disguise 101

This essay was originally posted as a blog post during Season 3 by Jonathan Loyd.

Let’s cover the best ways to use PROFICIENT STEALTH, aka DISGUISE. This can be a confusing Skill, but I’m here to suggest some best practices and explain some rules mechanics you should know.

This essay also touches a bit onto concepts of STEERING, which you can find a much longer write up about in Steering & the 10 Foot Rule. Disguise straddles the line between ethical and unethical steering, so it’s worth a consideration to be familiar with this concept first.

Disguise in Dystopia Rising is a bit of a tricky subject, because the book doesn’t really cover much of the common uses of the Skill, because a LOT of it is on Blueprints, or implied elsewhere instead. This is a complicated skill and a long blog post, so sorry in advance!

Let’s look at what this Skill does, the implied rules of the Skill, what items modify the use of this skill, and some of Jonathan’s best practices for better disguises.

THE “DISGUISE” SKILL?

First, let’s discuss the elephant in the room. There is actually no Skill named Disguise in 3.0. There are only 8 instances of the word “disguise” in the DR Corebook (and one refers to Artisanal Cuisiners disguising contents in food, so it doesn’t really count). Any time you hear a player refer to this ability in this manner, it’s a holdover from the world of 2.0, where Disguise was a separate Skill.

Instead, this is a secondary use of the Skill PROFICIENT STEALTH.

For ease of reference in this blog post, any time I refer to a “Disguise” skill, I really mean Proficient Stealth. Let’s take a look at the rules that are actually in the book, but there’s really only three major sections of note (emphasis mine):

PROFICIENT STEALTH, P. 129

An individual with this skill [Proficient Stealth] may also do a full costume change, including heavy makeup or face covering, and may spend 5 Mind points to be in disguise for a total of 30 minutes. The user must make every attempt to keep players from recognizing them out of character. While in disguise, the user must craft an alternate persona with a different Strain, personality, and mind-set that does not mimic another LC, SC, or Extra. At the end of the 30 minutes, the person may expend another 5 Mind points to continue acting as the same persona for another 30 minutes. While in disguise, other Extras, SCs, and LCs cannot recognize the character for who they are. The Awareness skill does not counter the disguise.

CHARACTER COSTUMES, P. 28

Your character costume identifies you as the persona you are portraying. Due to to the fact that the same person (you) may be portraying multiple personas over time, it is important to create a visual identity that allows players to identify a character a glance. This kit (or costume) can evolve over time, but you should not change the way your character dresses or acts drastically without using the Proficient Stealth skill (which allows participants to disguise themselves) due to the fact that this muddles the meta-concept of who are you playing instead of properly representing your character.

SUPPLY BAGS, P. 107

You can only have one Supply Bag on you at at time, and you cannot use other bags or items to disguise your Supply Bag… Those who disguise themselves are encouraged to use a secondary Supply Bag with their new costuming.

That’s not really a lot. Its only one paragraph in a big book, and is only referenced a few other places. I think this is one of the main reasons why folks get confused on the Skill, as most of the common uses of this Skill involve crafted equipment from Blueprints, and NOT THE SKILL ITSELF.

So let’s break all that down into some key rules from the book:

  • This is a Proficient Skill, so you must have at least 50 Spent Experience, and already have the Skill Basic Stealth to buy this Skill.

    • We will talk about the big way around this rule that even Dusters can use in our section on Equipment!

  • It costs 5 Mind points per 30 minutes you are in costume.

    • IMPORTANT NOTE: You don’t pay the next 5 Mind points until AFTER the 30 minutes is ending, so you CAN drink a brew, eat a meal, etc. before that happens in order to have enough Mind points for the next “touch-up” of the disguise.

  • This skill requires a full costume change, including makeup OR a facial covering.

  • You must make an attempt to conceal your identity out of character. A disguise can’t just be a pair of silly glasses and fake mustache. This also means your disguise needs to be capable of fooling the player as well as the character.

  • You cannot disguise as the SAME Strain. You must portray a different Strain, and include a bit of acting with a new personality or mind-set.

  • You cannot mimic another character or NPC. Sorry, no pretending to be Felicity Redfield — she’s too iconic!

  • Other characters or NPCs cannot recognize you while in Disguise.

    • Similar to the use of Basic Stealth, this requires a bit of ethical steering on the part of the other players. They may recognize the you-shaped person behind the Disguise, but they cannot use that info. Just because you know who they are out-of-character doesn’t mean you can act on that info in-character.

    • If someone seems unsure, just tell them you aren’t that character, or you can simply place a hand on your head and remind them “Clarify: Disguised”.

  • The Awareness Skill does NOT counter this secondary use of the Stealth Skill.

  • You cannot drastically change your character’s costume WITHOUT the Disguise Skill.

    • IMPORTANT: This means that unless you use this particular Skill, no amount of scarves, fake mustaches, elaborate costumes, disguising your voice, etc. can provide you a way to hide your true identity as a character.

    • In other words, you gotta use a Skill or item for a disguise, not just a clever mask or outfit.

  • You cannot disguise a Supply Bag, so you should have a different, secondary Supply Bag for your disguise costume.

As written, this skill can be challenging to use effectively, so let’s first consider some other implied rules of the Disguise skill.

INFERRED RULES OF DISGUISE

As we dig a bit deeper into some things that are inferred in this skill, some of these things are not readily obvious. These are important clarifications, but some of these are not specifically stated anywhere so you gotta apply a bit of logic. Some of this is also going to be using rules from Blueprints, but I’ll discuss those specific interactions in more detail below.

  • There is no time to use this skill, other than the time to put on another costume. This is the rare skill that has no activation time, other than real life speed at changing clothes.

  • This is an instant effect of a Skill, and not an active Skill like Artisan or Medical. Once the Skill has been used, it is in effect on you for the duration and you can do other actions, including Active Roleplay (p. 102) skills.

  • This is not an active Skill use, so it cannot be Interrupted (p. 104). Thus, it is not immediately removed or stopped by being Subdued or Unconscious.

  • You cannot use this Skill while Subdued (p. 107), as it does not specifically state that you can. That means you will no longer be able to reactivate the skill at the end of 30 minutes while Subdued, so all your captor has to do is wait until it expires to discover the person behind the mask. Roh roh, Scooby!

  • The book does not state when a disguise ends, other than the duration in the skill. That means there is no mechanical way to remove a Disguise.

    • “But, Jonathan, Combat Goggles state…” The goggles specifically state that it counters New Papers Camouflage (the Shadow PFA Skill use) only, and NOT the Proficient Stealth Skill.

  • For our purposes in DR:TX, unless the Disguise is removed by the user on purpose, the Disguise skill ends upon character death and sinking into the Mortis Amaranthine (as there is no body left to disguise). This was clarified, per the Community Forums.

    • This means Widow’s Tea can help protect your identity if captured, as you can use it while Subdued!

  • If you die while wearing a Disguise, you will NOT be Disguised in the Mortis Amaranthine scene (unless you are using other equipment I’ll talk about below). Folks with Necrokinetics or the like will be able to see the “real” you in the Grave Mind.

  • Because the Disguise is simply a LIE, if someone uses the “Interrogate” function of Basic Malicious, Proficient Mental Endurance, Telepathy, Combat Goggles, or other methods to get you to tell the truth, your Disguise won’t help you — you will have answer as your true identity.

    • You must have another item or Skill to let you evade these types of questions, such as the PFA use of Moulen Rouge Camouflage, an “Oh Shit!” Shoe Tack, or Basic Mental Endurance.

    • This also means something like a Daline Death Measure Osteotome can ask questions of your corpse after your die and get answers from the REAL you, unless you’ve used the Camouflage item before your death.

BLUEPRINTS & DISGUISE

So the Skill itself has some limitations, so let’s look at the ways to modify this skill using EQUIPMENT. There’s only really three pieces of equipment that modify the Disguise skill, so let’s look at them each in detail (other than the few related items I’ve mentioned above, like Shoe Tacks and Widow's Tea).

I’ve included a link to the database in each title so you can see the rules for yourself.

MOULEN ROUGE CAMOUFLAGE (GIZMO)

This item is the most commonly used item with the Disguise skill. Even after the release of the Many Faced Mask at Dead Water, this item still has some important uses that are not replicated.

  • This is a single-use item. Once you use it, it’s gone.

  • Basic Mechanics: Doesn’t impact Disguise at all. Sorry. Craft it to a higher level.

  • Proficient Mechanics: This changes the duration to 1 hour, and it only costs 1 mind. You can still reactivate the Skill later, but it will be at the 5 Mind cost as usual (and only last 30 minutes per use after that). You would have to use ANOTHER one of these gizmos to get the longer duration and cheaper mind cost. This is great for newer players that don’t have a lot of Mind yet and still want to put on a Disguise.

  • Master Mechanics: This is important for our Dusters, or folks that don’t have this Skill at all. Since the Skill is normally only usable on yourself, this allows you to apply a Disguise for 1 hour to another character. Just because you don’t have Proficient Stealth doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the sneaky plays around being in Disguise. This is a great way for even new Dusters to participate in Murder Incorporated…

  • Achievement Mechanics: This is probably one of the most unique uses of the Skill, using the Shadow PFA. This changes the duration to 24 hours, allows you to answer Interrogate questions as your alternate identity, and even persists past death. Be wary, though, as this effect has a specific counter in the Combat Goggles item that can reveal your identity.

This blueprint had a notable change in November last year, gaining better uses of the Disguise skill and being reduced in cost to make (it no longer costs Plastics, just Scrap and Herb). If you haven’t gotten your blueprint updated, it’s worth checking to make sure it has the right date on the bottom right corner of the print. It should say “Revised 11/23/21”.

COMBAT GOGGLES (GIZMO)

This item is primarily notable as it is the only counter to the Disguise skill, but ONLY the use of the skill with the Achievement Mechanics of the Moulen Rouge Camouflage.

  • B/P/M Mechanics: The basic item doesn’t require a Skill to use, but only the PFA ability interacts with Disguise. Everything else is used to protect you from the Blinding skill.

  • Achievement Mechanics: This allows a Veteran PFA to not only detect if someone is lying, but it also specifically counters the “New Papers Camouflage” PFA ability of the Moulen Rouge Camouflage.

  • This item does NOT actually counter the Disguise of a Many Faced Mask or the actual use of the Disguise skill by itself. However, it can be used to detect lies at the end of the 10 minutes, so it functions very similarly to uncover a disguised person as Malicious or Mental Endurance. If you want to stay in Disguise, remember the motto of the Criminal Influence Underworld: “Eyes Open, MOUTH SHUT”.

THE MANY FACED MASK (MURDER INC GIZMO)

This is now the premiere Disguise item in the game, but it’s not without it’s own quirks. If you aren’t part of Murder Incorporated, it could be character deadly to be caught using their equipment without their blessing.

  • This item takes Proficient Stealth to use. It only requires Basic Criminal Influence and Murder Inc. Society Membership to CRAFT, not use.

  • This item is ALWAYS recognizable as a Murder Inc. item. The goal is to hide your specific identity as an assassin, NOT the identity of your employers. Murder Inc. kinda wants their victims to know it was them…

  • Unlike most Murder Inc. equipment, this does NOT have the “Wasteland-Only” keyword, so it can be used anywhere in our DR:TX game.

  • This mask requires a specific phys rep. While it is generally in the shape of the three sub-faction identities (bauta, plague mask, featureless), it can be other shapes depending on which Family you are part of. You find some specifics on our website.

  • Basic Mechanics: This is a rare Basic item that modifies a Proficient skill use. This makes the Disguise last until the END OF THE EVENT, or until you remove the mask or reveal your identity. That’s pretty huge. You don’t have to worry about spending lots of Mind to stay in Disguise, but if you are tied up or Subdued, someone can just remove the mask off of you.

  • Proficient Mechanics: This is a solid upgrade to the Basic effect, because now if anyone removes or breaks your mask except you, the Disguise continues until the next 12s. This is one good way to keep a Disguise on for a long time, even if you are Subdued since you won’t have to reactivate it for a while. Just make sure you have some time until the next 12s, cause if they take your Mask off at 11:55am, this effect only lasts 5 minutes!

  • Master Mechanics: The mask’s disguise ability at Basic or Proficient now persists beyond death. This is similar to the PFA use of Moulen Rouge Camouflage, and can protect you from snooping folks using Necrokinetics. However, it can cause some… interesting modifications to the Grave Mind scene, as the rumors behind your Disguise can influence the Mortis Amaranthine itself.

  • It’s worth noting that this item does NOT allow you to LIE about your identity when questioned. You’ll have to rely on other items or Skills to stay quiet.

These three items are the main things you should be aware of when using Disguise, but there could be Augments or other Local Plot Items that interact with this skill in the future. This is a complete list for now, but it could change!

JONATHAN’S BEST PRACTICES FOR DISGUISE

As part of our Radical Trust and steering, we want to make it even easier for folks to buy into the disguise and that means maintaining the illusion of disbelief as long as possible. Sure, they might recognize you as a player, but let’s give them something worthwhile to roleplay with and a potential for a fun reveal later! No matter if you want to control the information about your true identity or carefully reveal it at a dramatic opportunity, a better disguise can aid either type of roleplay.

If you see someone that you recognize and suspect they are in a disguise, play along. Buy into their roleplay, and give them the benefit of the doubt. This is the best type of ethical steering in my mind, as it gives you a fun scene but also says “yes, and..” to the other player. I promise that if you make a habit of trusting your fellow player to play along, you’ll be surprised with how often they do.

Using a Disguise can be a really fun experience. It’s a thrill unlike any other, and it’s often a very useful tool in CvC to try to avoid consequences for illegal activities like theft or murder. If the Law Dog doesn’t know who to arrest, you can’t be dragged to the Gauntlet after all. With our new CvC factions of Murder Inc. and the Red Ledger and all the plots they have in store for next season, there’s a lot of new opportunities to engage in a bit of the more dangerous side of the game, provided you can conceal your real identity.

We’ve also recently introduced a new Zone of Mechanics during Criminal mods called the “PANOPTICON”. This is a yellow sheet of paper that will be flagged by the Guide at the start of a mod where you should probably have a Disguise. You will sign the sheet, record your player number and whatever “name” you are claiming at that time, and state whether or not you are currently in Disguise. If you see this sheet and don’t have the ability to put on a Disguise with a Skill or item, this means you are “opting in” to consequences if something goes wrong because someone is always watching. You can also choose to “opt out” of the mod or go in knowing that your identity may be learned by some bad folks (or Law Dogs).

With that in mind, there’s a couple of practical and physical considerations for using the Disguise skill. This is a list of my best practices recommendations, but I’m sure others have some great suggestions as well. If you need help in figuring out a Disguise, talk to your friends or look for other players engaged in the Criminal play in the game for other ideas.

CHANGE YOUR IDENTIFIABLE FEATURES & CLOTHING

It may seem a little obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Don’t wear a visible costume piece that might immediately give you away. Ideally, this is an entirely different costume than your normal outfit, and not just a blanket or set of scarves over your face. A good disguise makes you indistinguishable from your true character at a glance.

Don’t wear that fancy flag or patch, and try to conceal things about you that are uniquely noticeable. If you are very tall, try to walk with a hunch or slump. If you are tiny, consider pillows or padding to simulate a different shape or size. I’ve seen some folks even use things like prosthetics or stilts to change their profile. You can also use baggier clothing, or change your normal fit. Use flowing, form-concealing clothing to hide your profile. If they can’t see or recognize your normal body shape, it can be hard to identify you.

Remember to make sure that even parts of the REAL YOU that are identifiable like tattoos, hair, beards, body jewelry, or even exposed skin are hidden in your disguise. If someone notices something like this out of character, it can make it hard for them not to associate that disguise with you. Something like a wig can go a long way to concealing your identity, particularly if you have colorful or notable hair colors, for instance.

WEAR A MASK

Like I mentioned before the best disguises prevent someone from recognizing you out of character. The best way I’ve found to do this is through the use of a MASK. While items like the Many Faced Mask are also mechanically useful in game, a mask could be purposefully recognizable or iconic, or just something very common like a Raider or Retrograde mask. Keep in mind that a full face mask can be challenging to fight safely in, as it can affect your peripheral vision. Make sure you find something that is comfortable to wear and easy to breathe in, particularly if you plan on staying in disguise for a longer time.

Additionally, there’s something primal about not being able to see a person’s eyes or face. It’s a big way to inspire horror and fear, and there’s a reason why some of the best villains like Raiders or Nemesis conceal their faces with a mask — it hides who they are! It’s the main reason that Murder Inc. uses iconic masks — they want you to feel that dread as you recognize them as an agent of the shadowy assassin’s guild.

KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT

The best way to have a great Disguise is to simply NEVER TALK. Be silent and mysterious. No matter how good your costume is, your voice can give you away. You might be one of those people that can make a neat accent, but that’s definitely not one of my talents. If they can’t recognize your voice, they can’t identify you later. Use hand symbols or gestures, or if you are talented enough you can use actual sign language. Write down your threats in a book for them to read. If you must talk, use a whisper. But, when in doubt, just don’t say anything at all and do your best to roleplay the brooding, silent spy.

HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF GEAR FOR YOUR DISGUISE

The Disguise skill doesn’t change the look of that unique boffer weapon that you had specially made by a talented crafter. If they can recognize your gear, someone might be able to determine your real identity. This means that while you are taking care to conceal obvious parts of your costume, don’t make the mistake of using the same weapons, shields, and armor. Get a different boffer, different phys reps, and even different injectibles or brews.

Remember that you can’t Disguise a Supply Bag, so have a secondary Supply Bag to use in your disguise. It can also help to keep a completely separate set of gear for use in your disguises. If you can, try to even have a different type of weapon that you normally rely on. If always have a Shield when not using a disguise, sometimes something as simple as using Florentine instead can change your profile in a big way.

DEVELOP A NEW PERSONA

Develop an identity with a background, a hometown, a name and a family, and thoughts and feelings about the world. Make sure you put some thought into how you might answer normal questions about Faith, local politics, or the events of the weekend. Be careful about pretending to be part of a crew or faction that you don’t know much about, as it can be a quick way to out yourself as an impostor. If you can hold a conversation with another character while still in the role of your disguise, it can go a long way to selling the deception.

Remember things like Society Memberships for Factions can be a great way to separate the identity too — if you are a diehard RRC member, maybe working on a Supply Order for the Junkerpunks could be a good way to stand out as someone different.

ACCESSORIZE YOUR OUTFIT

The more complete your outfit is while in disguise, the more easily people can steer into accepting this new face as a different person than your normal character. The best disguises are almost as elaborate as a costume for your secondary character or alt. Accessories can be a great way to accomplish this, so think about something like a Faith patch or symbol of a San Saba Faction to sell the story. Things like hats, jewelry, or other gear like medical kits or crafting tools can be a good way to create a new identity. Stuff like trophies, small trinkets, or keepsakes can help create that complete persona. Accessories help build layers for your disguise.

If you can, you can even try to have a few items with item cards ready for your identity. That medical kit sells your identity as a small town doctor better if it’s actually a Candlepin Medical Kit. Think about popular Gizmos or equipment that people like to use, and try to use actual in-game items as accessories.

DETAILS MATTER

Think of the little things that might give you away in your disguise. Be careful about pulling out your character sheet in view of others, or using your character name at the Post Office. Try using a foreign currency if you purchase things while in disguise to add to the mystery. Have some unique trappings of your outfit that makes it a complete costume, and not just a black sheet you’ve draped over your shoulders. Practice not answering or flinching when someone calls you by your real character name. Try to think through every little detail that might give away your identity while in disguise, and be prepared for surprises.

Some advanced ways to make details matter are to develop and use a Skill that you don’t normally use in character. If your sneaky identity learned to use Culinary in secret, it can go a long way to selling the disguise if it’s not a Skill that people might recognize you having. If you have XP to spare, it can be useful to keep a few tricks hidden up your sleeve.

THE ANTI-DISGUISE

While something like a mask can be an obvious tool for a disguise, don’t overlook keeping it simple. After all, Clark Kent simply put on a pair of glasses to hide his identity as Superman. Something simple like a pair of glasses, a beard, or a wig can make a big impact. Makeup can go a long way to change your look, particularly if you lean into something like pretending to be a Retrograde or Full Dead. If you’ve always wanted to try a different Strain, a Disguise can be a good way to try out something like LED glow to pretend to be a Iron or Unstable.

Try picking a Strain that is drastically different than your normal Strain to create a clear separation between your Disguise and your character. Treat your disguise as if it was a different character, and try to just be “normal”. Sometimes, wearing a scary black outfit and a spooky mask does more to attract attention than simply being just another “Duster” in the background of the Depot.

THE NPC DISGUISE

This piece of advice is not for the timid. We have a peculiar habit in DR that can sometimes get the better of us. We get used to seeing that person in black sweat pants wearing a bad cowboy hat and a plaid button up shirt walking into town selling brews, asking for help, or simply getting in trouble. When they show up, we generally try to play along. You know it’s an NPC, and it’s hard not to treat them like one. A clever player can try to lean into this effect by keeping your disguise a little TOO obvious. A pair of black sweatpants and a simple boffer that could be mistaken for an NPC weapon can build the illusion.

However, this can backfire. If someone is really fooled by your disguise, they might assume you are an NPC and try to attack or rob you if you aren’t careful. The “murder-hobo” LC can be a big danger if you are pretending to be a random townsfolk or merchant. If you wear a scary Raider or Nemesis mask, they might just kill you to get your “loot”. You might get a little more push back than normal if they think you are just the random pickpocket NPC walking into town to make trouble, or that bandit trying to lure people off into the Wastelands. Be warned!

LIMIT YOUR EXPOSURE

Even the best disguises can be broken if folks have enough time to notice the inconsistencies. Keep your interactions with other characters short and sweet. Don’t give them enough time to really dig into who you are or what you are doing. When you can, avoid people and keep focused on your mission or task. Keeping moving, and don’t stay in one place for long. If you are out to attack someone or plant that black clothespin, keep your eyes on the prize and limit the time folks have to notice that you are wearing a disguise.

Remember, the only real way to identify someone in a disguise is to capture and question them, or to spend 10 minutes with a Veteran and a pair of Combat Goggles. If they don’t get 10 minutes, they can’t break your disguise!

STAY IN CHARACTER LONGER

This is kind of the opposite advice of the point above, but it’s worth mentioning. One particularly powerful way to sell your disguise is to let people assume that you are playing an alternate character. We have lots of people that play multiple characters during an event, and you can lean into this assumption by pretending to be an alt instead. Remember, anyone with an Advanced Membership can play up to three different characters during an event, so what if this disguise was just one of those characters? Wink, wink

This means you need to stick around for about 4 hours, since you can’t switch between your characters that fast under normal circumstances. Try to attend social events in your disguise, or make trips to the Post Office. Complete a project at the workbench or kitchen, or help tend to the wounded at the Infirmary. Interact with people, and stay in your chosen role as long as you can. This gives you a strong “alibi”, as your character was clearly not there when that heist went down, officer. Just remember that you cannot mechanically LIE in character without specific equipment that allows you do so. You can roleplay a lie all you want, but if they start using Skills on you the disguise won’t help. Be prepared to evade that Interrogation, or find somewhere else to be when the Veteran shows up.

PLAN AN ESCAPE ROUTE

So the hardest part of wearing a disguise is when you eventually get caught. It’s honestly not a matter of IF you get caught in a Disguise, but rather WHEN you get caught. Make sure you have a way out. Be aware of exits out of buildings, and make sure you are close to an exit if stuff seems like its turning against you. Take advantage of distractions like zombie or raider attacks or player events to fade into a crowd and away from pursuers. Most importantly, make a plan. The more ready you are for someone catching you, the better you will react when the time comes.

Items like the Widow’s Tea, or skills like Master Stealth can be quick ways to get away, but if it’s at night even Basic Stealth can be handy for a quick getaway. Sometimes, simply outrunning your opponents can be a great way to survive, so practice that cardio! Or simply kill them. It’s hard to be identified if no witnesses survive!

P.S. Sorry, not sorry if I just made you want to reinstall Team Fortress 2.