“Winners don’t do Drugs”

  • Some FBI Director possibly? (lol)

Maybe it’s just in the type of media I consume, but use of drugs in combat is a pretty common trope in fiction, which isn’t terribly shocking given it’s a fairly common thing in our history. Sure, fighting stoned out of your mind isn’t a great tactical choice, but the right dosage or mixture can make someone a great deal more effective given the right nudge.

Three of my favorite games, Fallout: New Vegas, Synthetik, and Quasimorph, all feature combat drug mechanics that give some real benefits/boosts to using drugs in a fight, though drawbacks and withdrawal mechanics as well. So much my mechanics are inspired by how they are presented in those games, hence some perhaps odd choices like Alcohol giving you certain spiritual resistances to stuff like possession.

Besides the stock standard benefits and drawbacks a drug would give you, one thing I wanted to account for was some spiritual effects it might have on a user, with the idea that a drug/substance acts as a valve opener or closer to certain metaphysical things. LSD and DMT make for better spellcasting and ritual work, but open you up to possession and mind control better (as per stuff like MKUltra) while alcohol being a “spiritual poison” when too much is ingested makes one more resistant to such things. Though I do accept some of the listed effects and benefits are a bit arbitrary, my goal was to make this gameable, not a simulation.

In a lot of spiritual frameworks or occult works, you see this idea pop up a lot, altered states of consciousness having varying effects on someone’s metaphysical makeup.

I put this out more as another little stopgap, as I’m making another big article before I put out some faction articles, the next one likely to be on the Spirit Realm and how it interfaces with physical reality as per the setting of Be Not Afraid.

I also have a complementary energy weapons article in the works, which is going to be a sci-fi expansion to my prior Firearm Rules Compendium article I released.

System Conceits⌗

For translations sake to other OSR systems I need to clarify some quick things for any unaware readers:

  • My system uses three saving throws, Fortitude, Reflex, Will. these values start at 16 and go down with levels, to make a save one rolls over their save value. for more traditional OSR systems that use the 5 saves from B/X, OD&D, or AD&D, simply use Vs. Poison in place of Fortitude, Vs. Wand in place of Will. and Vs. Paralysis or Vs. Dragon’s Breath for Reflex.

  • My game also uses a concept named System Shock (different from AD&D’s) if a character takes damage equal to or more than half their max HP in a single round of combat, they have to make a Fortitude Save or be stunned for 1 round, possibly more.

  • though I do accept some of the listed effects and benefits of the drugs are a bit arbtirary, my goal was to make this gameable, not a simulation, thus some degree of GM fiat might be required in how these drugs work out of combat or against specific things.

Combat Drugs System⌗

Dependency Score⌗

Drug Potence (DP)⌗

  • Each drug has a DP from 1-4 (mild to severe)
  • After using a drug, roll a Fortitude save (DC - character’s CON modifier + DP )

Dependency Score (DS)⌗

  • On failed save, increase character’s DS by the drug’s DP
  • At DS ≥ 1/3 CON score: Minor withdrawal symptoms begin (-1 to all rolls while in withdrawal)
  • At DS ≥ 2/3 CON score: Moderate withdrawal (-2 to all rolls, -1d4 temporary CON while in withdrawal)
  • At DS = CON score: Severe addiction (-3 to all rolls, -1d6 temporary CON, character craves the drug and must make Will save to resist using when available)

Withdrawal & Recovery⌗

  • Withdrawal symptoms occur after (CON modifier + 1) days without using (minimum 1 day)
  • Natural recovery: Reduce DS by 1 for each full week of abstinence
  • Medical recovery: Reduce DS by 1d4 per week with proper treatment

Overdose System⌗

Overdose Threshold⌗

  • Each character can safely tolerate drugs up to half their CON score in combined DP
  • Example: Character with CON 14 can handle up to 7 DP worth of drugs in their system

Overdose Effects⌗

  • When total DP in system exceeds half CON score: Make Fortitude save (DC + total DP - CON modifier)
  • Failure results in overdose

Overdose Severity⌗

  • Minor Overdose (exceeding threshold by 1-2 DP): Character is incapacitated for 1d4 rounds, then suffers -2 to all rolls for 1d6 hours
  • Moderate Overdose (exceeding by 3-4 DP): Character falls unconscious for 1d6 hours, takes 2d6 damage
  • Severe Overdose (exceeding by 5+ DP): Character falls unconscious, takes 3d8 damage, and must make Fortitude save (DC 15) every hour or take 1d6 additional damage until stabilized

Drug Duration & Clearance⌗

  • Each drug remains in system for its full duration
  • After duration expires, reduce character’s current DP total by the drug’s DP
  • Multiple doses of the same drug stack for overdose calculations but not for duration

Combining Drugs⌗

  • Characters may combine up to two drugs or more.
  • Each additional drug beyond the first requires a Fortitude save (DC + combined DP)
  • Failure causes Overdose check.

Emergency Treatment⌗

  • Administering antidote/stabilizer: Reduce effective DP in system by 1d4+1
  • Medical intervention: +4 on Fortitude saves against overdose.

Combat Drugs⌗

Stimulants⌗

Amphetamines (DP 2)

  • Benefits: +2 to Initiative, +1 to Reflexes saves, ignore first failed System Shock save
  • Drawbacks: -1 to Will saves
  • Duration: 1d4+1 x 10 minutes combat

Cocaine (DP 4)

  • Benefits: +2 to melee damage rolls, +2 to Reflexes saves, gain temporary 1d6 HP
  • Drawbacks: -2 to Will saves, temporary HP lost when drug wears off
  • Duration: 1 combat encounter

Epinephrine/Adrenaline (DP 2)

  • Benefits: +4 to System Shock saves, can act normally for 1d2 rounds even at 0 HP
  • Drawbacks: After duration expires, -1 to all rolls for 1d4 hours (crash)
  • Duration: 1d6+2 rounds

Painkillers⌗

Prescription Painkillers (DP 1)

  • Benefits: +1 to System Shock saves
  • Drawbacks: N/A
  • Duration: 1d8+1 hours

Morphine (DP 3)

  • Benefits: Ignore System Shock entirely, +1d8 temporary HP
  • Drawbacks: -2 to Reflexes saves, -1 to attack rolls
  • Duration: 2d4 hours

Methadone (DP 2)

  • Benefits: Ignore System Shock entirely +1d8 temporary HP
  • Drawbacks: -1 to Reflexes saves,1 to Initiative, Cannot be combined with other painkillers
  • Duration: 2d4 hours
  • Extra: Suppresses withdrawal symptoms from opioids/painkillers (reduces effective DS by half for withdrawal calculations)

Psychedelics/Hallucinogens⌗

Cannabis/Weed (DP 0)

  • Benefits: +1 to System Shock saves, +1 to Will saves against fear effects
  • Drawbacks:-2 Reflex Saves, -2 to Initiative, -2 to attack rolls, -2 to INT related checks.
  • Duration: 2d4 hours.

LSD (DP 3)

  • Benefits: +2 to spot hidden creatures/objects, +2 to magic related checks,
  • Drawbacks: -4 to Will Saves, -2 to Saves against magic, Hallucinations (25% chance each round in combat to attack wrong target or lose action)
  • Duration: 1d4+8 hours
  • Extra: Potential for “bad trip” (Will save entering combat or experiencing trauma; failure causes panic for 1d6 rounds)

DMT (DP 4)

  • Benenfits: Profound dissociation (immune to fear effects, mind control, and illusions) +4 to magic related checks
  • Drawbacks: -4 to attack rolls, -4 to initiative, 50% chance each round to lose action (tripping balls)
  • Duration: 15-30 minutes

Alcohol⌗

Unlike the aforementioned drugs and dependency system, alcohol has a different subsystem altogether and uses a different progression track for it’s effects on those who consume it.

Intoxication Levels⌗

When drinking alcohol a character must make an Fortitude Save, on failure the character gains one level of Intoxication. Each level of Intoxication confers a cumaltive -1 penality to the next Fortitude Save made against becoming intoixcated.

  1. Buzzed

    • +1 to Will saves against fear effects
    • +1 to CHA related checks
    • -1 to Reflexes saves

  2. Tipsy

    • +2 to Will saves against fear effects
    • +1 to CHA related checks
    • -1 to Reflexes saves
    • -1 to attack rolls

  3. Drunk

    • Immune to pain (ignore System SHock)
    • -3 to Reflexes saves
    • -2 to all attack rolls
    • +2 against mind control or possession
    • 20% chance to fumble actions requiring coordination

  4. Hammered

    • Fortitude save or pass out for 1d6+1 hours
    • -4 to all Reflex and Will Saves if still conscious
    • -4 to all attack rolls.
    • +4 against supernatural mind control or possession based saves
    • 40% chance to fumble actions requriing coordination

Hangover After drinking to “Tipsy” level or beyond:

  • Make Fortitude save (DC + number of drinks consumed)
  • Failure results in hangover for 1d4+2 hours after waking
  • While hungover: -2 to all rolls, -1d4 temporary CON