Elegantly Torn Pants

Item

Image
Description	Nothing says "rich" like paying a ton for clothes that look like something you'd find in a dumpster. Thankfully, this pair was stolen from those rich people, so you don't have to feel quite as hypocritical. Unlike real torn pants, these are still quite solid. They'd actually form the underpinning for some pretty good armor if you found something to patch them with. In the meantime, they're easy to move in. And, if you're up to feeling smug, you're both stylish and sticking it to the Man, giving you two rather solid reasons.
Type	Pants (Usable)
Hidden Flags	Bum Disguise
Use	If you have used no patches: You look at your pants for a while. They're stylish enough, but they'd probably be better in your line of work if you patched them up a bit. Or, if you've have at least 25 energy of one of the patch effects and/or at least 50 energy of one of the reinforcement effects: You tear at your pants, saving anything that looks like it might come in handy. (gain various patches back) Or if you have less than 25 energy of one of the patch effects and/or less than 50 energy of one of the reinforcement effects: You tear at your pants, returning them to their naturally dilapidated state.
Effects	+2 Reflexes +2 Will

Sources

Zack's House of Coins, originally released on January 21, 2010 (2 unearthly coins)

+ Zack's description (click to show)

What are you trading?

Well, I got a shipment of pants in. They're pretty nice in that "looks like they got run over by a processing drone, but are actually really expensive" sort of way.

On the bright side, they're actually really solid. If you do something to patch the giant holes, they should take good care of you.

If you're not into the whole "pants" scene, I've got some hats, weird crystals, books, goggles, coats, and these creepy puzzles from a while back.

Pants? Really?

Heh heh. Well… it seems not all my friends realize I've moved markets.

These pants, they're great and I'm sure they'd pull down some serious coin in Oldtown. But Southside isn't quite as, you know, stylish.

But I did take a closer look and I'm pretty sure that you could patch them up. Whatever they're made out of is insanely durable… probably to keep that "stylishly torn" look for as long as possible.

Repair them, maybe put some patches on there, mix and match… alright I convinced myself. Tell you what, we'll call them two coins.

It's not what I'd get in Oldtown, but you're good people.

Uses

Obtaining Patches and Reinforcements

While you have the pants equipped, human and humanoid (e.g. ghouls) opponents may drop patches and cloth. They type(s) of patches and/or cloth opponents may drop depends on the kind(s) of techniques in their deck. (Which techniques they actually use in the fight don't seem to matter.) Patches always have their base effect when used; they may also have additional effects when used in combination with certain kinds of reinforcements (see below). Each "Patch" item used gives 25 energy of its effect.

Item	Drops from Opponents Using	Effect Name	Base Effect	+ Power Effect	+ Encounter Effect Slightly increases:
Patches
bloodied patch	Ranged	Bloodied Patch	+1 Perception	+1 Ranged Power	Chance of PvP Encounters
charred patch	Fire	Charred Patch	+1 Fire Defense	+1 Fire Power	Chance of Choice Encounters
Eclipse patch	Etheric *	Eclipse Patch	+1 Will	+1 Etheric Power	Chance of Etheric Encounters
fist patch	Melee	Fist Patch	+1 Strength	+1 Melee Power	Chance of Combat Encounters
peace patch	Evasion	Peace Patch	+1 Reflexes	+1 Evasion Power	Chance of Noncombat Encounters
Reinforcements
black cloth scrap	Stealth (rare?)	(see below)
tough cloth	Any humanoid?	(see below)

^* Only when you are Etheric?

Using armory, you can combine scraps of cloth with other materials to make extra-durable reinforcements for your pants. (Black cloth scraps and tough cloth also count as reinforcements even though they do not need to be crafted.) Some reinforcement effects grant additional bonuses to any patch effects you have active, as noted below. Each reinforcement item used gives 50 energy of its effect.

Item	Effect Name	Base Effects	Effect on Patches	Recipe
black cloth scrap	Black Pants	+2 Stealth Power	(none)	-
black silver cloth	Black Silver Patching	+5 Stealth Power	+ Encounters	black cloth scrap + black silver ingot
hardened cloth	Hardened Patching	+5 Melee Defense -2 Reflexes	+ Power	tough cloth + hardened plastic
improvised ballistic cloth	Ballistic Patching	+5 Ranged Defense -2 Reflexes	+ Power	tough cloth + ballistic plastic
layered aquatic fabric	Scuba Patching	+2 Melee Defense -2 Will (Hidden: +1 Diving Ability)	Doubles Base Effect	tough cloth + wetsuit fabric
reinforced cloth	Reinforced Patching	+3 Melee Defense	Doubles Base Effect	tough cloth + polysteel
shining cloth	Shiny Patching	+5 Etheric Defense	+ Encounters	tough cloth + shining ingot
slimy cloth	Reactive Patching	+5 Reactive Defense	+ Power	tough cloth + reactive gel
spiked cloth	Spiked Patching	+3 Melee Power Leaves Jagged Wounds	+ Power	black cloth scrap + stone spider chitin or scorched glass shards
steel scrap	Steel Patching	+2 Melee Defense +2 Ranged Defense	+ Power	tough cloth + steel ingot
tough cloth	Patched Pants	+2 Melee Defense	(none)	-

Using Patches, Reinforcements, and the Pants

You may have at most two different patch effects and one reinforcement effect active at any given time. Using a patch when you have no patch effects active, or adding additional energy to a patch effect you already have active by using another patch gives you this message:

You carefully add the patch to your pants.

Using a second kind of patch when you already have one patch effect active gives you this message:

You add another patch to your pants.

Trying to add a third patch effect gives you this message:

There isn't really anywhere good to put your patches on your pants.

Using a reinforcement when you have no reinforcement effects active, or adding additional energy to a reinforcement effect you already have active by using another reinforcement gives this message:

You carefully patch and reinforce your pants.

Trying to add a second reinforcement gives you this message:

Adding another layer to your pants would be weird. You're sure the current patching will wear out eventually, though.

If you use the pants while you have the effect(s) from one or more patches and/or reinforcements active, you will receive one of the appropriate patch/reinforcement item for each 25 full energy (patches) or 50 full energy (reinforcements) of each effect remaining. Any remaining effect energy is lost and does not yield a patch or reinforcement item.

If you unequip your elegantly torn pants, all energy of any patch/reinforcement effect(s) disappear, but all remaining energy of the effect(s) will return when you re-equip them.

Other Uses

This item is not a component for any kind of crafting.

This item cannot be added to a gang stash.

This item cannot be salvaged.

Remaining Mysteries

According to Podcast 12, there's no undiscovered content associated with this item (apart from the then-unknown hidden synergies between patches and reinforcement).