Tools of the Trade [The Vault #16]

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Bandits have "a very particular set of skills. Skills they have acquired over a (sometimes) very long career. Skills that make them an annoyance for people like" our adventurers (to borrow some lines from Taken)...Those skills have led to the development of twenty tricky tools, which we detail below. As we have before, we can use them against the adventurers or give them to them as specialized Loot. One might also  give them to besieged heroes defending a location or castle as options to fortify their position (for the Gears of War fans that want RPG Horde!).

  1. _False Bottom_ (#Bottom) There might be a hidden compartment somewhere...> On a Notice check of 12 or above, the adventurers uncover a random :loot: item.

  2. _Superior Lock_ (#Lock) The latest in mechanical security. > Requires a Lockpicking :roll: of 15 or above. On success the door or chest is opened. On failure, lose 1 Persona.

  3. _Lockpicks_ (#Picks) Illegal in most principalities. > These clever little picks and hooks grant a +5 to Lockpicking :roll:s.

  4. _Wrist Sheath_ (#Sheath) Every villain should own one. > The element of surprise the hidden weapon affords grants a +2 to one :melee: ability :roll:.

  5. _Poisoner's Ring_ (#PRing) Let's shake hands! > Reveal after a social interaction. On a :roll: of 7 or above, the little poisoned prick administers the subtle substance (we will be publishing an episode of The Vault with 20 poisons soon. It will be linked here once we do).

  6. _Tripwire_ (#Trip) You wish you'd seen it. > On a Notice :roll: of 12 or below, you take a hard fall. Suffer 1 hp of damage and -3 to the next ability :roll:. If you rolled a 1, you lose the next ability action you'd normally take.

  7. _Tracking Dart_ (#Dart) The fusion of magic and malice. > Fire into an object or person with any successful :ranged: ability :roll:. On success it deposits a magical powder that allows one to track the victim for the next 24 hours.

  8. _Invisibility Potion_ (#Potion) A favorite of pilferers and pervs. > Makes one invisible for one round. Gain a +2 to your ability :roll: and subtract 2 from any damage suffered. The potion doesn't work against :beast: encounter cards if the adventurer :rolls: 8 or less on their ability this round.

  9. _Sneak Shoes_ (#SShoes) Padded silken slippers. > Gain a +3 to Sneak checks.

  10. _Golden Garrote_ (#Garrote) You appreciate that they're killing you in style. > Play a :melee: ability and expend this card. On success, add a +3 to damage of the ability.

  11. _Manacles of Malice_ (#Manacles) For torture or recreation? > On a :roll: of 8 or above deal 1 extra damage this round or reduce the damage you suffer by 1. Duplicate these results for two additional rounds.

  12. _Pit Trap_ (#PTrap) Someone's been working hard... > Roll a Notice check of 13 or above to avoid the Trap. On a failure suffer 3 hp damage and -3 to :melee: abilities next round.

  13. _Net Snare_ (#Snare) It'd be relaxing if you weren't surrounded by villains. > Roll to Escape Bonds on a 13 or above. On a failure you cannot use :melee: abilities for 2 rounds. All other abilities suffer -3 to rolls until you escape (takes 2 rounds to cut free).

  14. _Caltrops_ (#Caltrops) Ooohh! Shiney! > Roll an athletics check to avoid suffering 1 hp damage and -1 to the next ability :roll: If used as :loot:, use to inflict 1 hp of damage on up to 3 targets.

  15. _Sap_ (#Sap) Time to drop the curtain on them. > Make a :roll: with a risk/difficulty equal to the target's current hp. If the :roll: is greater, the adventurer cannot use an ability this round. If an Encounter card is the target, it's Tier is reduced to 0 (for purposes of calculating damage) for one round. If this is a surge round, it also doesn't surge.

  16. _Bottomless Bag_ (#BBag) This magical pouch is excellent for storage and kidnapping. > The user need only think of the contents they wish to summon before opening the bag. If it's in there, it will appear (though it may not be alive or cooperative). Getting people in may be a more difficult matter!

  17. _Scroll of Safety_ (#Safety) More a scrap of paper than a scroll, really... > When this scrap of paper is crushed, the bearer is teleported to the location written on it. Often used to retreat.

  18. _Doorjamb_ (#Door) Used to jamb doors and delay pesky pursuers. > If in a building, may be spent to jam a door and give adventurers one round to heal or perform another action {there must be another room to flee to first}.

  19. _Spyglass_ (#Spyglass) It lives up to the name. > Gain a +3 to Search :rolls:.

  20. _Marbles_ (#Marbles) A child's tool that becomes dangerous in a fight or chase. > On a :roll: of 9 or above, up to 2 ground-bound foes stumble and take 1 hp damage. On a :roll: of 1, the user or an associate stumbles and suffers the damage.

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