Illegality
Most of what you do is illegal … or at least extra-legal
… well, let’s just go with quasi-legal. Basically, operating
outside the law is your bag of soychips. It’s not just
what you do that’s against the law, but the stuff you
use to do it can be questionable as well. Your job often
requires the possession of an array of shady, restricted,
or flat-out illegal items. Some of the gear in this chapter
is considered illegal just to own.
Items are classified as legal, restricted (R), or forbidden
(F). A legal item can be purchased freely, and
owned, transported, and used—legally—without restriction.
Of course, if you commit a crime with something
that’s not normally seen as an illegal item—like killing a
random passerby by applying blunt force trauma with a
medkit—you will still be subject to prosecution normally,
if they ever catch you. But at least you won’t face an extra
charge for the piece of gear you used!
A restricted item can be purchased, owned, and
transported only under special circumstances. You are
allowed to purchase and own a gun with the requisite
firearms permit, and you can carry it with you with a
special concealed carry permit. Of course, if you threaten
someone or—heavens forefend—shoot someone
with your gun, permit or not, you can expect to spend
a long time in jail before or after having your permit revoked.
Licenses and permits can be obtained through
legal channels, as long as you’re a solid citizen with a
legal SIN—of course, that goes for shadowrunners with
fake SINs acquiring fake licenses, too. A fake license is
connected to a fake SIN, and if one of them is exposed,
the other becomes worthless (see Fake SINs, p. 367).
Forbidden items are never okay for anyone to own
or buy or have—at least not for you, a private citizen. No
amount of licensing or permits will make owning one
anything like permissible in the eyes of the law. Don’t get
caught, chummer.