Modern Drug Addictions

[MacPhail]

Hey all...

I have a player who has decided to play a cocaine-addicted photojournalist (Charismatic) for our Modern espionage campaign. Any ideas on how best to handle his addiction and the results of his drug use? I'm leaning toward one-point Dex, Con and Cha ability modifiers; positive when he's up and negative when he's down. As long as he spends the same amount of time recovering as he spent high, these modifers are matched. As soon as he starts spending more time high with less recovery time, the negative downtime modifers start growing.

Any and all ideas are welcome... please steer clear of "dude, I was so high..." stories so we don't get deleted.

Thanks for the input-

 

[Berk]

If you are planning on playing a cocaine addict make sure you are paranoid and jumpy, high or sober. Dex and Con slight tiny increase I can see while high, can't really see a Cha increase while high. I can see a Cha decrease while high. While down I can deffinately see a Dex, Con, Cha decrease. I can also see a Int and Wis decrease while down and a Wis decrease while high.

The way I would most likely play it is that while the character is high they would get a +1 bonus to init, AC, and Fort and Reflex saves, but a -1 bonus to attacks (both ranged and melee), -1 to charisma based checks, -2 to every int and wis based checks, and gain the benefits of the improved damage threshold feat, the one that lets you treat your Con as 3 points higher for the purposes of massive damage.

While down I would double the penalties and everything that had a + would now have a - with the same numerical values, ie.. a +1 becomes a -1. Also they would lose the benefits of the improved damage threshold feat and actually gain something that was the opposite of it effectively, and gain a -1 to Will saves.

Down time would be twice as long as up time and of course Fort saves to not become addicted. Most likely starting at DC 12 and increasing by +1 for every time you use during the day after the first if you succeed on the Fort saves. For example DC 13 if you have used twice during the day and succeeded on your first Fort save.

To kick the habit, Fort save DC 20 and a Will save DC 20. Can't kick the habit if either your body, yourself, or both still crave it.

I could go into detail why I would do it like this but you asked for no stories. =op

 

[KitanaVorr]

I think the CHA increase would have to depend on who the character is talking to as everyone doesn't always react well to someone who is high.

It is a little unsettling to try and talk to someone when they're eyes are glazed over or they're jittery, jabbering, or a just acting plain strange. And sometimes drug addiction will make them act like a jerk even when they're high (they get super macho, etc)

Otherwise I agree with what Berk listed out for you.

 

[MacPhail]

Great...

Very cool... my thanks to both you.

I'll definately have to think the Charisma issue over... When I was helping the player design his character I kept think of Holly McClaine's co-worker in Die Hard. That guy was always super confident, all big cheesy grins and laughs. This character is a photojournalist, and I saw that as being something of an advantage when trying to talk his way past a bouncer or a celebrity's housekeeper. I definately thought the jitters and sweats would come when he was down, but I have zero background in this area and I'll likely go with your suggestion.

I'm definately going to use the Improved Damage Threshold feat... should have though of that one myself.

Thanks again, and keep it coming!

 

[KitanaVorr]

Re: Great...

Very cool... my thanks to both you.

I'll definately have to think the Charisma issue over... When I was helping the player design his character I kept think of Holly McClaine's co-worker in Die Hard. That guy was always super confident, all big cheesy grins and laughs. This character is a photojournalist, and I saw that as being something of an advantage when trying to talk his way past a bouncer or a celebrity's housekeeper. I definately thought the jitters and sweats would come when he was down, but I have zero background in this area and I'll likely go with your suggestion.

I'm definately going to use the Improved Damage Threshold feat... should have though of that one myself.

Thanks again, and keep it coming!

Well, Hollywood does tend to...ah...glamorize it. Like being drunk...talk about the most unsexy thing in the world real life. The puking, the redness, the watery eyes, the stink...ewwww...but when people are drunk on screen you rarely ever see that.

you could look stuff up in medical text, they would be very accurate there on the physical affects

 

[Dareoon Dalandrove]

I can see what MacPhail is saying about the chr increase. The person is high. There're not themselves. They have relaxed inhabitions so they might be chatty or friendly. The first character concept that i can up with for Shadow chasers was for a PI. He was a young cop and saw something that shook his world. He went over the edge a little and quit the force. He doesn't sleep much because of the nightmares...he always looks as though he has slept in his clothes and downs no doze and coffee to stay awake. I wanted the downside because it gave the charecter life. Flaws are important. I would talk to your player and really discuss what they want to do. It may be a passing phase. It may also become a hassel for you as the DM. i would propose a scale to see were the character is. You could have one level be high, second not under the influence but not craving either, next woudl be downtime. The period after the drug wears off. and last the frenzy stage, needs a fix.
high
+10 hp or a plus to Con
-1 or 2 to ac (why would they dodge)
+1 to dmg (they don't feel it now but they will later)
+1 to chr when dealing with "underground personalities" -1 when dealig with I don't know law abidign citizens.

second stage
normal
This also gives the player a way out of a bad idea

Third
- 10 hp or a minus to con
-1 or 2 to ac (they can't dodge)
-1 to chr everybody
-1 or 2 to reflex saves
also some minuses on skill checks listen, spot, etc.
basicaly a minus whenever they have to exert themselves.

The fix stage
I would say that this would have to be a blend
+10 hp
+1 dex (they are highly motivated to get high. so focused that they are pacing and always moving quickly.
pluses to some checks like listen (every noise seems to make them look)
- 1 to chr ( every body can tell there is something wrong with you and they don't want to be around you)
this stage would generally be short because if they don't get a fix they will slip into withdrawel where the same modifiers as the 3rd stage apply or maybe worse. If they do get a fix then the go to the high stage and everything starts over.

Another thing to keep in mind is the duration.

 

[Dareoon Dalandrove]

What's the verdict? What did you do?

 

[Dismas]

What's the verdict? What did you do?

Just roleplay it. Otherwise it could become a bit like "I'll take a swig from my potion"

 

[Shadow64]

Just roleplay it. Otherwise it could become a bit like "I'll take a swig from my potion"

The problem with that is that the player would control when he is high, when he is jonesing for the next hit, when he really wants the drug (ie - freaking out from withdrawel), etc. If he can control that then why (unless he is willing to FUBAR is character for rp purposes) have something "bad" happen when it would effect play? If someone wants to play a druggy, then that is fine (well - ok, maybe not "fine" but you know what I mean), but (unless the DM has complete trust in the player of playing the character right) there has to be some way to "control" or judge when all the highs and lows of being a druggy would hit.

There should be some sort of mechanic, even it is just on the dm's side of the table to "control" the effects of the addiction. Or, have the player say "i'm taking a hit..." then the dm starts his mental clock on when certain effects will kick in. The longer players x does the drug the more sever the effects are, how much shorter the time in between hits goes, etc.

 

[Mistwell]

I would think you should build in a long-term use effect. From what I know of the drug, paranoia, jitteriness, and other socially unusual traits increase with extended use. So, for instance, you might have a charisma increase in the beginning days of usage, say +2, but as time goes on this will get less and less. Say, after the first 2 weeks of use it goes to +0, and after another 2 weeks it goes to -2 (though perhaps it should bottom out at -2).

In addition, I would impose health risks on the PC, such as a heart attack. If the above example were used, I would say that a Fort save would be appropriate at each 2 week period (I am just randomly picking that time frame). Make it a fairly easy Fort save to begin with, but increasingly difficult with time. Failure would put the PC at -1 hit points (not instant death), which of course could be stabalized and treated like any other injury.