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Message: <blockquote data-quote="theodudek" data-source="post: 4915835" data-attributes="member: 84017">Hello everybody,I was rereading the addiction rules in the "Book of Vile Darkness" for 3e and I've come up with a way to simulate drug and alcohol addiction in 4e. ^^ It actually works pretty well, I think... I'm going to be making many more drug descriptions like this.The best way to handle addiction in 4e is through the Disease rules, with a few modifications. Each addictive substance has a ‘power’ just like a potion or other consumable item. However, after a certain amount of ‘exposure’ (sometimes one dose, sometimes multiple doses), the substance makes an attack vs. the character’s Will or Fortitude defense to see if they become addicted. However, instead of making Endurance checks to determine the progress of the addiction, as with a disease, the character must make Insight checks (reflecting their self-awareness of the fact that they are addicted, and their willpower and mental ability which allows them to get it under control). In some cases, for substances which have more of a physical than a mental toll, the character may choose to roll either Endurance or Insight.Here are rules for some commonly available substances in a vaguely "ancient/historical fantasy" campaign...ALCOHOLAvailable everywhere in various strengths. These rules reflect extreme drunkenness. Price varies (cheapest: 1 sp to get drunk).Power (Consumable): Standard action. You gain -2 Will defense and +1 Fortitude defense until the end of the encounter.Attack: +4 vs. Fortitude. Roll once for each hour of heavy drinking.Endurance or Insight: improve DC22, maintain DC 12, worsen DC11 or lowerInitial Effect: Entering a state of semi-permanent inebriation, you gain -2 Will defense and +1 Fortitude defense. If prevented from drinking, you lose the +1 Fortitude defense and instead take -2 Fortitude defense. These effects apply until the target is cured.Effect #2: You gain -2 Reflex defense as you become unsteady on your feet. Your +1 Fortitude defense bonus rises to +2 Fortitude defense (unless prevented from drinking). These effects apply until the target is cured.Final State: You gain -2 on all attacks and -2 to all Dexterity-based skill checks. Each time you become bloodied, you must make an Endurance check (DC15) or vomit, causing you to be Dazed until the end of your next action.OPIUMUsually processed into hashish. Opium is cultivated in many places, particularly Egypt, Asia and Mesopotamia, where it is called Hul Gil (the “joy plant”). There are opium dens in many cities. It can be smoked or ingested (usually smoked). Price 25 gp per dose.The description of opium’s effects also applies to kykeon, a hallucinatory Greek drink used in rituals by the priests of Dionysos, made from barley contaminated with ergot.Power (Consumable): Standard action. You behold strange visions of beauty and wonder, causing you to become Dazed until the end of the encounter. In addition, during this time period, you gain the ability to see invisible creatures. Once per encounter as a free action, you may also make an Insight check (DC 20) to receive a vision which may, at the DM’s discretion, contain a clue or prophecy about your current situation.Attack: +8 vs. Will. Roll once for each dose.Insight: improve DC 22, maintain DC16, worsen DC15 or lowerInitial Effect: Entering a semipermanent distracted dream state, you gain -1 on all attacks. Once per encounter as a free action, you may make an insight check (DC 20) to receive a vision which may, at the DM’s discretion, contain a clue or prophecy about your current situation. If prevented from taking opium, you gain -2 Will defense. These effects apply until the target is cured.Secondary Effect: You gain vulnerable 5 psychic. You also gain the ability to see invisible creatures. These effects apply until the target is cured.Tertiary Effect. You gain -2 Will defense. If prevented from taking opium, you gain -4 Will defense. This effect applies until the target is cured.Final State: You are Weakened and Dazed. Whenever you are struck by an attack which targets Will, you take an additional 5 points of psychic damage. Once per encounter as a free action, you may make an Insight check (DC 18) to receive a vision which gives you a +2 to your next Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom-based attack or skill roll. (The normal opium-induced -1 to all attacks does not count on this roll.) The vision may also, at the DM’s discretion, contain a clue or prophecy about your current situation.CANNABIS (MARIJUANA)Available in various strengths. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the ancient Scythians cleaned themselves by ‘bathing’ in clouds of hemp smoke. Price 6 gp.Power (Consumable): Standard action. Until the end of the encounter, the user gains a +1 to all Charisma or Wisdom-based attacks and skill rolls, a -2 to Reflex defense, and a -2 to Initiative. If the user is bloodied by an attack which targets Will, they become Stunned until the end of their next action.Attack: +4 vs. Will. Roll once for every dose.Insight: improve DC20, maintain DC12, worsen DC11 or lowerInitial Effect: Entering a semipermanent stoned state, the user gains a +1 to all Charisma or Wisdom-based attacks and skill rolls, a -2 to Reflex defense, and a -2 to Initiative. If the user is bloodied by an attack which targets Will, they become Stunned until the end of their next action. If prevented from smoking or ingesting cannabis, the user loses the +1 to Charisma and Wisdom-based attacks and skill rolls. These effects apply until the target is cured.Secondary Effect: The user gains a -4 to Initiative. Before they act on the first turn of combat, they grant combat advantage to all attackers. If the user makes a critical hit or rolls a 20, in or out of combat, they must make an Insight save (DC15) or become so awed by what they have done that they are Dazed until the end of their next action. These effects apply until the target is cured.Final Effect: The user becomes Slowed.I have a bunch more that I want to make, I'll be putting them up on my blog as I create them. ^^</blockquote>

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