Jaffa Armor, Standard: Jaffa armor is tough and resilient, designed to repel all but the most powerful forms of kinetic damage. The exact design varies from System Lord to System Lord, but in game terms, they all provide the same benefits.

Jaffa Helm, Standard: The very symbol of a System Lord’s might, the external design of the helms of his Jaffa are unique each lord. However, all Jaffa helms possess some of the following special qualities, as dictated on Table 3.26.

Communicator(C): This gear has an internal system that allows the character to communicate with other communication devices of the same type. In the case of Jaffa helmets, the internal communications system only connects Jaffa belonging to the same faction.

Intimidating (IN): Whenever a character meets a Jaffa in a helmet for the first time, that Jaffa is granted a +2 gear bonus to Intimidate checks on that character. However, the accompanying sound effects reduce the DC of all Listen checks to detect the helm wearer by 5.

Limited Vision (LV): Using this gear restricts the character’s field of view, making him more vulnerable to the unexpected. While using an item with the limited vision quality, the character suffers a –2 gear penalty to all Reflex saves.

Night Vision (NV): The Jaffa helmet allows the wearer to see in dim light or total darkness when the night vision filter is activated. This filter offers a +4 bonus to Spot checks in near darkness and a +6 bonus to Spot checks in total darkness. Any character that uses the night vision filter in the daytime is blinded for 1 round while his vision clears.

Powered (PW): The gear operates under an internal power source and may fail under field conditions. It works normally for 5 minutes (50 rounds) but each time it is used thereafter without a recharge the user must roll a d20. This roll initially has an error range of 1. With a roll of 20, the error range increases by 1 (first to 1–2, then to 1–3, and so on). If the character rolls an error, the Gamemaster may spend an action die to cause the item’s power to run down, requiring a new power source or a recharge. Replacing the power source of such a device requires 1 full action. Recharging requires 1d10+2 rounds. Either method refreshes the cycle, offering the character another 5 minutes of use before he must roll again, and resetting the roll’s error range to 1. The Jaffa helmet only expends one round of power when a special quality requiring the helmet’s internal power (such as night vision or the pressure seal) is used.

Pressure Seal (PS): The gear contains a pressure seal that can be activated with a half action. If the pressure seal is in place, the Jaffa is immune to damage and negative effects of gases, chemicals, sandstorms, and other environmental conditions that can be eliminated by an advanced air filter. While in use, the pressure seal incurs a –2 gear penalty to endurance-related checks and Fortitude saves due to restricted air flow.

Proximity Alarm (PA): The gear contains a special sensor that allows the user to tell when other combatants are approaching in secret. Whenever the user of this gear is being flanked, all his opponent’s bonuses for flanking that character are halved (rounded up).

Staff Weapon (corrected) (Goa’uld, Jaffa): The Jaffa warrior’s primary offensive weapon, a staff weapon emits a focused plasma charge that can penetrate most forms of body armor with ease. It may also be used as a close combat weapon similar to a quarterstaff. Staff weapons are inaccurate and brutal, epitomizing the Goa’uld martial philosophy of rule through fear.

Resource Points: 6

Mechanics: A staff weapon is a Large-sized two-handed weapon. It may be used as a melee weapon or a ranged weapon, as follows.

For purposes of melee combat, a staff weapon is considered a quarterstaff (see the Stargate SG-1 core rulebook page 328). As per the standard rules for two-handed melee weapons, the character’s Strength modifier is applied to all attack checks, and 1.5¥ his Strength modifier (if positive, rounded up) is applied to all damage rolls with the weapon. If the character does not possess the Weapon Group Proficiency (Melee) feat, he suffers a –4 penalty with all melee attack checks made with a staff weapon.

For purposes of ranged combat, a staff weapon is considered a hurled weapon (in the same sense that a bow is) for all purposes except the application of damage effects and damage reduction, for which it is considered an energy weapon. As per the standard rules for hurled weapon, the character’s Dexterity modifier is applied to all attack checks, and no ability modifier is applied to damage rolls with the weapon. If the character does not possess the Weapon Group Proficiency (Hurled) feat, he suffers a –4 penalty with all ranged attack checks made with a staff weapon. Finally, a staff weapon used in ranged combat uses the statistics offered below.

Staff weapons are notoriously imprecise, and are hazardous to fire at targets in close proximity to friendly personnel. The Increased Precision and Precise Shot feats have no effect on ranged attacks made with staff weapons. In addition, whenever a character scores an error with a staff weapon attack against a target located adjacent to one or more bystanders, the GM may spend 2 action dice to activate the critical miss as a successful attack against one bystander adjacent to the target. If the bystander is located within the same square as the target (e.g. they’re grappling), this critical failure may be activated at the cost of only 1 action die.

A staff weapon may only be fired in single-shot mode and may only be fired once per round as a full action, unless the character possesses the Speed Trigger feat (see the Stargate SG-1 core rulebook page 251) or another feat which specifically affects the modes in which he may fire a staff weapon. If a character is capable of firing a staff weapon in burst or strafe mode, he gains a +2 gear bonus to attacks made using these fire modes, as the energized plasma blasts are as visible as conventional tracer ammunition (see the Stargate SG-1 core rulebook page 337). The Jaffa call the technique of rapidly firing a staff weapon kel’no’pah (literally, “lightning strike”).

Using the aim action with a staff weapon requires a full action, not a half action as normal. Staff weapons are not ergonomically designed for precision use.

A staff weapon derives its destructive energy from a small naquadah power cell which energizes an array of capacitors. This capacitor array stores enough energy for 50 shots. The power cell recharges the capacitors at the rate of one shot every 30 seconds (5 combat rounds). Power cells are typically good for several thousand shots before they need to be replaced, and such replacement is part of routine maintenance for both Goa’uld forces and the SGC.

Finally, the wielder of a staff weapon gains a +2 gear bonus to Intimidate checks against anyone who has seen a staff weapon fired but has never defeated an opponent wielding a staff weapon. Staff weapons are one of the primary symbols of Goa’uld dominance and their subjects and enemies alike are frequently cowed by the display of raw power that a staff weapon master can present.