Idea: VIP Gadgets
Hello! Just wanted to share some ideas I've been musing over for fun - mainly revolving around new potent gadgets that are obtained on the field, from/with help from VIPs.
The goal is to try create an optional side-goal that rewards players engaging with it with a strong upper-hand in battle, as well as giving VIPs new tools in deterring/combating players.
The idea starts with adding a new type of safe that generates in one of the empty vault rooms, an iris-scanning safe which can only be opened with the use of a VIP disguise, or a VIP themself.
Inside it will be a gadget with potent abilities, unique to each map. Silver Reef will have one iris safe for each twin in each empty vault, opened by Starling and Angelfish / disguises respectively.
At the start of the infiltration phase, the VIP(s) will rush to these safes and try to retrieve their special gadget, fully alert now to the presence of miscreants keen on swiping their valuables.
If the gadget has not been stolen by a player, the VIP will retrieve it and from that point on, patrol the vault lab area, using the gadget self-defensively immediately in the presence of any exposed spies.
The VIP can be downed or pickpocketed to retrieve the gadget from them anytime at this point, but doing so incurs heat. Players may try to smoke out other players tempted to steal the gadget, or try to get the package deliverer to gain heat/be weakened by exposing them in front of the VIP.
With all that said, here are the gadgets I've come up with, trying to theme them appropriately after each VIP and serve as tools to help players to turn the tide of battle, or impede package holders:
HARD SELL: Sebastian Garcia would wield a Neuralyzer, a memento from his days as an ex-spy and now information broker. When activated, enemy spies in radius of activation lose all gained intel and become temporarily Neutralized, regardless of cover. NPC guards and scolding civilians in radius lose memory of intruders, and are calmed down.
SILVER REEF: The Evensen twins, prudent and conceited fashionistas, each wield a Camo Compact that when shattered, turns all surrounding civilian npcs and player covers (restoring it if none) to perfect copies of the respective twin - creating seas of VIP decoys/meat shields to confuse attackers and protect themselves. Those people's dress codes weren't up to standards anyway. At least now they'll die pretty!
FRAGRANT SHORE: Madam Luana wields a bottle of Disarming Perfume that can be thrown and splashed into a cloud that pacifies guards and spies that enter it/were within it, with the effect lingering even after leaving the cloud.
DIAMOND SPIRE: Jati, a sports drinks entrepreneur, has a formula to produce a burst of Adrenaline Gas in lock. Once splashed, all downed guards and npcs in radius are immediately revived - and npcs and spies alike become forced to sprint for their lives! High on adrenaline, they cannot stop running, nor stop to do mundane npc tasks until the effect wears off.