... pick the black ops data breaker over the outlaw tech data breaker? They provide the same bonus, but black ops data breaker basically provides a bonus to the tracer user action ...

Enlighten interwebz.

Beats me. I wouldn't.

... pick the black ops data breaker over the outlaw tech data breaker? They provide the same bonus, but black ops data breaker basically provides a bonus to the tracer user action ...

Enlighten interwebz.

Because of RP reasons, like the Black Ops one is provided to you by your employer...

They cost the same and have the same rarity.

Now I get the RP reason and so on, I just find it odd that they're identical in cost, rarity, encumbrance, provide the same bonus... But one gives bonuses to computer system defenders too...

I've always treated them as the same item....

I'd consider reducing rarity and/or cost of the blackops data breaker, to signify that it is inferior to the outlaw tech one.

Could make it encumbrance 0 and give it some kind of bonus for hiding it on a PCs person. Give it that James Bond feel, like something you'd sneak into the party in your Tux pocket.

The only reason would be that if you only had access to the AoR rulebook but not EotE. Personally, I just ignore the AoR version and stick with the EotE version.

Of course, it might be that the AoR version was meant as a "patch" for the EotE version, adding a drawback to account for the two boost dice that the item provides.

Or somebody did not check the existing gear and made a new cool toy that outclasses its predecessor.

Or powercreep.

That would be my 2 guesses.

Or somebody did not check the existing gear and made a new cool toy that outclasses its predecessor.

Or powercreep.

That would be my 2 guesses.

It's the opposite though, Edge came out before Age... the blackops data breaker (the worse of the two) is in Age.

Perhaps this was added to EotE in an errata? or changed in later additions. The Age rules make sense with it being so heavy handed. I would have the age equipment be the set rule for both.

That's just me tho.

The price/rarity may be the same, but availability could come into play. If you're playing an AoR Spy adventure, you'll probably be given (or have made available) the Spec Ops version over the Outlaw tech version.

If I had to guess, someone recalled that an item of this type had been previously created, and then tried to re-create it from memory instead of actually checking the book. And they botched the job.

Wouldn’t be the first time. Not even for FFG in the SWRPG environment.