AoA: CHapter 7 - Equipment

In AoA, various items and devices will aid PCs in their adventures. Many common items can be assumed to exist and be available depending on the area and situation that the characters find themselves in. GMs can, of course, build a complete list of items available in any given area before play, but this may be an overly tedious task. GMs can also use the list of items included at the end of this chapter to generate items that Players may inquire about and wish to use.

Items have an assigned ‘Item Value’ (abbreviated ‘IV’) that is determined by the effects the item can measurably have, as well as the weight, Resistance, and reparability of the item. Though the GM is ultimately responsible for determining the monetary cost and attainability of items in the game, the IV provides a basic value which gives a basis for determining the in-game monetary or trade cost of the item.

The various features of items are defined below and will provide a basis for building items in the game:

Item Name

The name of the item refers to the simple ‘type’ of object – such as a hammer, rope, arrow, etc. It can also refer to a unique item that is named such as a special weapon like ‘Excalibur’ or ‘Mjolnir’. The name of the item has no effect on the Item Value

Description

The description of the item includes a basic definition of the item’s use as well as the measurable effect the item has on the character abilities. Items can directly add points to Ability Checks, Hit Point availability or MAX Hit Points. Every point the item adds or subtracts towards any Ability or Hit Point category will add +1 to the IV. Items may also have Kinetic effects, and the IV will be equal to its relative ability in terms of what kind of kinetic ability or boost is produced by the item.

If the item both adds to and subtracts from various categories, then the score added to the IV is a factor of both. If it only adds or only subtracts, then the point value added to the IV is equal to the number added or subtracted. 

Standard effects

Measurable effects the item can have on PCs, NPCs, objects, etc. This is formatted differently for equipment. 

Kinetic effects

Conditional Activation
Method
Target
Element
Kinetic Power/range/ effect

Weight

The Weight of an object can add or subtract from the total item value. A value of one point is equal to 1 lbs. However, the Resistance score serves as a basis for determining how any points are added or deducted from the IV. 

Add 1 point for every pound under the Resistance score (lighter, more efficient items) and subtract a point for every point/pound above the Resistance score (heavier, less efficient items). Round up to the nearest full pound to determine the value that the weight of the object adds to or subtracts from the IV. The equation is simply Resistance minus Weight.

Resistance

The Resistance of an item represents how many times the item can be used or damaged before requiring repair or restoration. Every point towards Resistance also adds 1 point to the Item Value.  The Resistance of an object acts like the available HP does for characters. 

As an example: For standard weapons or armors being used during an attack against a foe or to the character, and the character’s action or defending action fails, the weapon or armor will take damage against its Resistance stat by 1 point. Equipment will also take damage if used in an improper manner. For example, a PC may attempt to deflect an attack with their weapon, or attack with their armor – this “improper” use of equipment will inevitably damage the item, and each such use will inflict 1 point of damage against the item, regardless of the outcome. Other such “improper” uses of equipment might include using a weapon as a tool to break open a door, pick a lock, etc. Ultimately, the call is up to the GM on whether any given action constitutes improper use of an item. 

For consumable items, this rule works differently, as the intended use of the item requires it be used-up. However, some such items may be re-used multiple times IF the item has points towards its restore stat.

Consumable vs Permanent 

If an item is ‘consumed’ during its normal use (and does not have the ability to be restored or repaired) then the item is gone (or leaves behind an empty container). If the item is a durable good, then it can be used indefinitely, unless something happens to damage the item. 

Repair

The Repair stat represents the maximum number of times that an object can be repaired or restored after the Resistance has been used up. This functions for items and objects like the Maximum HP does for characters. Every point towards the Restore stat adds a point towards the item value.

Duration

The Duration of an item’s effects is a subcategory of the item description. Any extended duration beyond the initial effect multiplies the IV value of the item description for every additional turn and/or every additional 5 minutes the effects last. It should be noted when creating such an object that any extended duration should be consistent with the type of item and manner it is being used. For example, a simple thrown dagger cannot continue to damage a target without being picked up and thrown again, but a smoke bomb may create a cloud of smoke, or other effects, that lasts for an extended period.

Alternative Uses of Items

Players may attempt to use items in ways not intended (for example: throwing an item at an enemy in order to distract and facilitate an escape) In such cases the currently available Weight, Resistance, and Restore ‘stats’ of the item may act as the relating Ability checks if allowed by the GM. In such cases, the Weight will supplement the Attack/Defense Abilities, the Resistance stat supplementing the Agility/ Endurance Ability checks, and the Restore Stat supplementing the Precision/ Evasion Ability checks. 

It is important for GMs to keep in mind that there may be items that could not sensibly be used in the ‘alternative’ manner prescribed above. Additionally, the supplementation of these stats for Ability checks does not mean that the character’s corresponding Ability scores may be added to the Check – this is reserved for items which have a specific application to Ability scores such as weapons, armor, and accessories (See the ‘Equipment’ paragraph later in this chapter). If a Player wishes to use an otherwise ‘mundane’ item as a weapon or armor, its effectiveness as such must be calculated and the Player must equip that item with one of their character's equipment slots on the Character Sheet. 

Packs

Items can be worn, carried by hand, or carried in a special item called a ‘Pack’. A Pack contains any items small enough to be held or carried by the character in any quantity so long as the capacity of the Pack is not exceeded by the total weight of the items being carried. This does not include any equipment which is currently being worn. 

Regarding how much weight a character can carry on them, the character’s Endurance Ability determines how much weight the character can bear. If the total weight of the items being carried in a pack or worn as Equipment exceeds the Endurance score (Each point towards Endurance counting as an additional 5 lbs of carrying capacity) then the character suffers a penalty of -1 towards any DEX related Abilities for every 1-5lbs over their limit. (Agility, Precision, Evasion, and Will). 

Equipment

Equipment refers to a special kind of item that characters wear or have readily available such as armor, weapons, and other accessories, and grant semi-permanent, conditional alterations to various kinds of Skill and Opposed Checks, as well as Kinetic Abilities. Switching equipment requires 1, uninterrupted, turn in combat.

Mounts

A Mount refers to a device or creature which a character may ‘mount’ or ride and control such as a Horse or a motorized vehicle. 

Unlike equipment, Mounts are independent devices or creatures with their own set of attributes. As such, Mounts are described using a simplified character sheet which indicates the name, Motivation scores, Hit Points, Kinetic Abilities, and Ability scores of the Mount. In the case of non-living devices, the Mount will not possess Alignment scores, and may not have AP or BP scores depending on the type of device.

For example, AP represents energy spent to act, so a device which is powered by hand and does not have its own energy source will naturally not possess this feature. HP, on the other hand, is a way to measure the Resistance of an object or character, and as such will be featured on such a device. 

Money

Various forms of currency exist in the world of Arden. The numerical amounts available to the character and type of currency can be indicated on the character Sheet. 

Since a sufficient amount of physical currency may have a substantial weight, amounts of paper money, coins, or other forms of money may be held in a character’s Inventory, and then distributed into the ‘Money’ box on the character sheet. This may represent the character’s money being kept in a separate, secure location, such as a safe or bank. These funds are available to character’s at the GMs discretion.

For example, GMs may choose to restrict access to a character’s Money while away from the location it is stored, or merely while away from populated areas that would naturally have no financial institutions. Or the GM may simply allow access to Money at all times.

List of Sample Items

The following items may be used in AoA games. GMs are free to create items according to the guidelines outlined in this chapter or modify items from this list. The following items have been categorized in order to be easily located mid-game.

Equipment

Weapons

Armor:

Bracers/ Arms

 Leather Bracers (Defense: Range 1, +1; Endurance: Range 1, +1 | Weight: 2; Durability: 2)

Greaves/ Legs

Leather Greaves (Defense: Range 2, +1; Endurance: Range 2, +1 | Weight: 3; Durability: 2)

Cuirass/ Body

Metal Cuirass (Defense: Range 2, +1; Speed: Range 2, +1 | Weight: 9; Durability: 4)

Helm/ Headgear

 Metal Helm (Defense: Range 1, +1; Endurance: Range 3, +1 | Weight: 3; Durability: 2)

Full Ultra Light

Padded Body Armor (Defense: Range 3, +1; Endurance: Range 1, +1 | Weight: 10; Durability: 4)

Full Light

 Leather Body Armor (Defense: Range 2, +1; Endurance: Range 1, +1 | Weight: 20; Durability: 4)

Full Med 

Chainmail Body Armor (Endurance: Range 3, +1; Speed: Range 1, +1 | Weight: 50; Durability: 5)

Full Heavy

 Metal Body Armor (Speed: Range 1& 2, +1| Weight: 100; Durability: 6)

Round

Round Wooden Shield (Defense: Range 1, +1; Speed: Range 1, +1 | Weight: 5; Durability: 3)

Light Shields

Metal Buckler (Endurance: Range 2, +1; Speed: Range 2, +1 | Weight: 10; Durability: 4) 

Med Shields 

Metal Heater Shield (Endurance: Range 2, +1; Speed: Range 3, +1 | Weight: 15; Durability: 4)

Heavy Shields 

Metal Pavise (Body) Shield (Speed: Range 3, +2 | Weight: 20; Durability: 4)

Updated 8/4/2023