Drugs, Chemicals, and Toxins

Table of Contents

Uplifts and Drugs

Substance Rules

Classification of Substances

Application Methods

Drug Effects

Addiction and Substance Abuse

Drugs

Cognitive Drugs

Combat Drugs

Health Drugs

Recreational Drugs

Social Drugs

Nanodrugs

Sidebar: Sample Petals

Narcoalgorithms

Chemicals

Toxins

Nanotoxins

Pathogens

Psi Drugs

Uplift Drugs In Eclipse Phase, the transhuman desire to enhance the body and mind—especially with chemicals—merges right into humanity’s popular pastime of recreational substance abuse. Drugs of all kinds, whether they be chemical, nano-based, or electronic, are not only popular but widespread. While advances in biotechnology have eliminated many of the side effects that once plagued drug users, transhuman bodies remain complicated environments, and so side effects (especially with long-term use) are still a factor. Additionally, addiction is always a consideration for anyone who gets comfortable with popping the same pills too often, though there are also drugs for addiction of course. Drug descriptions include benefits, side effects, noticeable signs that a person is using the drug, addictiveness, and effects from long-term use. Descriptions also include the drug’s Duration and its Addiction Modifier (see Addiction and Substance Abuse).

Uplifts and Drugs

Due to their different physiologies, drugs that affect transhumans may not affect uplifts at all or may have a drastically different effect. This is particularly true of neo-octopi and neo-avians. These differing effects are entirely up to the gamemaster. Note that even if a particular drug does not work on an uplift as it does a transhuman, there is likely a different version specifically designed for uplifts that does.

Substance Rules

These rules explain how to handle drugs and toxins.

Classification of Substances

Substances fall into four categories: Chemicals: These are pharmacologically-active small chemical compounds (toxins, pharmaceuticals, chemical drugs) that have been produced by chemical synthesis, nanotech fabrication, or enzymatic biosynthesis in (transgenic) organisms. They include naturally-occurring drugs from known species of (exo-)flora and fauna, endotoxins produced by biological organisms, enhancements of endogenic substances (designer drugs), and de novo developments designed for a specific medical or recreational application. Chemical drugs affect only biological morphs and pods. Biologicals: These include peptides, hormones, and biologically-based substances like biotoxins, bacteria, and viral organisms—drugs devised or based on naturally-occurring endogenic biological substances. This category also includes infectious biological organisms that can produce drug-like effects, like virii and bacteria. Biologicals affect biomorphs and pods but not synthetic morphs or infomorphs. Nanodrugs: These are temporary nanobot colonies programmed to create a certain effect. While nanobots are generally able to target or infect all morph types except infomorphs, exactly which morphs are affected usually depends on the pre-programmed effect (i.e., whether it targets a biological or mechanical mechanism). Electronic: Electronic drugs include software and technology that affect the brain directly, such as ma-nipulative XP programs or retro-tech like transcranial magnetic stimulation or cranial electrotherapy. It also includes narcoalgorithms—programs that reproduce drug-like effects for AIs, infomorphs, and egos residing in cyberbrains.

Application Methods

There are number of vectors by which a substance may be applied to a morph. Dermal (D): This drug or toxin is absorbed via the skin (or exterior hull with some nanotoxins) as either a gas, liquid, or solid (e.g., paste). Slap patches and slap bands are commonly used, loaded with the chemical DMSO, which transfers the drug through the skin. Inhalation (INH): This is a gas that is breathed into the lungs or snorted nasally. Used for inhalers, aerosols, powders, and gas grenades/seekers. Injected (INJ): This liquid is applied via either an intramuscular or intravenous injection. Used for needles and piercing weapons. Oral (O): This is a liquid or solid that is absorbed through the stomach or oral cavity (eating or drinking). Used with pills and liquids.

Drug Effects

If a character is exposed to a drug via its method of application—for example, they pop a pill, slap on a dermal patch, are soaked with a splash grenade, breathe in gas, or get stabbed with a coated weapon—then they are subject to the drug’s effects. The onset time determines how long these effects take to kick in, and the duration determines how long they last. While there is no resistance test to ignore a drug or toxin’s effects once exposed, in some cases (especially toxins) a test might be called for to determine the severity of the effects. Unless otherwise noted or specifically overridden, medichines will protect a character from drug/toxin effects (but not nanodrugs/nanotoxins). Enhancements like toxin filters may also impede a drug’s effect or provide complete resistance. If an antidote is taken in advance or before the effects kick in, the drug will not work.

Addiction and Substance Abuse

Some drugs are addictive, either physically (affecting the morph) or mentally (affecting the ego)—and sometimes both. Every time a character uses the drug (or after an appropriate amount of use, as determined by the gamemaster), they must make a WIL x 3 Test to avoid addiction. Each drug has an Addiction Modifier that will modify this test. Failure indicates that the character has become addicted—they immediately acquire the Addiction negative trait. Addiction is measured in three levels: Minor, Moderate, and Major. The severity determines how often an addicted character needs the drug and what the negative effects of not using the drug are. An addicted character must continue to make WIL x 3 Tests as they use the drug, as determined by the gamemaster. Failure indicates the character’s addiction severity increases. Addiction is of indefinite duration. To clean up, the character must stay off the drug for 1 week for each level of addiction. Resisting this craving is difficult, and should at least require another WIL x 3 Test, modified by the drug’s Addiction modifier. Players and gamemasters are encouraged to roleplay an attempt to kick a habit. Each week the character is off the drug, the addiction drops by one level. When it reaches 0, the character is clean ... though there is always danger of a relapse. Physical addictions do not carry over to a new morph if the character resleeves, but mental addictions do. If the character uploads and resleeves, the mental addictions persist, and the morph the character leaves behind remains physically addicted. This means that poor or unlucky characters may occasionally find themselves resleeved into a morph that has a physical addiction. In this case, the character is subject to the physical addictiveness of the drug but not the mental addiction, although if they break down and indulge in the drug, they may themself become physically addicted. Characters who resleeve as infomorphs can remain mentally addicted to a substance despite no longer having a body. The market is always happy to provide, though; a wide variety of narcoalgorithms mirroring the effects of most of the drugs described below are available for infomorphs and AIs. For the infomorph-ported narcoalgorithm version of any physically addictive drug described below, consider the Addictiveness to be effectively mental.

Drugs

The drugs described here are usually (but not always beneficial), and are typically taken intentionally. Drugs and chemicals used offensively are described under Chemicals and Toxins. Note that the drugs here are just a representative sampling. There are thousands if not millions of drugs in circulation in Eclipse Phase—gamemasters are encouraged to introduce their own, using these as guidelines.

Cognitive Drugs

Nootropics and similar drugs are intended to boost the user’s mental faculties. Drive: This nootropic speeds up left-right brain hemisphere communication, stimulates idea production, and improves concentration, with no usual side effects. Users receive a +5 bonus to COG while the drug lasts. [Low] Klar: Klar boosts alertness and enhances clarity and perception. Users report a feeling of being “elevated” to a higher level. They receive +5 INT while the drug lasts. [Low]

Neem: Neem is a mnemonic drug that works by “tagging” experiences and mental input with a set of unique sensations that contribute to the formation of state-based memories. Neem gummy chews come in a variety of fruit flavors shaped like extinct old Earth animals. Neem gives characters a +20 bonus on COG Tests to recall information they learned while on Neem. The drawback to Neem is that memories they accumulate while under the drug’s influence have no emotional association. For example, a character who witnessed something horrible happening to a friend or who had a fight with a romantic partner while on Neem would feel no emotional connection whatsoever to what happened. [Moderate]

Combat Drugs

Combat drugs are an easy way of evening the odds in a fight. BringIt: In some respects more a social than a combat drug, BringIt stimulates massive bursts of aggression pheromones designed to make the user the center of attention in a fight. In combat, opponents within 3 meters of the character not already in unarmed or melee combat with another character must pass a WIL x 3 Test or attack the character using BringIt. The nature of airborne pheromones is imprecise, however, so if the character using BringIt is within 1 meter of another character hostile to the character affected, the affected character may opt to attack the proximate character instead of the BringIt user. Characters using this drug suffer a –20 modifier on social skill tests. [Low] Grin: Grin is an effective opiate and pain suppressant. Users may ignore the –10 modifiers from 2 wounds (not cumulative with similar effects), and in fact may not even be aware they are injured. Grin users suffer from tunnel vision, however, and so suffer a –10 modifier on Perception Tests. [Low]

Kick: Kick is a strong stimulant that increases the user’s response time and puts them on edge. The character gains +10 REF and +1 Speed for the duration of the drug. Characters under the influence of Kick are twitchy, however, reacting in a jumpy, cat-like fashion to sudden or unexpected stimuli. At the gamemaster’s discretion, they must make a WIL x 2 Test or react without thinking towards unexpected noises or other surprises. Long-term users suffer –5 COO. [Moderate] MRDR: MRDR is a straightforward and brutal combat drug. It increases pain tolerance, speed, and strength. The character receives +10 SOM, +1 Speed, +10 Durability, and may ignore the –10 modifier of one wound. Any damage incurred while under the effects of the drug is taken from the bonus Durability first. MRDR users are easily identifiable by the broken blood vessels in their eyes, tense posture, and visible tension in the muscles of the face, arms, and legs. Long-term users suffer –5 SOM. [Low]

Phlo: Phlo increases alertness and coordination, making the user more graceful and nimble in a fray. The character gains +5 COO and +10 on Perception Tests for the duration of the drug. Everything feels possible to a character on Phlo, and so they are vulnerable to being goaded into actions that might be foolish or dangerous (apply a –10 modifier to appropriate Social Skill Tests). [Moderate]

Health Drugs

Pharma-foods that boost the consumer’s health and physical state are common. Bananas Furiosas: This drug reverses some of the effects of de-ionizing radiation on the cells of the body. Although a pill form is available, it most commonly comes in large bunches of bright orange-red bananas. Bananas reduce the severity of a radiation dosage (gamemaster determines effect). [Low] Comfurt: This tasty yogurt treat blocks stress hormones, stabilizes mood, and relieves anxiety, allowing them to ignore the effect of 1 trauma and temporarily boosting Lucidity by +5. Any stress suffered while the drug is in effect is taken from the bonus Lucidity first. Comfurt also provides a +10 bonus when resisting attempts to manipulate the user’s emotions. Excessive use of Comfurt can lead to chronic itchiness caused by histamine release. [Low]

Recreational Drugs

These drugs compete with petals and black market XP for wasting people’s time and lives away. Buzz: This gene-modified variant of BZ is an odorless, invisible, extremely powerful hallucinogen. Users or affected characters will undergo extremely realistic hallucinations for the duration, and may even “share” hallucinations with other affected characters. Characters will suffer a –30 modifier to any tests to remember what occurred while under the influence. [Moderate] Grey Ranks: Grey ranks is a long-term memory suppression drug also available as a narcoalgorithm. It disrupts the user’s memory formation processes without otherwise affecting their mental faculties. The Titanian intelligence services uses it on both field agents and in so-called “zero-retention briefings.” [Moderate]

Laughing Policeman: This drug is a potent euphoriant used by Titanian intelligence for interrogations. It stimulates feelings of trust and well-being in the user, giving their interrogators a +20 bonus on Deception and Persuasion Tests to extract information. [Moderate] Mono No Aware: Taken from the Japanese term for sadness at the ephemerality of worldly things, this drug, typically ingested as a tea, is a depressant that induces a meditative state. Mono No Aware gives the character a +10 bonus on Art and Sense Tests. With frequent use, Mono No Aware reacts with pigments in the skin to create a pallor with a slight bluish tinge, even in darker-skinned morphs. [Low]

Orbital Hash: Good ol’ reefer—but grown in space using powerful lighting and post-singularity hydroponics. Because space is at a premium in habitats and scum barges, blocks of hashish are the preferred mode of transport and delivery. However, for the wealthy and on planets, buds in leaf form are not uncommon. Hash allows the character to ignore the effects of 1 trauma, but inflicts a –10 penalty on all memory-related tests and Knowledge Skill Tests. Hash users exhibit blood-shot eyes, lethargic behaviors, and the munchies. [Low]

Social Drugs

These social lubricants affect the user’s interactions with others. Alpha: Alpha is a more subtle version of BringIt, popular with hypercorp execs, street thugs, and anyone else who wants to come across as a domineering asshole. The pharm designer who invented it had a retro sensibility (and maybe a sick sense of humor); Alpha is typically synthesized as a sparkling white powder designed to be snorted. Alpha stimulates production of threat pheromones, but less bluntly than BringIt. Alpha imparts confidence, a feeling of power, and alertness. Users can function without sleep for 4 days, after which point they need to catch up with at least 4 hours of sleep (remember morphs with basic biomods require less sleep). Dosed characters receive a +20 modifier on Intimidation Tests and +10 on Persuasion and Networking Tests where attitude is a factor (gamemaster discretion). These bonuses only apply to characters within 2 meters of the Alpha user. On the downside, alpha users are impatient, unfocused assholes. At the gamemaster’s discretion, Social skill modifiers may be reversed to penalties with certain types of people. Additionally, Alpha users suffer –10 on all COG skill tests related to memory and coherent or logical thinking. Long-term users may suffer the COG penalty even when not on the drug; on it, they may be worse. [High] Hither: Want to ooze sexy like a pleasure morph on a hot tin roof? For those desiring that slinky je-ne-sais-quoi, Hither is the tool. Hither is a clear, slippery gel, sometimes with a faint, musky, floral scent. Hither is applied to parts of the body with large concentrations of sweat glands, where the skin quickly absorbs it. Hither is a mild euphoriant, imparting a feeling of confidence and you-know-you-want-it-ness to the user. It also stimulates abundant production of lust pheromones. The character gains a +10 bonus on Persuasion Tests against targets who are possible to seduce. At the gamemaster’s discretion, this extends to Deception, Impersonate, and Networking Tests. [Low] Juice: This potent anti-depressant makes it almost impossible to have bad feelings or negative thoughts. The character is unnaturally happy—often irritatingly or strangely so. The character receives a +30 bonus against fear or attempts to manipulate their emotions in a negative direction, but is also likely to act inappropriately, like giggling over the massive amount of spilled blood or cheerfully changing the subject to inane topics when someone else is freaking out. [Low]

Drugs
	Type	Application	Onset Time	Duration	Addiction Modifier	Addiction Type
Cognitive Drugs
Drive	Chem	O	20 Minutes	8 Hours	---	Mental
Klar	Chem	O	20 Minutes	8 Hours	---	Mental
Neem	Chem	O	20 Minutes	12 Hours	---	Mental
Combat Drugs
BringIt	Bio	Inh, Inj, O	1 Minute	15 Minutes	+10	Physical
Grin	Chem	Inh, Inj, O	3 Action Turns	3 Hours	-10	Physical
Kick	Chem	Inh, Inj, O	3 Action Turns	2 Hours	-10	Physical
MRDR	Chem	O	20 Minutes	1 Hour	-10	Physical
Phlo	Chem	O	20 Minutes	1 Hour	-10	Physical
Health Drugs
Bananas Furiosas	Chem	O	20 Minutes	1 Day	---	---
Comfurt	Bio	O	20 Minutes	12 Hours	-10	Mental
Recreational Drugs
Buzz	Chem	Inh, O	1 hour	36 Hours	---	Mental
Grey Ranks	Chem, Narcoalgorithm	O, Code	1 hour	12 hours	+10	Mental
Laughing Policeman	Chem	Inj	20 Minutes	4 hours	+10	Physical
Mono No Aware	Chem	O	20 Minutes	8 Hours	-10	Mental
Orbital Hash	Chem	Inh	3 Minutes	3 Hours	---	Mental
Social Drugs
Alpha	Bio	Inh	1 Minute	2 Hours	-10	Mental
Hither	Bio	D	1 Minute	6 Hours	-10	Physical
Juice	Chem	O, Inh	20 Minutes	8 Hours	---	Mental

Nanodrugs

Nanodrugs are temporary nanobot infestations that apply a specific effect. Frequency: Frequency (or Freeq) is a nanodrug designed as a tool for scientific visualization. It releases a small swarm of nanobots into the character’s bloodstream that settle in the epidermis, where they act as sensors of electromagnetic radiation. This sensory input is then injected into the character’s visual and tactile sensoria, hitting the user with a sequence of novel stimuli, typically a light show or weird tactile sensations. Aside from its recreational uses, Frequency is good at picking up on localized field radiation with a standard Perception Test. A character can take advantage of this to spot sensors and hidden electronics. Similar to now-obsolete 20th-century hallucinogens like LSD and psilocybin, however, a Frequency trip can be disorienting and upsetting (the gamemaster should apply any modifiers, mental stress, or even trauma as they feel appropriate). Characters typically experience a period about 1/3 of the way through their trip in which sensory input is extremely intense; during this period, which usually lasts about 2 hours, they are unable to read. [Moderate] Gravy: Gravy assists characters in acclimating to high gravity environments. It comes in a variety of flavors and is often added as a sauce to food. For Gravy to be 100% effective, the character must begin using it in advance. Reduce penalties for high-gravity acclimation by 20.[Low] Schizo: Schizo is a nanodrug that mirrors the effects of paranoid schizophrenia. It is popular in some hyperelite social circles as a truly daring and intriguing experience. A dose of schizo looks like a disposable antique razor blade. Making an incision in the skin releases a swarm of nanobots that travel to the central nervous system and induce the effects of the drug. While in effect, the character is severely paranoid and hears voices. How this plays out is at the discretion of the gamemaster, but should include irrational fears, unusual compulsions based on the instructions of the voice or voices, and a strong possibility that the character will behave in a violent or destructive fashion. The character may make WIL x 3 Tests to avoid violent acts against objects or strangers. Friends and trusted acquaintances are probably less likely to be targets of violence (+30 modifier to avoid hurting people the character cares about or destroying important possessions). Note that the character’s muse is unaffected by Schizo and can make efforts to babysit the character. Characters who take Schizo suffer 1d10 mental stress. [Low]

Petals: Petals is a term for a type of narrative hallucinogen, a nanodrug that hijacks the senses and takes the user on a game-like, highly immersive trip. Known by a myriad of intriguing names—Forgotten Hand, Darkly Selving, Inquisitive Green, to name a few—Petals are post-Fall society’s heroin—the drug of choice for the desperate and fucked. Petals almost always appear as nanopharmaceutical owers, potted or with a nutrient pack attached to the stem. Plucking and swallowing the petals from the flower triggers the effects immediately. Flowers have 5-10 petals. Multiple users may share the experience if they take the Petals within 1 minute of the first one being plucked; after this all petals remaining on the flower fade to translucent white and become inert. Petal experiences are like entire scenarios in and of themselves. Some take place entirely in the user’s mesh inserts (the user must cede control of their implants voluntarily; if they do not, the drug has no effect other than producing very low-intensity LSD-like visual hallucinations), taking control of the character’s entoptic displays, linking to secretive mesh servers and other trippers, and invading the character’s sensorium with AR “hallucinations.” Others put the character into a near-comatose state during which they go on a head trip. Normally there is some kind of well-developed theme or plot to a Petal experience, although in some cases they just experience a stream of images. Though most societies seek to suppress Petals, new ones appear constantly, fueled by a persistent sub-culture of crafters and users. Petalcrafters view their work as an art form (or at least as really good entertainment), and the better Petals are lovingly crafted, hauntingly beautiful experiences—even if they’re also terrifying. The subculture of Petal use ranges from casual users who occasionally do an easy, short-duration flower to hardcore addicts who spend much of their time not on Petals trying to hunt down the most intense and esoteric varieties. From this subculture comes a lot of information on what various Petals look like and their effects. Because Petals combine custom nanobots with tailored chemical payloads and sometimes connections to mesh servers, duplicating them using fabricators is impossible, leading to an active market of crafters, dealers, and traders. Petals sometimes contain easter eggs and rewards, called “sweets” by petal users. Getting the sweets usually requires fulfilling certain conditions within the trip, such as correctly answering questions or fulfilling goals. Typical sweets include skillsofts, new clothing or product designs, and custom infomorph sleeves. On the negative side, some Petal trips go bad, inflicting 1d10 mental stress or more on the user. Perhaps worse, some Petals are loaded with malware that takes over the user’s mesh inserts and worse—some sentinels even whisper of Petals carrying strains of the Exsurgent virus. [Trivial to High]

Sidebar: Sample Petals

A few examples of Petal experiences: Forgotten Hand: One of the character’s hands detaches and makes a run for it. The character is conscious and able to interact normally with the real world, but they cannot perceive the “escaped” hand and firmly believe that it’s getting away. The hand will lead the character a merry chase, but at some point, a new hand appears on the character’s wrist. It may be glittery and opalescent, demonic and clawed, or bestial. Eventually, after an hour or two, the character will catch up to their hand, but to get rid of their new hand and re-attach the old, they must answer cryptic questions posed by a gnome-like being. Darkly Selving: This petal is believed to achieve many of its effects by connecting to the mesh, where an AI observes and controls some of the event flow, and only works for multiple trippers. Like Forgotten Hand, it works by overlaying AR perceptions on the real world, but because of the effects, it’s highly inadvisable to take in places where any non-trippers will be present. Darkly Selving creates an epsilon fork of each character tripping and sleeves the fork in an infomorph that looks like a demonic version of themself, using visual input from the character’s co-trippers. AR overlays cause the characters to perceive themselves as angelic beings, while the real-seeming demonic infomorphs appear as AR overlays on their real world perceptions. What happens next varies, but generally both the characters and their forks are subjected to a series of strong chemical and narcoalgorithmic stimuli, ranging from Hither-like effects to massive doses of MRDR (or sometimes both). The effects directed against the forks are generally much more intense. The objective—hinted at via environmental clues—is to merge with one’s fork, which can be accomplished in a variety of ways, ranging from hunting them down and eating their heart to solving a puzzle or reaching a goal before their forks can. Delphinium Six: The last and rarest in a series of petals, Delphinium Six is the Grail of petal users, a supposedly transcendental experience that might not even exist. Delphinium One is scarce, Two and Three are quite rare, Four is an amazing find, and Five and Six are only rumors. Hints of what Six might hold are based largely on extrapolation from the little that is known about the lower-numbered petals. The following facts are generally accepted. It is a group experience, but not all members of the tripping group are rewarded equally. It is intensely surreal, yet in a purposeful way, as are all of the Delphinium series. It concludes the loosely-built narrative of a drugged-out version of a fairy tale princess and her quest for enlightenment begun in Delphinium One, replete with strange omens and mythological creatures. Rumors of what the ending might hold are more fanciful, and range from the trippers being resleeved in god-like infomorphs to them being trapped forever in an ego prison. Delphinium Six is completely virtual, leaving the characters comatose for the duration, and probably lasts a long time, perhaps 40 hours.

Nanodrugs
Nanodrug	Type	Application	Duration	Addiction Modifier	Addiction Type
Frequency	Nano	Inj, O	8 Hours	-10	Mental
Gravy	Nano	Inj, O	special	---	---
Petals	Nano	O	2 Hours-1 day	+10 to -20	Mental
Schizo	Nano	Inj	1 Day	---	Mental

Narcoalgorithms

Narcoalgorithms are software programs that simulate the effects of drugs on biological bodies. Almost all bio, chemical, and nano drugs can be replicated as narcoalgorithms, with corresponding effect (gamemaster discretion). Narcoalgorithms may be run by infomorphs, egos encased in cyberbrains (pods and synthmorphs), simulmorphs, and even AIs. Standard duration is 3 hours. Addiction to narcoalgorithms is considered mental. DDR: Originally crafted by prankster hackers and distributed as a virus, DDR (for “Dance Dance Robot”) triggers impulses in the target’s motor control circuits. Primary targeting robot AIs, the effect is that targets “dance” in jerky, automated movements. Pleasure receptors are also activated so that dancing—and movement of any kind—feels good. Different software variants invoke different motions and styles. The target suffers a –20 modifier on other actions while dancing, but the dancing may be overridden with a WIL x 3 Test. [Low] Linkstate: This software actually connects the user to a peer-to-peer network, where it randomly connects to other linkstate users and samples a bit of their XP feed and randomly accessed memories—typically just enough to provide context, but not enough to acquire private personal details. These inputs are spliced together, their emotional inputs amplified, and then the entire package is spiked with some hormonal circuit triggers and artificial synaesthesia. The effect is a mind-blowing mixed sampling of people’s lives, mashed together in a sensory soup, that hits the mind with a euphoric rush. Linkstate users are catatonic while under the effects (typical sessions run 3-4 hours), but afterwards they often report that they have flashbacks of events in other people’s lives. [Low]

Chemicals

Atropine:Though poisonous in large doses, atropine is an effective antidote against nerve agents like BTX² and Nervex. Easily synthesized in a maker, atropine will avert the effect whether taken soon before or after dosage by a nerve agent. [Trivial]

DMSO: This chemical acts as a carrier, allowing other chemicals to be absorbed through the skin. It allows any chemical agent to be applied dermally. [Trivial] Liquid Thermite: Similar to scrapper’s gel, liquid thermite comes in a gel form that is easily applied under all environmental conditions (by the nature of its chemical reaction, thermite is oxygenated and will burn underwater or in space). It is ignited with an electric charge, burning at temperatures exceeding 2,500 degrees Celsius and melting through whatever it is touching. Liquid thermite inflicts 3d10 + 5 DV per Action turn (for 3 Action Turns) to whatever it is touching. Armor will also be burnt through, offering no protection once the full Armor rating has been reached. [Moderate]

NotWater: NotWater is an effective liquid fire retardant that does not get objects wet, no matter how absorbent they are—it simply beads up and slides right off. [Trivial] Scrapper’s Gel: This goo turns into a potent acid when given an electrical charge. It comes in a gel-like state and may be smeared like jelly, and may even be used in space. In acid form, scrapper’s gel does 1d10 + 5 DV per Action Turn (for 3 Action Turns) to anything it touches, unless the material has been treated against acid. Armor will protect against this acid at first, but the acid will eat through the armor, so that it will no longer protect after its full armor value has been reached. [Low]

Slip: This liquid is almost entirely frictionless. When spread around an area (commonly used in splash grenades), anyone attempting to walk or run on the affected surface must make a COO Test or fall down. Likewise, any coated surface becomes extremely hard to grip onto, requiring a SOM Test to hang on. Anyone attempting to grapple a slip-soaked character suffers a –30 modifier. [Low] Tracker Dye: This liquid is colorless at normal light but becomes recognizable under pre-specified different wavelengths (such as infrared or ultraviolet). [Trivial]

Toxins

Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of biological and chemical substances to kill, injure, or incapacitate an enemy. Note that an antidote can be constructed for most toxins if a sample is acquired and an appropriate Medicine or Academics Test is made. This is considered a Task Action with a timeframe of 1 hour. These toxins only affect biomorphs; synthmorphs are immune. BTX²: BTX-squared (also called Frog Bite) is a genetically-enhanced variant of the extremely potent cardiotoxic and neurotoxic batrachotoxin. It leads to fast paralysis and cardiac arrest that usually kills the target within a few Action Turns. Affected characters suffer 2d10 + 10 damage a turn for 3 Action Turns; medichines reduce this damage by half. They must also make a SOM x 2 Test (+30 with medichines) or be paralyzed for 1 hour. [High] CR Gas: This potent incapacitating agent causes eye twitching and temporary blindness, severe coughing and breathing difficulty, skin irritation, and panic. Affected characters suffer 1d10 ÷ 2 damage, a –30 modifier to sight-based Perception Tests, and a –20 modifier to all other actions for 20 minutes (5 minutes if the character has medichines). [Low]

Flight: This drug is derived from human pheromones released due to fear, and is intended to instill alarm or even terror in the character. Affected characters must make a WIL x 3 Test (+30 with medichines) or suffer a panic attack, inflicting 1d10 stress. Dosed characters also suffer a –30 modifier for resisting intimidation or fear-based emotional manipulations. Flight affects last for 1 hour (5 minutes with medichines). [Low] Nervex: Derived from deadly nerve agents like cyclosarin, VX, and novichok, this genetically-modified toxin is deployed as a colorless, odorless gas that turns safely inert 10 minutes after deployment. It causes involuntary contraction of the muscles, seizures, and death by respiratory failure. One minute after exposure, the character must make a SOM Test or be incapacitated by seizures, paralysis, or nausea and vomiting; unaffected characters still suffer a –20 modifier to all actions. After 10 minutes, the character will die unless an antidote (such as atropine) is applied. Characters with medichines suffer the initial effects, but recover after 5 minutes. [High]

Oxytocin-A: A genetically-improved variant of oxytocin, this drug induces trust in the recipient. Drugged characters suffer a –30 modifier on all WIL and Kinesics Tests where trust is a factor. Medichines provide immunity. [Low] Twitch: Twitch is a convulsive agent, a nonlethal nerve gas. Affected characters must succeed in a SOM Test (+30 with medichines) or become incapacitated with severe muscle tremors. Unaffected characters still suffer a –20 on all actions. The effects of Twitch last for 10 minutes, 5 if the character has medichines. [Low]

Nanotoxins

Disruption: This nanotoxin attacks the myelin sheath on nerves, disrupting nerve impulses and inflicting symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Every hour the morph suffers a –5 modifier to COO, REF, and COG. If any aptitudes are reduced to zero,the morph is effectively paralyzed and catatonic. [Moderate]

Necrosis: Necrosis nanobots attack the walls of cells inside the body, killing tissue. This nanotoxin inflicts 1d10 ÷ 2 damage per Action Turn for one minute, after which the nanobots disable and flush from the body. Necrosis only affects biomorphs. [Moderate] Neuropath:These nanobots are designed to stimulate the pain receptors of a morph on a systemic level to cause agony and impairment. While most neuropaths target biological receptors, variants are available that induce comparable (phantom) pain stimulations in the cyberbrains of synthmorphs to create an equivalent effect. The affected character must succeed in a WIL x 3 Test or become incapacitated. Even if they succeed, they suffer –30 from the inflicted agony. Any form of pain resistance that allows a character to ignore wound modifiers will negate the neuropath pain modifier by an appropriate amount. [Moderate]

Nutcracker: Nutcrackers are nanobots designed to locate, migrate, and decompose the synthdiamond case of a cortical stack within a morph by attacking its crystal lattice. This process takes approximately 6 hours, after which the cortical stack is destroyed. These nanobots also attack the cortical stack’s connections to the (cyber)brain and brain-mapping nanobots. After 1 hour, the victim will be aware that their cortical stack is threatened. After 3 hours, all connections will be severed and the cortical stack will no longer be able to back up the character. [High]

Pathogens

A pathogen is an infectious biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host. While natural pathogens rarely strive to kill their hosts, germ warfare programs revived during the Fall—or instigated by the TITANs—sought to modify and use pathogens as a weapon of war. The ideal characteristics of lethal biological agents are high infectivity, high potency, availability of vaccines, and delivery as an aerosol. Most biomorphs are immune to standard pathogens thanks to their basic bio-mods, and medichines will protect against most others. However, even these defenses may not protect against diseases left by the TITANs or a new terrorist cell’s biowar bug. It is largely recommended that pathogens be handled as a plot device, rather than an active threat to the characters. Pathogens have no effect on synthmorphs. Degen: Characters exposed to this degenerative neurological disease must make a DUR x 2 Test or become infected. Medichines will defeat the disease, but others will not show signs of infection for 1 week, when the symptoms of a rapidly progressing dementia will become clear: memory loss, personality changes, and hallucinations. If untreated, Degen will progress for another week with more serious symptoms, including speech impediments, jerky movements, loss of balance and coordination, and even seizures. This is reflected by a 5 point loss in all aptitudes per day (after the first week). When any aptitude reaches 0, the character dies. Degen is notorious for its effect in corrupting cortical stack backups before infection symptoms manifest. [Expensive] Trigger: Trigger is a designer virus that selectively targets and infects mast cells to trigger a hyper-allergic reaction. The resulting anaphylactic shock due to systemic vasodilatation (associated with a sudden drop in blood pressure) and bronchial swelling (resulting in constriction and difficulty breathing) usually leads to death in a matter of minutes after onset, if not treated. Infected characters must succeed in a DUR Test (using their current Durability score minus damage) or die quickly. Even medichines have difficulty reacting in time against this virus; characters with medichines must make a DUR x 2 Test to survive. [Expensive]

Psi Drugs

Research into the Watts-MacLeod strain has resulted in several exceptional breakthroughs involving the creation of psi-impacting drugs. Each of these drugs is in the experimental stage, but they are already finding some use among Firewall and similar secretive groupings. Inhibitor: Inhibitor is a cocktail of neurochemicals that block some brain receptor and transmitter functions in an attempt to reduce psi-waves and block or impair sleights. This drug is commonly used to restrain async prisoners from using their abilities. A drugged character must make a WIL x 2 Test. If they fail, they lose all psi abilities for the drug’s duration. If they succeed, they suffer a –30 impairment on Psi skills and all strain is doubled. Inhibitor has an unfortunate side effect of doping the character down, however; apply a –10 modifier to their COG. Inhibitor-influenced characters tend to have a glazed, dopey expression and have difficulty getting excited or emotional. [High] Psi-Opener: Psi-opener drugs are variants of the Watts-MacLeod strain with a temporary effect and which do not permanently alter the user’s brain. Psi-opener temporarily imbues the user with the ability to use one particular sleight, regardless of whether or not they have the Psi trait. Each type of Psi-opener is customized for a particular sleight. While primarily intended for non-asyncs, non-asyncs may not possess Psi skills, so they must default to WIL. For this reason, Psi-Opener is often doubled up with Psike-out. Using Psi-opener is a mind-wrenching experience. Users are occasionally subject to hallucinations (gamemaster discretion). When the drug wears off, it inflicts 1d10 points of mental stress, +2 if the drug imbues a psi-gamma sleight. [Expensive]

Psike-Out: Psike-out bolsters an async’s psi abilities. Apply a +20 modifier to the async’s Psi skill tests for the drug’s duration. However, also apply +2 to all strain DVs for the drug’s duration. Psike-out is mentally addictive, with an Addiction Modifier of –10. [Expensive]

Toxins
	Type	Application	Onset Time	Duration
Chemical Toxins
BTX2	Chem	D, Inj, O	1 Action Turn	3 Action Turns / 1 Hour
CR Gas	Chem	D, Inh	1 Action Turn	20 Minutes
Flight	Bio	Inh	3 Action Turns	1 Hour
Nervex	Chem	D, Inh, Inj, O	1 Minute	Death
Oxytocin-A	Bio	Inh, Inj	3 Minutes	2 Hours
Twitch	Chem	D, Inh, Inj, O	3 Action Turns	10 Minutes
Nanotoxins
Degeneration	Nano	Inj, O	Immediate	8 Hours
Necrosis	Nano	Inj, O	3 Actions	1 Minute
Neuropath	Nano	D, Inj, O	3 Action Turns	8 Hours
Nutcracker	Nano	Inj, O	Immediate	6 Hours
Psi Drugs
Inhibitor	Chem	Inj, O	3 Action Turns	6 Hours
Psi-Opener	Bio	Inj, O	20 Minutes	1 Hour
Psike-Out	Chem	Inj, O	1 Minute	1 Hour

Uplift Drugs

Hydra: Hydra only affects neo-octopi physiology. Specifically, it provides a euphoric sense of detachment to the ego while also boosting the autonomous activity and unconscious reflexiveness of neo-octopi arms, which already tend to act on their own accord. Though it does not (usually) impact the ego’s control over their arms, any arms that are idle simply do their own thing. The gamemaster decides if and when these arms act and what they do (or, for more fun, you can assign an arm to each other player). The arms mostly act reflexively —recoiling from danger, grasping on to nearby objects—but sometimes act as if with intelligent direction, striking opponents, snatching forgotten objects, opening doors, etc. The arms use the octomorph’s Initiative and skills. [Low]

Kong: Kong is a potent drug cocktail that boosts the aggressiveness of non-human primates. Uplifts and smart animals under the influence of kong must make a WIL x 3 Test or automatically attack anyone that exhibits threatening behavior. Kong users can ignore the effects of 1 wound, receive a +5 SOM bonus and a +10 bonus on melee attacks, but suffer a −5 INT modifier. Once engaged in violence, the affected primate must make a WIL x 3 Test to not automatically attack the next nearest target. Attempts to control primates under the influence of kong suffer a −30 modifier to their Animal Handling Tests. Once the effects of this drug wear off, the user suffers −5 SOM for an equivalent duration. [Low] Raptor: Raptor is a strength-boosting drug that only affects neo-avians. It increases their wing power and speed, as well as boosting the grip of their talons. Apply a +5 SOM bonus and a +20 modifier to Flight Tests to increase movement (like Sprinting). [Low]

Staste: This drug increases an octomorph brain’s ability to process sensory input from the chemoreceptors in their suckers. This gives an octomorph an enhanced ability to “taste” things akin to a bloodhound’s sense of smell, only tactile-based. Apply a +30 modifier to Perception, Investigation, or similar skill tests based on smell. [Low]

Uplift Drugs
Drug	Type	Application	Onset Time	Duration	Addiction Modifier	Addiction Type
Hydra	Chem	Inj, O	20 Minutes	3 Hours	-10	Physical
Kong	Chem	Inh, Inj, O	3 Action Turns	1 Hour	-10	Physical
Raptor	Chem	Inj, O	20 Minutes	1 Hour	-10	Physical
Staste	Chem	Inj, O	20 Minutes	3 Hours	-10	Physical