The PCs in my Clone Wars-era game are about to perform an illegal salvage operation of a Republic vessel in Separatist territory on an uninhabitable moon with no atmosphere and 1/3 gravity. They are looking for equipment to help with this difficult operation (repulsed clamps, EVA powersuits, envirosuits, etc.).

They may also want “magnetic boots” similar to the ones used by the Ranger Troopers in the train heist sequence of Solo. This is what I was thinking to recreate them:

Mag-Boots (250 credits/rarity 2, 1 ENC). Through the use of powerful magnets, Mag-Boots grant 2 boost dice to Athletics checks climb sheer or inverted metal surfaces in environments with normal gravity. Failure on such a check typically represents a lack of progress, and a wearer will not fall unless, at GM discretion, a Despair is rolled as part of the result. In a zero- or low-gravity environment, under normal circumstances, the wearer can climb such metal surfaces without the need of an Athletics check. Mag-Boots are bulky and not designed for running. Therefore, a wearer may not spend more than 1 maneuver per turn to move.

Opinions?

The space suit mentions magnetic boots in the description and it's cheaper than your boots, so I'd say that you probably don't need to worry about it. I'd just play it off with boosts and setbacks to tasks as needed.

I don't think spacesuit mag-boots would be expected to work on a planet- the gravity is much too high. Plus, those boots were clearly a Big Deal.

Write-up looks good IMO. I can't remember what the difficulty is to climb a sheer surface, though- it might be useful to have that in the description? Also mentioning the user can climb with their hands free is probably important.

I just ran my players through a modified Star Wars Saga edition Mission called "Wreck and Ruin", which is to salvage a derelict Clone wars Droid control ship. No gravity, Vacuum, etc. Same inquires about appropriate gear for the missions arose. While 1 player bought a space suit which has grav boots and air, my other players wanted to keep their armor that already was sealed (laminate). Also 10 minutes of air is not enough. Thus I found the book did not cover to my liking, so I just hand waved it and presented them with what I thought were some reasonable items. Backup air canisters (30min), 25 credits. Mag boots installed in armor, 1 hard point and 100 credits I think.

Despite having all the proper gear, I still found plenty of ways to keep the environmental threats a challenge.

• Mag boots are slow, difficult terrain, only 1 move action.
• No power, its pitch black. You remembered to bright your glow rods right?
• High threat? oh noes! It looks like your boots got severely hit, now you get a setback on any athletics or coordination checks (which there are a lot of in no gravity)
• High threat? oh noes! It looks like your air tank took a glancing hit, you'll have to replace it sooner rather than later.
• Crit? oh it looks like your boots are disabled. (they solved this by rope and hooking themselves along every couple meters, so as not to float around)
• *player loosened boots to fly through air, and got despair* "oh your face-plate hits a beam and you hear a gentle but steady hiss, as you see your helmet is cracked. (You can now suffer 6 more strain before it breaks)

Just a note about difficulty and my GM style: While it seems like I am using their gear planning against them, I am really only trying to keep the environmental threats from being completely negated and still be a novel challenge. Also, this is just how I run games, but I would never give them instant death scenarios. Players hate it and its boring. For example, In the Despair example above I could have just said oh your faceplate shatters, now you are suffocating. But nah, its more fun to see them try to patch it with mesh tape (read: duct tape), and then describe the crack expanding as they take strain. Same with the air tank, I could have said it explodes and now you have no air. Could they have figured out a way to not die right at that moment? Maybe. But personally I think a "timer" is more interesting as it adds more rising tension, and makes player really feel they have accomplished something and averted disaster; as opposed to sudden "ah well, now you're screwed".

I'd make them simplier and cheaper. Magboots are probably common gear for spacers with literally millions of various makes and models on the market.

So... Probably something as simple as:

Cost: 50

Rarity: 2

Enc 1

Effect: May walk normally along metal surfaces in zero G. Remove 1 setback caused by unstable conditions when standing/walking on a metal surface.

Cheap, simple, useful, easy to remember and apply, but no bonuses applicable outside of the intended use.

It'll help you not fall off a moving train or starship, but it won't allow you to walk up walls or something.

Thanks for the feedback.