Prototype Coat

Item

Image
Description	This trenchcoat was made by a small company in Oceania, although they apparently went bankrupt before they could release it on the open market. The news implied OmniTech had the smaller company's CEO assassinated and paid local "freedom fighters" to bomb their facilities. Whether it's true or not, you can see why OmniTech would consider it. This prototype is almost the perfect garment. It's classy enough for formal wear, but wouldn't look out of place on a slovenly hacker or angry college student. The fabric also flows perfectly, making you feel like the hero in a summer blockbuster.
Type	Shirt (Trenchcoat)
Use	See below
Effects	+4 Evasion Power

Sources

Zack's House of Coins, originally released for season 2 on July 15, 2009 (1 unearthly coin)

+ Zack's description (click to show)

What are you trading?

I just got a shipment of coats in. I know what you're thinking "Zack, man, a coat? Really? That's it?"

Well, word is, these coats are the prototypes for a line that was gonna put some little company in Oceania on the map. And, you know, what, I think they might have.

They look slick, I'm sure you'll agree, but they're also almost impervious to damage. If you knew what you were doing, I bet you could catch shotgun blasts with this and not even blink.

I've still got some puzzle boxes too, if you're interested. They're supposed to be "Midgard Internal Use Only" and do all sorts of crazy stuff. I can barely move them, but some other folks bought some and said they were great.

Tell me about the coats

Well, word is, these coats are the prototypes for a line that was gonna put some little company in Oceania on the map. And, you know, what, I think they might have.

They look slick, I'm sure you'll agree, but they're also almost impervious to damage. If you knew what you were doing, you could catch shotgun blasts with this and not even blink.

I've had a couple people come back and tell me that they worked out a fighting style around it. Which is pretty cool. I'm glad it saved their hide along with looking great.

Uses

Effects from Using an Equipped Coat

Once per day, you can use the coat while it is equipped to get a special effect. If you have any bonuses to any of the various chance of encounters types, or a bonus to Code Finesse, you will receive an effect based on whichever modifier is the largest. The effect's duration will be five times the level of that bonus. For example, if your largest modifier is 10 Code Finesse, you will get 50 energy of Sloppy Hacker. (You can check which bonuses, if any, you have active by clicking "See all bonuses' on your character sheet. A 'slight' increase = +1 level, a 'moderate' increase = +2 levels, etc.) If you have none of the appropriate bonuses, you will receive 5 energy of the Confused Loner effect.

Unequipping the coat immediately removes all energy of the current coat effect. If you wait a day and use the coat again to get a different coat effect than the one you have active, the old coat effect disappears. Note that if you have a coat effect active from a previous day, it does not count towards the number of turns you get for the effect. For example if you have +5 code finesse (+4 from Sloppy Hacker and +1 from something else), you gain 5 turns, not 25.

Largest Modifier	Use Text	Effect	Bonus
None	You're not really sure what style you're going for, so you end up with the 'Confused Loner.' It seems rather appropriate.	Confused Loner	+1 Chance of Choice Encounters
Several of below, tied for most	You've got a couple conflicting styles going on, so you just end up looking like a confused loner. It seems rather appropriate.	Confused Loner	+1 Chance of Choice Encounters
Chance of Choice Encounters	You need to see the world and find interesting challenges… it takes you a while to come up with something, but eventually manage the look of a film noir private eye. It works pretty well, actually, and it's not hard to imagine folks bringing you their problems or letting you stay aloof while you investigate their affairs.	Mysterious Investigator	+2 Chance of Choice Encounters
Chance of Combat Encounters	It doesn't take much to become the rich bastard, broadcasting the siren's call of credits to gangers, bums, and opportunists alike. You just dust the coat off, pull out the creases you've left in it, and you're good to go.	Rich Jerk	+2 Chance of Combat Encounters
Chance of Etheric Encounters	Not really paying attention, you rearrange your coat with a series of strange folds. It actually covers you a bit better, but seems to reflect light… strangely.	Dark Stranger	+2 Chance of Etheric Encounters
Chance of Noncombat Encounters	You open your coat, ruffle your hair a bit, and split your face with the biggest fake grin you can manage. It's kind of funny… put on an apron and you could be a young Mikhail.	Harmless Kid	+2 Chance of Noncombat Encounters
Chance of PvP Encounters	You square up your shoulders, dust off the creases in your jacket, and slip the biggest weapon you can find down the front. You look like a serious ganger now.	Old School Ganger	+2 Chance of PvP Encounters
Code Finesse	You slouch back, hang your shoulders down a bit, squint in the accursed light of the sun, and ruffle your jacket some. With a bit of work, you manage a pretty good imitation of the stereotypical hacker.	Sloppy Hacker	+4 Code Finesse

Note: Chance of Mining Encounters and Chance of Computer Encounters are ignored.

Further uses of the coat on the same day give:

You're not feeling very inspired, honestly.

You've worked enough fashion for one day. Maybe you'll feel up to it tomorrow.

Cinematic Dodge

Winning a fight with the coat equipped sometimes lets you learn the Cinematic Dodge technique. The chance seems to be high at first, and then diminish the more instances you get of it in one day. The message when you learn the technique changes depending on how many instances you already know.

With no instances known:

You practice a bit after the fight and figure out a way to use the coat to your advantage.

With 1 - 15 instances known:

With a bit of practice after the fight, you get better at using your coat to defend yourself.

With 16+ instances known:

The movies have nothing on you. With a bit of practice after the fight, you get even better at using your coat in battle.

Effects from Cinematic Dodge

Using Cinematic Dodge to avoid an attack while wearing the coat gives an effect based on the type of damage you avoided. (This technique does not work on Etheric attacks.)

Damage Type	Effect	Bonus
fire	Fireproof Coat	+4 Fire Defense
melee	Entrapping Coat	+4 Melee Defense
ranged	Whirling Coat	+4 Ranged Defense
stealth	Shifting Coat	+4 Stealth Defense

The duration of the effect will equal the amount of damage of the appropriate type that you avoided using the technique. (Note that the effect will appear during combat, so ending the fight will decrement the counter by one). You cannot get a defensive effect from the coat if you already have one active. Unequipping the coat immediately removes all energy of these effects.

Technique Summary

Chain	Technique	Type	Attribute	Base Defense	Notes
	Cinematic Dodge	Evasion (M,R,F,S)	Reflexes	2	+2 defense with the coat equipped

Other Uses

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

This item cannot be salvaged.

This item cannot be donated to a gang stash.

Remaining Mysteries

According to Podcast 53, this item is fully spaded.