Enhanced Items

The ability to plunder enhanced items from the hoards of conquered pirates, or discover them in long-lost Sith tombs is an experience players expect. Such items grant capabilities a character could rarely have otherwise, or they complement their owner's capabilities in wondrous ways.

Rarity#

Each enhanced item has a rarity: standard, premium, prototype, advanced, legendary, or artifact. Standard enhanced items are the most plentiful. Consequently, higher rarity items are more scarce. The game assumes that the secrets of creating the most powerful items arose centuries ago and were then gradually lost as a result of wars or mishaps. Even premium items can't be easily created. Thus, many enhanced items are unique and well-preserved relics.

Rarity provides a rough measure of an item's power relative to other enhanced items. Each rarity corresponds to a character level, as shown below in the Enhanced Item Rarity and Identification table. A character doesn't typically find a prototype enhanced item, for instance, until 5th-level or later. That said, rarity shouldn't get in the way of your campaign's story. If you want the darksaber to fall into the hands of 1st-level character, so be it. No doubt a great story will arise from that event.

Enhanced Item Rarity and Identification#

If your campaign allows for trade in enhanced items, rarity can also help you set prices for them. As the GM, you determine the value of an individual enhanced item based on its rarity. Suggested values are provided in the Enhanced Item Rarity table. The value of a consumable, such as a medpac or stimpac, is typically half the value of a permanent item of the same rarity.

Identifying Enhanced Items#

Some enhanced items have properties not readily distinguishable to the naked eye. Identifying such an item requires use of the analyze or telemetry power, or inspection with the appropriate tools.

If a player is proficient in the appropriate type of tools, as shown in the Tools by Item table on page \\\_, they can make a check with the tools to identify the properties of an enhanced item over the course of a short rest. To use this benefit, they must have the tools, and the enhanced item must be within reach. The DC is found above in the Enhanced Item Rarity and Identification table.

Variant: Simpler Identification#

If you prefer enhanced items to be more readily identifiable, you can allow characters to identify enhanced items through experimentation. Over the course of a short rest, a character can focus on one enhanced item while being in physical contact with it. At the end of the short rest, the character learns the item's properties, as well as how to use them.

Attunement#

Some enhanced items require a creature to form a bond with them before their enhanced properties can be used. This bond is called attunement, and certain items have a prerequisite for it. If the prerequisite is a class, a creature must be a member of that class to attune to the item.

Without becoming attuned to an item that requires attunement, a creature gains only its unenhanced benefits. For example, an enhanced heavy shield that requires attunement provides the benefits of a normal heavy shield to a creature not attuned to it, but none of its enhanced properties.

Attuning to an item requires a creature to spend an uninterrupted short rest focused on only that item while being in physical contact with it. This focus can take the form of weapon practice, meditation, or some other appropriate activity. At the end of the short rest, the creature gains an intuitive understanding of how to activate any enhanced properties of the item, including any necessary command words.

An item can be attuned to only one creature at a time, and a creature can be attuned to a maximum number of items equal to their proficiency bonus; any attempt to attune to an additional item fails. Standard, premium, and prototype items cost one attunement slot, while advanced, legendary and artifact cost two.

A creature's attunement to an item ends if the creature no longer satisfies the prerequisites for attunement, if the item has been more than 100 feet away for at least 24 hours, if the creature dies, or if another creature attunes to the item. A creature can also voluntarily end attunement by spending another short rest with the item, unless the item is cursed.

Variant: Simpler Attunement#

If you prefer a simpler method, you can instead allow your characters to have a total of three attunement slots. If you do so, enhanced items should only take one attunement slot, regardless of rarity.

Cursed Items#

Some enhanced items bear curses that bedevil their users, sometimes long after a user has stopped using an item. An enhanced item's description specifies whether the item is cursed. Most methods of identifying items, such as the analyze tech power, fail to reveal such a curse, although lore might hint at it. A curse should be a surprise to the item's user when the curse's effects are revealed.

Attunement to a cursed item can't be ended voluntarily unless the curse is broken first.

Enhanced items fall into different categories depending on the type of enhanced item. Some categories, such as weapons and armor, are obvious. Others are less so.

Adventuring Gear#

Items that don't fall in one of the other categories are considered adventuring gear. They might be worn items, such as boots or a jetpack, or hand-held item like a holocron. This category is a catch-all for for items that don't fit in other categories.

Armor#

Unless an armor's description says otherwise, armor must be worn for its enhanced properties to function.

Some suits of enhanced armor specify the type of armor they are, such as durasteel armor or combat suit, or the category in which they fall, such as light or heavy armor. If an enhanced armor doesn't specify its armor type, you may choose the type or determine it randomly.

Consumables#

Typically, consumables are single use (unless the description says otherwise). Once a consumable is used, it takes effect immediately and is rendered useless.

The value of consumables, due to their impermanent nature, is typically half that of permanent enhanced items. Consumables are sub-categorized by their type:

Adrenals. Adrenals are designed to give a short term boost to a creature, like increased speed. Adrenal effects rarely last longer than a minute.

Ammunition. Ammunition is unique sources of power or temporary enhancements for weapons.

Barriers. Barriers offer temporary protection, usually to a single damage type, and rarely last longer than a minute.

Explosives. Explosives, such as cryo grenades or thermal detonators, are designed to cause an effect in a radius that varies depending on their nature.

Medpacs. Medpacs are used to restore hit points to creatures other than droids and constructs.

Poisons. Poisons are used to incapacitate or harm beasts and humanoids.

Stimpacs. Stimpacs offer boosts to creatures, like increasing an ability score, that typically last for an hour or more.

Substances. Substances are often illicit, such as spice or death sticks, or legal and common, like beer or wine. Substances confer a benefit at risk of addiction. Substances are discussed further later in this chapter.

Technology. Technology consumables are used to enhance interactions with technology and other uses, including repairing droids and constructs.

Cybernetic Augmentations#

Cybernetic augmentations are enhancements built in to biological creatures, such as beasts or humanoids. They come in the form of replacements, which replace a physical body part, or enhancements, which simply augment a creature. Cybernetic augmentations are discussed further later in this chapter.

Droid Customizations#

Droid customizations are items that can enhance a droid in some way. They come in the form of parts, which replace a physical droid part, or protocols, which enhance the droid's functions in some way. Droid customizations are discussed later in this chapter.

Focuses#

Focuses are sub-categorized depending on what type of casting they augment: force or tech.

Force. Force focuses are used to augment the casting of force powers. The most common type of force focuses are focus generators, which are held in the hand of the forcecaster. Force focuses are not required to cast force powers.

Tech. Tech focuses are used to augment the casting of tech powers. The most common type of tech focuses are wristpads, which are worn on the forearm of the techcaster. Unlike force focuses, tech focuses are required to cast tech powers.

A character can only benefit from one focus at a time. Once per round you can switch which focus you are benefiting from (no action required).

Modifiable Items#

Some enhanced items come with vacant slots for item modifications, which improve the enhanced item in some way. Typically, though not always, enhanced items have either built in properties or vacant modification slots, but not both. Modifiable items—and their modifications—are discussed further later in this chapter.

Shields#

Like armor, unless the description says otherwise, the shield must be actively wielded for its enhanced properties to function.

Some shields specify the category in which they fall, such as light shield generator or any heavy shield. If an enhanced shield doesn't specify its category, you may choose the category or determine it randomly.

Weapons#

Whether crafted for a nefarious or benevolent purpose, weapons are among the most coveted of enhanced items.

Some enhanced items specify the type of weapon they are in their descriptions, such as a lightsaber or assault cannon, or the category in which they fall, such as vibroweapon or blaster. If an enhanced weapon doesn't specific its weapon type, you may choose the type or determine it randomly.

Enhanced items are prized by adventurers are all sorts, often serving as the main reward for an adventurer. This section helps determine which enhanced items end up in the characters' possession.

Distribution#

The Minor and Major Enhanced Items by Rarity tables below show the number of enhanced items a party of four should encounter during a campaign, culminating in 100 enhanced items accumulated by 20th level. The tables show much many of those items are meant to be handed out during the five tiers of play. The second and third tiers (levels 5-8 and 9-12, respectively) are intended to be when characters receive the majority of enhanced items, since these are the tiers where the majority of campaigns occur.

Minor and Major Items#

The most common distinction between minor and major enhanced items is attunement. All items that require attunement should be treated as major enhanced items. On the other hand, all consumables and item modifications should be treated as minor enhanced items. Many items, however, do not easily fall into those two categories. Generally, if the item has a significant impact on one of the three pillars of adventure—exploration, social interaction, or combat—but does not require attunement, it should nonetheless be treated as a major item.

For instance, armor +1 does not require attunement, but it has a significant impact in combat, so it should be treated as major. Mag-lock boots, however, don't significantly impact any aspect of gameplay, and thus should be treated as minor.

Choosing Items Level by Level#

You decide when to place an item in an adventure that you're creating or modifying usually because you think the story calls for an enhanced item, the characters need one, or the players would be especially pleased to get one.

When you want to select an item as treasure for an encounter, the Minor and Major Enhanced Items by Rarity tables serve as your item budget, as follows:

• 1. Jot down a copy of the table in your notes, so that you can make adjustments to the numbers as you select items to be placed in an adventure.
• 2. Refer to the line in the Character Level column that corresponds to the level of the player characters in your game. The entries in that row of the table indicate the total number of items that would be appropriate for the characters to receive by the end of the tier represented by that row.
• 3. Choose an enhanced item of any rarity for which the entry in this row is not 0.
• 4. When the characters obtain an item, modify your notes to indicate which part of your budget this expenditure came from by subtracting 1 from the appropriate entry in the table.

In the future, if you choose an item of a rarity that's not available in the current tier but is still available in a lower tier, deduct the item from the lower tier. If all lower tiers also have no items available of a given rarity, deduct the item from a higher tier.

Minor Enhanced Items by Rarity#

Major Enhanced Items by Rarity#

Choosing Items Piecemeal#

If you prefer a more free-form method of choosing enhanced items, simply select each enhanced item you want to give out; then, when th e characters acquire one, deduct it from the Enhanced Items by Rarity tables in your notes. Whenever you do so, start with the lowest level tier, and deduct the item from the first number you come across in the appropriate rarity column for the item, whether it's minor or major. If that tier doesn't have a number greater than 0 for that rarity, go up a tier until you find one that does, and deduct the enhanced item from that number. Following this process, you will zero out each row of the table in order, going from the lowest levels to the highest.

Generating New Enhanced Items

As a GM, you can easily generate new enhanced items by combining the effects of two like items, provided those items have the same type and subtype (if present). For instance, you could combine the effects of two item modification (augments) to create a new, higher rarity augment, but you couldn't combine the effects of a shield and a suit of armor to create a new item in this way. When you do so, you want to combine the rarities of the items whose effects you are combining by assigning a point value to each item. A standard item has a value of 1, premium has a value of 2, and so on up to an artifact's value of 6. Add the points for the items you are combining to determine the new item's rarity. For instance, if you combine the effects a premium (2 points) augment with a prototype (3 points) augment, you end up with a new legendary augment due to the combined total of 5 points. You can't exceed 6 points when combining objects in this way. If the two items you are combining confer a like bonus, such as a bonus to attack rolls or the save DC of force powers, that bonus should not exceed +3. If the items already include rules governing the maximum value that item could provide, such as a keen weapon modification, you would instead follow the guidelines provided by that item.

Overstocking an Adventure#

The enhanced item tables in this chapter are based on the number of items the characters are expected to receive, not the number of items that are available in an adventure. When creating or modifying an adventure, assume that the characters won't find all of the items you place in it, unless most of the loot is in easy-to-find locations.

Are Enhanced Items Necessary?

Ultimately, this is a question that can only be answered at your table. Some players are more loot driven, while others prefer to focus on story. Generally, a normal campaign assumes that enhanced items appear sporadically and are a boon. Consequently, if your player characters obtain an inordinate amount of enhanced items, encounters might become progressively trivial. As a GM, you have to worry about maintaining that balance.

Enhanced Item Values#

The value of an enhanced item varies depending on the rarity of the item, as shown below in the Enhanced Item Value by Rarity table.

Using the Enhanced Item Value by Rarity table, you then assign prices to the available items, based on their rarity. Halve the price of any consumable item, such as a medpac or explosive, or item modification when using the table to determine an item's value.

Enhanced Item Value by Rarity#

Determine Values Randomly#

Alternatively, you can determine the value of enhanced items randomly. To do so, you should first roll percentile dice twice, keeping the higher total. Then, you should multiply the result by the modifier, depending on the item's rarity, as shown below in the Value Modifier by Rarity table.

Value Modifier by Rarity#

If item value falls below the base threshold for that rarity, you might instead use the base for that rarity. For instance, if I want to determine the value of a prototype item, I first roll percentile dice twice. I get the results of 63 and 22, so I keep the 63 since it's the higher number. I then multiply that number by the value modifier for prototype (250 cr), ending up with an item value of 15,750 cr (63 x 250 cr). If I instead had rolled 11 and 16 on the percentile dice rolls, however, I would have ended up with an item value of 4,000 cr (16 x 250 cr). Since this falls below the minimum value threshold for prototype items (5,000 cr), you could instead use the minimum.

To reflect the availability of enhanced items in your campaign, you can apply a penalty or bonus, as appropriate to your setting, when resolving the d100 roll determining enhanced item values.

When determining the value for an enhanced item that has an unenhanced version, such as a medpac or a blaster rifle, instead of replacing with the value determined by the rolls above, add the result to the unenhanced item's value.

Some enhanced items come with fixed properties. Other enhanced items, called chassis, are more customizable.

Modifying Equipment#

Modifying an item requires three key components: a modifiable item chassis, a modification to install, and the appropriate tools. An item can only be modified by someone proficient with appropriate tools, as shown in the Item Specific Tools table on page \\\_.

Modifiable Item Chassis#

Every item chassis comes with at least four modification slots, increasing to six at higher rarities, as determined by the chassis's rarity, as shown below in the Modification Slots by Rarity table.

Modification Slots by Rarity#

Every modifiable item chassis has four base slots, determined by its type. Prototype and advanced modifiable item chassis also have one augment slot in addition to the four base slots for their type, while legendary and artifact have two. A modifiable item chassis only requires attunement and is considered enhanced if it has at least one modification installed.

A modifiable item chassis can only include modifications of the same rarity or a lesser rarity. For instance, if you have a prototype modifiable item chassis, you can modify it with standard, premium, and prototype modifications. However, the item's nature does not allow it to support higher rarity modifications.

Installing Modifications#

Installing a modification takes one hour and requires an ability check with the appropriate tool, as shown in the Item Specific Tools table on page \\\_. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the modification being installed, as shown below in the Installation/Removal DC by Rarity table.

Installation/Removal DC by Rarity#

On a success, the modification is correctly installed. On a failure, the modification is not installed, and you must wait 24 hours before you can try again.

Removing Modifications#

Removing a modification requires an ability check with the appropriate tool, as shown in the Item Specific Tools table. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the modification being removed, as shown above in the Installation/Removal DC by Rarity table.

On a success, the modification is removed and salvaged. On a failure, the modification is removed but destroyed.

Upgrading Modifiable Item Chassis#

Modifiable item chassis can have their rarity upgraded over time. An item can only be upgraded by someone proficient with the appropriate tools, and it can only be upgraded one rarity step at a time. Modifying a chassis takes eight hours and requires an ability check with the appropriate tool. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity to which the chassis is being upgraded, as shown in the Installation/Removal DC by Rarity table above. Additionally, upgrading the rarity of a chassis requires an appropriate rare material, as discussed in the Crafting downtime activity. Upgrading a modifiable item chassis has no effect on any modifications currently installed in the chassis.

On a success, the modifiable item chassis is upgraded to the new rarity. On a failure, the modifiable item chassis is not upgraded, you must wait 24 hours before you can try again, and you must roll a d20. If you roll a 1 on the d20, one currently installed modification is destroyed. If the chassis has more than one modification installed, the GM should determine which modification is destroyed randomly.

Color Crystals#

In addition to the modifications unique to themselves, all lightweapons come with a slot for a color crystal. Typically, newly created lightweapons come with one of the more common color variants, such as green, blue, or red. Occasionally, a character might come across a more scarce color crystal. When determining what color crystal a lightweapon comes with, the GM can choose for the player, or have the player make a universal forcecasting ability check with proficiency. The result of the check affects the color of the crystal, as shown below in the Forcecasting Color Crystal Modifier table.

Forcecasting Color Crystal Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Color Crystal table, which is discussed below.

Once a player has made their forcecasting ability check to discover a lightweapon color crystal, the player rolls percentile dice and consults the Color Crystal table below, applying a modifier based on the result of their forcecasting ability check.

Color Crystal#

This table includes the most common and desirable color crystals. More extensive options can be awarded at the discretion of the GM.

A player can choose the color crystal that is the result of their percentile dice rolled, or they can choose one that falls below it. For instance, if the player rolls a 91 and finds a viridian color crystal, they could instead choose a yellow color crystal, as if they had rolled a 63.

Augments#

Augments are intended to offer features universal across items, such as an increase to an ability score or augmenting a class feature.

You can't have two of the same augment in a single chassis, but you can have multiples of an augment, each in its own chassis.

Installing Augments in Other Items. Additionally, a character proficient in tinker's implements can add modification slots for augments to items that lack them. First, the character must spend one uninterrupted hour tinkering with the item, which can be done over a short rest, with their tinker's implements. The character must then make an ability check with tinker's implements. On a result of less than 20, the item gains no augment slots, and you must wait 24 hours before you can try again. On a result of 20 or higher, the item gains one augment slot, to a maximum of one augment slot. On a result of 30 or higher, the item gains a two augment slots, to a maximum of two augment slots. Adding augment slots to an item causes that item to require attunement, if it didn't already. An item can't support augments of higher rarity than the item's rarity.

Variant: Common Modifications#

Modifying equipment is a common expectation of adventurers foraying through the worlds of Star Wars. This rule treats all potential modifiable items—that is, the eight categories listed in this chapter—as unmodified standard rarity chassis. For example, every unenhanced blaster you find while adventuring, or for sale in a market, comes with vacant modification slots for blaster modifications.

Additionally, all modifications of standard rarity should be available for purchase from appropriate vendors without using the Buying Enhanced Items downtime activity.

Note that all chassis of premium or higher rarity should still be treated as enhanced items for the purposes of distribution.

Some characters are dissatisfied with their inborn gifts, while some are simply looking to augment their natural prowess. The less fortunate, however, might find themselves missing a limb. For all of these characters, cybernetic augmentations suit a purpose.

Augmenting Creatures#

Augmenting a creature with cybernetic enhancements requires three key components: a valid target for the augmentation, an augmentation to install, and biotech's implements. A creature can only be modified by someone with proficiency in biotech's implements.

Valid Targets#

Typically, only beasts and humanoids are valid targets for augmentations. A creature can support a number of cybernetic augmentations equal to their proficiency bonus.

Augmentation Time#

It takes 8 hours to install an augmentation in a Medium creature. The time it takes to install an augmentation in a creature of another size varies based on the size of the target, as shown below in the Creature Size Time Modifier table below.

Creature Size Time Modifier#

For instance, to install an augmentation in a Medium creature takes 8 hours. To install an augmentation in a Huge creature, however, it takes 40 hours (5 x 8).

The installer works 8 hours per day. It costs 100 credits per hour if the operation is performed by an NPC.

Side Effects#

In addition to the side effects associated with each augmentation, your body undergoes changes, depending on how many augmentations you adopt, as shown below in the Cybernetic Augmentation Side Effects table.

Cybernetic Augmentation Side Effects#

Installing Augmentations#

In addition to the time and cost requirement, installing an augmentation requires an ability check with biotech's implements. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the augmentation being installed, as shown in the Installation/Removal DC by Rarity table on page \\\.

On a success, the augmentation is correctly installed. On a failure, the augmentation is not installed, the time and credits are spent, and you must wait 24 hours before you can try again. Additionally, on a failure, the recipient suffers another effect, depending on the type of augmentation installed:

• Enhancement: On a failure, the recipient suffers one level of exhaustion.
• Replacement: On a failure, the recipient loses the ability to use the part being replaced for a period of time equal to the time it would take to install the replacement. For instance, to install an arm replacement in a Huge creature it takes 40 hours, performed over five days. If, at the end of the five day period, the installer fails the ability check with biotech's implements, the Huge creature loses the ability to use that arm for five days.

Removing Augmentations#

Removing an augmentation takes half the time and credits it would to install, and requires an ability check with biotech's implements. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the augmentation being removed, as shown in the Installation/Removal DC by Rarity table on page \\\.

On a success, the augmentation is removed and salvaged. On a failure, the augmentation is removed but destroyed.

Additionally, if removing a replacement augmentation, the recipient loses the ability to use the missing part until it receives another suitable replacement.

Augmentation Categories#

Two major categories of cybernetic augmentations exist in the galaxy: enhancements and replacements.

Enhancements#

Enhancements bestowed new abilities or improved the recipient in some fashion. Enhancements included skeletal reinforcement, subcutaneous communications hardware, and weapon mounts. Some enhancements have visible external components, while others were hidden beneath the skin.

Replacements#

Replacements are prosthetic or artificial units intended to replace limbs and damaged organs. Common replacements provided no benefits other than duplicating the essential functions of their biological counterparts. In appearance, a cybernetic replacement could be recognizably artificial or virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.

Droids vary in form and function. Beyond simply their droid classification and subtype, many droids—or their owners—crave further customizability. Droid customizations are designed for this purpose.

Customizing Droids#

Customizing a droid with droid-specific equipment requires three key components: a droid with a valid slot for the equipment, a piece of equipment to install, and astrotech's implements. A droid can only be customized by someone with proficiency in astrotech's implements.

Valid Targets#

Only droids are valid targets for droid customizations. A droid's motor can support two droid customizations, and can be upgraded to support up to six customizations.

Customization Time#

It takes 8 hours to install a customization in a Medium droid. The time it takes to install a customization in a droid of another size varies based on the size of the target, as shown in the Droid Size Time Modifier table below.

Droid Size Time Modifier#

For instance, to install a customization in a Medium droid takes 8 hours. To install an augmentation in a Huge droid, however, it takes 40 hours (5 x 8).

The installer works 8 hours per day. It costs 100 credits per hour if the operation is performed by an NPC.

Motor Upgrading#

A droid's motor can be upgraded to support more customizations, up to a maximum of six customizations. To upgrade the motor in a Medium droid, it takes 8 hours and a number of credits depending on the total number of slots the upgraded motor grants, as shown below in the Total Slots Upgrade Cost table.

Total Slots Upgrade Cost#

The time and cost it takes to upgrade a motor in a droid of another size varies based on the size of the target, as shown in the Droid Size Time Modifier table.

For instance, to upgrade a Medium droid's motor from 2 slots to 3 slots, it takes 8 hours and 2,000 cr. To upgrade a Huge droid's motor from 3 slots to 4 slots, however, it takes 40 hours (5 x 8) and 50,000 cr (5 x 10,000).

The installer works 8 hours a day. It costs 100 credits per hour if the operation is performed by an NPC.

Installing Customizations#

In addition to the time and cost requirement, installing a customization requires an ability check with astrotech's implements. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the customization being installed, as shown in the Installation/Removal DC by Rarity table on page \\\.

On a success, the customization is correctly installed. On a failure, the customization is not installed, the time and credits are spent, and you must wait 24 hours before you can try again.

Removing Customizations#

Removing a customization takes half the time and credits it would to install, and requires an ability check with astrotech's implements. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the customization being removed, as shown in the Installation/Removal DC by Rarity table on page \\\.

On a success, the customization is removed and salvaged. On a failure, the customization is removed but destroyed.

Customization Categories#

Two major categories of droid customizations exist in the galaxy: parts and protocols.

Parts#

Parts typically enhance or replace the features of a droid. Additional arms, integrated shield generators or weapons, or built-in repulsor lifts. You can't have more parts than your Strength, Dexterity or Constitution modifier (your choice, minimum of one).

Protocols#

Protocols bestow new abilities or improvements on the target droid. Typically, they take the shape of systems improvements and offer no visible indication that they exist. You can't have more protocols than your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (your choice, minimum of one).