A barrier is a natural or manmade obstruction that denies access. People who wish to pass must climb over, tunnel under, or break through it. Alternatively, one can construct some sort of permanent opening to assist passage, which might have a cover to prevent unauthorized use.

Those in the business often speak of physical security as “the four Ds”: deter, detect, delay, and defeat. Barriers delay the intruder from reaching his objective; he must waste time going over or around them. Traps defeat him by rendering him ineffective – or less effective – as a threat, but are rare in reality because they’re so indiscriminate. Either measure can also deter, if sufficiently visible.

Doors, grates, strongboxes, etc. can be destroyed using crushing or cutting weapons. Don’t bother with attack rolls! Roll damage at +2, or +1 per die, for All-Out Attack (Strong) – plus another +1 or +2 per die with Forced Entry (p. B196) at DX+1 or DX+2, respectively. Pry-bars (p. 126) deal swing+2 crushing. Swords dislike such abuse, and have a 3 in 6 chance (2 in 6 if fine, 1 in 6 if very fine) of bending, giving -1 to skill. Subtract the target’s DR, multiply by 1.5 if your attack was cutting, and reduce the object’s HP until it breaks (see pp. B483-484).

Door and grate DR and HP assume a 10-square-foot breach. This will admit most adventurers. A Skinny intruder requires an opening half as big (20% fewer HP); one with Fat, Very Fat, or Gigantism needs half again the area (15% more HP). When attacking the entire barrier – e.g., with a battering ram – calculate HP for a Homogenous object using its total weight (see p. B558).

Many doors can be forced with a well-placed shoulder or boot, destroying the attached hardware but not the door. Read the DR and HP of a bolt, hinge, latch, or lock from the “Bolt/Latch” columns under Bars, Bolts, and Latches. Roll a Quick Contest: ST vs. object HP. Add Lifting ST, and bonuses for Forced Entry and/or tools (e.g., +2 for a pry-bar), to ST; subtract the hardware’s DR. For a barred or wedged door, use the bar or wedge’s DR and/or HP with these rules, where these exceed the metal hardware’s scores. You must win to open the door. Repeated attempts are at a cumulative -1 and cost 1 FP each.

A wooden, metal, or stone container used to secure treasure, protect weapons and armor, or store clothing or linens – or sometimes for burial of important people. Consult Containers and Storage (p. 34) for the box. To control access, use any of the locks under Bars, Bolts, Latches, and Locks (pp. 120-121).

A door is a moveable barrier that covers an opening. The earliest evidence for manmade doors appears in paintings in Egyptian tombs. Doors are used to restrict access to certain areas and/or to control temperature by keeping the weather from intruding. They can be secured with bars, bolts, or latches (p. 120). See p. B558 for the DR and HP of various materials from which door scan be made. Some general examples:

* Wood has ablative DR (see p. B47); ironbound wood and iron do not.

Concealed doors and secret passages date to the early Bronze Age (TL1). Most are part of a building, constructed when the structure is erected. However, a secret passage may be a later alteration, like the classic prison escape tunnel.

A craftsman must roll against the lower of Architecture or Smuggling to design a concealed door. He needs either Carpentry (for wooden doors) or Masonry (for stone ones) at 12+ to build it. To hide a regular door – by moving a bookcase in front, placing a rug over a trap door, etc. – requires the Camouflage skill.

Finding concealed doors takes an active search. The GM rolls a secret Quick Contest for each searcher: the highest of Vision, Observation, or Per-based Traps vs. the Architecture, Camouflage, or Smuggling skill used to hide the door. Victory reveals the door (if there is one!). Opening it may require Search rolls for hidden latches and/or IQ-based Traps rolls for mechanisms.

A sturdy door with a lock is the simplest way to keep people out. Napoleonic-era redoubts, inner-city crack houses, and modern high-security installations (e.g., nuclear weapons facilities) all sport armored doors. See Doors and Walls (p. B558) for the DR and HP of armored doors. Multiply HP by the door’s width in yards. LC4.

An early defense involved planting thorny shrubs around a secure area. Like modern barbed wire, such plants are a physical deterrent; they look menacing and slow would-be intruders. Anybody passing through the obstructed area must make a DX-5 roll once per yard. Failure means the barbs tear the victim’s skin; he must make a Will roll (at +3 for High Pain Threshold or -4 for Low Pain Threshold) to avoid crying out. (It would take monstrous thorns to inflict even 1d-5 cutting damage!) The thorns also snag clothing and equipment; treat this as a Binding attack with ST 7. Clothing or armor with DR 1+ will prevent tearing but not entangling. The easiest way to cross thorns is to lay something over them – a log, a thick cloak, a body, etc. – and climb across.

A window is a hole in a wall to admit light and air. To prevent unauthorized access, it might be covered by a grate (below) or a windowpane – or simply made too small to climb through! Prior to the invention of transparent glass, translucent materials such as horn and paper were used for windowpanes; see Materials for the TL and properties of such layers. Wooden or metal shutters could provide additional protection, keeping intruders and the elements out, and warmth in; see p. B558 for typical DR and HP.

A grate is a metal grille that covers an opening. It lets in light and air, but prevents access. It counts as half cover (p. B407): Attacks through the grate in either direction are at -2 to hit specific locations – or strike it instead of the target on a roll of 4-6 on 1d, if attacking a random location.

A grate may be fixed in place, hinged like a door, or raised and lowered from above as a portcullis. The following table lists DR for some typical grates, along with HP and weight for a 10-square-foot section. Destroying a section allows normal humans to squeeze through one at a time; see Breaking and Entering (p. 122) for other important details.

The typical castle portcullis is about 15’x20’; that’s 300 square feet, or 30 sections. An average example would thus weigh 30 x 15 = 450 lbs. A representative mechanism for such a portcullis can raise it a foot every three seconds or drop it one foot per second, and requires eight men to operate.

Cutting the portcullis’ rope or chain would let it fall completely closed in a second. Heroically lifting it would use the standard lifting rules (p. B353), in the unlikely event that the barrier lacks a latch or a bar to prevent this.

A cross-hatched grate – with additional horizontal bars – has double weight and 25% more HP.

Placing a grate horizontally over a depression in the ground hampers some creatures (notably hoofed animals) from walking over it. Crossing requires a DX roll at the speed penalty for current Move (p. B550); e.g., Move 5 gives -2. Failure means 1d-4 HP of injury to the limb that falls through the grate, doubled if the victim is carrying more than Light encumbrance. Most hoofed beasts will simply refuse to cross such a barrier, but an appropriate skill roll at -4 will overcome this reluctance.

Sharp fragments of stone, glass, pottery, or metal can be affixed atop a wall or to a windowsill to deter intruders. This takes 10 minutes per 10 square feet covered, and requires an adhesive such as glue, bitumen, or mortar, which needs at least 24 hours to harden fully. Treat the results exactly like spikes/thorns (p. 119), except that failing the DX-5 roll also inflicts 1d-3 cutting damage, and the ensuing Will roll suffers a penalty equal to the injury.

Safes are solid boxes with locks and other security devices, designed to protect valuables. Modify a safe’s price for the quality of its lock; see Locks (see above). Ignore the lock’s toughness – use the safe’s DR.

Base time to open a safe is an hour, not the minute needed for most locks (see Lockpicking, p. B206). Modify this for Time Spent (p. B346): bonuses for a basic lock, superior tools, etc., let the safecracker work quickly, while the penalty for a fine lock means he may require extra time. A stethoscope (pp. 213, 222) – to listen to the internal mechanism – is basic equipment for safecracking.

Bank Safe (TL5). A typical freestanding safe for a small business or a bank. 3 cubic feet. DR 120, HP 73. $5,000, 750 lbs. LC4.

Bank Vault (TL5). A small walk-in vault at a branch bank. 50 cubic feet. DR 400, HP 127. $30,000, 2 tons. LC3.

Depository (TL5). A huge safe at a large bank, or a national depository. 500 cubic feet. DR 800, HP 345. $300,000, 40 tons. LC3.

Fire Safe (TL5). A small, portable safe for documents and other small, high-value items. May be hidden; e.g., in a wall behind a picture. 1.2 cubic feet. DR 20, HP 19. $100, 100 lbs. LC4.

Firearms Safe (TL5). Holds a dozen rifles and like number of pistols. 20 cubic feet. DR 80, HP 64. $1,000, 500 lbs. LC4.

A bar (TL0) is a wooden beam dropped into sockets on the inside of a door. The only way to gain entry from outside is to break through the door or sever the beam. A wedge jammed between door and floor can also secure the door (or keep it open) – at least temporarily.

A bolt (TL1) is similar to a bar, but smaller and made of metal. Instead of dropping into sockets, it slides sideways into metal staples. It is “unlocked” from the inside by lifting it or drawing it back.

A latch (TL2) is a more advanced mechanism that performs the same operation as a bolt. Often, it pivots up at one end and drops into its receptacle to secure the door.

Any such device has DR and HP that must be overcome to open the door (see Breaking and Entering, p. 122), as given by the following table:

One of the earliest security measures for doors and containers involved lashing the thing shut with rope and then tying a complicated knot known only to the owner. An example is the famous “Gordian knot” faced by Alexander the Great. The only real advantage of this system is that the owner will know if his property has been tampered with. Someone truly intent on entering will simply cut the rope (as Alexander did).

To enter without using a blade requires the Knot-Tying skill, not Lockpicking. Roll a Quick Contest between the tier and the challenger. Victory means the knot is untied and the door opened. To retie the rope using exactly the same knot requires a skill roll, at -5 if one isn’t familiar with the knot; apply +2 for Eidetic Memory or +5 for Photographic Memory (see p. B51). Time to tie is 20 seconds, less 2 seconds per point of success.

For added security, a clay seal can be used. This is a lump of clay wrapped around the knot, with a seal pressed into it to prevent tampering. See Seals (p. 124).

The measures discussed so far are only secure when they’re on the inside of the door. If they’re inside, though, there’s no way to secure the door from outside. Accomplishing that calls for some means of fastening and unfastening a bar, bolt, or latch from without – a lock.

Locks don’t just make a door or a container harder to open – they alert the owner that someone has tampered with it. Two main technologies have been used to obtain security from mechanical locks and keys. One involves fixed obstructions, called wards, which prevent the wrong key from entering or turning in the lock. The other employs moveable pins, known as tumblers, which the key must move to a prearranged position before it can be turned. The best locks use a combination of wards and tumblers.

Most low-tech locks are fairly easy to pick, giving a bonus to Lockpicking (p. B206) when that skill is needed at all. Anachronistic settings can have more complex locks. Realistically, though, a door or a chest is more likely to sport multiple locks – requiring different keys to open – than a single, highly complex one.

Locks aren’t just about security; they also signify wealth. Some are elaborately decorated. Keys, too, are sometimes cut with intricate designs. Such embellishments are usually decorative, but may serve to deceive buyers into thinking that the lock is more complex than it actually is! Locks are frequently custom-made and priced so that only the wealthy can afford them. Cheap quality can make a lock easier to pick, while good or fine locks are more challenging.

This is a bar or a bolt with attached cords. To open the door from outside, two cords are tied to the bolt and passed through holes in the door. Pulling one cord locks the door; pulling the other unlocks it. Someone inside who wants to prevent the door from being unlocked can simply draw in the cords! An intruder needs some sort of tool that he can poke through the hole to hook the cord and tug the end out.

An improvement on this design adds a key to the second cord. The door has a hole, level with the bolt, through which a cord is threaded. Pulling this cord locks the door from the outside. To unlock the door, the bolt-cord is threaded through the key and the key is pushed through the hole. Then both cords are used together to unlock the door and the key is retrieved from the inside.

To pick this type of lock, the burglar needs an object that can fit through the hole. If a suitable piece of wood is available, roll vs. Carpentry to fashion a duplicate key. Success means the wood has been whittled to the right shape. Even a poor woodcarver should be able to make a serviceable key in 10-15 minutes, if he has access to the lock.

Adding a false cord or two is a good means of trapping such a lock. Tugging the wrong cord activates the trap (see Traps, pp. 122-123).

This lock originated in the Middle East but quickly spread. It’s similar to a cord and bolt (above), except that it has a hole through the bolt and a vertical pin – the tumbler. When the bolt is drawn into the locked position, the tumbler drops down into the hole, securing the lock. The bolt cannot be moved again until the tumbler is released.

Simply poking the tumbler with a finger – pushing it up out of the hole – releases the bolt, which can then be slid open with the finger still in the hole. This doesn’t require the Lockpicking skill. If the bolt is on the outside of the door, then, the tumbler should be concealed; the main challenge to opening the lock is finding the concealed tumbler (a Quick Contest of Vision or Search vs. Camouflage). If the bolt is on the inside, then the door needs a hole or a slot to admit a hand so that users can find the hole in the bolt. A simple trap for such a lock is a false tumbler; pressing the wrong tumbler activates the trap (see Traps, pp. 122-123).

A more advanced version of this lock makes the hole and tumbler too small to be released with a finger. Such a lock requires a piece of metal to slip through the door and up into the bolt. If the hole is irregularly shaped, then this “key” requires the same cross section. This is the simplest type of lock that requires the Lockpicking skill; all rolls are at +6 to +8.

An advanced version of the bolt and tumbler (above), this lock consists of a bolt with several tumblers that drop down through holes in it. To open it, a key resembling a metal toothbrush is pushed through a slot in the door and lifted up into the holes. Each prong on the key raises a different tumbler, freeing the bolt, which is unlocked by using the key to slide it sideways along the slot in the door. The door is locked in the same fashion, sliding the key in the other direction. To pick such a lock, all of the tumblers must be lifted simultaneously. Lockpicking rolls are at +3 to +5, depending on the number of tumblers.

This type of lock has one or more V-shaped springs that spread out against the staples, preventing the bolt from moving, thereby securing it. The key is relatively flat, with prongs or hooks on its end. It’s inserted through a horizontal slit (the keyhole), turned in a quarter-circle, and then pulled back. Pulling brings the prongs to bear on the springs, making them lie flat. With the springs clear of the staples, the key can now be used to slide the bolt, unlocking the door. Such locks seem to have been common in Rome and China, and were used until fairly recently in Scandinavia. Lockpicking modifiers range between +1 and +4.

This device operates similarly to the bolt and barbspring lock (above). Unlike today’s padlocks, the shackle is separate from the body. On the shackle’s lower side is a pair of spreading springs. These enter the lock’s body through a hole. When the shackle is pressed in fully, the springs – which were gradually closed during insertion – spread out inside the body, holding the shackle in place. To remove the shackle, the springs must be compressed again. This is done with an L-shaped key, which is pushed into a keyhole in the body. Both the Romans and Chinese used this type of padlock. Modifiers to Lockpicking range from +1 to +4.

First developed by the Greeks, these locks had keys that rotated instead of being pressed against the tumblers. Early keys were sickle-shaped; a key would work on most locks of a similar size. Turning the key in one direction caused the bolt to slide into the strike plate, locking it. Turning the key in the opposite direction slid the bold out again, unlocking it. Lockpicking rolls are at +1 to +4.

The perfection of the rotary lock rendered locks that relied on sliding or pushing the key largely obsolete, and tumblers were soon abandoned in favor of wards. The shapes of keys came to resemble those of today, though larger. More advanced rotary locks had hollow lock pins with rotating bearings on both ends, and keys were fluted to fit. This was the most common type of lock in medieval Europe. Lockpicking modifiers vary between -2 and +4.

The earliest known combination lock was described by the Arab inventor Al-Jazari in the 13th century, but didn’t see common use for several more centuries. There are two main types:

Disc Combination: Used on padlocks, chains, etc., this lock consists of a number of thick discs that are numbered on their outside edges. Behind one of the numbers on the inside of each disc is a notch. When all the notches are aligned, the bolt slides freely, locking or unlocking the mechanism. These are fairly easy to crack, with a Lockpicking modifier between +2 and +4.

Dial Combination: These were initially placed on “puzzle padlocks” in China. They had three to seven discs of characters or letters which released the hasp when properly aligned. Later developments place the discs inside the lock, with only a single dial on the outside. The dial needs to be spun multiple times in both directions, aligning the marker with a different number each time until the lock opens. Lockpicking modifiers range from -2 to +2.

A padlock can be a barb-spring padlock (TL2), rotary lock (TL2), warded rotary lock (TL3), or either variety of combination lock (TL4). Weight varies from 0.1 lb. to 2 lbs. It has DR 2. Find HP from the “Machine” column of the Object Hit Points Table (p. B558). Cost depends on the Lockpicking modifier:

Key locks and combination locks are the most widespread protection against theft and unwanted tampering. Locks have three defining traits: toughness, quality, and TL. These vary independently; one could have a weak, fine TL5 lock, a tough, basic TL8 lock, and so on. All locks are LC4.

Toughness: Locks are Unliving, with HP based on weight; see the Object Hit Points Table (p. B558). The lock’s exterior determines how easy it is to break:

• Weak. Made of plastic or low-grade metal, this lock is easily smashed with a hammer blow. DR 3, HP 2. $5, 0.25 lb.
• Standard. Constructed of steel, this is the typical TL5-8 lock. DR 6, HP 3. $20, 0.5 lb.
• Tough. An industrial-grade model, in hardened or tempered steel. DR 12, HP 3. $100, 0.5 lb.

Quality: A thief who can’t break the lock (or who wants to be stealthy!) may try to pick it. The quality of the mechanism affects his odds of success:

• Basic. Lockpicking attempts are at +5. x1 cost.
• Good. No Lockpicking modifier. x5 cost.
• Fine. Lockpicking attempts are at -5. x20 cost.

Tech Level: Lock manufacturers keep the latest designs secret, but often release information on older models to legitimate locksmiths or training schools. Higher-tech burglars therefore get a bonus equal in size to the penalty under Tech-Level Modifiers (p. B168); e.g., a TL7 thief has +3 to pick TL5 locks and +1 to pick TL6 locks. It’s entirely possible to find low-tech locks without traveling back in time! An abandoned mine shaft or a Third World warehouse is likely to have a lock from an earlier TL.

Electronic locks use numeric keypads or magnetic-strip key cards to control access. They’re mounted on doors, consoles, and even briefcases. They come in the same quality grades as mechanical locks, with identical effects on price; see Locks (p. 203).

“Picking” an electronic lock requires either Electronics Repair (Security) tools (see Tool Kits, p. 24) or an electronic lockpicking kit (p. 213). A less-invasive way to bypass a keypad is to observe an authorized user during the activation sequence and write down his code. Another method is to wipe off the keypad, wait for a user to enter his code, sprinkle some fingerprint powder to reveal the keys he used, and (eventually) figure out the right sequence.

Intruders may attempt to cut the power on electronic door locks. This often does work. Most systems are designed to unlock if the power fails – a safety measure in case of fire or other emergency. Such locks are “fail safe.” Devices that lock when the power goes off are “fail secure,” and found mainly on prison doors, the cases of high-value items, etc.

A basic electronic lock (+5 to Lockpicking attempts) – typical of homes, hotel rooms, shipboard staterooms, etc. – is a relay-based keypad at TL6, an electronic keypad at TL7, or a card reader at TL8. $100. LC4.

Fences serve as a visible reminder that an area is offlimits, and can slow or stop trespassers. At TL7-8, invisible “fences” aim instead to detect intruders.

The first barbed wire was sold in the 1870s on the American Plains. Settlers’ efforts to stop free-range cattle from destroying their crops became the “Barbed Wire War,” and cowpokes referred to the stuff as “the Devil’s rope.” The military quickly adopted barbed wire, using it for defensive barriers during the Spanish-American War. Barbed wire played a significant role in the carnage of WWI, too; it slowed down Tommy, Doughboy, and Landser so they could be mowed down by machine-gun fire.

A typical unit of coiled or “concertina” fencing stretches up to 15 yards when uncoiled and stands a yard tall. It’s freestanding and easily curved to create an enclosure or defend an oddly shaped area. Adding stakes or similar fixtures makes the barrier more permanent, while stacking multiple layers gives extra protection. Barbed wire takes one man-minute per yard to deploy – or triple that if protective gloves, wire cutters, and fasteners aren’t available.

Anybody passing through barbed wire has to make a DX-5 roll once per yard. Failure means the barbs tear the victim’s skin; he must make a Will roll (at +3 for High Pain Threshold or -4 for Low Pain Threshold) to avoid crying out. The wire also snags clothing and equipment; treat it as a Binding (p. B40) with ST 8. The easiest way to cross barbed wire is simply to lay something over it – a log, a sheet of metal or thick plastic, a body – and climb across.

Barbed Wire (TL6). Per 15-yard coil: $100, 15 lbs. LC4.

Razor Wire (TL6). Also called razor tape, this is wire-reinforced stainless-steel tape with spikes. Invented during WWI, it entered wide use in the 1960s, slicing inmates and Viet Cong sappers to ribbons. Treat it exactly like barbed wire, but a failed DX-5 roll also does 1d-3 cutting damage, and the ensuing Will roll suffers a penalty equal to the injury. Per 15-yard coil: $200, 15 lbs. LC4.

Nonlethal electric fences for livestock control appeared in the 1930s, one of the earliest examples being jury-rigged from Model T parts by a New Zealander. They proved successful at containing animals, and were soon adopted for caging humans. This led to the development of lethal electric fences, such as those found at Nazi concentration camps.

Electric fencing can be combined with barbed wire (see above).

Cattle Fence (TL6). A “hot wire” livestock fence inflicts a continuous “zap” for as long as the intruder touches it. Roll vs. HT each second. Failure means the target is stunned while he remains in contact with the fence. After breaking contact, he may roll versus HT each second to recover. See also Nonlethal Electrical Damage (p. B432). An electricfence control box and 1/4 mile of three-wire fence: $1,000, 400 lbs., external power. LC4.

Lethal Fence (TL6). A lethal electric fence, such as DeTekion’s Electro-Guard 5000, is sometimes used at “super-max” prisons. It inflicts 3d burning damage per second; see Lethal Electrical Damage (p. B432). At TL8, it can be programmed to deliver a nonlethal shock (above) first, which then arms the fence as lethal. This is a safety of sorts: the fence doesn’t injure those who touch it accidentally but kills anyone who tries to climb it. A control box and 1/4 mile of fence: $10,000, 500 lbs., external power. LC2.

A laser “fence” is actually a screen of IR laser beams. These are invisible to the naked eye but not to night-vision gear. Breaking a beam activates an alarm.

Laser Fence (TL7). A collection of emitters and receivers built into fence posts, doorways, corridors, etc. $100 per yard, external power. LC4.

Laser Fence (TL8). A single IR laser emitter that can protect a wall up to 30 yards tall and 100 yards long. $2,500, external power. LC4.

This capacitance proximity sensor consists of two buried, parallel lines. When energized, these project a field (detectable with an EM field meter, p. 50) that can detect human movement within 3-5 yards. Pole-vaulters and tunnelers should note that this includes above and under the lines! This technology can be built into an actual fence, but it’s typically used alone, providing an invisible perimeter where conventional security fencing would be an eyesore. Per foot: $20, 1 lb., external power. LC4.

This stationary radar transmitter-receiver pair detects movement in a 10-yard-wide swath between the two units, which can be placed up to 500 yards apart. See Radar (pp. 46-47) for general radar capabilities and limitations. $5,000, 20 lbs., external power. LC3.

These sensors attach to the posts of any wire fence, including an electric fence. They detect any attempt to cut, climb, or lift the fence, and report the nature and location of the breach. An Electronics Operation (Security) roll at - 4 is required to neutralize each section. Each package of sensors covers a 10-yard section of fence: $25, 1 lb., external power. LC4.

A gun can be connected to sensors and controlled from a remote workstation. An example is TRAP (Telepresent Rapid Aiming Platform), tested by the U.S. Army, which mounts a machine gun or a semiautomatic rifle on a motorized tripod. It can be fitted with a wide range of passive visual sensors (pp. 47-48). Such a system might be mounted high up – e.g., on a light pole or a tall building – to cover a wide area. Weapon, sensors, and ammunition (up to 40 lbs. total) must be purchased separately, and are protected by an armored box (SM -2, DR 35, HP 8). $150,000, 100 lbs., L/24 hrs. LC2.

Traps are used mainly to hunt animals, but many can be adapted to catch human prey. Sometimes, the best defense against an intruder is to neutralize him with a trap. The majority have two components: the trigger and the delivery device. Some also have a built-in bypass mechanism, enabling people in the know to avoid the trap. Most traps require knowledge of the Traps skill (p. B226), but not all call for a skill roll. To conceal traps effectively, use the Camouflage skill (p. B183). Detecting a trap requires a Per-based Traps roll, adjusted for standard Vision modifiers (e.g., darkness). The GM rolls secretly against the best skill in a group to see if they notice each trap.

Modifiers: Acute Vision (p. B35); any darkness penalty; any penalty for a concealed trap; -5 if fleeing or rushed.

Disarming a trap involves locating or improvising a bypass mechanism. For most traps, this means a DX-based Traps roll.

Modifiers: High Manual Dexterity (p. B59) or Ham-Fisted (p. B138); any penalty for a complicated trap; -5 for working by touch (p. B233), such as when the trap is inside a door or a chest and not visible from outside, forcing the burglar to feel for it and attempt to interrupt it as he opens the door. Some traps can be rearmed by making a second disarm roll.

When picking a trapped lock, use the lower of Lockpicking or Traps. Success opens the lock and leaves the trap untriggered. Failure means the lock stays shut and the trap goes off.

Most low-tech traps list neither cost nor weight. They’re applications of digging tools (under Mining and Tunneling, p. 30), rope (in Rope, String, and Thread, pp. 23- 24), nets (use the ones under Fishing, p. 29), etc. The main investment is in labor.

While parts for these traps are LC3-4, setting a trap has a lower LC in most places!

A heavy weight – traditionally a boulder or a log – attached to a tripwire (p. 123) or similar mechanism (such as a pressure plate). Activating the trigger drops the weight on the victim! Setting up a deadfall takes an hour plus an additional hour per 100 lbs. of weight it drops.

Calculate damage from the deadfall’s weight and the distance from which it’s dropped (see Damage from Falling Objects, p. B431). Roll against Traps to hit the target. Final effective skill can’t exceed 9 plus the deadfall’s SM (e.g., SM +1 gives a maximum of 10); larger deadfalls are more likely to strike their prey.

Net traps work much like snares (p. 123), but cover a wider area and entangle the victim, making it harder to break free. A net for hunting takes 15 minutes to set – or 30 minutes, for large game. A spring trap that can engulf and suspend a man requires 90 minutes.

Someone suspended in a net can break free by being lowered to the ground – where he can disentangle himself – or by severing 2d strands. Since he’s tangled in a net, he must make a DX or Escape roll to get his hands free to draw a blade and cut the strands. If he succeeds and subsequently cuts the net, he’ll suffer a fall and injury (see Falling, p. B431). Failure means he can do nothing for a full minute, after which he can try again. Critical failure means he cannot move at all; somebody else must release him.

A pit is an effective means of trapping prey. Since most creatures won’t blithely fall into an open pit, the opening must be concealed – although it might be left uncovered if there’s no light by which to see it. Start with the digging times on p. B350 and add 10% to camouflage the opening. Constructing a more complicated cover (e.g., spring-loaded trap door) takes even longer.

Victims of a pit trap take falling damage (see Falling, p. B431). Adding sharpened stakes at the bottom converts the damage from crushing to impaling.

A shallow pit can slow an enemy’s charge on the battlefield. If it’s concealed, potential victims must win a Quick Contest of Vision vs. Camouflage to spot it in the first place.

To avoid a known trap, roll vs. DX (on foot) or Riding (if mounted), applying the speed penalty for current Move (p. B550); e.g., Move 5 gives -2. Success avoids the pit; failure means a fall.

This is simply a covered, stake-filled hole. A common jungle trap during the Vietnam War was the punji pit: a knee-deep hole containing sharpened lengths of excrement-smeared bamboo (-2 or worse on rolls to avoid infection; see Infection, p. B444). The victim of a punji pit suffers thrust impaling damage based on his own ST. Cost is negligible. LC4.

A snare consists of a loop of rope set along the ground and camouflaged. A simple snare for birds and small animals can be set in 5 minutes. A trap line of 10 snares takes about an hour. For deer and other large beasts, double the time requirement.

Predators can chew through ropes, and humans can simply pull open loops, so snares for such prey must be more elaborate, often using springy branches to yank them off the ground. Setting a spring trap takes 30 minutes. A snared person can get free by being lowered to the ground – where he can loosen the loop – or by cutting the rope while suspended. The latter results in a fall and subsequent injury (see Falling, p. B431). Since the victim is upside down, damage is more likely to be to the head, upper torso, and arms than to the legs; treat as an attack from above (see p. B400).

This is a thin, strong cord (TL0) or wire (TL2) strung across a path. It might trigger an alarm or defensive device, or be a trap in itself, causing the victim to stumble or fall. Installing and concealing a tripwire requires a Traps or Camouflage skill roll. At higher TLs, tripwires can be made of nylon fishing line or other 'invisible' material; these tripwires are at a -2 to spot.

Alarms include bells (see Bell and String, below), stones falling onto a gong, and even fireworks. Defensive devices include the wire itself – which may cause a dangerous fall – and mechanical traps: deadfalls, pits, snares, etc. Make a DX roll to avoid falling when tripped, at +2 for fragile thread, no modifier for cord, or -2 for wire or rope.

At higher TLs, one end can be attached to an explosive trigger; this inflicts normal damage based on the position of the explosive and trigger!

A variant tripwire is useful against horsemen. It’s strung high enough that the horse can pass underneath while the rider hits it with his chest or neck, knocking him from the saddle. To spot the trap in time, the rider must make a Per-based Riding roll modified by the speed penalty for current Move (p. B550); e.g., Move 5 gives -2. If he succeeds, the only defense allowed is Dodge. If he doesn’t see and duck the rope, he takes (mount’s Move)/5 dice of crushing damage; roll hit location randomly, as for attack from above (see p. B400). Use Mounted Combat Results (p. B398) to determine whether the victim is unhorsed. If the line inflicts more than its (DR + HP) in damage, it breaks; otherwise it survives to endanger future horsemen.

Needles are commonly used to deliver poisons, usually blood agents (see Poisons, p. 128-130). With the exception of blowpipe darts (see Muscle-Powered Ranged Weapon Table, pp. 76, 78), they inflict no damage themselves and are stopped by any DR. Natural needles include the thorns of stinging plants such as nettles, which come complete with poison. Manmade ones can take many forms, such as:

• A merchant might have a spiked ball in his money pouch; grabbing the pouch without gloves means being stuck through the thin material.
• A false tumbler in a lock (p. 121) could include a needle, waiting for someone to stick a finger in the wrong hole.
• A spring-loaded needle may be attached to a trigger in a lock. Turning the key in the wrong direction, or attempting to pick the lock, activates it.

A caltrop is a small antipersonnel device with multiple spikes arranged so that one always points up. The Romans called this a tribulus; the Japanese, a tetsubishi. On the battlefield, they were used as a passive defense to slow the enemy or direct him onto prearranged paths. On a personal level, they were scattered by a fleeing individual to discourage pursuit. They could also be placed in a hallway or under a window to deter intruders.

Anyone in a caltrop-strewn area must make a Vision roll every second while moving. Apply the speed penalty for his Move (p. B550); e.g., Move 5 gives -2. He has a further -2 if not specifically watching the ground (-2 on all other Vision rolls). Failure means he steps on a number of caltrops equal to his margin of failure, minimum one.

Each caltrop inflicts thrust-3 impaling damage, based on the victim’s ST, on the foot. The DR of footwear protects normally; maximum injury is 2 HP. Injury can cripple the foot (see Effects of Crippling Injury, p. B421) – but even if it doesn’t, damage equal to or greater than DR means the caltrop has become lodged and will inflict damage every turn if walked on. The victim must make a Will roll (at +3 for High Pain Threshold or -4 for Low Pain Threshold) to avoid crying out. Removing each caltrop takes two Ready maneuvers. Caltrops are sometimes poisoned or dung-covered (-2 or worse on rolls to avoid infection; see Infection, p. B444). Even if footwear is heavy enough to resist all damage, a caltrop-strewn area is treacherous ground (see Bad Footing, p. B387).

Large caltrops are used against cavalry, including camels and elephants. Damage is thrust-2. These are easier to spot when not riding; footmen are stuck only on a critical failure on their Vision roll.

Enough caltrops of either type to cover a hex on a combat map (large ones are bigger but scattered more thinly): $1, 0.5 lb.

This device uses an electromagnetic pulse to disable the electronic ignition and engine-control systems of TL8 automobiles. Only vehicles that drive over the car stopper are affected. Thus, it’s usually a permanent installation, hidden under the pavement on an access route to a sensitive area.

Treat this as an Affliction that only affects electronics and those who have the Electrical disadvantage (p. B134). Targets must make a HT-8 roll or be knocked out of action for seconds equal to margin of failure. Pre-TL8 vehicles are immune because they don’t rely on electronic systems to stay running! $10,000. LC3.

A spike strip is a portable, single-use device consisting of hollow metal quills in a lightweight plastic strip. If a car drives over it, the spikes will puncture a tire and deflate it in five seconds (which is usually gradual enough to prevent a crash). This gives -4 to Driving rolls and halves the car’s Top Speed. Per yard: $100, 1 lb. LC3.

Many dangerous traps have low LC. Even low-CR societies frequently ban lethal traps, on the principle that property is not as important as life.

In addition to the systems described here, construction foam, force screens, stasis webs, and wards make useful barriers.

Still the most basic way to keep somebody out. A heavy door made of an inch of composite armor will be HP 50 with DR 100 (TL9), 150 (TL10), 200 (TL11), or 300 (TL12). It is $1,000, 200 lbs. per 10 square feet. Typical materials include ceramic composites at TL9, metal-matrix composites at TL10, diamond-carbon composites at TL11, and hyperdense alloys at TL12.

The lock is usually in the adjacent wall rather than the door.

These project a continuous beam between two emitters, which may be built into fence posts, doorways, or corridors. Each emitter weighs 10 pounds and may be no more than 10 yards apart.

Open: The standard “cinematic” beam fence, this produces a fixed or moving pattern that can be avoided with an Acrobatics-3 or Escape-3 roll.

Tight: A tight grid of beams, or a thick, continuous energy field. It can’t be avoided; anyone passing through takes damage. (It does, however, require more power to generate.) A computer-controlled system could start with an open pattern, then switch to a tight pattern if an intruder avoids the beams.

Laser Fence (TL9): This inflicts up to 6d(2) tight-beam burn damage. $5,000 per post for an open fence, double cost for a tight fence. LC3.

Electrolaser Fence (TL9): An electrical fence using energy beams instead of wires. It delivers a HT-6 (2) affliction attack plus linked 1d-3 burn damage; use the rules for military electrolasers (p. 119). The fence can be set to “stun” or “kill.” $5,000 per post for an open fence, double cost for a tight fence. LC3.

Rainbow Laser Fence (TL10): This inflicts up to 6d(3) tight-beam burn damage. $3,000 per post for an open fence, double cost for a tight fence. LC2.

X-ray Laser Fence (TL11): This inflicts up to 6d(5) tightbeam burn damage with the radiation and surge damage modifiers. $4,000 per post for an open fence, double cost for a tight fence. LC2.

Graser Fence (TL12): This inflicts up to 6d(10) tightbeam burn damage with the radiation and surge damage modifiers. $6,000 per post for an open fence, double cost for a tight fence. LC2. All of these fences use external power.

An electronic lock may be mounted on doors, consoles, briefcases, and anything else that needs to keep people out. It uses a numeric keypad, or a small electronic key card. Picking it requires Electronic Repair tools (p. 82) or an electronic lockpick (p. 95).

Simple Lock (TL9): Typical of homes, hotel or shipboard staterooms, etc. No modifier to Lockpicking rolls. Uses building power. $25. LC4.

Complex Lock (TL9): Typical of secure installations. -4 to skill. $200. LC4. Electronic locks may also incorporate a scanlock (p. 104) for additional security.

These are usually connected to sensors with a cable and controlled by a computer, either manually or via an AI. Roll vs. Traps-9 to spot them first.

Defense Globe (TL9): A remote-control weapon mounted in a small turret, usually disguised as an ordinary light fixture or smoke detector. Install any ranged weapon up to 4 lbs. weight, such as a blaster pistol or a sonic stun pistol. It is SM-6, HP 8, and can’t use active defenses. Beam weapons use building power. $100/lb. of weapon, plus the cost of a weapon and a smart sight (p. 149).

Spray Canisters (TL9): These do not require sophisticated mounting systems; they’re normally disguised as building fire extinguishers, or placed in air ducts. They can be built by adding optical cable or a communicator (pp. 43-46) to a spray tank (p. 134). Numerous types of gas and nano can be deployed – see Gases and Clouds (pp. 159- 160). $100 for installation.

These delay or deter thieves. Safes use electronic locks (above) and biometric scanners (p. 104) to limit access to valuables; add normal cost and weight to the safe. A particularly nasty trick is to station defensive robots or swarmbots inside a safe.

Wall Safe (TL9): A typical home or business safe; one cubic foot, DR 100, HP 25. $100, 50 lbs. LC4.

Small Safe (TL9). A high-security safe; five cubic feet, DR 300, 80 HP. $500, 0.5 ton. LC4.

Armored Vault (TL9). A small walk-in vault. 50 cubic feet, DR 800, 100 HP. $30,000, 2 tons. LC4.

MT Vault (TL10^): An MT booth (p. 233) may be placed inside a room in a hidden location. Even its users may not know where it is! LC3.

Safe DR is multiplied by 1.5 at TL10, doubled at TL11, and tripled at TL12; HP are unchanged.

This generates a curtain of high-intensity sound, inaudible until someone tries to cross it. It can be turned on or off remotely. There may be a faint ripple in the air (make a Vision roll to notice) from the sonic field. It inflicts a HT-6 affliction attack on anyone trying to cross, with the effect of a sonic nauseator (p. 125) beam weapon. $3,000, 10 lbs. per 10 square yards of field, external power. LC4.

The fencing materials described here are designed to be easily stored and quickly deployed. A typical “unit” of fencing stretches up to 15 yards when uncoiled or unfolded, and stands four feet tall. All fencing is freestanding, and flexible enough to form a curved enclosure or surround an odd-shaped area. Stakes and other fixtures can make the fencing more permanent. Multiple layers of fencing can be “stacked” for extra protection.

It takes one man-minute per yard to deploy fencing. If protective gloves, wirecutters, and fasteners are not available, the time required is tripled.

Cutting wire comes coiled into tight rolls. The wire is wound with triangular segments of memory metal that extend when the wire is subjected to an electric pulse, forming thousands of small jagged cutting edges. Once “popped, “ the wire cannot be returned to its original form. The inner core of the wire is flexible and shear-resistant, making it difficult to cut. Passing through an area of cutting wire requires a roll at DX-5 each yard. Failure deals 1d-1 cutting damage, and may require a Will roll to avoid yelping or cursing as the barbs tear clothing and skin. The easiest way to cross cutting wire is to lay something on top of it – a log, a sheet of metal or thick plastic, a body – and climb over. A 15-yard coil of cutting wire is $100, 15 lbs. LC4.

This looks like ordinary wire, but the core is tightly coiled memory-metal. When cut, the wire explodes outward with a loud ping! The burst of sharp fragments does 1d-1 cutting damage over a two-yard radius. Fragwire is often wound around cutting or sensor wire to dissuade infiltrators. While fragwire does little harm to armored troops, it is an effective deterrent against civilian trespassers. A 15-yard coil of fragwire is $200, 30 lbs. LC2.

This wire includes an optical-fiber core. Each end of a strand terminates in a short wire plug that can be connected to another strand of wire or a hidden transmitter. If the wire is cut or snapped, the signal running between the two emitters is interrupted and the communicator sends an alert. Each coil has a unique identification code, allowing security monitors to determine exactly where the wire was breached. A 15-yard coil of sensor wire costs $150 and weighs 15 lbs. LC4.

Deadly and nearly invisible, monowire (p. 82) can cut an intruder to pieces without warning. People who prefer less lethal defenses use fragwire or sensor wire, or mix an outer perimeter of ordinary wire with an inner perimeter of monowire.

Any roll to see monowire requires a Vision or Traps roll at -4 (-1 if a searcher is specifically looking for it). Anyone walking through a monowire “spiderweb” will take 2d(10) cutting damage per strand. This damage is reduced to 1d(10) if moving very slowly, and increased to 3d(10) if running. Care must be taken to avoid injury when stringing monowire, since it is hard to see and cuts almost anything. On a critical failure when using it, the user takes 1d(10) cutting damage to one hand. LC3.

This device is built into furniture or flooring. It produces an area effect identical to a neural disruptor (p. 121). The grid can be left on, activated by sensors, or activated by remote control. Anyone moving through or ending his turn in an activated field must roll against HT-1 or suffer the effects of the neural disruptor. Add +1 to HT to resist for every DR 2 of sealed armor worn.

The effect lasts for as long as the power remains on and the victim remains on the grid, and for minutes equal to the margin of failure afterward. Neural disruptor fields producing a specific effect such as agony or paralysis are $10,000 to install, plus $1,000 per square yard. (Tunable fields are double cost.) Neural disruptor fields run on building or ship power. LC3.

This is a set of gravity plates (p. 78) mounted in a room or corridor as a remote-controlled security system. They can increase the gravity to slow, disorient, or immobilize intruders. See Crossing a Gravity Gradient (p. 79) for the effect of suddenly entering an area of different gravity.

This technology is an invasive neural induction device combined with a sensory interface transmitter. A dream net grid can be concealed in an area of floor or ceiling, a doorway, or furniture such as a console, chair, or bed. The induction field extends one foot from the field generator.

Someone moving into an activated dream net must make a Will-4 roll each second or be trapped. The field will not affect someone with the Sealed or Digital Mind traits, or who is wearing a sealed suit. Failure means the person’s body becomes paralyzed while his mind plunges into a computer-controlled sensory recording or dreamgame. Someone passing through a dream net feels a sense of dislocation even if he makes the Will roll to resist; if he wants to interface, he can remain in the net until he fails the roll.

Dream nets used for security often employ nightmarish simulations – or a virtual-reality prison with a live or computerized interrogator. On the other hand, a dream net may simply send the user to someone’s private virtual-reality coffeehouse to have a nice chat with the owner. A dream net may be set to cycle continuously, or to release the user after a period of time. A benign dream net may allow the user to voluntarily log out by saying something like “program off.”

Physically removing a user from the dream net before the program has run its course will end the interface, but doing so without shutting off the simulation may cause shock and disorientation. The subject must make a Will roll. On a failure, he is stunned for seconds equal to the margin of failure; on a critical failure, he will be unconscious for 1d hours.

Some dream nets may be placed just inside doors or other portals. If a dream net uses a skillfully-constructed dreamgame or neural virtual reality, the subject may not even realize he was trapped! For example, someone who steps through a door into a hallway may find himself in a dreamgame simulation of the same hallway and building. The GM can allow an IQ-4 roll to notice any sense of dislocation under such circumstances. People intending to engage in mind games or brainwashing often use these techniques. $70,000, 50 lbs. per square yard, external power. LC3.

This projects a matter-disrupting field that can disintegrate anyone passing through. The fence is designed to be turned on or off remotely. It inflicts 8d¥10 corrosion damage that bypasses all DR. Bullets, missiles, etc. are also disintegrated: treat it as DR 280 vs. projectiles. It may be based on either disintegrator (p. 130) or reality disintegrator (p. 131) technology; refer to either for defenses that stop it. Two emitter posts are used, up to five yards apart. It projects a two-dimensional vertical barrier. $20,000, 10 lbs. per 10 square yards of field, external power. LC1.

This device detects and diverts matter transmissions. When operating, any matter transmission into or out of the maximum range will be detected, and can be diverted to the interceptor. This may be performed selectively, affecting only unauthorized transmissions. The area of effect may also be adjusted, out to the maximum radius.

The device detects the origin, destination, and mass of the transmission, but nothing else. Successful diversion requires a Quick Contest of Electronics Operation (Matter Transmission) Skill. If rolling against a system that does not normally require an operator, such as a booth-to-booth matter transmitter, roll against the TL of the system.

An MT interceptor is rated for the maximum mass it can divert, and for its area of effect. Objects of greater mass are unaffected. The system is usually built around a cargo platform, which may be sealed off for safety and security reasons. MT interceptors use external power.

If different types of matter transmission technology exist, a single device is normally effective only against one type. The GM decides whether it can intercept people using the similar Warp advantage (roll vs. their Will) or magical Teleport spells (roll vs. skill.)

Local MT Interceptor (TL12^): Maximum range is a 200- yard radius, enough to cover most vehicles or buildings. It can receive up to 2,000 lbs. $1,000,000, 2,000 lbs. LC3. Regional MT Interceptor (TL12^): Maximum range is a 10-mile radius. It can also receive up to 2,000 lbs. $100,000,000, 200,000 lbs. LC3.