The description of the Engineering Durability Modifier: Delicate reads:

"Break on User suffering any Hostile Effect. Destroyed on User becoming Unconscious."

I have been operating under the assumption that a User is anyone who has the Device on their person, regardless of whether or not they are holding, wearing, or actively using it. Under such an assumption, if a Delicate Device is carried in a person's pocket or bag, and that person is struck by a Hostile Effect, the Device will break. Is this correct? (Because if not, all sorts of interesting non-combat, non-armor Devices become moderately more feasible.)

Additionally, when does this apply to Immobile Devices, or large Devices which are not being carried? For instance, if I am using the Med-Stat Mk I in the commissary and someone hits me with "Physics Pain", does the Med-Stat Mk I break? What about Devices with Base Procedures that don't have instantaneous effects - if I am using an Immobile Device which allows me to use Sophomore Recharge, and I am hit with "Physics Pain" during the 1 Minute RP associated with the Procedure, does the Device break?

So, for the first paragraph, Delicate Devices are meant to be shielded inside of a Parent or kept away from combat in the Med Center, Science Center, or other relatively safe place, like inside a body as an Implant. There are also Skills and Effects that can affect whether Devices can survive punishment that would otherwise fry them, Careful Porter being a prime example.

As for free-standing Devices, they only are concerned about their User while in active use, and should be errata’d to be immune to anything caused by the Procedure they embody, so that Procedures with Limiters can be built into them. Fragile inexpensive Devices are also pretty nice these days, as all Repair Costs can be reduced by the value of any Repair Effect applied to them.

Hope that helps!

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-Josh Marcus
Head of Plot, FI 3