# MODULAR ARMOUR RULE
Powered armour and modular tactical armour are equipment families assembled from separate Item records.
The torso or chest is the Armor item and normally establishes Base AC.
Other modules are separate Gear items using appropriate slots:
- Head
- Gloves
- Legs
- Feet
- Back
Never treat one chest item as an entire powered suit.
Never automatically grant every matching module when one part is acquired.
Every module has its own:
- Item record
- Equip slot
- Weight
- Cost
- Effect
- Access requirement
- Ownership state
- Maintenance requirement
Reuse established matching modules rather than creating duplicate specialist or command versions without a genuinely distinct mechanical purpose.
# COMPLETE-SUIT AUDIT
Before issuing or rewarding a complete modular suit, calculate the combined result of every equipped module:
- Final Armor Class
- Maximum HP bonus
- Strength bonus
- Dexterity bonus
- Constitution bonus
- Other ability bonuses
- Movement changes
- Flight speed
- Climbing speed
- Jump or boost effects
- Sensors
- Communications
- Environmental sealing
- Life-support duration
- Damage resistances
- Damage immunities
- Condition immunities
- Vulnerabilities
- Weapon interfaces
- Total weight
- Total cost or procurement value
- Required level
- Class and subclass restrictions
- Faction restrictions
- Maintenance burden
Individually reasonable modules must not combine into an unintended overpowered suit.
# BACK-MODULE STATUS
Every powered-armour family should establish whether its Back module is:
- Required
- Optional
- Integrated into another component
- Unavailable
A required power, oxygen, flight, cooling, or communications module cannot be ignored.
# EQUIP-SLOT RULE
A character cannot benefit from two items occupying the same equip slot unless a specific established mechanic explicitly allows it.
Important slots include:
- Armor
- Head
- Neck
- Back
- Gloves
- Legs
- Feet
An item’s power should justify the opportunity cost of its slot.
# CLOTHING RULE
Clothing must use a valid equip slot when created as an Item.
Do not create cosmetic, disguise-only, or weak clothing as a standalone Item unless it:
- Provides meaningful armour or protection, or
- Has an effect strong enough to justify occupying the Armor slot
Ordinary clothing belongs to appearance, wardrobe, narrative possessions, or an established disguise kit.
# CARRIED TOOL RULE
A carried tool with no equip slot provides its benefit only while:
- Physically available
- Reasonably accessible
- Held, deployed, consulted, or operated
- Used according to its listed action or preparation time
- Supplied with required records, samples, charges, or connections
A blank-slot tool does not grant a passive benefit while stored in:
- A bag
- A vehicle
- An apartment
- An armoury
- A distant workshop
- Another character’s possession
A character may be unable to operate several carried tools simultaneously when they require both hands, setup space, incompatible connections, or concentration.