Combat Stims

"I can quit any time I want to. From the company, I mean, I've got an at-will contract... the stims are going to take some work."
— Captain Nero Targassian, Orbital Dynamics

"Alertisol to wake you up, Ramidyne because rations are short and we're skipping breakfast today, Mnemosin for the daily brief so your rotten skullmeat has a chance to absorb some of it, Phenopromyophine for the march, Generimmoniodone to keep the Waxies out of your head so they don't see us coming or take us over... then Ayclophine for the fight, another Generimmoniodone for the march back, then we hit the bar. Plain old alcohol, some Touch-Me to make your skin feel alive, a Rock-Hard because the other drugs can make it a little difficult to... concentrate. Then, when you're all tuckered out a Lithpentithol to get your regulation three hours sleep. Then the Alertisol in the morning. Some days I feel fantastic. Other days I feel like a sociopathic doorknob."
— Sgt. Nathan Barber, Venus Defense Force

Performance Enhancers

Combat stims aren't just drugs. They're meant to turn the tide of a battle. They aren't healthy, they aren't good for you in the long run, but if your choice is rehab at the end of your contract or losing a battle to a ruthless enemy, then the choice is clear. There are designer drugs for nearly everything you need; there are drugs that wake you up, drugs that give you eight hours of sleep in four, drugs that make time slow down, drugs that make you unable to feel compassion, drugs that let you ignore pain and shock, drugs that make you stronger, faster, smarter, tougher, drugs that temporarily turn your skin into hardened leather, drugs that make your vision a 600/20... anything you want, your local stim vendor has it.

A Well-Served Market

There are so many gigacorporations providing the market with combat stims that it's sort of a wonder that they make a profit at all. Spectra Genetics, Pheonix Bioengineering, Vanguard Dynamics, Starlight Pharmaceuticals, Apex Genetics, and Luminar BioTech are all notable makers of combat stims. There are also megacorporations on Earth producing them, corporations on a number of worlds, and of course criminals cooking them in their kitchens.

Not Everyone is On Board

Combat Stims are standard issue and expected to be used by soldiers and law enforcement on Neptune, Pluto, Venus, and the Centauri System. On Earth,Uranus, and Jupiter, they're more of an at-your-own-discretion item with mixed feelings, mostly landing on 'tragic sacrifice.' On Saturn, they're considered on par with any other illicit drug, though the Saturnine Cocktail does make it's way around Saturnite Commando units when things are desperate.

Side Effects and Addiction

Combat Stims make you feel powerful. In addition to any other noted side effects, they confer the Impulsiveness and Overconfidence disadvantages for as long as the effects last. Even in cases where the stims aren't chemically addictive, the feelings are PSYCHOLOGICALLY addictive and your body responds accordingly. Every dose of Combat Stim requires a HT roll to avoid acquiring the Addiction Disadvantage.

If mixing cocktails (For instance, Killer and Kittycat is a popular mix called Kittyclaws used by hit men and stealthy assassins), take on ALL of the side effects of both, all of the effects of both, and the roll to avoid addiction is -2 from the more difficult roll.

The Combat Pharmacy

Alertisol: "Buzzer." This stim is meant for guard duty and long patrols. It lasts (35-HT) hours. During this time, they ignore all effects of missing sleep, they have a +2 to their IQ rolls for noticing things are out of place, and they have the Paranoia Disadvantage. $3/dose. LC 4

Ramidyne: "Rammich." Ramidyne allows the user to ignore the effects of missing meals. It is not a meal replacement. The user has no appetite, doesn't suffer any of the negative side effects of starvation, and becomes nauseous if they attempt to eat. The effect last (20-HT) hours at the end of which all of the effects of missed meals catch up to them, and users have been known to starve themselves to death by accident while abusing Ramidyne. $1/dose. LC 4

Mnemosin: "Thinkbetter." This drugs boosts the production of cyclic-AMP response element binding proteins (CREB) in the brain, enhancing the user’s memory. It gives him Photographic Memory for things experienced while under its effects, and temporary Eidetic Memory to recall anything experienced in the past. Effects last (25-HT) minutes. Pills: $20/dose. LC4

Generimmoniodone: "Cadence," This drug conveys the effects of the Very Fit Advantage for (22-HT) hours. It also conveys the Staid and Incurious Disadvantages. Powder. $12/dose. LC 4.

Ayclorhine: "A Cool Runner." This is the drug that is generally thought of first when someone says the word "combat stim." ACR has two effects: it provides Combat Reflexes (no effect if someone already has it) and suppresses the Pacifism disadvantage (exception: Total Nonviolence degrades to Reluctant Killer). Anyone who has Total Nonviolence who seriously injures or kills someone, or someone with Cannot Kill who kills must, after the drug wears off, roll to avoid a nervous breakdown as described under the Cannot Kill disadvantage. If the user doesn't have the Pacifism Disadvantage, they gain the Callous Disadvantage. If they already have the Callous Disadvantage, they gain the Bully Disadvantage. If they have the Bully Disadvantage, they gian the Bloothirsty Disadvantage. It requires a HT-2 roll to resist and has short-term effects lasting (25 - HT)/4 minutes. $12/dose. LC1.

Lithpentithol: "Lullapye." This is a sleeping drug. It ramps up the efficiency of sleep, accomplishing sleep in roughly half the time, and you gain the Deep Sleeper Advantage. Unfortunately, it also halves your IQ roll to wake up in response to a threat, and you gain the Slow Riser Disadvantage. Pill, taking effect in (HT+6) minutes. $24/dose. LC 2.

Mycoviramyacin: "Tempo." Tempo works by altering the user’s perception of time, so that everything around him (including both his own actions and those of others) seems to be happening extremely slowly. This gives him time to react to other people’s movements – he can see a blow coming, for example, and think about the best way to block it. It grants the user Enhanced Time Sense for (25 - HT) minutes. The only added side effect is that this rapidly exhausts the user, leaving him a nervous wreck. After the drug wear off, the user loses 1d FP and 1 IQ and DX; DX and IQ losses are recovered after four hours. Injectable only, taking effect immediately. $45/dose. LC2

Levobenzanil: "Levies," "White Rage." Developed initially as a force multiplier for untrained militias in dire situations, this drug is more popular with criminals and terrorists than professional soldiers. This drug increases ST by 6 and conveys the benefits of Very Fit, Enhanced Move 1, High Pain Threshold, and Hard to Kill 5, as well as total immunity from Fear checks. The side effects are just as pronounced, Conveying Bad Temper, Berserk, Bloodlust, Cannot Speak, Delusions (Severe, "I am the immortal god of war!") Low Empathy, Ham-Fisted, Hidebound, Innumerate, Non-Iconographic, On the Edge, and Sadism. In short, you become very good at beating things to death, difficult to put down, and you really enjoy hurting those weaker than you, which you believe is basically everyone else. The effects last (25-HT) minutes, at the end of which the user takes 1d tox damage. Additionally, unless the user naturally has an Advantage to prevent it, the user experiences the effects of shock and pain as if all of the damage accrued while under the influence happened all at once. Normally administered via a huffer, and takes effect in 1 round. $125/dose. LC 0.

Novocetastol: "Killer." This drug was developed for commandoes, but is also popular with the criminal underworld. It's designed to be a pharmaceutical answer to night vision equipment. A user can see and hear with incredible acuity, and can see in the dark. Their subconscious mind has to go into overdrive to process this information, which can cause problems long after the drug has worn off. While under the influence, the user has Acute Hearing 3, Acute Vision 3, Danger Sense, Night Vision 3. These effects last for (20-HT) hours. For the next (25-HT) days, they suffer from the Nightmares Disadvantage. Injection, which is immediately effective. $120/dose. LC 4.

Neocholeprofin: "Viper." This drug was designed for a last resort option, but rapidly became a favorite among assassins. This drug thins the blood, converting the platelets into a Ricin-like toxin by folding the proteins and altering the carbohydrate moieties on the glycoproteins. It also inhibits the body's ability to absorb proteins, which is not healthy but better than absorbing the toxin in their own blood. Any cutting or piercing wound causes a spray of blood, dealing an extra 1 HP of HP loss per die of damage taken. The spray is a Blood Contact toxin that deals (6d-HT) tox damage so long as it makes contact with unprotected skin (or skin under permeable clothing. While under the influence of this drug, the user has the Hemophilia Disadvantage from the loss of platelets and the Unfit Disadvantage from the metabolic changes. These symptoms last for (30-HT) hours. Injection only, effects begin in (5+HT) minutes. $200/dose, LC 1.

Betrachobarbizine: "Kittycat" - This drug targets the body's ability to balance and align itself. It can't quite turn a normal person into an acrobat or gymnast, but it does get close. It confers the Ambidexterity, Catfall, Combat Reflexes, Very Fit, Enhanced Move 0.5, Perfect Balance Advantages as blood is regulated and balance portions of the brain and inner ear are stimulated. Due to the applicator and the harsh chemicals, the user gains a Disturbing Voice (raspy) until they recover. Huffer, immediate effect, $120/dose. LC 1.

Amorphimyolene: "Leatherface." This drug is applied to the skin, and causes the outer dermis to become leathery and tough, leading eventually to hyperkeratosis. The first stage of the drug lasts (15-HT) hours and the skin toughens to DR 1 (Flexible). The second stage lasts (18-HT) hours as the hair follicles begin producing wide, flat keratinous plates that cover the skin, giving the user DR 2 (Flexible) defenses. The drug then wears off, att which point the toughened skin sloughs off and leaves the user with Low Pain Tolerance and 1d tox damage. A new dose of Leatherface cannot be applied until the damage from the last one has healed, which also removes the Low Pain Tolerance. Topical spray, which must be applied to the parts to be protected and begins its effect in around 1 minute. $8/dose, which is enough to cover one limb, or the front or back of the torso and abdomen. Usually sold in $50 cans with 7 doses, enough to cover a full human body. LC 4

Levastreponate: "Patches." A first aid option for sociopathic medics or commando squads who want to keep fighting no matter the cost, this drug is focused on getting someone up and moving rather than actually healing them or preventing eventual death. While under the effects, which last (18-HT), they have the High Pain Threshold, Hard to Kill 3 Advantages and the Numb and Killjoy Disadvantages. Huffer or Injection, which take effect immediately. $100/dose.

Hydroxycholemine: "The Stuff" This combat stim is a little different. Unlike the others, it is taken in small doses regularly, and while under the influence has no effects other than a general Overconfidence. Each dose lasts (24-HT)x7 hours. At the end of this period, the withdrawal symptoms begin. While withdrawal persist, the user is Berserker, has an Obsession (get back to base to get another hit of the Stuff) and the Delusion that (Sever, "If I don't get the Stuff I'm going to die"). The user has total Amnesia regarding everything not to do with the Stuff (where to get it, what it feels like, how to get their hands on it) and once they take the Stuff they have partial Amnesia, erasing their memories of what happened when they were suffering withdrawals. Someone going through withdrawals from the Stuff has no empathy, no considerations for anything other than their next dose. They are in pain, but only enough to spur them on and not enough to debilitate them getting through watever obstacles are in their way. As you can imagine, this drug is primarily purchased by particularly ruthless and shady crimelords and terrorists for their death squads. Huffer, instantaneous effects. $5/dose.

Drug	Benefit	Side Effect	Addiction	Duration	Application	Cost/Dose	Complexity	LC
Aleritsol	No Sleep, +2 IQ perception	Paranoia	HT+4	35-HT hrs	pills, HT+1 minute	$3/dose	Simple	4
Rammich	No effects of starvation, no appetite	Food Intolerance (nausea)	HT+6	20-HT hrs	pills, 1 minute	$1/dose	Average	4
Mnemosin	Photographic/Eidetic memory (see desc)		HT-2	25-HT hrs	Pills, 3 minutes	$20/dose	Complex	4
Cadence	Very Fit	Staid, Incurious	HT+1	22-HT hrs	Powder, Instantaneous	$12/dose	Simple	4
ACR	Combat Reflexes, suppresses Pacifism.	See Desc	HT-2	25-HT hrs	Injection, Instantaneous	$12/dose	Complex	1
Lullapye	Deep Sleeper, Less Sleep 4	Slow Riser, IQ/2 for waking.	HT-4	4 hrs	Pills, 5 minutes	$24/dose	Average	2
Tempo	ETS	After drug, 1d FP loss.	HT-3	25-HT hrs	Injection, Instantaneous	$45/dose	Complex	2
White Rage	ST+6, Very Fit, Enhanced Move 1, High Pain Threshold, and Hard to Kill 5,	Bad Temper, Berserk, Bloodlust, Cannot Speak, Delusions (Severe, "I am the immortal god of war!") Low Empathy, Ham-Fisted, Hidebound, Innumerate, Non-Iconographic, On the Edge, and Sadism	HT-4	25-HT hrs	Huffer, 1 round	$125/dose	Amazing	0
Killer	Acute Hearing 3, Acute Vision 3, Danger Sense, Night Vision 3	Nightmares	HT+2	25-HT hrs	Injection, Instantaneous	$120/dose	Average	4
Viper	Innate Attack tox, Contact Agent, automatic in response to damage, 6d-HT tox damage	Hemophilia, Unfit	HT+6	30-HT hrs	Injection, onset in 5+HT minutes	$200/dose	Complex	1
Kittycat	Ambidexterity, Catfall, Combat Reflexes, Very Fit, Enhanced Move 0.5, Perfect Balance	Disturbing Voice (raspy)	HT-1	18-HT hrs	Huffer, immediate effect	$120/dose	Average	1
Leatherface	DR 1 (Flexible) / DR 2 (Flexible)	Low Pain Tolerance after duration	HT-2	15-HT/18-HT hrs	Body Spray	$8/dose	Simple	4
Patches	High Pain Threshold, Hard to Kill 3	Numb, Killjoy	HT	18-HT hrs	Huffer or Injection, Immediate	$100/dose	Average	3
The Stuff		Highly Addictive (See description)	HT-10	(24-HT)x7 hrs	Huffer, Instantaneous	$5/dose	Simple	3