From: "Geoffrey Fagan" <gef_gurps@hotmail.com>  
To: gurpsnet-l@io.com  
Subject: Legality Class (was Re: need ideas)  
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2002 18:12:46 -0600  


Matt Jones wrote: 

    Such persons normally have employees to handle complex and stringent 
bureaucracies, perhaps with the occasional favor thrown in.  One of the 
goals of a convoluted procedure is to discourage 'undesirable' people 
from using it, and 'connected' persons are less likely to be so 
discouraged. 
 

I posted this originally to the illuminati BBS - still works great for 
gaming purposes: 

   For an ordinary character with no special access to restricted 
equipment, any item of Legality Class equal to Control Rating (or higher) is 
available for list cost. An item of (CR-1) has some red tape attached but 
can be acquired, with appropriate legal documents (or from the black market, 
with some Streetwise skill), for twice list cost. Items of CR-2 can be 
obtained for 5 times list cost, and items of CR-3 can be obtained for 10 
times list! Items of CR-4 or lower LC cannot be obtained at all under normal 
circumstances; you can only get them through adventuring. 
   Social advantages can increase your level of access, lowering your 
personal, effective control rat-ing. Access modifiers are shown below. 
Subtract your total access modifier from your campaign's control rating to 
find your effective CR. 

Patrons* 
Extremely Powerful Individual   +1 
Powerful Organization           +1 
Very Powerful Organization      +2 
National Government             +3 
Multi-National Organization     +3 

Contacts* 
Skill 15 or 18                  +1 
Skill 21                        +2 

Legal Enforcement** 
10-point                        +1 
15-point                        +2 

Rank** 
4                               +1 
5+                              +2 

Status** 
3 or 4                          +1 
5+                              +2 

*Access bonuses from Contacts and Patrons are not cumulative. 

**Access bonuses from Legal Enforcement Power, Military Rank, and Status are 
not cumulative. 

   For instance, the CEO (high status, access +2) of a multi-national 
corporation (access +3) has a total access modifier of +5. That means that 
in a typical campaign with Control Rating 5, he can get LC0 equipment for 
list price! (And he's likely to be rich, anyway.) 
   Your access level applies only for equipment you have for personal use. 
Soldiers routinely carry controlled weapons, but only while on duty. If you 
have a patron which provides free equipment, it will provide only equipment 
of your personal CR-1 at best. For CR-2 or -3, you'll have to purchase your 
own, at inflated cost, although your patron still counts toward reducing 
your personal CR. 
   The access modifier of an advantage applies only in situations where it 
can exert influence. A pharmaceuticals company could get you plenty of 
restricted chemicals, but it might not be able to package them in grenade 
shells. The GM rules on the jurisdiction of each advantage. 
   In order to purchase equipment with the benefit of an access modifier, 
roll against the frequency of appearance for your appropriate advantage. For 
Legal Enforcement Power, Military Rank, or Status, use a "frequency of 
appearance" of 12. For Rank or Status 7 or higher, use a frequency of 15. If 
the roll succeeds, you can get the equipment before your next adventure; if 
you need it immediately, halve the access modifier (round down). You may 
roll for the frequency of each advantage once per adventure. 

GEF