Survival Gear

Survival gear helps characters keep themselves alive in the great outdoors.

This disposable plastic stick, when activated, uses a chemical reaction to create light for 6 hours. It illuminates an area only 5 feet in radius. Once activated, it can’t be turned off or reused. The listed purchase DC is for a pack of 5 sticks.

All of the tools and equipment that climbing enthusiasts use to make climbing easier and, in some cases, possible, including rope (150 ft.), pulleys, helmet and pads, gloves, spikes, chocks, ascenders, pitons, a hand ax (for ice climbing), and a harness. It takes 10 minutes to remove the gear from its pack and outfit it for use. Use this gear with the Climb skill.

A compass relies on the Earth’s magnetic field to determine the direction of magnetic north. A compass grants its user a +2 equipment bonus on Navigate checks.

This portable apparatus uses a chemical spray to extinguish small fires. The typical fire extinguisher ejects enough extinguishing chemicals to put out a fire in a 10-foot-by-10-foot area as a move action. It contains enough material for two such uses.

These eye coverings provide total protection against blinding light.

 Flashlights come in a wide variety of sizes and quality levels. Those covered here are professional, heavy-duty models, rugged enough to withstand the rigors of modern adventuring. Flashlights negate penalties for darkness within their illuminated areas. Flashlights function for 6 hours on their standard batteries.

Standard
This heavy metal flashlight projects a beam 30 feet long and 15 feet across at its end.
Pen Light
This small flashlight can be carried on a key ring. It projects a beam of light 10 feet long and 5 feet wide at its end.
Flood Light
Practically a handheld spotlight, this item projects a bright beam 100 feet cone.
Head Lamp
These lights do not need the user to hold them in their hand keeping their hands free and the light conveniently located where it can give the best illumination.
Search Light
Search lights are often mounted on a vehicle and use its battery as long as the vehicle runs, but a character may use one by hand if the purchase a battery pack (Purchase DC 8). This like provides illumination in a tight beam out to 300 feet, but only 30 feet wide at the end. It can be refocused to illuminate an area up to 60 feet away in a cone.
Electric Lantern
These lanterns are favorable over kerosene for their reduced fire risk but are much heavier. The lamp provides light in all directions up to 30 feet.
A flashlight can be upgraded to illuminate triple the range but reduce their run time to 2 hours with a new light bulb (purchase DC 8) and a repair check (DC 10). The battery life can be tripled on Standard lights, Lanterns, and Flood lights but doubling the weight with an upgraded battery kit (purchase DC 7) and a repair check (DC 10).

This apparatus covers the face and connects to a chemical air filter canister to protect the lungs and eyes from toxic gases. It provides total protection from eye and lung irritants. The filter canister lasts for 12 hours of use. Changing a filter is a move action.

The filter canister lasts for 12 hours of use. Changing a filter is a move action. Canisters are usually specific to a single gas type or a small set of types.

Global positioning system receivers use signals from GPS satellites to determine the receiver’s location to within a few dozen feet. A GPS receiver grants its user a +4 equipment bonus on Navigate checks, but because the receiver must be able to pick up satellite signals, it only works outdoors.

## Maps

While a compass or GPS receiver can help characters find their way through the wilderness, a map can tell a character where he or she is going and what to expect when he or she gets there.

Road atlases are available for the entire United States, showing all major roads in each state. They can also be purchased for most major metropolitan areas, detailing every street in the entire region.

A tactical map covers a small area—usually a few miles on a side—in exacting detail. Generally, every building is represented, along with all roads, trails, and areas of vegetation. Tactical maps are not available for all areas, and, though inexpensive, they generally have to be ordered from federal mapping agencies (taking a week or longer to obtain).

This is a lightweight vest with a series of pockets for items such as a compass, spare ammunition magazines, pressure bandages, and a radio, along with loops for attaching grenades, knives, or tools. It can hold up to 40 pounds of equipment.

A mesh vest provides a +2 equipment bonus to Strength for the purpose of determining carrying capacity.

This small stove works on kerosene or white gasoline, and can easily be broken down and carried for backpacking.

## Ropes

Rope comes in all lengths, materials, and strengths. Different ropes are used for different functions, but for the most part, any rope can be used to perform any function at least once as long as it is strong enough. Rope here is for 150 ft. lengths.

This is for 150 ft. of rope found at most hardware stores. This cheap rope can support up to 250 pounds. Generally any moderate abrasion will cut the rope.

This is for 150 ft. of climbing rope. Climbing rope can support up to 1,000 pounds.

This is for 150 ft. of rescue rope used in harsh environments. It can handle temperatures up to 200 degrees before loosing strength. Rescue rope can support up to 2,000 pounds.

This lightweight sleeping bag rolls up compactly. It can keep a character warm even in severe weather and can also double as a stretcher in an emergency.

A tent keeps a character warm and dry in severe weather, providing a +2 equipment bonus on Fortitude saves against the effects of cold weather. Camouflaged tents may be purchased with a +2 to the purchase DC making them much harder to see (Spot check DC 20) in the appropriate environment declared at the time of purchase.

Trail rations come in a number of commercial options. They all provide the necessary energy and nutrition for survival. The purchase DC given is for a case of 12 meals.

This equipment includes Snow Shoes, Snow Poles, Avalanche Beacon, snow shovel, snow saw (reduce material gather time by half), extreme conditions ground pad for sleeping, water proof bags to keep things dry. This does not include a backpack, parka, or chemical warmers.

Avalanche Beacon
This provide a +4 equipment bonus in locating a berried creature within 100 yards. Both creatures must have one to gain this bonus.
Igloo
this takes two hours to build plus 30 minutes for each additional medium creature that must fit in it. once built, creatures in it get a +4 circumstance bonus to Fortitude saves to resist hypothermia effects.