I have a question about adding items to the standard Load/equipment list. Early on in our campaign (about 10 sessions ago), the Lurk in our game asked if there was a way she could add a ‘concealable, hand cross-bow’ and ‘sleeping darts’ to her equipment list, so she would not have to make an Aquire Asset roll every downtime. Since her character didn’t have any skill to create these herself, I explained that she could accomplish this with a Aquire Asset roll to find a machinist and/or apothecary and a sufficiently long-term project for setting up the mechanist to produces these for her on a regular basis. She did so, and all was well in the underworld.
Then, in our most recent session, the Lurk asked if she get some sort of supernatural smoke-bombs. I grinned and flipped to the new Alchemy rules and announced that there was just such a thing. “Shadow Essence,” I said, reading the description, “and it only takes a 4-clock project to get 1 dose.” “That is exactly what I want”, she replied, “but can I add it to my Load list permanently?” That make me stop and reconsider. The way we had been handling such a thing in the past worked fine for us, but seems to fly in the face of the new rules for Alchemy. I’m currently contemplating how to facilitate this in way allows me to be a fan of the character, while still honoring the spirit of the rules.
Has anyone had a similar situation in their game. If so, how did you handle it?
I’d say the second example would also be a Long Term Project. Long Term Project is basically the catch all for Player would like to do something not usually allowed in the rules.
Some general rules for acquiring gear would definitely be nice, but I don’t think the rules as written necessarily conflict with your group’s houserule.
Obviously there are two types of gear – the kind that you can re-use until it either breaks or is lost (like a crossbow), and the kind that you must expend (like the sleeping-darts and smoke bombs). How you want to handle the acquisition of these different kinds of items can differ, but I think you handled it well.
Reusable objects might require a larger investment up-front, but don’t need to be ‘maintained’ in some way. However, the loss of the item can be used as a pretty neat devil’s bargain or consequence.
Expendable objects need a source if they’re going to be more than a one-off. I think the Alchemy rules give a good description of how to get one expendable object for a special use, but establishing a permanent source would probably require the maintenance of a contact who provides it, or some other form of maintenance. This is basically what you did and I think that works, as long as it doesn’t feel to you and the group that it’s becoming too easy.
Another option might be a larger project which allows the character to acquire a substantial supply of an expendable object, and have them set up a clock for it that they can tick to keep track of uses. It’d take a while to use 8 smoke bombs for example, so even if it’s not permanent it would be long-term enough that the next time it comes up, it doesn’t feel so much like a chore.
Remember that long-term projects can be multiple clocks, too. Scaling up the supply of a drug that normally takes a 4-clock to produce would certainly warrant a larger project IMO. And a project(s) would allow the player to come up with some scheme to get a refillable supply.
It’s simple, it says it right on every playbook: An Unusual Weapon. 🙂
Note that a Leech’s bandolier of alchemical items gets filled at every downtime as long as they have access to a source of supply
Nigel Clarke To me, the fact that the leech has access to this sort of stuff from their playbook is a reason to not easily give it to another class. That ability is one thing that makes the leech really cool, and I wouldn’t just give it away easily. Of course with a suitable LTP and enough effort, you can achieve anything.
The implication I was getting from teh rule was that their are people about who can supply the sort of  things that are usable with the Leech alchemical bandolier and they may be able to supply others. That makes it a Downtime action to find someone or a long term action to find a supplier.
As Mark highlighted, since it takes the Leech a 4-segment downtime project to concoct a single use of Shadow Essence, it seemed a bit to easy to give our Lurk a permanent access to it in the load list from just one long-term project. However, long-term projects are the way to achieve rule-‘breaking’ effects. So, I’m just looking for a middle ground that feels more fair and satisfying.
Or I could be coming down with a case of ‘stingy GM’ — I did forget to take my prescription…
If I had a leech at the table, I’d suggest that maybe this is something the leech could work on with him, otherwise I would probably require more than one clock. More importantly I would require something in the fiction to happen. Who is this supplier? How did you find them? Is this substance legal? Do they need help from the PC to procure supplies or equipment? Do they already work for someone else? I might make this NPC a claim and require they go on a score to either outfit the supplier, or break him out of prison, or fake his own death or something.
Reading the section on Alchemy it implies that the Alchemist Special Ability allows creation of these items and reading the Leech’s Supply section states that as long as they have access to a supplier or workshop they get to refill their bandolier. That says to me that the Leech may not have to make each ‘dose’ themselves (they may not have the Alchemy Ability) but through suppliers they can obtain such items (or make them if they have the ability). I would either go for a NPC alchemist as part of the gang or a 3rd party alchemist that can supply illicit drugs/potions. Still you can make whatever changes fits your Duskvol.
As an aside I notice that the list of stuff on the Leech’s playsheet and the list under the Alchemy section have several differences.
Not entirely sure why some items are on the shorter list and some not. It’s not a particular type or complexity that makes them listed in either place.
Perhaps you could have the player use a veteran advance to gain access to the Leech’s Supply. It’s sort of a special case, because most of the abilities that make a class special can be taken as veteran moves, but this is an innate ability that can’t be taken as a move. I guess that’s because it’s more equipment, and less of an ability, but it outclasses the usefulness of any other classes equipment, except maybe the hounds pet.