All that said, it's still necessary to figure out what gear you have when you start the game.

Name, Rank and Serial Number

First of all, you'll need to figure out what your income is. This depends on your Social Status. The "starting money" will determine what gear you get to start with, and you may also get a few other perks. Any weekly income, et cetera, isn't likely to have a direct bearing on the game for the most part.

For this particular campaign, an important deciding factor in determining your Social Status will be your rank with Dawn Alert. For most of the characters, unless you plan on spending points directly on Social Status, that is the place to start. Determine your rank, then figure out what Social Status this gives you, and then find out how much money you have for starting gear. The amount of money listed for your home, furnishings, et cetera, isn't terribly important, except as "window dressing", in case you take part in any light role-play where your PC has the group over for a party or something like that, and then you have a rough idea of how nice of a place your character has.

This table is shown in the rules, under social status, but most PCs starting as Dawn Alert officers or detectives will start as either social status 3 or 4. This means that you'll have:

Your weekly salary will not directly affect your starting gear; it's more intended to show how much your character earns in a week, and hence, whether something would look obscenely expensive to you (a month's pay) or be chump change. Your pocket money in any given session will probably be limited to your salary, i.e. if a patrolman wants to purchase something worth 2,000 crowns, he'll be digging into his saving account, not just into his wallet.

Your vehicle allowance is the estimate given for the value of your vehicle. Your character is allowed to purchase a vehicle up to the value listed. If you wish, you can take some money out of your starting gear allowance to "upgrade" to a better vehicle. It doesn't work the other way around, though, without special permission from the GM. If you don't bother to get a vehicle, it's assumed that you have arrangements for some other form of transportation to get around. (The more money you have, the more impressive the means is.) If you spend less than your allowance on a vehicle, you may be able to spend the remainder on "accessories" conceivably tied to your vehicle. (e.g., if it's a motorcycle, you might buy a motorcycle helmet and bodysuit; if it's your personal battle-mobile, you could conceivably buy a gun that's intended to be mounted on the vehicle.)

Note that most new cars will cost more than the combined vehicle allowance and starting gear. Most people in the Perimeter drive varying degrees of used cars or motorcycles, or use public transportation to get around. The vehicles page will describe the vehicles available, costs, and the cost reductions for "used" and "junker" versions of those vehicles.

Your residence allowance includes both your home (such as it might be), furnishing, and wardrobe. You don't need to figure out the cost of a hat, several changes of shirts and pants and underclothes and all sorts of mundane things like that. Assume that "average" clothes will come with your character. If you have really low income, it might really matter whether you can afford a nice "Sunday best" suit, but if you've got a higher Social Status where "personal wardrobe" is listed as one of your perks, then you really don't need to worry about that. If you're not clear on the distinction, check with the GM.

You should not, incidentally, use your residence allowance (even if it specifies "home electronics") to purchase such "adventuring" gadgets as tactical radios or surveillance equipment, or bulletproof trenchcoats. It's meant for home conveniences such as TVs and music boxes. "Starting Gear" is your allowance to spend on gear, be it weapons, armor, gadgets, or whatnot. This represents personal equipment that you'll be using off the job. Or, quite possibly, as a supplement to whatever you've been given for standard issue.

The items you really need to purchase would be anything that will definitely have an impact on the game - especially if there's any action. If you want some Mishima bionic enhancements, you want a gun, or you want body armor, that counts. If you want a t-shirt with the label of your favorite rock band on it, some fuzzy dice for your car, or a few pencils and a note pad, don't bother ... though it might be nice to note this down somewhere, if it really matters to the character.

If the starting funds for your character are inadequate for the equipment you want to purchase, you may elect to spend more points on further equipping your character. Be warned, though: replacement of equipment purchased in this way is not guaranteed. If you buy a Dragon hoverbike with this and then wreck it, it's gone. (If, however, you wreck it while saving the life of Overlord Mishima, you might luck out.)

Weapons Purchases

First off, there's a difference between being able to possess a weapon, and being able to carry it around. In Luna City and Capitol territories, weapon restrictions are fairly lax, so long as you go through the proper channels to get the required licenses. For the sake of this campaign, it can be assumed that employees of Dawn Alert have access to whatever licenses are required for whatever weapons they might possess, whether on or off duty.

Melee weapons (swords, et cetera) and handguns that inflict less than 1d6 of damage can be considered "sporting" guns, or "decorative" weapons, and can be purchased with little fuss at various specialty stores. Other weapons require some sort of license. Handguns, machine pistols, SMGs, shotguns, sniper rifles and even assault rifles are permissible so long as they are registered and you have a license. That does not, however, guarantee that you'll be able to carry such weapons around with impunity. For instance, carrying an assault rifle into a crowded shopping mall is likely to draw the attention of local law enforcement.

Heavy weapons, such as machine guns and rocket launchers, are restricted to military forces only. It is possible to own such a weapon, provided that one has it registered and has the proper paperwork, but while one is staying in Luna City, it is expected for such weapons to be properly locked up, and not carried out on the street. (Not that there's a serious risk of someone hiding a Southpaw under a trenchcoat.) In general, these weapons cannot be purchased except through the black market.

"Street version" weapons, items of dark technology and certain select banned weapons are considered forbidden, and even possession of them is cause for arrest or worse. Possessing an item of the Dark Symmetry is a sure ticket to the deepest chambers of the Inquisition. Having a "street version" (i.e., illegally modified version) of a Hagelsturm shotgun or a Tsume pistol will get you in trouble with the local authorities.

Weapons produced for the Doomtroopers, or else by Brotherhood or Cybertronic are considered "high technology" and aren't available for general use. Some weapons aren't meant for public use, and are only legally available through corporate channels. (Certain Brotherhood weapons such as the Punisher P-60 or the Pirahna are considered exceptions, but these are listed as such.)