Pulp Action Hour: Equipment!

Welcome back! In this post, I go into the rules for new equipment in my Savage Worlds Pulp Action Hour setting. *I updated this post on 10/18/18, changing how the concussion and pulse gun’s work, thanks to some gentle reminder’s on how nonlethal wounds work in Savage Worlds.

I hope you enjoy!

 

EQUIPMENT

Use all the equipment from Savage Worlds Core and Thrilling Tales. In addition to those, the following high tech items are also available on a limited basis.

Communicators: There are no cell phones; however there are portable video phones. These are roughly the size of a thick paperback book. They resemble an old styled cigarette case; the metal ones that flipped open. Only when these are opened, there is a vacuum tube styled screen and a number pad. (Think about the personal communicators used in the T.V. show Warehouse 13). A standard Aether crystal can run one of these for about a year. A Venusium crystal can run one for a decade.

Crystals: Aether Crystals manufactured in controlled environments and the naturally occurring Venusium Crystals are used to power most items. Standard Aether Crystals, used in the personal force-fields and the ray guns sell for $20.00 each and are readily available in most cities. Venusium Crystals used for the same equipment cost $120.00 and provide four times as many uses. These are only available in larger cities or through special order.

Personal Force-field: Tapping into the sub-quantum Aether to create a field of translucent energy around the wielder. This field extends a few inches from the user, creating an effect that looks like they have a soap bubble surrounding them, hugging their form. These are rare and expensive pieces of equipment that are available only in larger cities and often require a permit or special license in order to legally own one.Each generator provides an armor bonus, just like normal armor, but also provides a bonus to the base toughness. This toughness bonus cannot be overcome by armor piercing. There are three types of personal force-fields.

Mk I Field Generator: This is a back pack sized unit that provides a +2 bonus to toughness and a +4 armor bonus. It can run for a total of 20 minutes on a standard Aether crystal.

Mk II Field Generator: This is a far more compact unit that is about the size of a belt pack (fanny pack). It comes with a belt to strap around the waist. It provides a +2 Bonus to toughness and a +2 armor bonus. It can run for 15 minutes on a standard Aether crystal.

Mk III Companion Generator: This is a backpack sized field generator that runs more efficiently than the Mk I. In addition to being able to protect the user, the pack can be set to also protect a second person that the user is in contact with. When used for just the wielder, it provides a +3 toughness bonus, a +4 armor bonus and can run for 20 minutes on a standard Aether crystal. When used to protect a second person, it provides a +1 toughness bonus and a +3 armor bonus to each person. When used this way, it will only run for 5 minutes on a standard Aether crystal.

 

RAY GUNS

Ray gun is the generic term for just about any handheld energy weapon. The following are some examples of ray guns.

Concussion Gun: The crystal matrix in a concussion gun utilizes the quantum energy fields to generate a pulse of concussive force. The resultant effect is a blast of nonlethal damage. Though there is almost no kickback and the crystals used proved a far larger amount of charges than a traditional handgun could carry. Nonlethal damage causes wounds as usual, except when the target is incapacitated, they are rendered unconcious for 1D6 hours. Nonlethal wounds are treated like normal wounds in every other respect. See page 84 of the Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer’s Edition. The section is titled: “Nonlethal Damage”.

Pulse Gun: This is a concussion gun which generates a fast series of concussive pulses. It can only be used on triple shot or full auto. Nonlethal damage causes wounds as usual, except when the target is incapacitated, they are rendered unconcious for 1D6 hours. Nonlethal wounds are treated like normal wounds in every other respect. See page 84 of the Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer’s Edition. The section is titled: “Nonlethal Damage”.

Note: all of the following guns utilize the sub-quantum energy fields. This places more strain on the crystal matrices which results in a smaller amount of charges than in the concussion gun.

Heat Ray: This generates a short range but intense pulse of heat that automatically set fire to any flammable objects within 5’ of where it impacts.

Cold Ray: This weapon produces a ray of intense cold. It instantaneously freezes the water in the air around it as well as the surface of anything it hits, including flesh. If a raise is scored on the to hit roll, the target must make a vigor check or suffer 1 level of fatigue.

Microwaver: This weapon fires a pulse of microwave energy that agitates the molecules of anything it hits. It is a far more powerful version of the heat ray. Metal is especially susceptible to the heating effect. In addition to setting any flammable material on fire within 5′ of where it strikes, anyone wearing metal armor takes an additional 1D6 heat damage.

Dark Matter: This weapon fires a concentrated pulse of dark matter energy. This is a very unstable form of antimatter and is extremely destructive. Armor has little to no effect against this weapon. Dark Matter rifles are capable of ignoring shields. When a target using a personal force-field generator is struck by a dark matter rifle, ignore the protective bonus of the force-field (the toughness and armor bonuses). If the shooter gets a raise on his to hit roll, the force-field generator suffers a massive feedback surge that destroys the crystal powering the force-field.

Ranged Weapons

Weapon	Range	Damage	ROF	AP	Shots	Weight	Cost
Concussion Pistol	10/20/40	2D6+1	1	0	48	3	300
Damage is nonlethal.
Concussion Rifle	12/24/48	3D6+1	1	0	36	7	750
Damage is nonlethal.
Pulse Pistol	10/20/40	2D6	3	0	16	3	400
Damage is nonlethal.
Pulse Rifle	12/24/48	3D6	3	0	10	7	1100
Damage is nonlethal.
Heat Ray Pistol	10/20/40	2D6+1	1	2	8	4	700
Heat based damage, see description.
Cold Ray Pistol	10/20/40	2D6+1	1	1	8	4	700
Cold based damage, see description.
Microwave Rifle	12/24/48	3D6	1	4	6	8	1500
Heat based damage, see description.
Dark Matter Rifle	12/24/48	3D6+2	1	16	4	8	2700
Energy based damage, see description.

 

Until Next Time!

ShadowDad