Having enough Yuwan does not guarantee access to an item. Some equipment is common and openly sold, while other goods require specialist suppliers, licences, corporate access, criminal contacts, or time to locate.
Each item has an Availability rating that represents how difficult it is to source under normal conditions, and an Access Tag that determines whether its purchase or possession is legally restricted.
Availability and legality are separate. An item may be easy to find but Illegal to possess, or perfectly Civilian but difficult to source because it is rare, specialized, or produced in limited quantities.
When equipment cannot simply be purchased from an ordinary seller, use the sourcing rules below.
Availability
Availability measures how difficult an item is to find on the market. Lower ratings represent common goods that can be obtained easily, while higher ratings represent increasingly rare or inaccessible equipment.
Listed Availability assumes a wealthy, developed economy under normal conditions. The GM may adjust an item’s Availability when local scarcity, isolation, disrupted supply, or other circumstances make it easier or harder to obtain.
| Availability | Rarity | Default Sourcing Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Ubiquitous | No test required |
| 1–2 | Common | 1d6 × 10 minutes |
| 3–4 | Uncommon | 1d6 hours |
| 5–6 | Rare | 1d6 × 10 hours |
| 7–8 | Exceptional | 1d6 days |
| 9–10 | Exotic | 1d6 weeks |
| 11+ | Normally Unavailable | GM discretion |
Equipment with Availability 0 can normally be purchased without a Sourcing Test wherever an appropriate market exists. Equipment with a higher Availability must normally be sourced.
The listed timeframe represents how long it typically takes to locate a seller, confirm stock, arrange a transaction, or secure delivery. It does not require continuous searching.
Availability is separate from an item’s Access Tag. An item may be easy to locate while still being Restricted or Illegal to purchase or possess.
Sourcing Equipment
To find an item with Availability 1 or higher, make a Sourcing Test using the Skill and Attributes that best match the character’s approach.
Common approaches include:
- Investigation to search listings, compare vendors, trace stock, or locate specialist sellers.
- Influence to question merchants, negotiate through suppliers, or obtain introductions.
- Manipulation to use false credentials, conceal the buyer’s intentions, or approach illicit sellers.
- Other Skills may apply when appropriate.
The number of Hits determines the highest Availability the character can source. If the test generates at least as many Hits as the item’s Availability, a suitable source is found within its listed sourcing timeframe.
For every 2 Hits above the required Availability, reduce the sourcing timeframe by one step.
Restricted (R) equipment uses its normal sourcing timeframe when the buyer has the required licence, permit, professional status, corporate authorization, or other legal access.
When Restricted equipment is acquired without the required authorization, or when sourcing Illegal (X) equipment, increase the sourcing timeframe by one step. If the item would normally require no sourcing time, use the first listed sourcing timeframe instead.
If the test fails, no suitable source is found during that attempt. A Complication may introduce an unreliable seller, unwanted attention, additional requirements, lost deposits, or another problem appropriate to the search.
Finding a source does not remove any legal consequences associated with possessing or using the item.
Access Tags
An item’s Access Tag describes the legal restrictions placed on its purchase, possession, or use.
Access Tags do not affect an item’s Price or Availability except where the sourcing rules specifically state otherwise.
| Access Tag | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian | May normally be purchased and possessed without special authorization. | |
| Restricted | R | Requires an appropriate licence, permit, professional status, corporate authorization, or similar legal access. |
| Illegal | X | Civilian purchase or possession is prohibited. |
Civilian is the default and is not marked in equipment profiles.
The Access Tags listed in the equipment catalogue represent a general baseline. Laws vary between jurisdictions, and the GM may change an item’s Access Tag to reflect the location in which the campaign takes place.
Using Contacts
A character may use an appropriate Contact to help source equipment.
If the Contact could reasonably provide the item, introduce the buyer to a supplier, or navigate the relevant market, the GM may allow the Contact to replace or assist the normal Sourcing Test.
Contacts may also provide access to goods the character would otherwise struggle to locate, particularly Restricted or Illegal equipment.
The exact benefit depends on the Contact’s relationship, field, influence, and willingness to help.
Placeholder
Contact rules and their interaction with Sourcing Tests will be finalized alongside the Contact system.