Rules
in ShadowrunKnockout drugs. Truth serum. Nerve gas. All of these
are examples of toxins, a catch-all term for a substance
that’s mostly meant for use as a weapon, as opposed to
recreation. Each substance has several attribute ratings.
Vector: This shows how the toxin is delivered to
the target.
Contact toxins can be solid, liquid, or gaseous. They attack the victim through the skin. These toxins, if in liquid form, can be coated on a weapon. In this case, they can be applied with a successful Melee Attack, whether the attack causes damage or not. A chemical seal (p. 437) offers complete protection from this vector, unless it’s breached. Chemical protection (p. 437) gives a dice bonus equal to its rating to the target’s Toxin Resistance Test.
Ingestion toxins must be eaten by the victim. They can be solids or liquids. Since they must be eaten, they generally take longer to have an effect. Toxin extractor bioware (p. 460) provides a dice pool bonus equal to the rating of the augmentation to resist ingested and other toxins.
Inhalation toxins are applied as an aerosol spray or gas, and they must be breathed in by the target. Gas masks, chemical seals, and active internal air tanks (p. 455) provide immunity to inhalation toxins. Chemical protection gives bonus dice to the Toxin Resistance Test equal to its rating.
Injection toxins must get into the target’s bloodstream, whether through a dart, hypodermic needle, or a cut. These can also be used to coat an edged melee weapon. They are applied to the target with a successful melee attack that causes damage. Speed: This determines how quickly the victim suffers the toxin’s Effect. These effects are always applied at the end of a Combat Turn.
Immediate means the Effect is applied at the end of the same Combat Turn in which the victim is exposed.
A Speed of 1 Combat Turn means the Effect is applied at the end of the next Combat Turn, and so on. Power: This tells how powerful the toxin is. For toxins that do actual damage, either Physical or Stun, Power serves as the DV of the attack. A Toxin Resistance Test (see below) is used to reduce the damage. If Power is reduced to 0, then no damage occurs, and no other effects happen.
Some toxins don’t inflict actual damage. Power is still used to determine if other effects take place. If the Toxin Resistance Test reduces the Power to 0, then no effects take place. Effect: This tells what happens to a victim exposed to the toxin. Many toxins simply cause damage; in this case, the Effect supplies the type of damage. Damage from toxins is treated just like any other injury. Some toxins cause other effects, which are listed in their description. Unless otherwise noted, all effects occur unless the toxin’s Power is reduced to 0 in a Toxin Resistance Test.
Disorientation causes the victim a –2 dice pool modifier to all actions for ten minutes, due to confusion and disorientation.
Nausea is a catch-all term; it includes pain, panic, vomiting, and double vision. If the Power of an attack after the Toxin Resistance Test exceeds the target’s Willpower, he is incapacitated (unable to take any actions) with vomiting and dizziness for 3 Combat Turns. Whether or not a character is incapacitated, Nausea doubles all of a character’s wound modifiers for ten minutes. A nauseated character with 3 boxes of damage (a –1 wound modifier), for example, suffers –2 dice on all tests instead.
Paralysis renders the victim unable to move by blocking the body’s neuromuscular signals. If the Power of an attack after the Toxin Resistance Test exceeds the target’s Reaction, the target is paralyzed and unable to take physical actions for 1 hour. Even if the target is not paralyzed, he suffers a –2 dice pool modifier for the next hour. Penetration: This rating works like a weapon’s Armor Penetration and affects the rating of any protective system used to defend against it.
Likewise, if left in contact with a toxin for an extended period, the effects can be increased. If the victim is still being exposed to the toxin when the toxin’s Speed interval elapses, perform another Toxin Resistance Test, and so on each time the Speed interval elapses. For each subsequent Toxin Resistance Test after the first, increase the Power of the toxin by +1, cumulatively.
If a victim has suffered Physical damage overflow from a toxin, then application of the appropriate antidote automatically stabilizes her.
Contact toxins can be solid, liquid, or gaseous. They attack the victim through the skin. These toxins, if in liquid form, can be coated on a weapon. In this case, they can be applied with a successful Melee Attack, whether the attack causes damage or not. A chemical seal (p. 437) offers complete protection from this vector, unless it’s breached. Chemical protection (p. 437) gives a dice bonus equal to its rating to the target’s Toxin Resistance Test.
Ingestion toxins must be eaten by the victim. They can be solids or liquids. Since they must be eaten, they generally take longer to have an effect. Toxin extractor bioware (p. 460) provides a dice pool bonus equal to the rating of the augmentation to resist ingested and other toxins.
Inhalation toxins are applied as an aerosol spray or gas, and they must be breathed in by the target. Gas masks, chemical seals, and active internal air tanks (p. 455) provide immunity to inhalation toxins. Chemical protection gives bonus dice to the Toxin Resistance Test equal to its rating.
Injection toxins must get into the target’s bloodstream, whether through a dart, hypodermic needle, or a cut. These can also be used to coat an edged melee weapon. They are applied to the target with a successful melee attack that causes damage. Speed: This determines how quickly the victim suffers the toxin’s Effect. These effects are always applied at the end of a Combat Turn.
Immediate means the Effect is applied at the end of the same Combat Turn in which the victim is exposed.
A Speed of 1 Combat Turn means the Effect is applied at the end of the next Combat Turn, and so on. Power: This tells how powerful the toxin is. For toxins that do actual damage, either Physical or Stun, Power serves as the DV of the attack. A Toxin Resistance Test (see below) is used to reduce the damage. If Power is reduced to 0, then no damage occurs, and no other effects happen.
Some toxins don’t inflict actual damage. Power is still used to determine if other effects take place. If the Toxin Resistance Test reduces the Power to 0, then no effects take place. Effect: This tells what happens to a victim exposed to the toxin. Many toxins simply cause damage; in this case, the Effect supplies the type of damage. Damage from toxins is treated just like any other injury. Some toxins cause other effects, which are listed in their description. Unless otherwise noted, all effects occur unless the toxin’s Power is reduced to 0 in a Toxin Resistance Test.
Disorientation causes the victim a –2 dice pool modifier to all actions for ten minutes, due to confusion and disorientation.
Nausea is a catch-all term; it includes pain, panic, vomiting, and double vision. If the Power of an attack after the Toxin Resistance Test exceeds the target’s Willpower, he is incapacitated (unable to take any actions) with vomiting and dizziness for 3 Combat Turns. Whether or not a character is incapacitated, Nausea doubles all of a character’s wound modifiers for ten minutes. A nauseated character with 3 boxes of damage (a –1 wound modifier), for example, suffers –2 dice on all tests instead.
Paralysis renders the victim unable to move by blocking the body’s neuromuscular signals. If the Power of an attack after the Toxin Resistance Test exceeds the target’s Reaction, the target is paralyzed and unable to take physical actions for 1 hour. Even if the target is not paralyzed, he suffers a –2 dice pool modifier for the next hour. Penetration: This rating works like a weapon’s Armor Penetration and affects the rating of any protective system used to defend against it.
Using Toxins
When a toxin comes into play, note its Speed to determine when it takes effect. At the end of the appropriate Combat Turn, the victim makes a Toxin Resistance Test to see if the toxin takes effect. This test uses Body + Willpower + the rating of any protective gear/systems; each hit reduces the toxin’s Power by 1 point. If the Power is reduced to zero, the toxic substance takes no effect; otherwise, apply the effect depending on the remaining Power level.Concentration
Sometimes a character gets hit with a lot of a toxin. If exposed to more than a single dose at a given time, increase the Power of the toxin by +1 per additional dose. Duration might also increase, at the gamemaster’s discretion.Likewise, if left in contact with a toxin for an extended period, the effects can be increased. If the victim is still being exposed to the toxin when the toxin’s Speed interval elapses, perform another Toxin Resistance Test, and so on each time the Speed interval elapses. For each subsequent Toxin Resistance Test after the first, increase the Power of the toxin by +1, cumulatively.
Antidotes
If they’re to do any good, antidotes must be taken before a toxin’s effects kick in. An antidote taken afterwards will not diminish the damage caused by the toxin but may reduce the toxin’s other effects. Note that some toxins simply have no effective antidote, particularly neurotoxins.If a victim has suffered Physical damage overflow from a toxin, then application of the appropriate antidote automatically stabilizes her.