Drugs
The potions of cyberpunk. Chemical cocktails cooked up in laboratories of various qualities. Some have standard delivery forms (alcohol, cigarettes) while others are left vague with no description. In this day and age of chemical synthesis forms are easily enough altered and alternative delivery methods can be found.
If a drug or alcohol is labeled as “addictive” a Wisdom check must be performed with each dosage used. Any accompanying number (ie “Additive(2)”) serves as a penalty to the check. Failure indicates an addiction has been formed and without regular doses the character suffers the listed Withdrawal effects.
Breaking an addiction takes about 21 days in real life, apparently. What that means mechanically is that for every day you don’t use the substance, roll a d20. If you roll equal or under your days clean, the addiction is broken and you no longer suffer the Withdrawal effects.
Alcohol - ₽10
A drink as old as civilization. Comes in countless varieties, strengths, and qualities.
Effect: +1 Intoxication point
Withdrawal: You suffer “the shakes” as your nervous system goes hyperactive.
Cigarettes (Addictive) - ₽15
Sweet, blessed nicotine. Just the thing to feed the hungry nicotine receptors in your brain. Available in various flavors and musical qualities.
Effects: Life looks a little more bearable for an hour or so. Also, it makes you look cool.
Withdrawal: Severe Headaches and Agitation
Endorphins (Addictive) - ₽750
The brain’s natural painkiller, synthesized and fortified with modern chemistry. Each dose gives you the feeling of getting 10 likes on a bird related social media program. I think. I don’t do that well.
Effects: Damage reduction of 4 to non-lethal damage for one hour
Withdrawal: -6 to max hit points
Fight-Stim (Addictive(5)) - ₽1500
Why are hardcore combat drugs found on the street? Because test groups and laboratory trials are expensive, so the corporations “leak” various drugs in development occasionally, to sell directly on the street.
Effects: Severe blushing in the face, Restore’s users Hit Points to 150% of normal. +3 Intoxication points.
Withdrawal: Max HP is 0, if Addiction check is failed by 10 or more Withdrawal is “Death”
Haste (Addictive) - ₽1000
Synthetic cheetah blood mixed with cloned human adrenaline allows the human body to move faster than it’s meant to.
Effects: Allows you to double your movement speed for 10 minutes, however for every 5’ past your normal rate, you suffer 1 point of damage. +2 Intoxication points.
Withdrawal: Your movement speed is cut in half, and you suffer 2 incurable Encumbrance points until cured of Withdrawal.
Hero (Addictive(5)) - ₽1500
Fills the user with an undue sense of confidence and self-worth. Cops love it.
Effect: Bestows 1 point of Conviction, usable until end of scene
Withdrawal: Max Conviction reduced to 0; -4 to Charisma
Hormones - ₽50
Insulin, Somatostatin, Testosterone, Estrogen, Thyroxine, Melatonin, HGH and a wide menagerie of other hormones biological and synthetic, human and nonhuman, can be found on the street, in various forms and capacities. Health care was garbage before the Collapse and it didn’t exactly improve after.
Effects: Regulation of various bodily systems.
Purge - ₽400
For when you need to be awake and focused NOW. Removes all intoxicants within the user in a rather violent fashion.
Effects: Remove all Intoxication points, but suffer twice as much in HP damage.
Sapho Juice - ₽700
“It is by will alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of Sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.”
Effects: Increases user’s Intelligence by 2 for 4-6 hours, followed by a heavy hangover. Physiologically addictive.
Sugar (Addictive)
It’s in every fake “food product” you consume - every damn thing you eat nowadays - purely to make you addicted and coming back for more. Our god damned food is literally poison.
Effects: Diabetes, weight gain, brain atrophy
Withdrawal: Don’t use this entry in the game, I’m only here pointing out that American food is literally poison. As is the water supply. For fuck sake.
Synth-Coke (Addictive(2)) - ₽240
The pharmaceutical answer to “What if cocaine, but non addictive?” They gave up answering the second half, but made better coke.
Effects: Heal 1d4 points of Fatigue damage, but take -4 to Saves vs Fear for 1 hour. +2 Intoxication points.
Withdrawal: Character suffers -8 to Saves
Technicolor - ₽100
A visual hallucinogen lacking the confusing side effects of psychedelics.
Effects: Colors become much more intense and vibrant, speaking becomes physically satisfying for 5-7 hours
Truthers - ₽500
Developed by remnants of the CIA for “advanced interrogation” methods.
Effect: User/victim are unable to lie for one hour. +5 Intoxication points.
Mood Alterations - ₽100-₽500
More of a category of drugs, rather than one specific drug. Chemicals within the drug cause the body to generate the biochemicals needed to, well, alter the user’s mood. They’re really the only way to get through the day anymore. Most aren’t Physically addictive, though Happy is Physiologically addictive.
- Street Name - User’s New Mood
- Blank - Docile
- Drudge - Sadness
- Freak Out - Crazed
- Happy - Happy
- Haze - Passive
- Hype - Aggressive