🔩 Gear Durability
“A Tech’s life is constant variety. Yesterday I fixed a clinic network. A week ago, 6th Street had me patch rocket launchers. The Corps want you to think broken stuff is broken forever. It isn’t — not while I’m around.” — Torch, Torch’s Total Repairs
Optional Rules
Gear Durability is an optional system. The GM decides whether to use it and how heavily to apply it. Some groups use it for key items only; others apply it to everything. If it isn’t fun, don’t use it.
These rules add a maintenance layer to gear ownership. Equipment can become Damaged through wear, neglect, or combat — and Damaged gear malfunctions at the worst possible moment. Keep your kit maintained or pay the price.
⚡ Quick Reference
Durability At A Glance
Concept Rule Damaged New condition — gear works but may malfunction Detecting Damaged DV 13 Tech Skill Check + 1 minute examination Damaged item value Sells for one price category lower Destroyed item value Sells for two categories lower Maintenance Live at the right Lifestyle = automatic. Otherwise: monthly skill check. Malfunction trigger GM discretion, or whenever you roll a natural 1 while using Damaged gear Fixing malfunctions Perform maintenance, or Field Expertise (temporary fix, 10 min/rank)
🔧 The Damaged Condition
The CRB defines two gear conditions:
| Condition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Destroyed | Non-functional. Can be repaired with appropriate Tech Skill. |
| Destroyed Beyond Repair | Gone. Cannot be repaired by any means. |
This system adds a third:
| Condition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Damaged | Usable but at risk of malfunction. Needs maintenance. |
Damaged gear isn’t always obvious — a shady Fixer might sell you a polished-up Damaged weapon at full price. Detecting it requires a DV 13 Tech Skill Check and 1 minute of examination. A Fixer with Operator Rank 4+ automatically spots Damaged gear (unless disguised via Forgery).
Damaged Gear Pricing
| Condition | Sell Price |
|---|---|
| Functional | Normal market value |
| Damaged | One category lower (e.g., Expensive 500eb → Premium 100eb) |
| Destroyed | Two categories lower (e.g., Expensive 500eb → Costly 50eb) |
| Destroyed Beyond Repair | Practically worthless |
Maker Recycling
Techs can break down Damaged/Destroyed gear for crafting materials at the same reduced value. A Damaged Assault Rifle = 100eb of parts. A Destroyed one = 50eb of parts.
🛠️ Maintenance
Maintaining gear prevents the Damaged condition and removes it if already applied. There are two ways to maintain your equipment:
Automatic Maintenance (Via Lifestyle)
If you live at the minimum Lifestyle for your gear’s value, maintenance happens automatically as part of your routine — no check, no time cost.
| Gear Value | Drones/Vehicles Value | Minimum Lifestyle |
|---|---|---|
| 0–499eb | 0–19,999eb | Kibble (100eb/mo) |
| 500–999eb | 20,000–49,999eb | Generic Prepak (200eb/mo) |
| 1,000–4,999eb | 50,000–99,999eb | Good Prepak (500eb/mo) |
| 5,000eb+ | 100,000eb+ | Fresh Food (1,000eb/mo) |
Manual Maintenance (Skill Check)
For gear above your Lifestyle tier, you (or a friend) must spend time and make a check once per month.
| Gear Value | DV | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 0–499eb | 13 | 30 min |
| 500–999eb | 15 | 1 hour |
| 1,000–4,999eb | 17 | 3 hours |
| 5,000eb+ | 21 | 1 day |
On failure: You realize halfway through you messed up — need to start over (lost time, no damage). Gear with attachments, upgrades, or vehicle mods requires separate maintenance for each component.
Important Details
- Maintenance removes the Damaged condition
- Unmaintained gear doesn’t auto-become Damaged, but the GM can apply it
- Restoring HP/SDP/SP via repair ≠maintenance (different activities)
- You cannot use your Lifestyle to maintain someone else’s gear
- Self-repairing items cannot perform their own maintenance
Role Advantages
Several Roles count as one Lifestyle tier higher for specific gear:
| Role | Advantage Applies To |
|---|---|
| Tech | All gear |
| Solo / Lawman | Weapons and armor |
| Netrunner | Cyberdecks, bodyweight suits, virtuality goggles |
| Media | Cameras, mics, production equipment |
| Rockerboy | Instruments, mics, amps, performance gear |
| Exec | Team-assigned gear (no maintenance needed) |
| Medtech | Role Ability gear (cryopumps, etc. — no maintenance needed) |
| Nomad | Role Ability vehicles and upgrades (no maintenance needed) |
Maintenance Example
Stinger pays 100eb/mo for Kibble Lifestyle. Her Very Heavy Pistol (100eb) and Light Armorjack (100eb) are automatically maintained. But her Cyberarm (500eb) and Neural Link (1,000eb) exceed her tier.
Her Tech friend Mason makes Cybertech checks (DV 15 for the arm, DV 17 for the Neural Link) to maintain them for free. If he succeeds, Stinger’s chrome is good for the month.
đź’Ą What Causes Damage?
The GM applies the Damaged condition at their discretion. Common triggers:
| Trigger | When It Applies |
|---|---|
| Lack of maintenance | Months without upkeep, especially with heavy use |
| Critical Injuries | Headshot while wearing smart glasses? Arm hit with a cyberdeck holstered? |
| Electrocution | Electrical damage to circuit-based gear (not EMP ammo/Microwaver) |
| Environmental conditions | Weather/hazards bad enough to hurt you can hurt gear too |
| Excessive damage | 20+ damage (after SP) to you could Damage worn cyberware/gear |
| Fire / Radiation | 2+ rounds on fire or exposed to High radiation |
| Poison / Drugs | Long-term toxin exposure can throw cyberware biochemistry off |
⚠️ Malfunctions
When Damaged gear acts up, the GM rolls on the appropriate malfunction table (or chooses/improvises). Malfunctions last for the indicated duration, then the gear returns to normal.
When do malfunctions trigger?
- Dramatic moments (GM’s choice) — negotiate with a Fixer? Chrome arm starts twitching.
- Automated rule: whenever you roll a natural 1 on a Check while using Damaged gear.
Fixing malfunctions:
- Perform full maintenance → clears all active malfunctions
- Field Expertise (Tech specialty) → jury-rig as an Action, DV per maintenance table, lasts 10 min per Field Expertise rank. Malfunction returns when it wears off.
Maintenance Skills by Gear Type
| Gear Type | Skill |
|---|---|
| Armor | Basic Tech |
| Cyberdecks | Electronics/Security Tech |
| Cyberware | Cybertech |
| Drones | Electronics/Security Tech |
| General Gear | Basic Tech |
| Personal Electronics | Electronics/Security Tech |
| Vehicles (Air) | Air Vehicle Tech |
| Vehicles (Land) | Land Vehicle Tech |
| Vehicles (Sea) | Sea Vehicle Tech |
| Weapons | Weaponstech |
🎲 Malfunction Tables
Using These Tables
Roll 1d6 when a malfunction triggers. The GM can also choose a result or improvise something fitting the situation. For multi-type items (e.g., light-up armor), pick one table — don’t roll on multiple.
Armor Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Loose weave / soft plates. Armor loses 1 extra SP whenever ablated. 1 day 2 Frayed straps. If you take a Critical Injury to the armored body part, the armor falls off. 1 day 3 Cracks reduce kinetic absorption. Every successful hit deals 1 HP direct + 1 SP ablation, even if damage didn’t penetrate. 1 day 4 Bad balance. Armor penalty increases by 1 (even if normally 0). 1 day 5 Shifting plates expose you. Halve SP vs. firearms and explosives. 1 minute 6 Hidden flaw. First time armor is ablated, it loses 2 extra SP. 1 day
Weapon Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Dull edge / dirty barrel. Deals 1d6 less damage. 1 minute 2 Worn grip / miscalibrated sight. Ranged: next attack targets a nearby ally. Melee: drop the weapon. Explosive: falls at your feet. Next attack 3 Inaccurate. -2 penalty to next Attack Check with this weapon. Next attack 4 Reduced effectiveness. Cannot cause Critical Injuries via damage roll. 1 minute 5 Jam! After next Attack Check, weapon jams regardless of Quality. Explosive: lands but doesn’t go off. Until cleared 6 Firearm: all loaded ammo Destroyed. Melee/Bow: treated as Poor Quality (already Poor = Destroyed). Explosive: fizzles, Destroyed Beyond Repair. Varies
Cyberlimb & Borgware Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Option deactivated (or can’t retract if deployed). 1 minute 2 Nervous tic telegraphs intentions. -2 to Social Skill Checks. 1 minute 3 Motion glitch. DV 15 Concentration or drop item (arm) / fall prone (leg). Instant 4 Myomar microfractures. On a Critical Success (10), gain Torn Muscle Critical Injury. 1 hour 5 Excessive force. Accidentally make a Brawling Attack against nearest target. Instant 6 Joints lock. Arm: can’t drop/pick up items. Leg: MOVE -1 (min 1). 1 minute
Cyberoptics & Cyberaudio Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Junk data fills vision/hearing. -1 to vision/hearing Checks (Action to clear). 1 minute 2 Perception warps. -1 to spatial awareness/balance Checks. 1 minute 3 Black-and-white vision / constant ringing. Roleplay accordingly. 1 hour 4 Wireless connection failure (no Agent, chipware, linked devices). 1 hour 5 Random option activates. -2 to vision/hearing Checks from sudden shift. 1 round 6 Can’t identify people by face (optics) or voice (audio). Roleplay accordingly. 1 hour
Internal / External / Fashionware Cyberware Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Toxic chemical leak. -2 to Resist Torture/Drug Checks. 1 day 2 Overheats. 5 HP direct damage (ignores armor). Instant 3 Flickers/buzzes/stinks. Lose Wardrobe & Style bonuses, -2 Social Checks. 1 hour 4 Intense stinging. Before any Check, DV 13 Concentration first — fail = Check fails too. 1 round 5 Glitch. Grafted M&BL: +1 Death Save. Armor cyberware: can’t self-repair. Other: shuts down entirely. 1 day 6 Infection/inflammation. Critical Injuries to that body area deal +5 HP bonus damage. 1 day
Neuralware Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Junk data. -4 to Concentration Checks. 1 day 2 Power surge. Random neuralware option activates/deactivates (Action to fix). Instant 3 Sharp skull pain. Before any Check, DV 13 Concentration first — fail = Check fails. 1 round 4 Intoxication effect. -2 to all Checks. Roleplay accordingly. 1 minute 5 Mind fog. -1 to all INT-based Checks. 1 hour 6 Language scramble. Can only speak gibberish. 1 minute
Cyberdeck Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Bad data. A bonus-granting program imposes a penalty instead next use. Next use 2 Feedback on Jack Out. Random program Destroyed. Instant 3 Targeting surge. Black ICE attacks you for 1 round after Rez. No Black ICE = random program offline. 1 round / 1 min 4 Loose port. When damaged in NET, DV 15 Electronics check or unsafe Jack Out. Next hit 5 False error. Deck beeps audibly after Jacking In for 1 minute. 1 minute 6 Unoptimized. NET Actions -1 (min 1) for 1 minute after Jacking In. 1 minute
Drone Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Targeting glitch. Next attack targets you or an ally. Next attack 2 IFF failure. Identifies all targets as friendly or hostile (GM picks). 1 hour 3 Signal range collapse. Can’t move more than 2m from controller. 1 hour 4 Exposed backdoor. Electronics/Security Tech to counter needs only 1 Action (not 5 min). 1 day 5 Option failure. One equipped option stops working. 1 minute 6 Locomotion seizure. MOVE halved (round up). 1 hour
Linear Frame & Cyberchair Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Actuator desync. After Move Actions, GM shifts you 2m left or right. 1 minute 2 Short circuit. 5 HP direct damage (ignores armor). Instant 3 Motor glitch. Frame: BODY not enhanced (HP/SWT/Death Save unchanged). Chair: MOVE -1. 1 hour 4 Stiff joints. -1 to all DEX/REF Checks. 1 minute 5 Knocking sound. -2 to Stealth unless completely still. 1 hour 6 Fluid leak. Internal Frame: nausea, -2 Resist Torture/Drug. External/Chair: embarrassing trail. 1 day
Vehicle Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Hard start. DV 15 Vehicle Tech each time you start it — fail = wasted Action. 1 day 2 Chaos! Radio, lights, horn, wipers activate randomly. 1 minute 3 Smoking engine. Speed (Combat + Narrative) halved. 1 hour 4 Stalling risk. GM can call DV 15 Vehicle Tech — fail = vehicle stalls. 1 day 5 Stiff controls. -2 to all driving/piloting Checks. 1 hour 6 Frame microfractures. All attacks deal ×2 damage as if hitting a weak spot. 1 hour
General Gear & Electronics Malfunctions (1d6)
1d6 Malfunction Duration 1 Poor function. Lose all bonuses, suffer -1 penalty to associated Checks. 1 day 2 Self-harm. Item shocks/stabs/scrapes you — 5 HP direct damage. Instant 3 Last gasp. After next use, item breaks and is Destroyed. Next use 4 Severely degraded. Lose all bonuses, suffer -2 penalty to associated Checks. 1 minute 5 Partial failure. One specific function (GM’s choice) stops working. 1 hour 6 Hidden failure. Item is not properly maintained at start of next month, even if Lifestyle covers it. Next month
âť“ Quick Answers
Does Damaged gear always malfunction?
No. The GM decides when malfunctions trigger. The automated option (natural 1 on a Check while using Damaged gear) is just one approach. Some GMs save malfunctions for dramatic moments only.
Can I just buy new gear instead of maintaining it?
Yes, but supply chains are unreliable in the Time of the Red. Your specific model might not be available. Maintenance is cheaper and more reliable than replacement.
Does ablated armor (reduced SP) count as Damaged?
No. Reduced HP/SDP/SP from combat ≠Damaged. Restoring points via repair ≠maintenance. They’re separate systems. However, the GM can apply Damaged to 0 SP armor that takes another hit.
Can I maintain other people's gear?
Anyone can make the maintenance check — it doesn’t have to be the owner. But you cannot use your Lifestyle to automatically maintain someone else’s gear.
How does this interact with Salvaged gear?
Salvaged gear is Destroyed (two steps worse than Damaged). Repair it first (Repair & Crafting), then maintain it to prevent future damage. A freshly repaired item is functional but may become Damaged if not maintained.
What about Cyberware maintenance?
Cyberware uses the same system. The skill is Cybertech, and the DV is based on the cyberware’s cost. Regular Ripperdoc visits can serve as narrative maintenance.
đź”— Related Topics
- Repair & Crafting — Fixing Destroyed gear back to working condition
- Salvaging — Finding Destroyed gear to repair
- Money — Lifestyle costs that cover automatic maintenance
- Weapons and Gear — Weapon stats and quality
- Cyberware — Chrome catalog and installation costs
- Drones — Drone operation and repair
(Source: Interface RED Volume 5, “Breaking Your Stuff” pp. 3–12)