Questions on buying starting gear

Burning Empires Tech Burner
1

Right. I’m trying to sort out some starting gear for my character, and I’m running into problems. Basically, it seems like there are different costs for stuff in different places. We’re on a Low Index world.

  1. I want a CEBW. What’s the correct cost?

a. 1RP gets you a basic weapon of the appropriate index (p111). So one RP.

b. 1RP gets you 4TTPs (p111). 2TTPs gets you a close combat weapon (p382). So ‘half’ an RP - for one RP I could get a CEBW and a hand-to-hand weapon, or a concealable CEBW.

  1. I also want a psychohistory workshop. What’s the correct cost?

a. A tool set or workshop appropriate to your lifepaths costs 1RP (p110).

b. A psychohistory workshop costs 2RPs during character burning (p239).

c. 1RP gets you 4TTPs (p111). Tools for psychohistorians cost 10TTPs (p386). So 3RPs, with some room to tweak.

I’ll probably have follow-up questions, because I want to tweak stuff as well, but I’m trying to get the basics straight first.

2

  1. a.
    Only use b if you’re creating tech with the tech burner.

  2. b. Psychohistory is special.

The rules for buying tweaked tech in character burning are described on page 111. Use the technology burner to tweak the tech.

3

Okay, thanks. Looks like I was overthinking things for buying off-the-rack.

Now, let’s see if I’ve got the procedure for making a custom weapon in character burning.

#1: Pick the type of weapon and take the appropriate cost.

#2: Select a weapon of the appropriate type and tech level to act as the base. This should be chosen from the simplest/least powerful weapons - advanced/more powerful weapons cost extra.

For example, an appropriate low-index close-combat weapon would be a CEBW or a security baton. You’d have to pay a point or two extra (from the More Powerful penalty) for a SCrEW or a Kerrn sword.

#3: If you want to change the ammo or range category, you pay for the new category in full. You don’t get any discount for upgrading, and you still have to pay if you’re downgrading.

#4: Discard any unwanted traits. You do not get any points back for them. Add any new traits, paying for them in full.

#5: Total up the cost in TTPs. Work out how many RPs that is. You’re done.

So, for example, I want to build a chainsword on a Sub-Index world. That’s a close-combat weapon (2TTPs) built on a sword base. I add a capacitor (4TTPs). I add the Devastator trait (3TTPs), the Unwieldy trait (-2TTPs) and the Unreliable trait (-1TTP). My total cost is (2+4+3-2-1=) 6TTPs, which costs me 3RPs in character burning. Anything I haven’t changed (range, IMS values) are the same as the basic sword.

Oh, one other question. If you change a weapon’s range, does that also change its Die of Fate profile to match?

For example, if I made a sawn-off shotgun by starting with a jack gun and modifying it to close-combat range, would it now roll the DoF as a close-combat weapon (1-3/4-5/6) or as the assault weapon it started out as (1-2/3-4/5-6)?

4

Okay, thanks. Looks like I was overthinking things for buying off-the-rack.

Now, let’s see if I’ve got the procedure for making a custom weapon in character burning.

#1: Pick the type of weapon and take the appropriate cost.

#2: Select a weapon of the appropriate type and tech level to act as the base. This should be chosen from the simplest/least powerful weapons - advanced/more powerful weapons cost extra.

For example, an appropriate low-index close-combat weapon would be a CEBW or a security baton. You’d have to pay a point or two extra (from the More Powerful penalty) for a SCrEW or a Kerrn sword.

#3: If you want to change the ammo or range category, you pay for the new category in full. You don’t get any discount for upgrading, and you still have to pay if you’re downgrading.

#4: Discard any unwanted traits. You do not get any points back for them. Add any new traits, paying for them in full.

#5: Total up the cost in TTPs. Work out how many RPs that is. You’re done.

So, for example, I want to build a chainsword on a Sub-Index world. That’s a close-combat weapon (2TTPs) built on a sword base. I add a capacitor (4TTPs). I add the Devastator trait (3TTPs), the Unwieldy trait (-2TTPs) and the Unreliable trait (-1TTP). My total cost is (2+4+3-2-1=) 6TTPs, which costs me 3RPs in character burning. Anything I haven’t changed (range, IMS values) are the same as the basic sword.

Oh, one other question. If you change a weapon’s range, does that also change its Die of Fate profile to match?

For example, if I made a sawn-off shotgun by starting with a jack gun and modifying it to close-combat range, would it now roll the DoF as a close-combat weapon (1-3/4-5/6) or as the assault weapon it started out as (1-2/3-4/5-6)?

5

You’ve got the tech burn correct.

That’s an interesting question for that last bit. I think you keep the damage/DoF. You’re paying more for the downgrade.