Equipment:
Drugs
There are literally millions of drugs available on modern worlds. A select few that are of particular interest to adventurers are decribed here. Ability score modifiers produced by drugs stack with all bonus and penalty categories, including those produced by different drugs
Addiction
Many drugs are addictive, with different addiction ratings and effects. Each time a character takes one dose of a drug, the player must make a Fort save with a DC equal to the drug's addiction rating. A failure indicates that the character's addiction to that drug increases by 1. A character's addiction to each drug he uses can be marked alongside the drug entry on the character sheet. For every five points of addiction, the character is subject to a different addiction effect. The first effect begins with the first point of addiction, and the second is applied when the character gains six points of addiction.
Addiction ratings are specific to individual drugs or several closely related drugs. Addiction to one drug does not normally mean the character is susceptible to other drugs. Though addiction has a psychological component, the focus in these rules is on physical addiction. Physical effects may include behavorial changes, however.
Drugs have a withdrawal period and withdrawal effects (or symptoms). The period determines how long the character can go without the drug before withdrawal symptoms occur. Withdrawal allows a Fortitude save against a DC equal to the drug's addiction rating. The character suffers a circumstance penalty on the save equal to his accumulated total of addiction points. The effects shift depending on success or failure. If a character takes a drug before the withdrawal period ends, the clock is reset. Taking the drug after withdrawal starts usually mutes the withdrawal symptoms.
Addiction drops by one every time the character goes without the drug for an entire withdrawal period. Drugs may have a minimum addiction value. At this value, any further cure for an addiction requires medical assistance. Many basic drugs do not have a minimum addiction value.
Some drugs have an effect listed as "acquire." This means the character must make a Will save (against the normal addiction DC) or be compelled to take the drug again.
Medical addiction therapy requires one month and a Heal check (DC 20 + addiction rating +10 if subject is unwilling) by the attending physician. An addiction rating greater than the minimum value is reduced to that minimum value, if the treatment is successful. If the addiction rating is at or below the minimum value, a success drops the addiction rating by 1.
| Drug | Addiction | Cost (per dose) | Delivery Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bone coral | — | 50 cr | Injected |
| Bone coral (full) | — | 5,000 cr | Injected |
| Counteragent | — | 50 cr | Injected,ingested |
| Healing booster | — | 10 cr | Injected |
| Stabilizer | — | 50 cr | Injected |
| Stim | 20 | 5 cr | Contact, inhaled, ingested |
Bone Coral: This drug consists of a colonial organism that is fed into the bloodstream. It attaches to the bones and is only active under certain conditions.
The skeleton of living beings is a constantly changing, adapting structure. It reacts to physical force by strengthening along the lines of stress. When a living organism is in freefall, the bones tend to loose calcium and strength. The effect can cause permanent ability score loss of Constitution and Strength over prolonged periods of time. Strength can be maintained through exercise, but it is hard to effectively prevent bone deterioration.
Bone coral forms a matrix around the bones, preserving a chemically encoded "memory" of the healthy skeleton. When bone deterioration begins, the coral counteracts it and maintains skeletal integrity. One slight drawback is that the metabolism of the coral requires the character to eat more food. Also, the increase in wastes can cause stress on the kidneys.
A single bone coral dose lasts one month. There is also a permanent therapy that costs one hundred times as much. The permanent therapy requires a hospital and a successful Heal check (DC 25). Most characters raised in freefall receive this treatment during childhood. A character starting with the Born Spacer, Low-G Tolerance, or Zero-G Tolerance feats may pay 50 cr for the full treatment during character creation.
Dwarves, though they suffer less from the effects of prolonged weightlessness, still find treatments like this useful. Dragons give the impression that they are too powerful to need such petty treatments. Dragons that spend a lot of time in freefall, however, resort to special bone coral adapted to their physiology.
There are magical ways to recover from the effects of weightlessness. In the long run, this method is cheaper and easier.
Counteragent: This is an advanced drug, consisting of synthetic viral constructs. Designed not to provoke a reaction in the body, the drug monitors the bloodstream for a wide variety of substances. Each counteragent works against most known toxins, poisons, and diseases, including the effects of radiation. When the counteragent detects any of these, it adapts and provides protection.
A counteragent, once it has adapted, is only effective against that one substance. If a character is subjected to radiation exposure and a possible infection, the counteragent will target only one (the one with the most deadly effects). The protection is maintained against repeated exposures to the same substance. The counteragent cannot change its adaptation to a new threat. Several doses can be taken, however. These doses will cooperate and specifically tackle separate threats.
Counteragents provide a +4 circumstance bonus on saving throws to resist the effects of poisons, toxins, or radiation. A single dose circulates for up to a month in the bloodstream. Once it has adapted, it is good for five saves. It is standard issue for many military medkits, particularly those in jungles or facing enemies known to use poisons.
Note that counteragents will not protect against the effects of saves failed before the counteragent was injected.
Healing Booster: One dose of this injected drug increases a character's natural healing rate by 1 hit point per character level per day. For example, a 3rd-level fighter who uses a healing booster would recover 6 hit points per day of rest. This modifier is applied after any benefits from long-term care.
Stabilizer: When injected into the bloodstream, this drug automatically stabilizes a dying character. The drug is often used in a patch or reservoir. These systems administer the drug immediately when a character is reduced to less than 0 hp.
Stim: This is a common drug used to counter the effects of fatigue and exhaustion. A dose sends a quick rush through the system. Unlike many other drugs, it can be inhaled, ingested, or applied to the skin with similar effects. Unconscious characters wake up, fatigued characters are refreshed, and exhausted characters' status is upgraded to fatigued. It may have benefits with other conditions, as well. Though intended for medical purposes, it sees wide use as a recreational drug.
Stim is an addictive drug (DC 20). Each level of addiction results in the loss of one point of Constitution or Wisdom, alternating with each level of addiction. There is no addiction floor. The withdrawal period is 24 hours, and the character becomes exhausted if the save is failed or fatigued if the save is made successfully. In addition, if he rolls a 1 on the saving throw to resist addiction, the character must make a second saving throw at the same DC. If this save is failed, the character immediately drops to -1 hit points and is dying from heart failure.
| Drug | Addiction | Cost (per dose) | Delivery Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedication | 18 | 5 cr | Injected, ingested |
| Perfection | 18 | 10 cr | Injected, ingested |
| Rage | 20 | 20 cr | Inhaled, ingested |
| Spatiate | 15 | 50 cr | Injected, ingested |
| Spindizzy | * | 20 cr | Inhaled, ingested |
| Standard ability booster | * | 50 cr | Inhaled, ingested |
| Quieting gel | — | 400 cr | Contact |
Dedication: While there have been some calls for outlawing this drug, it is considered too useful to ban. Dedication clears the mind of distraction, aiding in a variety of mental tasks. It is, however, highly addictive (DC 18).
The drawback of the drug is that the focus it provides often comes at the expense of creativity and an appreciation of subtlety. The effects depend on how long the character has been using the drug. There are also withdrawal symptoms of varying severity. Dedication is usually taken as a single daily pill, but there are liquid forms for implants.
This drug is used continuously, once per month. The effect levels are applied to the user at one month, 2d6 months, 1d4 years, and 1d6+4 years. The drug effects are +1 Int, -1 Cha for the first period of use; +2 Int, -3 Cha for the second period; +3 Int, -6 Cha for the third period; and +4 Int, -12 Cha for the final period.
The minimum addiction level is five points lower than the highest addiction level the character reaches while using the drug. For example, if a user has reached addiction 10 after two years of use, the character can reach a minimum addiction level of 5 with a successful withdrawal.
The withdrawal period is 24 hours. The effects of failure are acquire, violent rage, and paranoia. If the save succeeds, the character is confused and fatigued for 1d3 hours.
Some characters prefer to accelerate the progress of the drug. A month-long intensive drug therapy advances the addiction rating by 5 and requires a Heal check (DC 10 + addiction rating). If this check fails, there is no benefit and the character succumbs to a raging, paranoid state for 2d6 days. If the check succeeds, the character advances to the next effect level after only one month.
After six years or more of addiction, most users' Charisma score drops to 0. The user's personality collapses and the character lapses into a catatonic state.
Perfection: A psychoactive drug similar to dedication, this drug produces a mild euphoric state in the user. It is said to enhance perceptions and broaden the mind. Perfection also brings with it a lack of focus that hampers social interaction and calculation. The drug is sometimes called "space." It is as addictive as dedication. There are many stories of "dark monks" who were exiled from modern society due to addiction to this drug. Most monastic orders forbid its use, considering it an obstacle to enlightenment. A few revere it as a gateway to truth.
This drug is common among pilots under the name "esperin," so named because of its supposed mystic properties. Addiction to esperin and Dex boosters is a constant problem among pilots.
Perfection is a continuous drug, and the effect levels are applied to the user at one month, 2d6 months, 1d4 years, and 1d6+4 years. The addiction effects are +2 Wis, -1 Cha, -1 Int; +4 Wis, -3 Cha, -3 Int; +6 Wis, -6 Cha, -6 Int; +8 Wis, -12 Cha, -12 Int. As with dedication, the minimum addiction level is five points lower than the highest addiction level reached.
The withdrawal period is 24 hours. The failure effects are acquire, severe depression, and a crisis of alignment if the user is lawful. If the save succeeds, the character is dazed and exhausted for 2d6 hours.
There are few examples of healthy long-term perfection addicts. Several dark orders worship "perfect ones," users supplied with a constant supply of the drug and sustained with life support equipment. These perfect ones are completely catatonic, but their followers believe them to be in a state of expanded perception.
Rage: This drug induces a violent rage, the effects of which are identical in many respects to the barbarian class ability. It is regarded as a sacred drug among some followers of the Warrior, the Destroyer, and the Adversary.
A rage user attacks the nearest target and continues attacking until there are no enemies left to fight. Under its influence, the user must make Will saves (DC 20) to avoid attacking friends if they are the nearest targets.
Rage is quite addictive (DC 20). Effects are sleeplessness and paranoia, fatigue, confusion, and then death (as the heart gives out). The minimum addiction level is 0.
The withdrawal period is 24 hours. Success doesn't influence the withdrawal effects. In either case, the character wants to acquire more of the drug, becomes quite paranoid, and is belligerent. If the character is kept restrained, he returns to normal once the addiction is cleaned from his system. Note that alignment crises may occur while under rage's influence.
Spatiate: This drug enhances the user's ability to perceive and think in three dimensions. It provides a +4 circumstance bonus on Freefall and Pilot checks in space. The bonus also applies to any Use Device checks related to spatial relations, such as programming an astronav for a starcaster teleport. One dose lasts 1d3 hours. Somewhat addictive, it is not approved for Legion or Imperial Navy pilots, but it is otherwise rarely interdicted.
Robots are often seen as a threat by all but elite pilots. Many turn to this drug to give them a decisive edge. Once pilots become more skilled, however, they are able to compete without drugs. Unfortunately, by this time, many have become habitual users.
The addiction DC is 15. Addiction levels are fatigued (constantly fatigued), exhausted, and severe depression. The withdrawal period is eight hours. Effects are confusion if the save fails, or fierce headaches if it succeeds (-4 penalty to all actions).
Spindizzy: A popular hallucinogen and euphoric, this drug has long been outlawed on modern worlds. However, enforcement has become rather lax. People using spindizzy become disoriented and poorly coordinated. The effects are treated much like the blinded condition, except that actions requiring vision suffer a -4 penalty. Characters under the influence of spindizzy gain a +4 circumstance bonus to resist all mind-affecting spells and magical effects. The character's mind is so befuddled that it is hard to influence it effectively.
Despite some civic campaigns warning against its usage, spindizzy is not physically addictive. A Fortitude save (DC 20) is needed to avoid being fatigued the day after using the drug. Many years of constant use can cause permanent loss of Dexterity and Wisdom (-1 point to each score for every 10 years or regular use).
Standard Ability Boosters: These drugs provide temporary increases to ability scores. There are separate drugs available for each of the abilities. Though fairly cheap, they have a number of drawbacks. Boosters are officially restricted to military personnel, but illicit use is rampant.
One dose of a booster grants a +1 bonus to an ability score. Increased dosage increases abilities accordingly. For example, four doses of a booster provide a +4 bonus to the designated ability score. The bonuses provided by boosters are lost at the rate of one point per hour.
The addiction DC is 10 plus two times the number of doses taken. A failure increases addiction by 1 but also causes the character to be stunned for a number of rounds equal to the dosage. Additionally, for every five points by which the saving throw was failed, the character suffers one point of temporary Constitution damage. Ability booster overdoses are occasionally fatal.
Booster addiction has a minimum level of 2. Each level of addiction decreases the related ability score by one. For example, a character with Strength booster addiction 8 suffers a -2 penalty to Strength. This effect lingers until the addiction is beaten. The withdrawal period is 24 hours. The effects are acquire and exhausted if the withdrawal save fails, and fatigued if the save is successful. The withdrawal DC is 10 plus two times the last dosage.
Dosage is calculated based on total boosting present in the system. For example, if a character has taken two doses of a Dexterity booster and injects two doses of a Strength booster, the second addiction save is made at DC 18 (10 + 4 + 4).
The character's effective dosage level is considered the total of all booster doses taken, regardless of lost dosage strength, as long as at least one dose remains in the character's system. That is, a character may take two doses of a Constitution booster, and then take another dose an hour later to maintain the +2 bonus to Constitution. For addiction, the character is considered to have taken three doses of boosters.
Quieting Gel: This substance is extremely unpopular among mages. The blue gel can be smeared on doorknobs or devices and is somewhat difficult to see (Spot DC 25, Search DC 15). It contains synthetic cells that temporarily paralyze the victim's vocal cords.
Anyone touching the gel with a bare hand is stricken mute within 2d4 rounds. The effect lasts 1d6 hours. A Fortitude save (DC 18) negates the effect. The victim gains a +4 circumstance bonus if the contact was particularly brief, but suffers a –5 penalty if the substance was ingested. The drug works against dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves, half-orcs, halflings, humans, and orcs. Half-dragons gain a +4 racial bonus to their saves. All other beings are unaffected, as their physiology is too different.
Remove curse and lesser restoration both dispel this effect. A Heal skill check (DC 20) can also be used if the character has a medkit. If the check is successful, the effect fades after 1d3 rounds.
Although possession of this drug is not officially illegal, law enforcement endeavors to track the movement of this substance. Using quieting gel on an unwilling victim can result in severe punishment.