Each accessory in this section is classified as an “accessory” or a “modification.” An accessory can be installed with little difficulty by pretty much anyone onto the top, bottom, or side slots. Just buy it, snap it on one of your available mounts, and you’re off and running. Note, though, that these accessories cannot be snapped on and off in a short amount of time (unless you have a slide mount, p. 52). Assume swapping them on and off takes at least five minutes while sitting still, making it impractical to do while in the middle of a firefight.
In case it needs to be said, you can’t install the same modification or accessory twice and expect to double the benefits. If you really want to, you can install the same modification in two different spots, but you’ll only get the benefit once, so you’ll be wasting a slot. You also can only have one modification per slot. Some types of weapons have further limitations—for example, light pistols can only take top and barrel-mounted accessories, while hold-outs can’t take accessories at all.
If you add an accessory to the stock, barrel, or internal slots, or add a modification, a little more work is needed. Here’s what to do. 1) Make sure you know what to do. Make a [Type of Weapon
Knowledge skill] + Logic (4) [Mental] Test to see if you know
how to make the necessary modification. If you want a little help on the test, you can search for plans that might provide guidance. This can be a Matrix Search (Computer + Intuition [Data Processing]) with a threshold based on the availability of the modification (see Matrix Search, p. 241, SR5). Restricted mods should have a threshold of at least 3, and forbidden items should have a threshold of at least 6. Players can also ask their contacts for plans; use the basic legwork rules (p. 387, SR5) to discover if the contact knows what to do and is willing to share it with the player’s character. If you are able to find plans, add 6 dice to your test to see if you know how to make the modification.
2) Prepare the proper tools. Unless otherwise noted, a kit is sufficient to attach accessories to the top, underneath, or side slots, while a shop is needed for internal, barrel, or stock modifications.
3) Roll the test. For weapons modifications, this is generally going to be an Armorer + Logic [Mental] Extended Test, with thresholds and intervals determined using the guidelines on p. 48, SR5.
coil compensation—but only, of course when it is out and braced against the user’s shoulder. It must be in- stalled in the stock slot and requires a Simple Action to move in or out; there is a motorized version that makes folding and unfolding it a Free Action.
Foregrip (accessory): This is a handle you put on in
the front of the weapon to give you a sturdier grip. It can only be mounted on the barrel, and it cannot be used on Pistols and Hold-outs. It provides 1 point of Recoil Compensation and adds 1 to the Concealability of the weapon to which it’s attached.
Gecko grip (modification): Have trouble holding on
to your gun? Then maybe you shouldn’t have one. But if that’s not an option, then try gecko grip, which makes your piece stick in your hand like, well, a gecko hanging on a wall. This gives your grip a bunch of tiny fibers that are awfully clingy to just about anything. The fibers can be turned on and off via wireless command if you have a smartgun—if not, pressing two buttons at the same time does the trick. The mod gives a +6 bonus on any tests to see if a character keeps grip on the gun. This can go on any weapon with a grip, whether they have a stock slot or not; if they have a stock slot, this takes it up.
Guncam (accessory): The device that launched a
thousand stupid-ass MeFeed videos. Whatever the gun is pointing at, it records. Yeah, you don’t always want a record of what you’re about to shoot, but sometimes that footage is invaluable—whether you need to show Mr. Johnson what you managed to pull off, review foot- age to help you plan your next move, or doctor what you filmed to make you look good, the video you film has plenty of possible uses. Its Device Rating fills in for any necessary stats. Guncams can be installed in the Top, Underneath, Barrel, Side, or Internal slots.
Hip pad bracing system (accessory): Some weapons
are, quite simply, a huge load. This system allows you to move some of the weight of the weapon to your hip, distributing the weight more and letting you brace it bet- ter. The end result is that the user gets 1 point of recoil compensation. It uses the stock slot.
Improved range finder (accessory): Laser range
finders are standard equipment on smartlinks, but if you have the scratch you can make its range calculation functions even better. It combines three technologies— microwave, laser, and radar—to give you an extreme- ly accurate calculation of range. The effect of this is to reduce range modifiers by 1. This only can be used in weapons that have a smartlink; it can be positioned in any slot besides the one that has the smartlink. This bo- nus cannot be combined with any bonuses from image magnification on the weapon.
Peak-discharge battery packs (accessory): For
weapons that need a power source, this is it. It does not take up a slot; weapons that need it already have a spot for it. It charges at a rate of 1 power unit per 30 minutes. The number of power units used per shot is listed with each weapon.
These packs come in three forms: power clips, which hold 10 power units and fit into a weapon like a clip would; satchel power packs that hold 20 power units, are about the size of a canteen, and are usually attached to belts, and power backpacks, which hold 30 power units and are worn on the back, of all places. Satchels and backpacks are attached to weapons with a self-recoiling cord that requires a Simple Action to attach.
Many hundreds of hours have gone into testing and refining the makeup of these batteries to make it so they are not susceptible to explosions. So no, you can’t use one as an improvised explosive device.
Safe target system (accessory): The goal of this sys-
tem is to avoid those situations where your mates are chewing you out for accidentally shooting them in the hoop. Using information about your teammates’ ap- pearance and the electronics in their PAN, this system attempts to recognize when you are aiming at any spot within 1 meter of a friendly target. In these situations, the system locks the trigger, preventing you from firing. Once the friendly target isn’t at risk anymore, you can start fir- ing again. Note that the system interprets risk broadly—if there is something between you and a friendly target, the system will lock you out, unless that “something” is an entire office building or Mt. Rushmore or something.
The basic system can mark up to 10 RFID profiles (or GPS coordinates if you want to designate fixed locations as “safe”); for a few extra nuyen you can add more pro- files. If you want a little more accuracy, allowing you to easily shoot the drekhead who stole your buddy’s com- mlink without difficulty, then upgrade to the image rec- ognition system. You’ll need a guncam or smartlink to use this function. The base image recognition allows you to enter up to 10 different visual profiles, which can be as broad as “anyone wearing the Ancients’ logo” or as narrow as precise scans of members of your team. As with the GPS/RFID system, you can spring for extra pro- files if you need them.
The safe target system can be mounted on any loca- tion besides the stock.
Slide mount (accessory): By installing this on the
top, underneath, or side slots, you can make it much easier to install and remove items in these locations. Items may be taken on or off using a Simple Action.
Sling (accessory): For Special Forces troops, this is a
sturdy piece of mesh or canvas custom-fitted to the user and positioned on the weapon in a way to ensure it can be readied as quickly as possible. For guerilla warriors, this might be a piece of rope, and old belt, or anything else that can be rigged up to help them keep from drop- ping their weapon. No matter how complex or simple, the function is basic—it makes sure your weapon doesn’t fall to the ground when you’re running or diving from an explosion or in the middle of being shot or whatever. It may be shot out of your hands, but getting it ready again is a Simple Action. The sling does not take up any slots on a weapon.
Tracker (accessory): This is a customized RFID tag
that combines the functions of security and stealth RFIDs, giving you the chance to track down your weap- on if for some reason you don’t know where it is. Use the rules for RFID tags, p. 440, SR5; assume the tracker has the function of a security tag and a stealth tag. The tracker does not take up any slots in a weapon.
Underbarrel bola launcher (modification): Would
your weapon be enhanced by the ability to throw out two balls connected by a thin rope that can entangle and trip up your opponent? If your answer is “no,” please go back and read the questions again. As the name indicates, this goes on the underneath slot, and it can only go on weap- ons rifle-sized or larger The launched bola works in the same way as a regular bola (p. 27) as thrown by someone with Strength 5. It uses Heavy Pistol ranges, and wielders fire it with the Exotic Ranged Weapon (Bola) skill.
Underbarrel chainsaw (modification): Very useful in
case you need to chop wood for a campfire while out on a run, or cut some lumber to repair floorboards.
Ha! Who are we kidding? This is there for those times when you might want to use a bayonet but would prefer something louder and messier. If you don’t know what times might require that, you haven’t been in the shadows long enough. Use the Exotic Melee Weapons (Chainsaw) skill for this; when used against a barrier, double its Dam- age Value. It can only be mounted on the underneath slot and must be used on rifle-sized weapons or larger. Sorry for killing your dreams of a chainsaw pistol.
Underbarrel flamethrower (modification): We’ve
known runners so fond of fire that they might mount one of these on an actual flamethrower. This can go on the underbarrel slot of a rifle-sized weapon. For rules cover- ing flamethrower use, see p. 49.
Underbarrel grapple gun (modification): It’s a grap-
ple gun mounted on the underneath slot of a rifle-sized weapon or larger. No muss, no fuss. For grapple gun rules, see p. 449, SR5.
Underbarrel grenade launcher (modification): Give
yourself the ability to lob grenades out there with your weapon. It can be mounted (say it with us now!) on the underneath slot of a rifle-sized weapon or larger. See p. 434, SR5, for more information on using grenade launchers.
Underbarrel weight (accessory): It may be a crude
way to reduce recoil, but it still works. By placing some weight in the underneath slot of a weapon, you prevent the kick from being as severe as it would be otherwise. This provides 1 point of recoil compensation when us- ing the weapon in Full Auto mode.
Weapon commlink (accessory): Once you get over
the idea that using your commlink means touching it all the time, placing one in your weapon becomes a sen- sible move. Your weapon becomes the heart of your PAN. Many users like to use this with the weapon per- sonality mod.
Weapon personality (accessory): Does your gun
need its own software complete with an artificial per-