee attack counts as using an improvised weapon. When throwing a melee weapon that doesn't have the Thrown property, treat it as an Improvised weapon with the Precise attack type rather than Forceful
When using an improvised weapon, you can try to use some of your skills with a particular weapon category with it. The Narrator chooses if the item you are using is sufficiently close to one of your skills, and if so you can add use the relevant skill bonus with the attack. If the item is fairly close to something you are skilled with, but not quite there, the Narrator can also rule that you can add half your skill bonus.
Armour
The Armour table gives players a selection of common styles of armour in typical fantasy settings, including the details as to how they function in-game. Armour gives you a bonus to your Guard defence score, helping you to avoid many physical attacks.
Armour
| Armour | Cost | Category | STR + END Required | Guard Bonus | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Armour | |||||
| Padded | 1 | Light | - | +1 | Conspicuous |
| Leather | 2 | Light | - | +1 | - |
| Exotic Mail | 3 | Light | - | +1 | Concealable (18) |
| Medium Armour | |||||
| Chain Mail | 2 | Medium | 2 | +2 | Conspicuous, Sluggish (2) |
| Half Plate | 3 | Medium | 2 | +2 | Sluggish (1) |
| Medium Armour | |||||
| Full Plate | 3 | Heavy | 3 | +3 | Conspicuous, Sluggish (3) |
| Exotic Plate | 4 | Heavy | 1 | +3 | Conspicuous, Sluggish (1) |
You can only wear one set of armour at a time. Getting into or out of a set of armour generally takes several minutes, and it can't be done during combat..
Cost
The Cost of a set of armour tells you how expensive it is to purchase. See the Wealth section earlier in this chapter for an explanation of how that works.
Armour Categories
The Category of a set of armour indicates its general degree of protection. Generally, light armour gives a Guard bonus of +1, medium armour gives +2, and heavy armour gives +3.
Strength + Endurance Required
Heavier armour have an attribute requirement to be used effectively. If your STR + END is lower than this number, all actions you take during combat expend 1 additional Act.
Guard Bonus
This is the bonus you receive to your Guard defence score while wearing this armour.
Properties
Much like with weapons, sets of armour can have additional descriptors that make them unique.
Conspicuous: This armour either makes lots of noise or is particularly bulky, making stealth more difficult. While you are wearing this armour, you have disadvantage on skill checks made to hide or move stealthily
Sluggish (X): This armour is particularly heavy, limiting your ability to react quickly. While you are wearing this armour, you have a penalty to your Initiative Rank equal to X.
Concealable (X): This armour can be concealed underneath normal clothing. The DC to spot armour hidden this way is equal to X.
Gear
This section describes additional gear that the heroes may use throughout their adventures.
If a character wants to buy another item that isn't covered in this chapter, the Narrator can usually just guess at the cost. For most commonly exchanged goods, the cost will be between 1 and 3.
Ammunition: You must have the correct ammunition in your inventory to use certain ranged weapons.
Camping Set: This set includes everything one person needs to pitch a camp in the wilderness, including a small tent, a bedroll, and other tools.
Climbing Kit: This kit includes ropes, hooks, a hammer, pitons, and other tools used for safe climbing.
Disguise Kit: This kit contains makeup, wigs, and other items that allow you to create disguises.
Forgery Kit: This kit contains various types of paper, ink, wax and other supplies needed to make convincing forgeries of official documents and letters.
Gaming Set: This is a set used to play a particular type of game. It may be a chess set, a deck of cards, a set of dice, or any other gaming set.
Gear
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Ammunition | |
| Arrows | 1 |
| Bolts | 1 |
| Bullets | 1 |
| Darts | 1 |
| Camping Set | 1 |
| Climbing Kit | 2 |
| Disguise Kit | 3 |
| Forgery Kit | 3 |
| Gaming Set | 1 |
| Healing Kit | 2 |
| Healing Potion | 3 |
| Torch | 1 |
| Lantern | 2 |
| Mana Potion | 2 |
| Infiltration Kit | 2 |
| Musical Instrument | 2 |
| Navigation Kit | 2 |
| Rations | 1 |
| Writing Kit | 2 |
Healing Kit: This kit contains various bandages, ointments, and other medical supplies. It allows you to treat a range of common injuries. While you have this kit on-hand, when you use the Stabilize action on your turn the tier of effect it applies is increased by one.
Health Potion: A character drinks this bright red concoction, they recover 2d6 hit points. The potion can also be administered to another target at Close range. Drinking the potion or administering it to another character is a minor action.
Infiltration Kit: This kit includes lockpicks, tweezers, a small file, and other small tools used for disarming physical mechanisms such as locks and traps.
Mana Potion: A character drinks this bright blue concoction, they recover 2d6 mana points. The potion can also be administered to another target at Close range. Drinking the potion or administering it to another character is a minor action.
Musical Instrument: An instrument for playing music. This can be any handheld instrument you choose when you purchase this item.
Navigation Kit: This kit includes a compass, sextant, telescope, and other tools used for navigation.
Rations: This compact package contains enough food to meet a person's basic need for one day.
Writing Kit: This kit includes everything a character would need to write letters or notes, or to sketch drawings.