Some New Rules

Ok, so I've been a bit slow updating the blog. However, I've wrapped up my long running Hero campaign and now I can really focus on getting Savage!

I've got a couple of new rules I initially worked on for Future Perfect, however, I noticed that there is no reason why they won't work for any Savage Worlds setting.

The new rules are:

WORN ITEMS

Characters may purchase equipment that is considered well-worn or previouly owned for half the listed price. Such gear has considerable wear and tear and is less reliable that if it was new. Thus, armor and clothing is more likely to fall apart, weapons are more likely to break or jam, and technological equipment more prone to malfunction.

• A penalty of 1 to all rolls to determine breakage or malfunction of a weapon or technological item.
• A penalty of 1 to all rolls to determine armor ablation after a combat.
• Any roll for malfunctioning equipment is considered one step more severe.

Furthermore, all such equipment is always OBVIOUSLY well worn, and may affect the reactions of other people in certain social situations.

Only personal equipment may be subject to this rule (it does not apply to vehicles, rent, food, etc).

ARMOR ABLATION

At the end of any combat scene during which a character is struck while wearing physical armor, the parties involved must check to see if the armor has been damaged, and to what extent.

To test for Armor Ablation, roll a d6 and modify the roll as follows:

• (+1) No attack ever actually penetrated the Armor
• (-1) Character suffered a wound in combat from an attack to an area covered by the Armor (take once for each attack, not once for each wound)
• (-1) Character was in the radius of a blast or burst effect
• (+1) Armor is of Exceptional Quality
• (-1) Armor is considered Low Quality
• (-1) Armor is considered Worn Gear
• (-1) Armor has been Improperly Maintained

If the total roll is 4 or higher, the armor is essentially fine, needing only routine maintenance to restore its functionality (otherwise, treat armor as Improperly Maintained the next time Armor Ablation must be rolled). Routine maintenance is defined as time spent performing general upkeep of ones gear; it need not be roleplayed or rolled, so long as it is declared as part of a character’s activities or routine.

If the total is 8 or more, not even maintenance is needed.

If the total roll is less than one, subtract a point of armor from its armor value. For every four points less than that, the armor value takes additional damage:

• (-8) Armor is extensively damaged; reduce the value of the armor by half its full, undamaged value or by -3, whichever is the more negative.
• (-4) Armor is damaged; subtract 2 Points of Armor
• (0) Armor is lightly damaged; subtract 1 Point of Armor
• (+4) Armor is fine, but could use some maintenance
• (+8) Armor is not even scuffed!

Damaged armor still needs to be maintained, or it counts as Improperly Maintained when making future rolls. Furthermore, Armor may be repaired normally provided its total value has not reached zero. Doing so requires appropriate materials and the successful use of the Repair skill. The skill attempt is modified accordingly:

• (No Modifier) Armor is reduced by up to 1/4 of its value
• (-1) Armor is reduced by 1/4 up to half its value
• (-2) Armor is reduced by half to up to 3/4 of its value
• (-3) Armor is reduced by 3/4 or more of its value, but is not yet at 0 Armor Value

Repairing armor takes half an hour per point of Armor being repaired, with raises halving the total time to completion.

If Armor is reduced to zero points (or less!), then it is too badly damaged for normal repairs. It must instead be restored. Restoration requires the use of the Repair skill, under the same conditions listed above. Failure means the Armor cannot be restored. Success results in a successful Restoration, which returns the Armor to useable as Worn equipment.