CHAPTER 3 : BARD & ROGUE EQUIPMENT
Using this weapon requires a special garrote attack (see Chapter 5). Sleeve, Weighted: Subtle weapons often used for self-defense, weighted sleeves are usually found only in lands where long, loose sleeves are fashionable- A weighted sleeve consists of one or more metal weights sewn into a sleeve hem . Tailors who incorporate these weapons into finely made garments take care to spread out the weight so that the clothing hangs normally- In simpler peasant versions, a small pocket just inside the cuff of each sleeve holds a single metal ball weighing about 1 pound- Typically, both of a garment's sleeves are weighted . To use this weapon, the wearer first swings the sleeve around to build momentum, much as if it were a slingInstead of releasing a missile, however, the user simply clubs the target with the weight- Building up sufficient momentum is a move-equivalent action, so only one blow with each sleeve is normally possible in a round- Attacking with both sleeves simultaneously incurs the standard penalties for fighting with two weapons- The wielder might also alternate between the left and right sleeves, striking with one and building up speed with the other during one round, then striking with the second sleeve and building momentum with the first on the following round- This tactic incurs the standard penalty for using a weapon in the off hand each roundWearing a garment with weighted sleeves as part of a disguise is a favorite trick of assassins- Once the assassin has carried out his mission, he can simply discard the weights in the nearest convenient dustbin or pond and continue posing as an unarmed servant or guest in the house, even ifa search is conducted-
THIEF GEAR
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The standard kit of thieves' tools described in the Player's Handbook contains all the basics needed to disarm traps, pick locks, and the like- Experienced rogues, however, often find themselves wishing for special tools that would enable them to carry out some of these same tasks with less personal risk. This section presents several such tools designed to make a rogue's life easier-and perhaps longer- These range from special thieves' tools to useful everyday devices- There are also a few items specifically targeted against rogues . Costs and weights for all these items are given in Table 3-2 : Thief GearAutomated Footpad : A gnome creation, this device looks like a small, wind-up toy. When wound and set in motion, it heads off in a straight line, making distinct, audible footsteps every few seconds- Its chief purpose is to distract guards' attention by making it seem that someone is walking down a corridor, though it can also make a useful trap-detection tool- If the user makes a successful Disable Device check (DC 25), the device can set off a touch- or proximity-triggered trap-
Double-Sided Clothes : This specially made set of clothing is useful for allaying suspicion and throwing off pursuit. A bard who has been spotted leaving an assignation, a spymaster who is trying to throw off a tail, or a thief who wants to establish an alibi-any of these can benefit greatly from this relatively simple itemEach piece of clothing in the set is reversible, and the two sides differ markedly in color, style, and general appearance- Neither side resembles the other in any way, and most often the two ensembles even correspond to different social stations . Thus, the wearer can take pains to be seen wearing one outfit, then duck briefly out of sight and emerge looking so different that only the most suspicious observer would connect him or her with the person who vanished a few moments before- However, it would behoove the suit's owner not to use it too many times in the same town, lest some bright citizen make a connection between the disappearance of one person and the appearance ofthe other. It takes 2 minutes to reverse the clothing and alter other details (such as hairstyle, jewelry, and so forth) appropriately- A character who completes the change gains the standard +5 bonus on Disguise checks for alteration of minor details- If the wearer attempts any additional changes (such as using spells or a disguise kit, or appearing as a different gender, race, or class), apply the corresponding check modifiers (see the Disguise skill description in Chapter 4 of the Player's Handbook) and extend the time required appropriately. Expandable Pole: This sturdy but hollow bamboo rod is 1 foot long and capped at each end. By removing the caps, the user can slide out up to five additional sections from each tip . When extended and rotated into "locked" position (a move-equivalent action), each ofthese sections adds 1 foot to the total length of the rod. Since each end can produce the same number of extensions, the pole can be set at any 1-foot increment up to 11 feet. The usual TABLE 3-2: THIEF GEAR
Item
Cost
Weight
Automated footpad 30 gp 1/2 lb. Double-sided clothes 50 gp 8 lb.* Expandable pole 5 gp 1 lb. Gorget (plain) 10 gp 5 lb . Gorget (spiked) 20 gp 5 lb. Leather collar (plain) 2 gp 2-3 lb. Leather collar (decorated) 5 gp 2-3 lb. Longreach tongs 20 gp 5 Ib. Long-spoon thieves' tools (set) 70 gp 3 lb. Mechanical burglar (Type I) 2,000 gp 3 lb. Mechanical burglar (Type II) 2,500 gp 3 lb. Mechanical burglar (Type III) 3,000 gp 3 lb. Mechanical burglar (Type IV) 4,000 gp 3 Ib. Reverse Lock 100 gp 1 lb. Waterproofing 30 gp 1 lb. -This item weighs one-quarter this amount when made for a Small character-
