Hey all,

I was just reading a thread when my ADD kicked in and I started to think about drug use in a game. My player, who will be playing an Explorator, will be having his character use a lot of drugs to boost his abilities and De-tox to get them out of his system. He's going for a close combat Explorator and he's written an exceptional back story detailing how be became an AdMech Explorator and why he uses all the drugs he does. Here's my problem, since he's using all these drugs and has detailed what he's going to do with such efficiency he'll be having little to no side effects. I wanna know if anyone has come up with something that simulates what can happen to a character who takes too many drugs over and over again. Maybe a list of what happens to a person when they're coming off a certain drug; lingering effects, flashbacks, hearing things, spasms, etc. Hell, I'd love to see what would happen to a guys mechadendrites when the machine spirit inside (if there is one, I'm terrible with fluff) starts to feel the affects of it's master on/coming off of certain drugs.

Does this sound like something that would make a game more interesting or would it just bog the game down?

-Mike C

Make sure you, as GM, read up on all the effects of the drugs your player is going to be using. Most of them require Toughness tests to activate and have side effects listed in their description.

I would, over time, have the detox not work as effectively. I would also consider having his implants start to fight off the drugs by lessening their bonuses.

Also, check Into the Storm. It has a Gland Warrior class that is geared for Arch-Militants, but revolves around combat drug glands.

From personal experience, you end up with all sorts of problems - often several at once.

Don't worry - I'm talking about prescription stuff.

Our Explorator has an alien ring that pumps him full of something he can't identify, although admittedly he hasn't tried very hard. It makes him "Hulk-up", with the come-down effect being slight confusion, and major relief on the part of everyone else in the group.

I think that you really need to look at RP rather than mechanics to capture the feel of coming off this stuff. I'd choose one physical and one mental effect per substance, then let your DM switch one of those around for a different batch. Y'know, if you have to buy from someone who's not your regular dealer/pharmacist. Here are a couple of ideas, part inspired by real life:

constipation + hearing music

nausea + seeing spiders

feeble + echoes

thirsty + floating

etc. etc.

Peace,

tfad

Imperial drugs should run the gamut.

If he is using commonly available drugs then yeah, mess him up after a while. However, if he has chymistry (spelling?) out the wazoo and has best quality drug implants (injectors or more likely glands) then i'd let him have them effect free, as long as he uses them moderately. Have excessive use fatigue him for a start while his other glands work on purging his system. Remember that there is little an experienced genetor can't do with drugs.