We Got The Tools, We Got The Talent

Next on the Character Sheet of my hodgepodge Ghostbusters system is Gear.

In the Ghostbusters setting/universe, Gear is a big deal. I personally see the Proton Pack and Neutrona wand as being among the coolest weapons in all of fandom. I would put it up there with the Phaser, the Lightsaber, and Captain America's Shield.

With this in mind I wanted to make sure the PCs in a Ghostbusters game had all the equipment they needed to ply their trade. So...

Each employee of Ghostbusters Inc. (that is, every Player Character) is equipped with the following Gear:

• Either Ecto-Goggles or a PKE Meter
• Ghost Trap
• Ghostbusters Uniform and ID
• Proton Pack and Neutrona Wand
• Walkie Talkie

A PC may also carry 1 additional item for every die they have in their Athletics Attribute. Said items can be nearly anything roughly the size and weight of the Ghost Trap. Roughly. I am not trying to 'D&D' people here but rather allow for logical and creative problem solving tools. 

Example Items:

Air Horn

Digital Sound/Voice Recorder

Duct Tape

Geiger Counter

Glow Sticks x3

Heavy Duty Flashlight

Laptop Computer

Pocket Knife/Swiss Army Knife 

Pocket Tool Kit

Safety Flares x3

Small Sketchbook w/ Pencil or Pen

Items such as a Cell Phone, Driver's License, or Car Keys need not be noted. These items are freebies as far as Gear goes. With the except of a Cell Phone (which I figure nearly everyone has these days), such items will rarely play a direct roll in the apprehension of a supernatural entity. 

Now here's where it gets less hard-and-fast-rules related and more makes-sense-in-my-head:

The Ghostbuster's 'Ghostbusting Gear' such as Ecto-Goggles, a Ghost Trap, and most notably a Proton Pack can't be carried as additional items. If a PC wants to go out on a call with two Ghost Traps on their belt, they need to leave their PKE Meter in the car. Likewise, if you are carrying a Slime Blower you aren't also wearing your Proton Pack. You can switch out and swap Gear from your Ecto-vehicle or at your HQ but you can't double up by making the Ghostbuster tech an 'additional item'. 

I could easily deep dive into this (and may in the future) as the four lead members of our Home Office campaign each carried a unique, custom Proton Pack and Particle Thrower. Only the additional members (added later in the campaign) utilized the more traditional unlicensed nuclear accelerators we all know and love. 

That's it for this one - comparatively short and that's probably a good thing. The only thing left on the Character Sheet is 'Additional Info' which is largely self-explanatory. It's just a spot to jot down important character notes not covered elsewhere.

Views are honestly a bit low for this series and I get it, Ghostbusters isn't the most popular subject for a Role Playing Game campaign I've ever covered. Nor is it as crazy as some of my other past ideas. It is what's on my mind right now though, it's what I am excited about, so expect to see a few more coming very soon. That said, I may side track a bit in between GB posts.

Remember, no job is too big - no fee is too big!

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