🪴 Quartz 4.0

Custom Equipment

3 min read

Gear is king for the life of an adventurer! It’s cheap, lying around, and often quite awesome in creative hands. In CROWN and SKULL, hero points can be used to acquire and upgrade equipment. Like all pointspending in the game, this can only be done while resting in a safe place with the aid of an expert… in this case, a smith, mentor, or artificer.

Gear is like most things in CROWN and SKULL: it has a base cost, gets more expensive with effects, and earns a discount with limitations. This allows you to buy a super simple dagger, or craft a very specific magic item all with the same value system. Any given effect added to gear can only be applied ONCE PER ITEM, though an item may have multiple effects.

  • 1 Point Gear (1d6 weapons, +1 armors):
    Small weapons, pouches, rope, lantern, torch, climbing kit, travel rations, staff, ring or jewelry item, cloak, boots.

  • 2 Point Gear (1d8 weapons, +2 armors):
    Medium-sized weapons, light armor, flares, bear traps & snares, thieves’ tools, common supplies.

  • 3 Point Gear (1d10 weapons, +3 armors):
    Heavy and exotic weapons, mechanized weapons and tools, gear for horses, complex or heavy armor.

  • 5 Point Gear (1d12 weapons, +4 armors):
    Firearms, siege weapons, war-ready equipment and armor.

  • NOTE: A piece of equipment cannot go below 1 pt cost.

Keep it simple, laddy. Pay an extra 3 points to make that sword deadly. Even this simple level of gear customization can give ye an edge in battle. Me? I prefer all my armor be cold iron forged… only way to be sure!

Gear Effects Lists

(3 pts Cost each)

  1. Deadly weapon: Add an additional damage die of the weapon’s type.
  2. Balanced weapon: Ignore 1 target DEF to attack with this weapon.
  3. Lucky weapon: Critical fails with this weapon incur no penalties.
  4. Chained weapon: You cannot lose or be robbed of this weapon.
  5. Lightweight: Finely made equipment doesn’t inhibit stealth or swimming.
  6. Reinforced armor: Add an addition +1 Defense.
  7. Bleed: After inflicting damage, target bleeds same damage 1d4 rounds.
  8. Die Upgrade: Upgrade the damage die of a weapon by 1 grade.
  9. Cold Forged: This metal equipment is immune to corrosion of all kinds.
  10. Reinforced: This gear is resilient to damage (2 hits to cross off).
  11. Compact: This gear incurs no unwanted attention or clumsiness.

Gear Limitation Lists

(Gain 3 pts for each)

  1. Breakable: On a critical fail usage, minimum damage roll, or special GM noticed circumstances, this equipment just goes to pieces.
  2. Sought after: There are nefarious folk seeking this gear.
  3. Stolen: The owner of this gear, or forces of law, will hunt you down.
  4. Wonky: This gear has silly or unexpected malfunctions the GM will referee as needed.
  5. Heavy: This equipment is bulky, occupying 2 item inventory.
  6. Garish: The appearance with this gear is over the top, ugly, or off-putting to most. This will draw enemy ire, embarrass you, or embolden foes.

Upgrading your Gear

During play, your character will receive hero points for completing sessions. If used to upgrade gear, consider these key rules:

  • Customizations are added for 3 points as normal.
  • Upgrading gear can only be done at a smithy or artisan.
  • Limitations cannot be added as part of an upgrade.
  • All effects can only be applied to a single item once, no stacking.
  • The final cost of a piece of gear can never be less than 1 point.

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