Drugs
Drugs
DRUGS are for biologicals, they do not work for Mechanoids.
These rules are experimental.
With the introduction of nanotech a new world of bodily abuse was opened, not only could drugs be made more specific, but even if they damaged you it could be treated (as long as you had the credits). Addiction could be removed, or added in if you wanted it.
In this game drugs come in three types: hard, soft and medical.
Combat drugs (Hard) provide the most dramatic results but are highly addictive. Soft drugs are designed largely for relaxation or, at least, not to be used in the field, and it’s rare to become addicted to them unless use is very heavy. Finally, medical drugs are barely addictive at all and are the only type of drug allowed to civilians.
Costs
Hard drugs are only available on the black market or through a drug contact. Soft and Medical drugs are available on the street through a contact. Listed prices are for supplier provided quality. If you wanted sealed commercial grade you pay more, generally double.
Delivery.
Injection: (I -2) takes effect on your next action.
Inhaler: (A -1) takes effect at start of 2nd action.
Swallowed: (S 0) takes effect after 2d6-1 actions.
Patch: (P -2) nano assisted patch, slapped onto any bare skin with blood flow, takes effect at start of 2nd action. This increases the cost of the drug by 20%. In the case of medical patches you may also buy them with a built in Calibrating Nano Aid that cancels the delivery penalty. This increases the cost by +100.
Unless delivered by an appropriate system (self injectors) that have been configured before hand, all uses of drugs will require a Healing skill roll. The method of delivery is noted with a penalty. If the roll is failed then the following applies:
HARD & SOFT drugs: increase addiction level +1.
MEDICAL drugs: all effect rolls will be done at -2.
The Hit
Drugs do not take effect immediately, even injected drugs taking a few seconds to circulate in the bloodstream. Because of this drugs that require considerable effort to administer and get operating will be placed in Pre- & Post- event time slots, which is to say you take them before or after an event when you have the time to administer them. Fast acting drugs, injected into the blood, will take one round to become effective (start of the round after you inject).
It is possible to have multiple drugs running at the same time, but there will be draw backs that often make this an unwise option.
- The addiction factors of multiple drugs will be added together to form a new total, which is used for the addiction roll. If you become addicted then the combination of drugs that are present at that time will be what you need to take every day to avoid withdrawal. An addiction roll is still made as each drug is taken, resulting in multiple rolls of growing risk.
- When drugs are combined the latency effects of all are combined.
Latency.
All drugs have a wanted effect and unwanted effects. The wanted effects apply as described, generally as soon as the drug takes effect. Latency effects that apply to traits, Tuffness or give hindrances also take effect at the same time. Effects that apply once the drug has worn off are indicated in brackets. Trait effects apply to all skills on which they are based.
Addiction
All modern drugs can be made to be partially non-addictive, it merely requires the correct nanites to be added to the mix. Of course such an addition costs money, and some people (drug pushers) want to have addiction, and often ADD addiction to their drugs. So the addiction properties of your drugs will often depend on your source. Medical drugs will normally be addiction free, but Soft and Hard drugs will depend on the supplier.
Addiction now comes in two forms, Formal/Native. Native addiction is the normal addictive properties of the drug, what it does to you in its natural form before nanites are added to adjust this. Formal addiction is what is added to the drug by the maker. The Formal addiction values listed below are guides, some manufacturers will use different values.. The addiction factor is used to modify the VG roll used, as is explained below.
Addiction can be cured of course, simply another injection of purging nanites will do the trick, usually! Unscrupulous dealers have discovered ways to counter this, building in nanites to make sure the addiction remains. In such cases the nanites will battle it out for victory based on how strong they are. The factor of the two nanites will be converted into dice (1=d4, 2=d6, 3=d8), they will have one contest roll each week. Generic purge nanites will be at -2 against specific addiction nanites. Dealers will often offer their own purge nanites for their own addiction nanites, a dollar is a dollar after all.
If a drug has an addictive form then every time the user takes a dose they must make a VG roll (less the addiction factor) to see if they become addicted. If the Vigour roll is failed, the user has become addicted. Once addicted, one or more doses of the drug (fail=1, crit fail=+1, resistance can become an issue) must be taken every day or the character is plunged into Withdrawal (see below). Doses: Addiction=1-3:1 =4+:2.
Withdrawal
Upon entering into Withdrawal, a character immediately becomes Fatigued, receiving a single level of ‘Withdrawal fatigue’ for an addiction factor of 3 or less, and two levels of FAT for higher. Fatigue caused by Withdrawal may only be removed in one of two ways. Either the character takes the drug again, in which case all Withdrawal fatigue from that drug is immediately removed, or they manage to ride out their withdrawal period by removing their Withdrawal fatigue levels with Vigour checks.
At the end of each week of Withdrawal, the character makes a Vigour check (modified by the drugs addictiveness factor and any fatigue or wound penalties) to remove a level of Withdrawal fatigue, only breaking their addiction when the last fatigue level has been successfully removed. Any roll of a 1 on the VG results in the Hindrance – Habit? Being gained.
Spending a long time in Withdrawal can affect a character permanently. A natural 1 on the Vigour dice when rolling to remove Withdrawal fatigue gives the recovering addict the Habit hindrance, lowering their Charisma by 1. ‘Snake eyes’ instead gives them the Mean (Haggard) hindrance, lowering their Charisma by 2.
Optional Rule: Building Up Resistance (not good)
Once a character is addicted, GMs may wish there to be a chance they grow resistant to the drug they’re taking. At the end of each session, the character should make a Vigour roll for each drug they’re addicted to. On a failure, the number of doses they need to take for it to have an effect (and to count as satisfying their addiction) increases by one, rising to 2 on the First failure, then 3, and so on.
Hard Drugs
These drugs are the most powerful, but also the most natively addictive.
Berzerker - $300
Character gains the Berzerk edge.
Delivery: Pre-event
Duration: Event
Addiction: 2/4
Latency
Booster - $800
Improves the regenerative powers of the body. Gain a VG roll at the start of every round, a success will remove Shaken state, raises will remove one wound or a shaken state. Existing wound penalties are applied to this roll unless cancelled by some other means.
Delivery: Pre-event
Duration: Event
Addiction: 2/4
Latency
Rush - $500
Makes you faster and stronger. Gain 1d ST and Fleet Footed edge (or +2 Pace/Run if you already have it).
Delivery: I/A/P/S
Duration: Event
Addiction: 2/3
Latency
Rage - $500
Allows you to ignore all wound and Fatigue penalties, makes you Fearless and gives you +1 to Intimidation tests. You gain the Hardy edge. You perform all SM and SP based rolls at -2.
Delivery: I/A/P
Duration: Event
Addiction: 2/4
Latency
Ajax - $1000
Increases your ST 2 levels and you gain the Acrobatic edge.
Delivery: Pre-event
Duration: Event
Addiction: 2/4
Latency
Psycho - $200
A glowing green liquid that is injected/inhaled into the bloodstream. It restores 1 point of Fatigue.
Delivery: I/A/P
Duration: instant
Addiction: 1/2. Gain a mutation if roll a 1 on VG dice.
Latency
Hammer - $500
An aerosol (like asthma) that improves all reaction (Parry, Dodge) by +1 and ST by +1d, but at a serious cost.
Delivery: A
Duration: Event
Addiction: 2/5
Latency:
Afterburner - $1000
Cocaine based cut with speed and other stimulants, massively addictive. Multiple doses can be taken to increase the AG boost a maximum of 3 levels. You also gain +1 to Notice rolls due to increased paranoia. Finally you can ignore one level of FAT penalties for each does.
Delivery: A/I/P/S
Duration: Event
Addiction: 2+1@/3+1@
Latency: If FAT damage exceeds 3 it rolls over into wounds.
Black Mist - $300
Psychoactive inhalent that gives +1 to all SM based rolls. Can be taken multiple times upto +3.
Delivery: A/P
Duration: event
Addiction: 2+1@/3+1@
Latency
Euphoria - $300
Allows user to ignore Wound penalties, one level per dose. Can be taken multiple times to increase bonus.
Delivery: I/A/P/S
Duration: event
Addiction: 2+1@/3+1@
Latency
Soft Drugs
Blues&Reds - $300
Removes the effects of a failed Spirit/Fear roll and gives you +2 to future Spirit rolls.
Delivery: I/A/P/S
Duration: Event
Addiction: 1/2
Latency
Flux - $200
Recover 1 Fatigue once it takes effect.
Delivery: I/A/P/S
Duration: instant
Addiction: 1/2
Latency
Joint - $100
Relax! +1 to resist all Tricks, +1 to all Spirits checks.
Delivery: Pre-event
Duration: Event
Addiction: 0/1
Latency
Cammo - $100
Makes your skin change colour to match your environment, like a chameleons. Gain +2 to Stealth rolls. Would need to be naked.
Delivery: Pre-event.
Duration: Session
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
CatsEye - $100
You gain the Low Light edge but also become sensitive to bright lights, -2 to all rolls to resist such effects (VG roll) or become Stunned.
Delivery: Pre-event
Duration: event
Addiction: 0/1
Latency
Blisss - $100
Can be used to break mind control (Puppet or other forms). The victim is unable to do anything for 3 rds, being effectively helpless. During each round they get a SM roll to break the mind control.
Delivery: I/A/P/S
Duration: 3 rds.
Addiction: 1/2
Latency
Slosh - $150
You are artificially inebriated, you can ignore 1 level of wound penalties and remove any current Shaken status. Pace and all skill rolls are at -1. Gives you the Hardy edge.
Delivery: I/A/P/S
Duration: event
Addiction: 0/1
Latency
Medical Drugs
Stim - $400
Drugs to get you up and moving, this will give you +1 to all Vigour rolls and if you are currently unconscious it will give you a new roll to awaken.
Delivery: P/I
Duration: rest of event
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Trauma - $800
A stronger version of the Stim patch, giving +2 to VG rolls.
Delivery: P/I
Duration: rest of event
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Emergency Support - $500
Stabilises a patient for 1 hour, preventing death rolls.
Delivery: P/I
Duration: 1 hour
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Antidote - $300
This drug will counter the effects of mineral and biological poisons. Gives +2 to all rolls to resist.
Delivery: P/I
Duration: event
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Toxic - $500
This drug will counter the effects of radiation, toxic and nerve agents. Gives +2 to all rolls to resist.
Delivery: P/I
Duration: event
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Tranq - $500
Drug that will tranquilise the target, they get a VG vs 6 roll to resist each round for 5 rounds, failing inflicts 1 FAT. A raise on the Heal roll to deliver will increase the target number +2.
Delivery: P/I/A
Duration: event
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Flush - $200
Gives the user +2 to all Withdrawal rolls.
Delivery: Post-event
Duration: Special
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Honesty - $300
A powerful truth serum, makes the target vulnerable to Persuasion rolls (-2SP to resist)
Delivery: Post-event
Duration: Short
Addiction: 0/0
Latency
Elixir - $400
Healing drug, target may make a Soak roll to remove any existing wounds at the start of the next round. If it works you are Stunned.
Delivery: I/A/P
Duration: instant (start of your next round)
Addiction: 0/1
Latency
Elixir+ - $600
Same as Elixir but ignore any existing wound penalties for the Soak roll.
Delivery: I/A/P
Duration: instant (start of your next round)
Addiction: 0/2
Latency
Elixir Solo - $1000
Heals one wound and gives a soak roll at the start of the next round, gives the user the Hardy edge for rest of event.
Delivery: I/A/P
Duration: instant (start of your next round)/Event
Addiction: 0/2
Latency
Painless - $400
The ultimate pain‐killer, gain Nerves of Steel, a second dose will give Imp Nerves of Steel but accumulates negatives.
Delivery: Pre-event
Duration: event
Addiction: 1/3
Latency
Streak - $500
Increases the brains higher functions, gives +2 to all Smarts rolls and all Smarts based skill rolls, but -2 to all Notice rolls.
Delivery: Pre-event
Duration: event
Addiction: 1/2
Latency