It’s not just about firepower; sometimes you need to
choose the right tool for the setting. Failure to do this
can mean getting arrested for carrying a deadly weapon
before you make it from the meet to where the job
is supposed to go down. Surprise is a shadowrunner’s
best friend, and carrying a properly hidden hold-out can
mean the difference between life and death. As a shadowrunner,
you commonly tote around things you don’t
want casual onlookers to observe. Things that would
attract unwanted attention, even if they aren’t technically
illegal. Or hidden “equalizers” you want to act as
your ace in the hole. Some items are easier to hide than
others, obviously: most hold-out pistols can be stowed
away in a bathing suit if that’s what you happen to be
wearing, but as awesome as it would be, hiding a katana
under your long coat isn’t easy.
The Concealability Table lists a selection of items
and the standard modifiers that apply.
Noticing hidden Gear
Have the observing character make a Perception + Intuition
[Mental] Test with a dice pool modified by the item’s
Concealability to determine whether they notice the item.
This test should be penalized normally by distractions,
distance, and visibility modifiers (p. 175). If the observing
character generates at least one success, they notice
the item concealed on someone else’s person.
Actively Hiding Gear
If you’re intentionally trying to hide something on your
person that somebody else is looking for, and you’ve
taken a little time to hide it (like a Complex Action or so),
make an Opposed Palming + Agility [Physical] v. Perception
+ Intuition [Mental] Test. The observing character’s
dice pool is modified by the item’s Concealability, and
he can use Palming in place of Perception if he wants.
If you’re being physically patted down, the searcher
can use Agility and his Physical limit instead of Intuition
and the Mental limit. Additionally, any negative Concealability
modifier is cut in half, and any positive Concealability
modifier is doubled.
