Toxins

“Toxins” is a catchall term for many substances, including knockout drugs, nerve agents, truth serums, and more. If you’re going to use it as a weapon, rather than a boost or recreational high, it falls in this category. The following are just a few of the chemical weapons that shadowrunners might encounter, either offensively or defensively.

If a Toxin says that it does physical or stun damage and does not have a Damage Value listed, the damage taken is equal to the Power of the toxin that remains after the toxin resistance test.

Toxins

Biochemicals

Bacteria

Viruses

Radiation

Biochemicals

Aconite

Also known as wolfsbane, monkshood, or leopard’s bane, aconite is a poison derived from a common plant with blue lowers that resembles the hood of a monk. The poison is an alkaloid that paralyzes the nervous system and slows the heartbeat, possibly causing cardiac arrest. It was recently discovered that aconite can force creatures who have changed their form through magic back into their native form. This is presumed to be the origin of the legend of wolfsbane being effective against werewolves.

Vector: Injection, Ingestion

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 5 Minutes
Minimum 5 Minutes

Power: 5

Effect: Physical Damage, Nausea. Any metahuman or critter not in their natural form must make a Willpower + Magic (Power of the toxin after the Toxin Resistance Test) Test or revert to their natural form forcibly.

Crash: -

Availability:

5 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥200

Arsenic

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that can be found in soil, water, food, and more. However, in large quantities, arsenic is poisonous. It acts as a cumulative poison, taking one week for a micro-dose to leave the system of the victim.

Vector: Ingestion

Speed: 1D6 Hours

Duration:

2D6 Hours

Power: 10

Effect: Stun Damage, Physical Damage, Nauseated, Poisoned. A single micro-dose is equal to Power 1. Each micro-dose is cumulative and increases the Power by 1 if the subsequent dose is delivered before the previous micro-dose leaves the system. Each does also starts the clock over again. Those poisoned by micro-doses need to resist (Power)S damage if the current Power is less than 6, or resist (Power)P damage if the Power is 6 or greater. Victims of arsenic poisoning experience the Nauseated status if they fail a Damage Resistance test and cannot spend Edge on tactile Perception tests.

Crash: -

Availability:

Cost:

¥70

Atropine

Atropine is a distilled alkaloid and the active component of the medicinal agent belladonna, which is derived from the deadly nightshade plant. A powerful tranquilizer, atropine relaxes the victim’s involuntary muscle system, inhibiting the actions of the body’s organs.

Vector: Injection

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(8 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 5

Effect: Physical Damage, Dazed, Nausea. Victims of atropine poisoning continue to take damage every 15 minutes until the atropine has been neutralized.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥150

Blight

Blight was an accidental discovery made by the research scientists at Grey Mana production. Well, that’s the truth of what happened, but the marketing spin you get from Brothers Grey Auction is that this was a specifically targeted bit of research done to help security personnel deal with hostile or rampaging spirits. When combined with DMSO, blight gains the contact vector of transmission.

Vector: Injection, Special

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(12 - Body or Magic, whichever is higher) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 9

Effect: Magic Loss, Stun Damage. When a magical entity or Awakened being is exposed to blight, they make a Drain Resistance test instead of a Toxin Resistance test versus the Power of the toxin; any unresisted damage is taken as Stun damage. All entities exposed to blight lose access to the Magic attribute. Adepts lose access to their powers. Spirits lose access to spirit powers such as Immunity to Natural Weapons. Dual-natured creatures lose their connection to the manasphere and can’t use critter powers that rely on the Magic attribute. In addition, all magical entities affected by the drug are unable to spend Edge while under the effects of Blight.

Crash: -

Availability:

4 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥250

Breathtaker

This nonlethal crowd control agent is derived from endothelin and tachykinin peptides. It causes the muscles around the lungs to restrict, severely inhibiting the victim’s ability to breathe. Breathtaker has been criticized for sometimes sending victims into convulsions or causing death with asthmatics.

Vector: Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(5 - Body) Minutes
Minimum 5 Minutes

Power: 8

Effect: -1 Dice Pool Modifier for every point of Power unresisted. If the unresisted Power exceeds the subject's Willpower, they are incapacitated by their struggle for breath.

Crash: -

Availability:

4 (Legal)

Cost:

¥50

Cyanide

Cyanide is a group of chemical compounds defined by a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. It is one of the fastest-acting poisons, and it generally starts immediately with headaches, dizziness, and fast breathing, and is later followed with seizures, low blood pressure, and cardiac arrest. Cyanide poisoning works by inhibiting cells from transferring oxygen, blocking the mitochondrial electron transport chain.

Vector: Ingestion, Inhalation, Injection

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

1 Hour

Power: 12

Effect: Physical Damage. Victims of cyanide poisoning must resist (Power)P damage.

Crash: -

Availability:

Cost:

¥70

CS/Tear Gas

CS gas is an irritant that affects the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth, and lungs. The real danger is when the gas is inhaled, stimulating a physiological panic response: increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and so forth. CS gas becomes inert after two minutes of contact with the air.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 5 Minutes
Minimum 5 Minutes

Power: 8

Effect: Dazed, Nauseated, Stun Damage.

Crash: -

Availability:

2 (Legal)

Cost:

¥20

Dog Asp Venom

The venom of the Dog Asp is a powerful cytotoxin causing cellular necrosis. If you get hit by this, you better hope it is somewhere you can get replaced with cyberware, because if it’s flesh, it’s dying and will need to be removed.

Vector: Injection

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(10 - Body) x 10 Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 10

Effect: Physical Damage. If a body part is injected by this toxin and the user does not resist the toxin's Power, that body part will be Disabled III permanently.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥350

Dread

Dread is a cocktail of psychedelic and panic-inducing drugs including CCK-5, beta carboline, and psilocybin. Subjects exposed to the toxin are overcome by a wave of drug-induced fear characterized by an overwhelming urge to flee from the perceived source.

Vector: Injection

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(10 - Body) Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 8

Effect: Dazed, Frightened.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Legal)

Cost:

¥1,000

Ekyelebenie Venom

This potent venom is spit at victims of the ekyelebenle, an Awakened green mamba native to sub-Saharan Africa.

Vector: Contact

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(7 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 8

Effect: Physical Damage. If the Power of the toxin after the Toxin Resistance Test exceeds the target’s Body, the target will be blinded and unable to see for at least 1 hour. If the target glitches on their resistance test, this blinding is permanent.

Crash: -

Availability:

8 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥500

Fugu

This poison is derived from the pufferfish. It is a tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that inhibits neurons from firing, preventing the nervous system from carrying messages to the muscles, causing respiratory failure.

Vector: Ingestion

Speed: 30 Minutes

Duration:

(10 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 11

Effect: Physical Damage, Nauseated. Victims of fugu poisoning must resist (Power)P damage and receive the Nauseated status.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥150

Gamma-Scopolamine

This particularly nasty agent, derived from nightshade, is a neuromuscular blocking agent that paralyzes its target. It takes effect immediately, causing dizziness, pupil dilation, speech loss, delirium, and paralysis.

Vector: Injection

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 30 Minutes
Minimum 30 Minutes

Power: 12

Effect: Dazed, Immobilized. The full effects last for about an hour. Once the primary effects wear off, the remaining residue in the victim’s system acts as a “truth serum” for another hour. Reduce the target’s Willpower by 3 (to a minimum of 1) for the remainder of the toxin’s duration.

Crash: -

Availability:

7 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥200

Green Ring 3

Green Ring 3 was originally developed during the 1970s as an odorless gas meant to incapacitate rather than kill the opposition.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(3 - Body) Hours.
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 8

Effect: Stun Damage, Nauseated. Green Ring 3 victims must resist 8S damage and receive the Nauseated status.

Crash: -

Availability:

5 (Legal)

Cost:

¥60

Green Ring 8

Green Ring 8 is an improved version created by MCT to attempt to bypass standard chemsuits while still retaining the original colorless and odorless properties.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(8 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 10

Effect: Stun Damage, Nauseated. Green Ring 8 victims must resist 10S damage and also suffer from the Nauseated status. If the victim of Green Ring 8 is wearing a chemsuit, they also gain the Corrosive 4 status as the chemical dissolves the suit’s protections.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Legal)

Cost:

¥70

KE IV

With the advent of insect spirits and various deadly Awakened insects such as the wyrd mantis, chemists have been working for a more potent insecticide than commercially available products. KE IV is a combination of concentrated insecticides; their combined eff ects on insect physiology produce internal acids that dissolve the critter from within. KE IV is also toxic to metahumans if ingested (but not on contact). Insect spirits hit with KE IV may go berserk.

Vector: Contact

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 30 Minutes
Minimum 30 Minutes

Power: 8

Effect: Corrosive status effect. Berserk

Crash: -

Availability:

Cost:

¥10

Naga Venom

This toxin is milked from the large metasapient snakes found across Amazonia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Much in the same way that poor college students often sell their blood (or other body parts), some naga sell their venom as a less-than-legal means of acquiring the nuyen to better explore metahuman society. While the venom is not itself magical, the potency of a naga’s venom is determined by their magical potency, so some gifted individuals are able to charge a premium price.

Vector: Injection

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(8 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 8

Effect: Physical Damage

Crash: -

Availability:

5 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥800

Narcoject

A common tranquilizer, narcoject is typically used with dart guns. It has no side effects.

Vector: Injection

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(6 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 15

Effect: Stun Damage

Crash: -

Availability:

4 (Legal)

Cost:

¥50

Nausea Gas

Used as a riot control agent, this gas causes nausea and a crippling need to vomit. Nausea gas becomes inert after two minutes of contact with the air.

Vector: Inhalation

Speed: 3 Combat Rounds

Duration:

(6 - Body) Minutes
Minimum 1 Minute

Power: 9

Effect: Dazed, Nauseated.

Crash: -

Availability:

3 (Legal)

Cost:

¥25

Neuro-Stun VIII

Neuro-Stun is colorless and odorless. It’s the industry standard knockout gas for emergency containment situations and comes in various concentrations. Neuro-Stun VIII becomes completely inert after ten minutes of contact with air.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 10 Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 9

Effect: Dazed, Stun Damage

Crash: -

Availability:

5 (Legal)

Cost:

¥60

Neuro-Stun IX

Neuro-Stun is colorless and odorless. It’s the industry standard knockout gas for emergency containment situations and comes in various concentrations. Neuro-Stun IX becomes completely inert after ten minutes of contact with air.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 10 Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 12

Effect: Dazed, Stun Damage

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Legal)

Cost:

¥60

Neuro-Stun X

Neuro-Stun is colorless and odorless. It’s the industry standard knockout gas for emergency containment situations and comes in various concentrations. Neuro-Stun X becomes completely inert after one minute. of contact with air.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 10 Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 15

Effect: Dazed, Stun Damage

Availability:

7 (Legal)

Cost:

¥100

Nova Scorpion Venom

This highly-concentrated and deadly venom is utilized by Awakened nova scorpions to kill their prey. Though slow-acting, this toxin is quite often lethal; luckily, several commercial antivenins are available.

Vector: Injection

Speed: 1 Hour

Duration:

(24 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 12

Effect: Physical Damage

Crash: -

Availability:

8 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥600

Pepper Punch

Pepper punch is an irritant combining CS and capsaicin, which is derived from the active ingredient in hot peppers, along with other chemicals. It is typically deployed as a liquid spray for personal defense and deterrence; this agent is often tagged with RFID tags or special dyes to identify victims later. Someone dosed with pepper punch feels an intense burning on any affected skin; this affect is even more pronounced if it gets in the eyes, nose, or mouth. Victims sprayed in the eyes have trouble seeing, and breathing becomes difficult.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(8 - Body) x 20 Minutes
Minimum 20 Minutes

Power: 11

Effect: Blinded I, Dazed, Nauseated, Stun Damage

Crash: -

Availability:

Cost:

Picrotoxin

Picrotoxin is a powerful poison made from the fruit of the climbing plant Anamirta cocculus. Victims unlucky enough to ingest the toxin are wracked with powerful convulsions, which lead to incapacitation.

Vector: Ingestion

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(8 - Body) Minutes
Minimum 1 Minute

Power: 8

Effect: Physical Damage. Paralysis.

Crash: -

Availability:

4 (Legal)

Cost:

¥250

Retro

Retro is a catchall term that refers to a crudely synthesized mixture of antiquated neurotoxic agents like cyclosarin, phosgene, or VX. While these aren’t as sophisticated or effective as newer agents, they are cheap and relatively easy to produce. This has led to a resurgence in their use among various low-budget militaries, insurgents, and even some violent gangs. If unresisted, retro causes paralysis, spine-wrenching convulsions, and ultimately death by asphyxiation.

Vector: Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 10 Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 6

Effect: Physical Damage

Crash: -

Availability:

5 (Legal)

Cost:

¥500

Rocuronium

Often referred to as “Rock,” rocuronium is a powerful paralytic agent with a rapid onset. It has few side effects and can be quickly reversed using a specialized drug call Sugammadex.

Vector: Injection

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(10 - Body) Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 10

Effect: Paralysis. Sugammadex (¥100) reduces the Power of the toxin by 2 every Combat Turn after its injection.

Crash: -

Availability:

4 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥50

Seven-7

This is another colorless and odorless gas, developed specifically to bypass chemical protection measures. In addition to Physical damage, Seven-7 causes cramping, nausea, and double vision in victims. Seven-7 oxidizes and becomes inert after ten minutes of exposure to air.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(6 - Body) x 10 Minutes
Minimum 10 Minutes

Power: 12

Effect: Blinded I, Physical Damage, Dazed, Nauseated.

Crash: -

Availability:

10 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥1,000

Soothsayer

Soothsayer is a decade-old interrogation drug that mixes several different types of plants, including the gympie-gympie (Dendrocnide moroides), which uses tiny nettles to inject the drug through the skin. This causes excruciating pain, making the subject more susceptible to interrogation.

Vector: Contact

Speed: 1 Minute

Duration:

(12 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 8

Effect: The subject resists (Power)S damage. If they fail to resist all the damage, they also suffer from –3 Willpower. The major drawback to this toxin is that the subject builds a tolerance to the pain, reducing the Damage by 1 each time it is used.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥150

Spell Stripper

(Spirit-B-Gon)

Spell stripper is a new toxin derived from nerium oleander magus, an Awakened variant of the oleander plant. Initial research on the chemical compounds did not show any practical impact other than causing nausea. Later, researchers observed that the plants were avoided by Awakened animals and spirits. Individuals affected by this toxin may find their sustained or quickened spells canceled. Spirits hit by it may be disrupted.

Vector: Inhalation, Injection

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(12 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 11

Effect: Nauseated. Dispels magical spells and banishes spirits. All quickened spells or sustained spells on the victim must resist toxin Power vs. Drain Value of the spell x 2 as defined for Dispelling. Spirits hit by this drug need to resist banishing of toxin Power vs. (spirit’s Force x 2) as defined for Banishing.

Crash: -

Availability:

5 (Legal)

Cost:

¥800

Void Burst

(Blackhole)

Magicians and adepts who have been poisoned with this insidious toxin become aware of it only when they try using their magic. This poison interacts with the victim by increasing the magical back pressure when they attempt to spellcast, summon, or use their adept powers.

Vector: Inhalation, Injection

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(12 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 11

Effect: Stun Damage on magic use. This doubles the amount of drain that the magic-user needs to resist. For adept powers that do not have drain tests, such as a magically boosted skill or attribute, they need to resist drain based on their magic and associated foci.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥1,050

Warp

Warp is a century-old super hallucinogen. Initially developed as a chemical weapon, it sees use by terrorist groups and some truly massive raves. Warp is harmless 5 minutes after contact with the air. The hallucinations produced by warp are intense and last 72 hours from initial exposure. This drug has been known to permanently alter a victim’s brain chemistry to become addicted to Warp.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: Immediate

Duration:

(8 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 10

Effect: 8 Stun, Dazed. A character who glitches their Toxin Resistance Test gains Addiction (Mild) to Warp.

Crash: -

Availability:

6 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥550

Weaponized Sawdust

A specialized "toxin" primarily for use against vampires and other creatures or people with an allergy to wood. This "chemical" is just simply finely ground wood shavings, often kept in a bag or pocket and released via palmful when appropriate. Functionally useless to all but those with wood allergies (unless you're especially unlucky), it's still quite expensive simply because real wood shavings aren't commong in the bioplastic focused Sixth World.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

Power: 2

Effect: Stun Damage, Confusion, Nauseated, Blinded I.

Crash: -

Availability:

Cost:

¥200

White Star

A mix of phosgene and chlorine gas, white star resurfaced as a chemical weapon during the Euro Wars and has seen sporadic use around the world since then. Victims of white star remain nauseated and take damage every hour until they are treated. White star has no antidote; treatment involves removing the chemicals from the body as fast as possible. White star settles to the ground 30 minutes after contact with the air and remains active in any contaminated soil for 3 hours before becoming harmless. Under certain conditions (such as a damp environment where a crust can form over the substance), pockets of contaminated soil may last for years until stumbled upon, much like old land mines. While in the air, white star imposes a visibility modifier as heavy smoke.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 3 Combat Rounds

Duration:

(30 - Body) Minutes
Minimum 30 Minutes

Power: 12

Effect: 16 Physical, Nausea

Crash: -

Availability:

9 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥600

Ymir

A biochemical toxin used by the Ragnarok-cult Winternight in their bid to destroy the world, Ymir is harnessed by many terrorists and paramilitary groups in their assaults. Ymir coagulates blood by inducing crystallization in hemoglobin. Surrounding tissues begin to necrotize in a process superficially similar to severe frostbite. Ymir becomes harmless 20 minutes after contact with the air.

Vector: Contact, Inhalation

Speed: 1 Combat Round

Duration:

(8 - Body) Hours
Minimum 1 Hour

Power: 6

Effect: 14 Physical, Paralysis

Crash: -

Availability:

10 (Illegal)

Cost:

¥800

Bacteria

Anthrax

Not usually contagious to metahumans in its natural form, anthrax spores can be processed and turned into a powder that is, in effect, a bacterial toxin. It causes flu-like symptoms within a day of exposure.

Vector: Inhalation

Speed: 1 Day

Power: 8

Nature: Bacterial

Effect (Ongoing): (Power)S damage each day, resisted with a Disease Resistance test. Treatment of anthrax requires the use of antibiotics (Availability 1, 80 nuyen), which provide a +4 dice pool bonus. Successfully resisting the damage results in overcoming the disease.

Effect (Final): On a glitch or critical glitch, the anthrax bacteria produce a high amount of toxins. A glitch causes (Power)P damage, and a critical glitch causes (Power x 2)P damage.

Food Poisoning (Gastroenteritis)

Vector: Ingestion

Speed: 4 Hours

Power: 7

Nature: Bacterial

Effect (Ongoing): For three days, the infected individual gains the Nauseated and Fatigued II status conditions as they experience vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

Effect (Final): At the end of the three days, the individual resists (Power)S damage. Any glitch or critical glitch results in kidney failure and hospitalization. Recovery from kidney failure is through a replacement organ or through nanite treatments over the period of two weeks.

Viruses

Virally Induced Aura Deficiency

This viral infection impacts the magical aura of the disease carrier, causing nausea and disrupting the use of magic.

Vector: Contact

Speed: 1 Day

Power: 6

Nature: Viral

Effect (Ongoing): The disease lasts (2D6) days. During this phase of the disease, the infected individual gains the Nauseated status condition, temporary Magic Resistance quality, and cannot spend Edge on Magic-based tests.

Effect (Final): At the end of the infection, the infected individual loses the Magic Resistance quality if they gained it due to the infection. If an Awakened subject gets a critical glitch on their Disease Resistance test, they permanently lose a point of Magic.

Flu (Influenza)

Vector: Any

Speed: (1D6 / 2) Days

Power: 6

Nature: Viral

Effect (Ongoing): For 1D6+2 days, the infected individual gains the Fatigued I status condition.

Effect (Final): On a glitch or critical glitch, the individual resists (Power)S damage.

Rabies

Vector: Injection

Speed: 1D6 Weeks

Power: 12

Nature: Viral

Effect (Ongoing): For 1D6 days, the individual gains the Fatigued I status. Detection during incubation or during the ongoing period of the disease means the individual can take an antiviral, which provides a +4 dice pool bonus for the Disease Resistance test. If the resistance test is successful, then the disease is treated and cured.

Effect (Final): After completing the ongoing effect of the disease, the individual enters the final phase, where death is certain. The only way to avoid death, which occurs in the next 1D6 days, is by burning Edge.

VITAS-III

The newest variant of one of the deadliest viral plagues ever to strike metahumanity.

Vector: Contact

Speed: 12 Hours

Power: 9

Nature: Viral

Effect (Ongoing): The newest variant of one of the deadliest viral plagues ever to strike metahumanity. The course of the disease lasts for 2D6 days, and the infected metahuman gains the Nauseated and Fatigued I statuses. On each day, the individual resists (Power)S damage, and any unresisted damage cannot be healed until the infection has run its course. There is no known antiviral for VITAS-III.

Effect (Final): On a glitch or critical glitch, the individual suffers (Power)P damage.

Radiation

Radiation Resistance tests are handled in one of two ways depending on the intensity of the exposure. Background radiation exposure is handled like a Toxin Resistance test having a power between 1 and 20, set by the intensity of the background radiation (pg. 121, SR6, for more details on this type of test).

For example, Power 1 would be a poorly shielded sub-orbital transport, while Power 20 would be during a meltdown at a nuclear power plant. After every hour of exposure to background radiation, a Resistance test (Body + Willpower + the rating of any protective gear/systems) needs to be made. Very high exposure over a single combat round from a weapon or spell using radiation is handled as a physical attack with regular armor providing no protection. Any anti-radiation systems add to the user’s Defense Rating.

Filling any condition monitor box with radiation damage causes the Nauseated status until the damage is healed. Radiation damage cannot be healed with first aid, medkits, unaided natural healing, or even magic. Natural healing with medical assistance will be effective in most cases, but a glitch on the Healing test indicates that the damage is untreatable, leading to the permanent loss of the condition monitor boxes. In these cases, a cellular repair geneware treatment is required for a full recovery.