Another Smugglers question
Smuggler Rigging: we are exactly sure how to interpret this in conjunction with how Load determines how obvious you are that you are up to nefarious deeds. Possibilities we came up with are
1.) it downgrades how conspicuous you are (Normal becomes Light, Heavy becomes Normal)
2.) it adds two extra items that don’t count towards your load limit
3.) it means two items can never be taken away from you by other people if stowed away
What do you all think, or how has it been adjudicated before?
My reading is that they can pick two items on them that can’t be spotted or found by searching (except perhaps through a very exhaustive strip-search or something–perfectly concealed items in clothes you’re no longer wearing don’t really help you anymore). Kind of like the players automatically crit a Finesse roll to conceal the items.
It almost certainly doesn’t add free load (other crews’ rigging say they get free load, but the Smugglers entry doesn’t). Downgrading conspicuousness sounds kind of OP, but I can see both sides of that argument making sense, if you want to play it like that. I mean, they’re concealed, but they have to be concealed under something, and maybe just the way the characters move is indicative of extra load, even if you can’t spot what it is they’re carrying.
Steven Dodds good point, I didn’t notice that about the other crew sheets before (last time I was able to play was back in v.3). But that being said, I feel like if anyone could have extra load, it would be Smugglers. I don’t know, I just don’t see how useful an item being concealed would be in this game, especially if it’s just the items they will always have access to. Unless there is a more explained reason about how this is useful in the full text, I feel like this upgrade will rarely be taken.
My players’ crew are Smugglers, and haven’t taken it either, but we only started a few weeks ago, and they really wanted to have a Barge with quarters on it. Personally I kind of agree with you, but I’m of the type that likes to over-prepare, and have tons of gear with me.
Thematically, I think it makes sense, especially if you consider that it just says “2 items.” They aren’t restricted by type like other crews are. So they could conceivably smuggle small items on their person, like drugs or weapons, and no one would know. They can also take a light load, not care about being searched, and probably accomplish some crazy stuff I’m not clever enough to think of right now.
I think it has potential, though who’s to say the crew can’t also invest in a long-term project to build and outfit themselves with another type of rigging?
sub
It lets you conceal two items on your person so they can’t be discovered by sight or a pat-down. (This is probably useful for smugglers.)
The items count toward your load as normal.