Kits and Tools

This category covers a wide variety of specialized equipment used by professionals in adventure-related fields.

Some objects contain the tools necessary to use certain skills optimally. Without the use of these items, often referred to as kits, skill checks made with these skills are at a –4 penalty. Skills and the kits they are associated with are listed below. See the descriptions of the kits for additional details. Note that kits should be restocked periodically (purchase DC 5 less than the original purchase DC.

Note that some skills, by their nature, require a piece of equipment to utilize.

An exceptionally heavy wire cutter, a bolt cutter can snip through padlocks or chain-link fences. Using a bolt cutter requires a Strength check (DC 10).

Caltrops are four-pronged iron spikes designed so that one prong is pointing up when the caltrop rests on a surface. A character scatters caltrops on the ground to injure opponents, or at least slow them down. One bag of twenty-five caltrops covers a single 5-foot square. Each time a creature moves through a square containing caltrops at any rate greater than half speed, or each round a creature spends fighting in such an area, the caltrops make a touch attack roll (base attack bonus +0). A caltrop deals 1 point of damage on a successful hit, and the injury reduces foot speed to half normal (a successful Treat Injury check, DC 15, or one day’s rest removes this penalty). A charging or running creature must immediately stop if it steps on a caltrop. See the avoid hazard stunt for the effect of caltrops on vehicles.

This set of odd-shaped flat metal bars can be slipped into the window seam of a car door to trip the lock. The DC of a Disable Device check to accomplish this varies with the quality of the lock; see the skill description.

A portable laboratory for use with the Craft (chemical) skill, a chemical kit includes the tools and components necessary for mixing and analyzing acids, bases, explosives, toxic gases, and other chemical compounds.

This kit contains everything needed to use the Demolitions skill to set detonators, wire explosive devices, and disarm explosive devices. Detonators must be purchased separately.

This kit contains everything needed to use the Disguise skill, including makeup, brushes, mirrors, wigs, and other accoutrements. It doesn’t contain clothing or uniforms, however.

The usefulness of duct tape is limited only by a character’s imagination. Duct tape can support up to 200 pounds indefinitely, or up to 300 pounds for 1d6 rounds. Characters bound with duct tape must make a Strength or Escape Artist check (DC 20) to free themselves.

A roll provides 70 feet of tape, 2 inches wide.

### Electrical Tool Kit

This collection of hand tools and small parts typically includes a variety of pliers, drivers, cutting devices, fasteners, power tools, and leads and wires.

*Basic*: This small kit allows a character to make Repair checks to electrical or electronic devices without penalty.

*Deluxe*: This kit consists of a number of specialized diagnostic and repair tools as well as thousands of spare parts. It grants a +2 equipment bonus on Repair checks for electrical or electronic devices and allows a character to make Craft (electronic) checks without penalty.

### Evidence Kits

Law enforcement agencies around the world use generally the same tools to gather evidence. Having an evidence kit does not grant access to a law enforcement agency’s crime lab; it merely assists in the proper gathering and storing of evidence for use by such a lab. Without an evidence kit, a character receives a –4 penalty to use the collect evidence option of the Investigate skill.

*Basic*: A basic evidence kit includes clean containers, labels, gloves, tweezers, swabs, and other items to gather bits of physical evidence and prevent them from becoming contaminated.

*Deluxe*: A deluxe kit includes all the materials in a basic kit, plus supplies for analyzing narcotic substances at the scene and for gathering more esoteric forms of physical evidence such as casts and molds of footprints or vehicle tracks, as well as chemical residues and organic fluids. It also contains the necessary dusts, sprays, brushes, adhesives, and cards to gather fingerprints. It grants a +2 equipment bonus on Investigate checks under appropriate circumstances (whenever the GM rules that the equipment in the kit can be of use in the current situation).

Using a deluxe kit to analyze a possible narcotic substance or basic chemical requires a Craft (chemical) check (DC 15). In this case, the +2 equipment bonus does not apply.

### Fake ID

Purchasing a falsified driver’s license from a black market source can produce mixed results, depending on the skill of the forger. Typically, a forger has 1 to 4 ranks in the Forgery skill, with a +1 ability modifier. When a character purchases a fake ID, the GM secretly makes a Forgery check for the forger, which serves as the DC for the opposed check when someone inspects the fake ID. The purchase DC of a fake ID is 10 + the forger’s ranks in the Forgery skill.

### First Aid Kit

Available at most drugstores and camping supply stores, this kit contains enough supplies (and simple instructions for their use) to treat an injury before transporting the injured person to a medical professional. A first aid kit can be used to help a dazed, unconscious, or stunned character by making a Treat Injury check (DC 15). A first aid kit can be used only once. Skill checks made without a first aid kit incur a –4 penalty.

### Forgery Kit

This kit contains everything needed to use the Forgery skill to prepare forged items. Depending on the item to be forged, a character might need legal documents or other items not included in the kit.

### Handcuffs

Handcuffs are restraints designed to lock two limbs—normally the wrists—of a prisoner together. They fit any Medium-size or Small human or other creature that has an appropriate body structure.

*Steel*: These heavy-duty cuffs have hardness 10, 10 hit points, a break DC of 30, and require a Disable Device check (DC 25) or Escape Artist check (DC 35) to remove without the key.

*Zip-Tie*: These are single-use disposable handcuffs, much like heavy-duty cable ties. They have hardness 0, 4 hit points, and a break DC of 25. They can only be removed by cutting them off (Disable Device and Escape Artist checks automatically fail).

### Instrument, Keyboard

A portable keyboard, necessary in order to use the Perform (keyboard instrument) skill.

### Instrument, Percussion

A set of drums, necessary in order to use the Perform (percussion instrument) skill.

### Instrument, Stringed

An electric guitar, necessary in order to use the Perform (stringed instrument) skill.

### Instrument, Wind

A flute, necessary in order to use the Perform (wind instrument) skill.

### Lockpick Set

A lockpick set includes picks and tension bars for opening locks operated by standard keys. A lockpick set allows a character to make Disable Device checks to open mechanical locks (deadbolts, keyed entry locks, and so forth) without penalty.

### Lock Release Gun

This small, pistollike device automatically disables cheap and average mechanical locks operated by standard keys (no Disable Device check necessary).

### Mechanical Tool Kit

This collection of hand tools and small parts typically includes a variety of pliers, drivers, cutting devices, fasteners, and even power tools.

*Basic*: This kit, which fits in a portable toolbox, allows a character to make Repair checks for mechanical devices without penalty.

*Deluxe*: This kit fills a good-sized shop cabinet. It includes a broad variety of specialized hand tools and a selection of high-quality power tools. It grants a +2 equipment bonus on Repair checks for mechanical devices and allows a character to make Craft (mechanical) or Craft (structural) checks without penalty.

### Medical Kit

About the size of a large tackle box, this is the sort of kit commonly carried by military medics and civilian EMTs. It contains a wide variety of medical supplies and equipment. A medical kit can be used to treat a dazed, unconscious, or stunned character, to provide long-term care, to restore hit points, to treat a diseased or poisoned character, or to stabilize a dying character (see the Treat Injury skill). Skill checks made without a medical kit incur a –4 penalty.

### Multipurpose Tool

This device contains several different screwdrivers, a knife blade or two, can opener, bottle opener, file, short ruler, scissors, tweezers, and wire cutters. The whole thing unfolds into a handy pair of pliers. A multipurpose tool can lessen the penalty for making Repair, Craft (mechanical), Craft (electronic), or Craft (structural) checks without appropriate tools to –2 instead of the normal –4. The tool is useful for certain tasks, as determined by the GM, but may not be useful in all situations.

### Pharmacist Kit

A portable pharmacy for use with the Craft (pharmaceutical) skill, a pharmacist kit includes everything needed to prepare, preserve, compound, analyze, and dispense medicinal drugs.

### Search-and-Rescue Kit

This waist pack contains a first aid kit, a compass, waterproof matches, a lightweight “space” blanket, a standard flashlight, 50 feet of durable nylon rope, two smoke grenades, and one signal flare.

### Spike Strip

This device is designed to help the police end car chases. The strip comes rolled in a spool about the size of a small suitcase. Deploy it by rolling it across a roadway, where it lies like a flat, segmented belt. (The user can roll it out onto the road without entering the lane of traffic.) Until the strip is activated, the spikes do not protrude, and cars can pass safely over it. When the user activates it (via a control device attached to the end of the strip by a 10-foot-long cord), the spikes extend.

Each time a creature moves through a square containing an activated spike strip at any rate greater than half speed, or each round a creature spends fighting in such an area, the spike strip makes a touch attack roll (base attack bonus +0). The strip deals 2 points of damage on a successful hit, and the injury reduces foot speed to half normal (a successful Treat Injury check, DC 15, or one day’s rest removes this penalty). Wheeled vehicles passing over the strip are automatically hit—although vehicles equipped with puncture-resistant tires are not affected.