Editing Gear (section)

== Gear Modifiers ==
In the technological future, gear is a necessity. In many cases, use of equipment provides no bonuses, it simply allows a character to perform a task they would otherwise be unable to do. For example, it is impossible to pick a mechanical lock without lockpick or some sort of tool.

In other cases, however, gear provides a bonus to the task at hand. Climbing a wall may be possible without tools, but if you happen to have gecko gloves or other climbing gear, it’s going to be a lot easier. The specific modifier applied is usually noted in the gear item’s description, typically ranging from +10 to +30.

=== Gear Quality ===
In both of the situations above, it is possible to have items that are of either exceptional or inferior quality, with corresponding positive or negative modifiers. The gear may be well-crafted, state-of-the-art, cutting-edge experimental, or simply top-of-the-line, applying an additional +10 to +30. Or it may be outdated, shoddy, or in disrepair, inflicting a –10 to –30 modifier (in some cases canceling out the basic gear bonus).

=== Gear Sizes ===
On occasion, you’ll need to know how small or large a certain piece of equipment is. Though this is largely something the gamemaster can wing on the fly using common sense, we’ve listed sizes for many gear items that are unusual or so futuristic that the average player may not have a feel for what dimensions the tech likely is. These size categories are listed on the Gear Sizes table. These sizes should be considered approximations, as depending on the manufacturer and process, some items may be smaller or larger than similar items. It is also important to keep in mind that as technology advances, the size and components of various equipment items shrink, so when in doubt, go with smaller.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Gear Sizes
|-
|Size Category
|General Dimensions and Notes
|-
|Nano
|So small that the item cannot be seen without the aid of a microscope or nanoscopic vision, and may not be manipulated without fractal digits or similar tools.
|-
|Micro
|Anything ranging from the size of a barely visible small dot to an average insect.
|-
|Mini
|Mini items may be concealed within someone’s palm or small pockets.
|-
|Small
|Small items may be held in one hand and concealed in normal pockets.
|-
|Medium
|Medium size items are cumbersome to hold with one hand, ranging from the size of a 2-liter bottle to the size of a medium dog. They do not ﬁt in pockets, but they may be concealed by larger coverings.
|-
|Large
|Roughly human-sized.
|-
|Huge
|Vehicles and other more massive objects.
|}

=== Mass and Encumberance ===
A character who is carrying too much gear should be slowed down, suffering negative modifiers both to their movement rates and their skill tests. Rather than micromanaging the weights of individual pieces of equipment, however, this matter is largely left to the gamemaster’s discretion, using common sense. If a character loads up beyond reason, apply modifiers as seem appropriate. The gamemaster should, however, keep in mind that many of the manufacturing materials used in Eclipse Phase allow for items that are much lighter than current standards without any loss of durability or function (see Future Materials).

Likewise, characters in low or microgravity environments can carry much larger loads.

=== Concealing Gear ===
Characters may attempt to conceal items on their person, hoping at least to hide them from casual notice if not an intensive search. To determine how effectively the character conceals the equipment, make a Palming Test and note the MoS (the gamemaster may wish to roll this secretly). Whenever another character has a chance to notice the concealed item, they must succeed in a Perception Test and achieve a higher MoS than was scored on the Palming Test. The gamemaster should apply modifiers to both tests as appropriate. For example, concealing a large item like a sword would be difficult (–30), whereas wearing concealing clothing like a longcoat or multi-pocketed jumpsuit would help (+20). Likewise, a character who is not actively looking is less likely to notice the hidden gear (–30), whereas someone who conducts a physical search (+30) or who has enhanced vision to pierce protective layers will fare better.