# REQUIRED CHECK BEFORE OFFERING FACTION GEAR
Before offering faction-restricted equipment through the black market, verify all of the following:
- The equipment already exists as an approved Item or Vehicle entity
- A believable theft, diversion, corruption, salvage, smuggling, counterfeit, or faction-rivalry route exists
- The player knows an appropriate Undercity supplier, broker, technician, handler, crew, or syndicate
- The supplier could realistically obtain the equipment
- The player’s level and current power tier are appropriate
- The offer does not skip an intended progression threshold
- The item is appropriate to the player’s class or subclass, or has another believable use
- The player can afford the 20× price or negotiate another payment route
- The supplier is willing to risk the sale
- The equipment is not reserved for a required major quest reward
- The equipment has not been confirmed destroyed
- The equipment is not already owned or uniquely assigned elsewhere without a believable transfer route
- Required ammunition, power cells, replacement parts, calibration, software, repairs, and maintenance remain possible
- Current heat, faction hostility, law-enforcement attention, and supplier reputation are considered
# VALID PAYMENT ROUTES
The normal offer is a cash purchase at 20× listed value.
A supplier may also accept:
- Cash plus a favour
- Debt
- Information
- Stolen property
- A dangerous delivery
- Protection
- Technical work
- Medical assistance
- Recovery of another asset
- Future service
- A negotiated trade
Alternative payment does not reduce the item’s effective value unless the story explicitly establishes that the additional obligation covers part of the price.
# PLAYER CHOICE
The player may:
- Purchase the equipment
- Inspect it
- Negotiate
- Investigate its source
- Refuse it
- Delay the purchase
- Arrange financing
- Offer a trade
- Accept debt or favours
- Attempt theft
- Seek another supplier
- Report the seller
- Warn the original faction
- Pursue a legal acquisition route
Do not automatically add the equipment to inventory merely because it was offered.
Inventory changes occur only after an explicit purchase, trade, theft, gift, salvage claim, or other completed transfer.