BITS – Gear Maker

If making a roleplaying game, there must be guidelines available to fill the game with gear.

BITS as an RPG system keeps it real with simple, universal rules for equipment. Every paradigm results in the single ‘value’ of equipment that BITS uses for everything from effectiveness to monetary amount to requirements for use in game.

Because BITS also makes for different kinds of games, it also comes with different methods for putting together a design consistent and (fairly) balanced.

Let’s cover what those are:

Kind

What kind of thing is it?

The simplest question with the simplest answer. This category of gear creation is as simple as comparing what is wanted with what is available or similar on charts.

For readability, let me label separate charts for separate things (though every piece of gear could go onto every other list – the tiers remain the same):

Tier	Medieval / Fantasy Weapon Kind
0	Fists, Feet, Darts
1	Knives, Cudgels, Hatchets, Whips, Sticks, Rocks, Slings, Mini Crossbows
2	Swords, Clubs, Maces, Axes, Spears, Short Bows
3	Broadswords, Battle Axes, Flails, Warhammers, Pikes, Lances, Crossbows
4	Claymores, Zweihanders, Great Mauls, Halberds, Long Bows
6	Especially Magical Weapons, Ballistae
10	Siege Machines

Tier	Medieval / Fantasy Armor Kind
0	Clothing
1	Leather, Furs, Round or Square Shield
2	Studded Leather, Mail, Kite or Legionnaire Shield
3	Partial Plate, Wall Shield
4	Full Plate, Wheeled Shield
6	Especially Magical Armor or Shields
10	Stone Wall, Metal Gate

Tier	Modern / Sci Fi Weapon Kind
0	Tasers
1	Pistols
2	SMGs
3	Assault Rifles, Chained Swords
4	LMGs, High Powered Rifles, Shotguns, SAWs, Molecular Blades
6	Rockets, Grenades, Miniguns, Sawn Shotguns, Energy Swords
10	Missiles, Artillery Shells, Vulcan Cannons

Tier	Modern / Sci Fi Armor Kind
0	Clothes
1	Kevlar, Riot Suits
2	Ceramic Plates, Bulletproof Glass
3	Shelled Carapace, Ballistic Shield
4	Bomb Suits, Powered Armor, Light Force Field
6	Mech Armor, Ship Hull, Tank Hull, Force Field
10	Spaceship Hull, Structural Force Field

Make

What is the make-up of this thing?

This method requires more work but can enable a game designer to create unique-yet balanced equipment.

The formula goes like this:

Tier = SUM(all elements of thing)

An example would be a Large, Automatic, Grenade Thrower. Large is +2, Automatic is +1, and Grenade ammo is +1, making this weapon a Tier 4 weapon.

Same can be done with a Normal Pike. Halberds are Large (+2) but this one is Normal (+0), so the weapon is T2. (This contradicts the previous section, but that is game design – fiddle with the value +/- 1 to get something that “feels right.”)

All elements are either +0, +1, or +2 in value. A small list of those elements as might concern combat equipment:

Thing	+0	+1	+2
Melee Size	Small, Off-Hand	Medium, 1-Hand	Large, 2-Hands
Gun Size	Small, Off-Hand	Medium, 2-Hands	Large, 2-Hands
Melee	Normal	Chained	Powered
Ranged	Bullet, Laser	Explosive	Plasma
Area	Flame	Grenade, Rocket	Bomb, Missile
Magazine	Unchanged	Drum, Extended	Link Fed
Quality	Mundane	Blessed, Master	Ancient, Exotic
Shield	Normal	Plated	Powered

A T1 Laser Pistol, a T2 Chained Sword, a T3 Powered Maul, a T4 Large, Powered Shield, a T10 (!??) Ancient, Large, Link-Fed, Twin Missile Launcher 🚀

Mind, some elements are exclusive (i.e. a thing cannot have two different sizes). Otherwise, the math is simple and easy to follow.

So simple, in fact, an RPG that allows customizing a character can give players an allowance, a number of ‘points’ to buy and make gear of their own.

These elements discussed don’t cover everything, nor does every element fit nicely into a +0, +1, +2 system. Be a designer – adapt! Wiggle the numbers or add rules instead.

Some suggestions of elements that add rules instead of numbers:

• A second weapon (grenade launcher on a rifle, flame thrower built into a shield, a shield or bayonet fitted to a laser gun).
• Scopes that increase range.
• ‘Smart’ seeking ammunition.
• Compact design to make something be a size smaller without losing the bonus (e.g. Moderate +1 size made into a Small +1 carbine).
• Extreme fire rate that does two attacks at once.
• Extreme fire power that does extra over an area or by ignoring armor.

Follow?

–

Only these two categories for gear crafting in BITS. That’s it 🤷‍♂️

I have tried other methods of making weapons, armor, and stuff in general and nothing fits as nicely as considering what Kind or Make of a thing there is. Both have applicability depending on how they ‘feel’ with other mechanics and player expectations for customizability.

Oh, again, of course these groupings can be fudged +/- 1 depending on game needs. Heck, in a “modern” game of mine without knights and magic, melee weapons are either T1 or T2 depending on size, all strung weapons are T3, and missiles fit into T6 instead of T10.

Gotta do what you gotta do 😉

Which do you think is the best way to craft equipment? Where have you seen similar or (gasp!) better systems?

Tell me in the comments, send me a dm. Cheers ~