R. Talsorian Games (RTG) recently released the eagerly awaited Black Chrome supplement that’s stuffed with gear, weapons, clothing, etc. The PDF is US$20 and hardcover is $40. I got the PDF as a birthday gift from a good friend and I love all the gear. There are good pictures of every single item, as far as I can tell (beware the disclaimer in the intro however!). Like all the RTG books I’ve seen, it’s high quality. And a whole chapter of Fixers and Night Markets, so you and your PC can buy it all. Even if your PC lives a Kibble Lifestyle for a month or more to afford them. So grab a can of (non-addictive!) Triti-Fizz soda (10eb) and listen up, choombatta.
Speaking of Lifestyles, that is one of the most useful parts of the book. The core book gives small descriptions of what you get in the way of food and entertainment with each Lifestyle, leaving the GM to decide what expenses are out of pocket and very little to go on. Black Chrome is both broader and has more specifics on Food, Communications (that is, what your Agency plan allows), Entertainment, and Transportation. These are broken down by type and how often. For example, depending on your Lifestyle, you can get a round trip cab inside the city from once per month to once per day, to specific Threat Level areas. Not only can a GM extrapolate to other expenses, your Lifestyle selection might help your PC. With the better Lifestyles, for instance, your Agency allows you to contact people outside the City! One of my friends quickly realized how valuable this would be to a Fixer.
Lifestyles is part of the “Economics 101” chapter, which is a must read for both GMs and players. Many fans of the game, including me, do admit the economy portrayed in the core book doesn’t always make sense and this helps. You get to see how it can all work together. Yes, you really should stop drooling over the Zonda Parallax Cybercycle™ (110,000eb) and Kendachi Mono-Wakazashi (1,000eb) for a bit and go over this material, presented as a pirate radio show. Then you will know how you can get your cyberhands on those beauties and how much work the Fixers and Nomads put in sourcing and delivering them. But your GM will also know these things. There’s also an example of turning these details into a gig or three…
No, sorry, I am not going to tell you about all the amazing items in this review. That’s why I gave you those links at the top of the page, so you can get your very own Black Chrome “catalog.” But here’s a smattering of goodies that caught my eyes, in addition to the ones mentioned in the rest of this review:
- Weapons which grant bonuses to Facedown/Reputation or Wardrobe & Style checks (Examples: Gunmart’s Overlord Handcannon, 100eb; Sanroo’s Hello Cutie Ultra K8 Assault Pistol, 5,000eb)
- Agent apps (Example: Digital Gladiator game [PvP meets Running Man], 20eb)
- New cyberware (Examples: assorted Cyberfingers, 100-500eb) and discount versions of some existing cyberware (Example: Budget Chipware Socket, 100eb)
- External, as well as internal, versions of your favorite Linear Frames.
In addition there’s gear for everyone from Rockerboys (Laser Light Electric Guitar, which counts as 1 Light Tattoo, 1,000eb) to Nomads (MechaMan Motorcycle Helmet with built-in Smart Glasses, 5,000eb). All vehicle entries helpfully have a new stat, Nomad Access. This is the Moto rank to have use of this vehicle including all upgrades listed in the statblock. There’s also lots of Fashion and Armor, usually one and the same because the Dark Future is all about staying alive and looking good doing it. Like the other items, there are pictures of everything. However, these aren’t next to the clothing they show, which I found mildly annoying. The pictures, which show multiple items, do have numbers corresponding to the clothing/armor entries, and yes, they will make your PC look amazing, and so will the Linear Frames. Whatever you’re buying, keep caveat emptor (“Let the buyer beware”) in mind.
If 160 pages of goodies aren’t enough, then check out the free DLC, Black Chrome Plus, with cool outtakes. There’s more from the various Black Chrome Fixers and Night Markets. Plus some visual aids, like what the varying Fashion Styles (Asia Pop, Leisure Wear, Nomad, etc.) might look like. I really like the one page feature “Looking at Linear.” Want to know some of the tells for an internal frame user? Here you go. The example image is the sweet core book portrait of a restauranteur and son/nephew. That man must have one helluva backstory!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, my Fixer is pinging my Agent, and I hope they got everything. My Medtech really needs that K8 for protection, my Nomad’s itching for a Zonda ride – and no telling what my players want.
Linda Whitson
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