Talk:Drugs and Medicines (5e Variant Rule)

General Discussion

Thanks GamerAim for starting this. My friend who asked should be very happy. If you can explain (anywhere I'd see) how you did this I'd appreciate it. I'm not interested in creating things like this, just how it is done. Hopefully this category flourishes :) BigShotFancyMan (talk) 10:27, 14 August 2017 (MDT)

I just made the draft in a swift, I was kinda heavy with caffeine overdose and list of anim- stuffs to watch (by the way, the sample drug "Bloody Eye" is ripped off directly from Cowboy Bebop) so it's far from perfect. Here's what I have in mind for now:

• Since there are no rules explicitly stated for drugs and addictions, I think it's safe to make some baseline from pre-existing rules. I went for poison, for starters.

• When I came up with it, I thought of implementing rules from other systems and modifying 'em in d20 standards. The first two things that came into my mind was Call of Cthulhu, which is classic for any sadistic game masters and masochistic players, and Shadowrun, which is pretty good for making a total low-lifer. Both systems have rules on drugs, especially addiction - Call of Cthulhu uses the similar approach to poison, and Shadowrun actually makes a character trait that revolves around addiction.

• I'm not the most creative mind, so I'll be shamelessly ripping off stuffs from all the awesome stuffs I've seen. List to pick up from behind the oxcart:

• Klatchian coffee (Discworld series, super-strong brew of coffee that makes you reverse-drunk or knurd)

• Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster (H2G2, the most awesome cocktail in the universe, heaven knows what it actually does)

• Gaia Memory (Kamen Rider Double, a USB stick with certain "memories" uploaded, works as a drug while transforming the user into - gasp! - the rubber suit monster)

• Bane's serum (Dark Knight Rises, actually a painkiller but could work as steroid as well)

• JOY (either LISA or We Happy Few, whichever you prefer, 'cause the effect is pretty much equal: joy)

• Soma (Brave New World, classic, government-issue drugs)

• ...and Red Bull. That thing is magic. I also believe that my heart will burn out within two decades.

--WeirdoWhoever (talk) 08:59, 15 August 2017 (MDT)

Here's Bigdad881's comments, copied from his talk page:

I left went to work and came back to see all this xo) happy to see how much it suddenly blossomed, but because (thinking that it is still in trial and run stage) I don't believe that there are any official sources that explain drugs except for WeirdoWhoever's page that he just made (thank you!!) but thinking about it, for the drugs there will most likely be a way to create them (like always) and the thoughts that popped up in my head is still that herbalism where to find/get/how much they would cost if sold as ingredient etc. also for each drug can be a cool way to create them instead of just saying "using a alchemist kit i make it" like for blood shot it could say only as a example not taking over the drug or anything "to create this, you grind up the required herbs place it inside of an metal hollow ball to stick in a furnace (something hot) and heat the ingredients up and splash water or some kind of liquid to instantly cool it to make a water substance in which is red to create blood shot"

--WeirdoWhoever (talk) 09:02, 15 August 2017 (MDT)

Juuuust before I sleep: I read this "Addictive Magic" page from TV Tropes, which says something like this: In the 4th Edition, there's no addiction rule. Instead, every arcane caster is given an ability (whether you want it or not) called Arcane Defiling. It's powerful, but there are both in- and out-of-game reasons not to use it. In a hard fight, a wizard player might find it hard to justify not using the power. I'm not bright with 4th edition, so I don't know the details of it, but if we can use it right, maybe the drug's side effect can produce something related to spells and other magical effects. --WeirdoWhoever (talk) 09:10, 15 August 2017 (MDT)

Awesome stuff. I am sure you all will have a lot of fun with this. It isn't something I am incorporating yet, just wanted to help BigDad out. Maybe in the future my players will have interest :) BigShotFancyMan (talk) 10:25, 15 August 2017 (MDT)

Thank you guys, this rule itself about drugs is actually good, to me it already looks fully implicated now, the only thing is where would we create the drugs/medicines for the created ones later on? (not going to lie haven't been apart of this community for more then a month)--Bigdad881 (talk) 11:25, 16 August 2017 (MDT)

Would anyone mind if I create a spot via on the page here to create drugs? makes me feel like heisenberge just typing that --Bigdad881 (talk) 19:38, 27 September 2017 (MDT)

Why would anyone mind at all? Having more contents on a page is always welcome. --WeirdoWhoever (talk) 20:51, 2 October 2017 (MDT)

One by one, eventually all the ideas that was put here will become drugs! -3-

In relation to "Arcane Defiling" that was mentioned earlier, possibly it boosts spells damage and effects for a few rounds then leaves the caster without the ability to cast magic until another dose? That is sort of how I would balance something that boosts the effects of magic. Even possibly just weakening the ability to cast magic would be pretty good balance. Maybe not allowing the PC to cast spells above 1/2 of their highest spell slot available rounded down? For example, if the PC has acces to 9th-level spells then they can only cast 4th-level of below until another dose is taken? I'm really looking forward to seeing how this new rule plays out. The Fyre Fox - The Only Real Fox There Is. (talk) 07:41, 13 October 2017 (MDT)

I noticed that you have people gain a level of addiction every time they consume the drug, and levels of addictions increase the DC to get over that addiction. Would it be better instead to have it such that every time the character uses the drug they have to make a CON save to avoid gaining a level of addiction, and the check to overcome addiction instead lowers their addiction level by 1. I feel like this would better simulate the slow recovery from a long addiction, whilst still making it easier to come off a less addictive drug than a more addictive drug. --134.7.131.5 05:12, 31 March 2020 (MDT)

I feel the current wording of overcoming an addiction only covers acute effects of withdrawal. The saving throw is repeated each time a creature suffers the effects of withdrawal. If, however, withdrawal confers a permanent effect, depending on the interpretation the creature would only get to repeat the con save once (when taking the permanent effect), or all time (for having the chronic effect). I would hence add a time span to repeat the Con save (and thereby potentially lower the addiction level), if the drug has not been consumed in the meantime. An example wording in a drug description could be: "Overcoming Addiction. When a creature suffers the effect of not consuming another dose of the addictive substance, it can make a Constitution saving throw to overcome the addiction. The DC for this saving throw equals the DC for the saving throw the creature failed when becoming addicted. This saving throw can be repeated every 24 hours, if the addictive substance has not been consumed during that time. If the creature has more than two levels of addiction when making this saving throw, the DC for the saving throw is increased by each addiction level above the first. On a successful save, the creature's addiction level is decreased by 1. When a creature has no addiction level remaining, it is completely freed from the addiction." When making that change I'd also separate the Withdrawal and Overcome paragraph into two separate paragraphs for easier reference. Great and very useful work overall. I adapted it for a potent but addictive magic potion, which confers vulnerability to magic damage during withdrawal.

Sure, be bold and make your recommendations to this page. --Green Dragon (talk) 13:01, 2 April 2020 (MDT)