Character Build Step Four:
Buy Character Items
A character’s items help make a character come to life. Atomic RPG System Items can be any number of things from weapons and armor to clothes, food, and even vehicles. The Atomic Item System is designed with the same goals as the rest of the Atomic RPG System system. Atomic Items are meant to be incredibly customizable and the rules governing items in the Atomic Role Playing Game System are fairly unrestrictive.
How Atomic RPG System Items are Different?
The fundamental thing about Atomic RPG System Items that make them so different is that the item itself has no properties, it is strictly for description. Items are for role playing and descriptive flavor but have no bonuses or penalties associated with them. A character wearing a personal shield generator, full plate armor, or a swim suit will not receive any benefit to their character stats by doing so. It looks cool and fits a character’s personality, but if the item itself does not have any Effects attached to it, it is simply for looks and role playing. However, if you add Item Effect of Defense +4, then any of those items will add +4 to the character’s Defenses when equipped.
Consider this: A highly trained strong medieval knight wearing full plate could make use of the armor to increase their defense. On the flip side, a young boy wearing the same heavy full plate armor would only be hindered by the armor making him more vulnerable. The boy should probably wear something smaller and lighter. This is the idea behind the Atomic RPG System. It is not the item itself, but the Item Effects and Powers of the tool that actually grant bonuses. So anything that has the Item Effect of Defenses +4 can then be used by the character to grant them the bonus to Defenses.
Any item can be improved with bonuses a player would like the item to give a character. The Atomic RPG System is specifically designed to set gamers’ imaginations free. Atomic RPG System Items empower the player to make exactly the character they want to play in the Atomic RPG System.
Atomic RPG System Item Guidelines and Rules
- Items that grant Specialties give the character that Specialty when equipped. They are considered Specialties and not item effects. These Specialties will not stack with Specialties the character already has.
- Items that grant Specialties are assumed to give all required Specialties for what is listed.
- Items with Powers on them can be used like At-Will powers, meaning they will not be expended. However, it takes an Action to use a Power from an item.
- Items with Powers must have a Discipline Focus. This Discipline Focus must match the Power. This item can only be used by a Atomic RPG System player character that also has that particular Discipline. Exceptions to this rule are Disposable Items and Legendary Items.
- Like other things in the Atomic RPG System item effects do not stack. Players can only use the highest bonus that is available to them.
- There is no limit on how many items a player character can have.
- Any item can offer any bonus. This allows the player and Game Master’s imagination to run wild and allow any character any item without penalty.
- Using a defensive Disposable item such as a potion is a Minor Action.
- Using an offensive Disposable item such as a grenade is an Action.
How Many Items A Character Use
Micro management of items and equipment slows the game down and has little to no effect on the game itself. The Atomic RPG System system recognizes this and leaves items and equipment open to being fully customized so players can choose and design items that work with and for their character. Since Atomic RPG System Items are so customizeable it is OK to have one item with all your powers or many items that tweak character stats here and there. There are few limits to what a player can do with the Atomic RPG System Item system, but they far fewer then most other role play games.
In the Atomic RPG System you can have, use and wear as many items as you want and it doesn’t matter where or what the items you use to give you bonuses.
How Much Can a Character Carry
The amount of weight a character can carry is dependent on the character’s Athletics Skill. Check the details for that skill for the specifics but ultimately if a character stays under that weight they will be fine. If they exceed that weight they cannot move very far. It is up to your GM how strictly they adhere to it. But for the most part it makes little difference either way, game mechanically speaking.
Unlimited Items With Balanced Power
The Atomic RPG System system moderates and balances the freedom of infinite customization by allowing only one specific type of bonus to be used at a time.
Bonuses in the Atomic RPG System system do not stack.
This means a character can strap 20 +2 to Attack and Damage pistols all over themselves, but only the best bonus of all of them can be used to enhance a player character.
However, a character can stack bonuses of different types. Standard Types are:
- Item Bonus
- Specialty Bonus
- Power Bonus
Meaning a character can stack a +2 Attack Item, with a +2 Attack Specialty, and +2 Attack Power for a total of +6 to Attack.
How Much Does This All Cost My Character
Atomic RPG System Items can be gained as treasure from an adventure, bought from a merchant or vendor, or even made by the character themselves. Atomic Items can come in all shapes and sizes and can do almost anything.
Atomic RPG System characters start with some cash to get some basic items and gear. The rest will be gained through adventuring!
Start off by searching through the ever-expanding database of Atomic RPG System Items. If you can’t find what you want or need there, try to find something that has the effects that you are looking for. Add that to your character and then edit the name and description to whatever it is you would like to customize it to. Lastly, if there is simply nothing in the database that matches your needs you can always use the Atomic RPG System Item Generator to create that perfect item your character has always wanted.