Masterwork tool for Profession (Soldier)?

[Michael Haneline]

I was trying to think of a masterwork tool that would be useful for my character trained in Profession (Soldier). Specifically for making money with the skill between adventures.

Anyone have any suggestions for that masterwork tool? Every tool I think of that a soldier would use seems to apply more specifically to something else.

[Lenta "Angel" Clavus]

I did some thinking about this recently for this character. I went with a soldier's kit - equipment for digging trenches, tactical guides, that sort of thing.

[Java Man]

Snappy uniform? Hight quality weapons and armor (I'd pay you more if you wore good plate than if you had rusty scalemail), medals?

[I'm Hiding In Your Closet]

Thing is, a soldier's main "tool," at least in theory, is iths weapon - and a masterwork weapon costs far more than a masterwork tool. The cheesemongers out there would have a field day with this.

[Mikko Kallio]

It could be a soldier's handbook / field manual, which describes how a soldier should maintain his equipment, dig trenches, find food & water, and so forth.

[theshoveller]

Kiwi Parade Gloss, Brasso, Blanco...

[Spacelard]

Pocket knife with a spork and one of those things to get stones out of hooves.

[J4RH34D]

I was thinking parade uniform complete with all the spiffy details

[avr]

A really fancy hat.

[The Mad Comrade]

Their NCO. NCO's "masterwork tool" is sheer badassery. ;)

All of the equipment are tools for accomplishing specific tasks, the better the tool, the better that particular task is dealt with.

Being a better soldier is not about equipment, it's about esprit de corps. No manual teaches this.

Maybe a branch-specific tattoo or their fallen buddy's dog tags or something equivalent that provides poignant reminders of their time of service would provide this bonus.

[Saldiven]

There are lots of things it could be. Field manuals for a wide variety of weaponry and situations, like how to maintain and operate a ballista or on the appropriate way to lay out a camp to prevent latrines contaminating food and water supplies. It could be a "little black book" of friends and contacts the soldier has made so he/she can network all over the place to find new jobs or people who can help provide information or assistance. It can be materials that specifically help perform the job better, like entrenching tools and items to maintain weapons and gear.

[Michael Haneline]

Spacelard wrote:

Pocket knife with a spork and one of those things to get stones out of hooves.

I do like the idea of a [Kingdom] Army Knife

[Randy L. Williams]

The problem seems to be that most adventurers already have the items that you would normally think of for a professional soldier. Things like a trenching tool, mess kit, backpack, whetstone, etc. are all things that any adventurer would have. A field manual seems the logical choice to be a masterwork item because of the bonuses it would give for the profession roll and it would be an unusual item that most other professions and adventurers would not likely buy.

[Daw]

The Field Manual would be part of a field kit.
Maintenance is everything.

If it moves, salute it
If it doesn't move, pick it up
If you can't pick it up, paint it

I suspect that the major masterwork tool will something on the lines of a Load Bearing Rig, minimizing encumbrance and maximizing availability.

Then there is the uniform which helps protect against infiltration and may even provide morale bonuses. You all do understand the intricate and exacting uniform rules are an anti-infiltration "device", right?

[Michael Haneline]

Daw wrote:

I suspect that the major masterwork tool will something on the lines of a Load Bearing Rig, minimizing encumbrance and maximizing availability.

Isn't that basically the masterwork backpack?

[Daw]

Michael Haneline wrote:

Daw wrote:

I suspect that the major masterwork tool will something on the lines of a Load Bearing Rig, minimizing encumbrance and maximizing availability.

Isn't that basically the masterwork backpack?

No, but the masterwork backpack would be able to be worn with the rig. I would treat a load bearing rig as more of a generalized masterwork bandoleer with encumbrance reduction as well. With a full rig, well maintained, you would be closer to the utility of the Handy Haversack than just the encumbrance reduction of the bacpack.

[SlimGauge]

The Field Manual library

[Michael Haneline]

SlimGauge wrote:

The Field Manual library

Neat!

[BretI]

Comfortable boots, so your feet don't hurt after a long march?

I also like the idea of the field manual.

[*Khan*]

Masterwork Longsword ?? :)

[The Sideromancer]

avr wrote:

A really fancy hat.

Silly Canadian history: General Isaac Brock ordered a new hat. He died before his hat arrived. The remaining soldiers all amused themselves with Brock's hat. When it finally got recovered fro museums, it was pretty beat up.

[Col Com Dante]

Maybe some maps, telescope a compass and such to spot the easiest routes between places, the most defensible camp positions and the like. With a higher profession skill you become better officer material. Or could even be used to represent training that makes giving out complex instructions take less time, with less margin of error.