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Mistaken Identity
-5 points
You are often mistaken for someone
else. Your "double's" allies
approach you and tell you things you
don't want to know, and his acquaintances
will treat you in strange and
irritating ways. His enemies are after
you, too! You might eventually get
things straightened out, but not without
some effort.

Odious Personal Habits
-5, -10, or -15 points
You usually or always behave in a
fashion repugnant to others. An
Odious Personal Habit (OPH) is worth
-5 points for every -1 to reaction rolls
made by people who notice your problem.
Specify the behavior when you
create your character, and work out
the point value with the GM.

Comprehension Levels
The point cost to learn an additional
language depends on your "comprehension
level": a measure of how well
you function in that language overall.
There are four comprehension levels:
None(0): You are completely incapable
of functioning in the language. If you
do not spend points on a non-native
language, this comprehension level is
assumed - there is no need to note it
for every language you don't know! 0
points/language.
Broken(2): You can recognize important
words and understand simple
sentences if they are spoken slowly.
You have -3 when using skills that
depend on language, such as Fast-
Talk, Public Speaking, Research,
Speed-Reading, Teaching, and
Writing. This doubles to -6 for artistic
skills that rely on the beauty of the language
(Poetry, Singing, etc.). In stressful
situations - e.g., encounters involving
combat or reaction rolls - you
must roll against IQ to understand or
make yourself understood in the language.
On a failure, you convey no
information, but you may try again.
Critical failure means you convey the
wrong information! For hurried
speech, bad phone connections, etc.,
this roll is at -2 to -8! Native speakers
who already dislike foreigners (see
Intolerance, p. 140) react to you at an
extra -1.2 points/language.
Accented(4): You can communicate
clearly, even under stress. However,
your speech and writing are idiosyncratic,
and it is obvious that this is not
your native language. You have -1
when using skills that depend on language,
doubled to -2 for artistic skills.
You receive no reaction penalty from
native speakers, but you will be unable
to pass for a native (this can be a
major problem for would-be spies!). 4
points/language.
Native(6): You have full mastery of the
language, including idioms. You can
think in the language. You have no
penalty to use skills that depend on
language. You start with one language
at this level for free. If you buy Native
comprehension in a foreign tongue,
you can pass for a native speaker. 6
points/language.

Debt
-1 point/level
You owe money. This could represent
a loan, back taxes, child support,
or alimony . . . or "hush money" paid
to blackmailers . . . or "protection
money" extorted by gangsters. You
must make a monthly payment equal
to 1% of your starting wealth (adjusted
for wealth level) per level of this
trait, to a maximum of 20%. Debt can
accompany any wealth level above
Dead Broke

Claim to Hospitality
2 - Своя банда
5 - Байкеры
Members of
the group are friendly to each other
(+3 reactions), and may provide
advice, introductions, and small
loans, if asked.

Addiction
Variable
You are addicted to a drag, which
you must use daily or suffer withdrawal.
The value of this disadvantage
depends on the cost, effects, and legality
of the drag:
Cost (per day)
Cheap (up to 0.1% of average
starting wealth): -5 points.
Expensive (up to 0.5% of average
starting wealth): -10 points.
Very expensive (more than 0.5% of
average starting wealth): -20 points.
Effects
Incapacitating or hallucinogenic:
-10 points.
Highly addictive (-5 on withdrawal
roll): -5 points.
Totally addictive (-10 on withdrawal
roll): -10 points.
Legality
Illegal: +0 points.
Legal: +5 points.
Examples: Tobacco is cheap, highly
addictive, and legal; a chain-smoker
has a -5-point Addiction. Heroin is
very expensive, incapacitating, totally
addictive, and illegal; a heroin addict
has a -40-point Addiction.
Non-Chemical Addictions: You can
take Addiction to an activity instead of
a drag - for instance, telepathic contact
or spending time in virtual reality.
If this costs money, price the
Addiction based on its daily cost. If it
is free (e.g., telepathic contact), treat it
as "Cheap" if it you can do it almost
anywhere (telepathic contact with
anyone) or as "Expensive" if restrictive
conditions apply (telepathic contact
with one specific person). Such
Addictions almost always cause psychological
dependency (see Withdrawal,
below).
Effects of Drugs
A stimulating drag leaves you feeling
energized . . . until it wears off.
Then you are depressed and irritable.
An incapacitating drag renders you
unconscious (or just blissfully, uselessly
drowsy) for about two hours. A hallucinogenic
drag renders you useless
for work or combat, though you might
be active and talkative. Some drags
(e.g., tobacco) have none of these
effects, while others have unique
effects. Side effects are also possible.
For detailed rales, see Addictive Drugs
(p. 440).
Withdrawal
Sometimes, voluntarily or otherwise,
you must try to give up your
Addiction. Addiction to a drag that
causes psychological dependency is a
mental disadvantage; withdrawal
from such a drug requires a series of I
Will rolls, and may result in mental
problems. Addiction to a drug that
induces physiological dependency is a
physical disadvantage; withdrawal is a I
function of your HT, and may cause
physical injury. For details, see Drug
Withdrawal (p. 440). Should you successfully
withdraw from an Addiction,
you must immediately buy off this disadvantage.
Minor Addictions
For an Addiction worth only -5
points, the GM may rule that the
expense, stigma, and detrimental
long-term effects of use are the whole
of the disadvantage, and waive the
usual withdrawal rules. This is appropriate
for such drugs as tobacco and
caffeine. If forced to go without, you
must make a Will or HT roll as usual,
but the only effects on a failure are
general anxiety, irritability, or restlessness.
This manifests as a temporary -1
to DX, IQ, self-control rolls, or reaction
rolls (GM's choice) - not as insanity
or injury. Successive failures prolong
the duration of the effects; they
do not increase the size of the penalty.
If you can make 14 successful rolls in
succession, you must buy off your
Addiction.
It is also possible to create a 0-
point Addiction using these rules.
Such Addictions are always Minor
Addictions, and you may take them as
-1-point quirks (see Quirks, p. 162).

Alcoholism
-15 or -20 points
You are an alcohol addict.
Alcoholism uses the Addiction rules
(above). It is cheap, incapacitating,
and usually legal, so it would normally
be a -10-point Addiction. But it is
also insidious; therefore, it is worth
-15 points - or -20 points if it is illegal.
Most of the time, you may confine
your drinking to the evenings, and
therefore function normally (for game
purposes). However, any time you are
in the presence of alcohol, you must
roll vs. Will to avoid partaking. A failed
roll means you go on a "binge" lasting
2d hours, followed by a hangover; see
Drinking and Intoxication (p. 439).
Alcoholics on a binge are characterized
by sudden mood swings - from
extreme friendliness to extreme hostility
- and may attack friends, talk too
freely, or make other mistakes.
The other drawback of Alcoholism
is that it is hard to get rid of. Should
you manage to "withdraw," you no
longer need to drink daily . . . but you
must still make a Will+4 roll whenever
you are in the presence of alcohol. A
failed roll does not reinstate the addiction,
but does set off a binge. (Three
binges in a week will reinstate the
addiction.) Thus, there is no normal
way to "buy off' this disadvantage.
Continued Alcoholism will steal
your abilities. You must roll yearly
against HT+2 until you withdraw.
Failure means you lose a level from
one of your four basic attributes - roll
randomly to determine which.

Ether. Normally breathed through a face mask;
after several minutes causes the patient to roll against HT-
3 or go unconscious. $5/dose

Aspirin.Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), introduced in 1897, became
commercially available in 1899, and has since become the
most popular over-the-counter analgesic, although how it
worked was not understood until the 1970s (TL7). It
inhibits prostaglandin production (chemicals that release
pain signals). This also has some other advantages, e.g.,
reducing production of blood clots and thus risk of heart
attacks. Unfortunately, it also affects the stomach lining;
overdoses may result in nausea. Aspirin takes about a
minute to take effect, and lasts for four to six hours. Low
doses (a couple of pills) reduces the penalty from pain
(p. B428) by 1 after any other modifiers for High or Low
Pain Threshold have been applied. High doses (multiple
pills, depending on the degree of pain) reduce the penalty
by 2 but require a HT roll to avoid Nausea (p. B428), or on
a critical failure, 1 point of toxic damage. Very high doses
can affect the kidneys and liver, causing 1d to 3d toxic damage.
$3 per 100 tablets. LC4.

Narcotic Painkillers. Natural opiate pain killers such as morphine (TL5) and
similar synthetic narcotics (TL6) such as meperidine
hydrochloride (Demerol) attach to opioid receptors found
in the brain and spinal column to interfere with the
transmission of pain. They also trigger the brain’s pleasure
centers. They’re used to treat chronic or surgical pain (and
often abused as recreational drugs). Taken orally, there is a
delay of 20 minutes; injected, there is no delay. Roll vs. HT-
4 to resist. On a failure, the user acquires the High Pain
Threshold (p. B59) and Unfazeable (p. B95) advantages, the
Laziness disadvantage (p. B142), and experiences euphoria
(p. B428). All effects last for hours equal to the margin of
failure. $3 per dose. LC3

Chloral Hydrate. This drug was discovered in 1832 and has been used
ever since in sleeping pills to overcome insomnia. It is also
the most commonly known “knockout” drug delivered surreptitiously
in a victim’s alcoholic drink. When taken in this
way, the victim becomes drowsy (p. B428) after HT minutes.
A minute later he must make a HT roll. On a failure he
falls into a deep sleep and cannot be wakened for (12 - HT/2)
hours. Success also results in sleep, but for two hours less;
critical success will allow the victim to stay awake but he will
still be drowsy for this time. Chloral hydrate has a faint but
distinct odor that can be detected with a Perception-based
Poisons or Streetwise roll (modified by Taste/Smell modifiers)
if the drinker consciously sniffs for it. Alone it is bitter,
but this is masked by alcohol. $1/dose. LC3.

Flunitrazepam Marketed since 1975 under the trade name Rohypnol,
this is the strongest sedative available legally, although it is
banned in many countries, including the United States. A
clinical dose produces the same sleep-inducing effects as
chloral hydrate, except that a critical success on the HT roll
result in sleep for (8 - HT/2) hours (minimum two hours).
Flunitrazepam also induces partial amnesia. On a failed
HT-5 roll, the user forgets the details of events once drowsiness
sets in. Recreational drug users take lesser doses –
often combined with other drugs – to induce heavy intoxication;
this results in severe lack of coordination (-4 to DX
and IQ) and the amnesia effect. Some criminals use the
drug on unsuspecting victims to facilitate sexual assaults.
Game villains (or heroes) will find more subtle uses for the
drug’s amnesia effect. $5/dose. LC2.

Modafinil This drug (sold as Alertec, Provigil, or other trade
names) is a central nervous system stimulant. It is intended
to treat sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, but is also
useful for anyone who wishes to stay awake for long periods,
e.g., shift-workers, truckers, and soldiers. It can keep
the user awake and alert for up to two and half days; unlike
most other stimulants, it seems to have minimal side
effects. (The health effects of sustained usage of modafinil
to put off sleep are uncertain, however.)
It takes an hour or two for effects to occur, and gives the
user the Doesn’t Sleep advantage for the next 24 hours; up
to three doses can be taken in succession before it ceases to
provide benefits. After taking two or more doses, the GM
may wish to roll vs. the user’s HT; a critical failure may
result in nausea or mild pain (headaches or backaches)
until the user gets at least eight hours sleep. Pill; $2/dose.
LC3.

Superstim This drug instantly restores 1d Fatigue Points. Roll vs.
HT; the fatigue is banished for a number of hours equal to
the margin of success (at least one, even for a failure). The
only side effect is that when the time is up, the user gets all
that fatigue back, plus 2 more FP. If the user takes another
dose within 24 hours of the previous one, the HT roll is
made at a -1 penalty. Multiple doses can cause the user to
“crash” when he finally stops taking it; if FP would drop
below 0, the extra points are taken off HP instead. Any
form, $10/dose. LC4

Aphrozine. This drug reliably increases the recipient’s sexual pleasure
– it has the same effect as the Eros Plus biomod (If your partner is using Erotic Art skill with
you, they get a +4 bonus; however, you are also -4 to resist
Interrogation or Fast-Talk during such activity.)
for one hour. $20/dose. LC3.

DRINKING AND
INTOXICATION
If you drink too much alcohol in a
short period of time, you may become
intoxicated. Keep track of how many
“drinks” you consume each hour. For
simplicity, one drink is a full mug or
can of beer (12 oz.), a full glass of wine
(4-5 oz.), or a shot of spirits (1.5 oz.).
At the end of any hour during
which you consume more than ST/4
drinks, roll against the higher of HT or
Carousing. If you continue to drink,
continue to roll once per hour.
Modifiers: -1 per drink over ST/4
that hour; -2 on an empty stomach, or
+1 if you have recently eaten; +2 for
the Alcohol Tolerance perk (p. 100), or
-2 for the Alcohol Intolerance quirk
(p. 165).Each failure shifts you one level
from sober to tipsy to drunk to unconscious
(drunken stupor) to coma; see
Afflictions (p. 428) for details. A critical
failure drops you two levels: sober
to drunk, tipsy to unconscious, or
drunk to coma. If penalties reduce
your roll to 2 or less, critical failure
means you drop three levels!
Remember that any roll 10 or more
above effective skill is a critical failure;
e.g., a roll of 11+ against a modified
HT of 1.
Pink Elephants: If you are drunk,
make one additional HT+4 roll. On a
failure, you are also hallucinating (see
Incapacitating Conditions, p. 428).
The Heaves: If you are drunk and
keep drinking, your body will try to
purge itself of the alcohol (which is a
toxin, after all!). When a failed HT roll
indicates that you would fall unconscious
or into a coma, make a second,
unmodified HT roll. On a success, you
vomit up the alcohol instead of passing
out; treat this as retching (p. 429).
On a critical failure, however, you pass
out and then retch; treat this as choking
(p. 428).
Sobering Up: To sober up, you must
first stop drinking. After half as many
hours as the total number of drinks
you consumed, roll vs. HT. Various
remedies may give a bonus. On a success,
you move one step toward sober.
Continue to roll each time this many
hours pass until you are sober.
Exception: To recover from a coma,
you need medical help!
Hangovers: If you are tipsy or
worse, you must roll vs. HT when you
stop drinking, at -2 if you’re drunk or
-4 if you’re unconscious. On a failure,
you will suffer a hangover. This kicks
in 1d hours after the end of the drinking
session – or on awakening, if you
pass out or fall asleep before this time
– and lasts hours equal to your margin
of failure. During this time, you will
suffer from moderate pain (see
Irritating Conditions, p. 428) and
acquire Low Pain Threshold (or lose
High Pain Threshold, if you have it).
The GM may decide that preventative
treatment (including drinking plenty
of water and possibly taking a mild
analgesic) gives you a bonus to this
roll.


Irritating Conditions
Coughing or Sneezing: You are at -3
to DX and -1 to IQ, and cannot use
Stealth.
Drowsy: You are on the verge of
falling asleep. Make a Will roll every
two hours you spend inactive. On a
failure, you fall asleep, and sleep until
you are awakened or get a full night’s
sleep. On a success, you have -2 to DX,
IQ, and self-control rolls.
Drunk: You are highly intoxicated:
-2 to DX and IQ, and -4 to self-control
rolls except those to resist Cowardice.
Reduce Shyness by two levels, if you
have it.
Euphoria: You have a -3 penalty to
all DX, IQ, skill, and self-control rolls.
Nauseated: You have -2 to all attribute
and skill rolls, and -1 to active
defenses. As well, roll vs. HT after you
eat, are exposed to a foul odor, fail a
Fright Check, or are stunned, and
every hour in free fall or in any situation
where you might suffer motion
sickness. A rich meal in the past hour
gives -2; anti-nausea remedies give +2.
On a failure, you vomit for (25 - HT)
seconds – treat as Retching, below.
Pain: You have a penalty to all DX,
IQ, skill, and self-control rolls. This is
-2 for Moderate Pain, -4 for Severe
Pain, and -6 for Terrible Pain. High
Pain Threshold halves these penalties;
Low Pain Threshold doubles them.
Tipsy: You are slightly intoxicated:
-1 to DX and IQ, and -2 to self-control
rolls except those to resist Cowardice.
Reduce Shyness by one level, if you
have it.

Incapacitating
Conditions
All of these afflictions prevent you
from taking voluntary action for the
duration. In addition to their other
effects, you’re effectively stunned (-4 to
active defenses). In combat, you must
Do Nothing on your turn. If an affliction
lets you drop, you can sit, kneel, go
prone, etc. if standing, or go prone if
kneeling or sitting. If it lets you stagger,
you can drop, change facing, or step or
crawl one yard. In all cases, you are
still effectively stunned.
Agony: You are conscious but in
such terrible pain that you can do
nothing but moan or scream. If standing
or sitting, you fall down. While the
affliction endures, you lose 1 FP per
minute or fraction thereof. After you
recover, anyone who can credibly
threaten you with a resumption of the
pain gets +3 to Interrogation and
Intimidation skill rolls. Low Pain
Threshold doubles the FP loss and torture
bonus. High Pain Threshold lets
you overcome the agony enough to
function, but at -3 to DX and IQ.
Choking: You are unable to breathe
or speak. You may do nothing but
drop. While the choking endures, you
suffer the effects of suffocation (see
Suffocation, p. 436). If you have an
object lodged in your throat, a friend
can try a First Aid roll to clear it; roll at
-2 before TL7. Each attempt takes 2
seconds. If you have Doesn’t Breathe
or Injury Tolerance (Homogenous),
you cannot choke!
Daze: You are conscious – if you are
standing, you remain upright – but you
can do nothing. If you are struck,
slapped, or shaken, you recover on
your next turn.
Ecstasy: You’re incapacitated with
overwhelming pleasure. Treat as
Agony, but neither Low Pain
Threshold nor High Pain Threshold
has any effect – and instead of a bonus
for torture, someone offering to continue
the pleasure gets +3 to any
Influence roll! If you have Killjoy,
you’re immune.


ADDICTIVE
DRUGS
The habitual use of a mind-altering
substance can lead to dependency.
Abusers have the Addiction disadvantage
(p. 122), and may suffer withdrawal
(see box) if forced to go without
the drug.
Below are rules for three common
classes of addictive drugs. Note that
these are also poisons. If someone
takes a large dose, follow all the usual
rules for poison on pp. 437-439, except
where specified otherwise.

Stimulants
Stimulants elevate the user’s mood
and energy level . . . temporarily.
Potent ones – e.g., amphetamine –
restore 1d FP, and give Doesn’t Sleep
and Overconfidence (12). These
effects endure for (12 - HT) hours,
minimum one hour. After that time,
the user loses twice the FP he recovered
(e.g., if his FP jumped from 8 to
10, he drops to 6 FP), and gains the
disadvantages Bad Temper (12) and
Chronic Depression (9) for an equal
length of time.
If the user takes multiple doses in
24 hours, he must roll vs. HT after the
second and later doses, at a cumulative
-1 per dose after the first. On a
critical failure, he suffers a heart
attack (see Mortal Conditions, p. 429).
Stimulants are cheap and only
slightly addictive. If they are legal,
stimulant addiction is a Minor
Addiction (-1 point); if they are illegal,
it is a -5-point Addiction.

Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens – e.g., LSD and
mescaline – cause disorientation, hallucinations, and fits of paranoia.
They may induce psychological
dependency, but not physiological
addiction.
Most of these drugs are taken orally
and require about 20 minutes to
work. Make a HT-2 roll to resist. On a
failure, the user starts hallucinating
(see Incapacitating Conditions, p. 428).
This lasts for hours equal to the margin
of failure. After that time, the user
may roll vs. HT-2 once per hour to
shake off the drug’s influence.
Addiction is typically worth -10
points if the drugs are legal, -15 points
otherwise.

Heroin This opium derivative has
few legitimate uses. It is typically
injected, in which case there is no
delay. Roll vs. HT-4 to resist. Failure
incapacitates the user for hours equal
to the margin of failure – treat this as
ecstasy (see Incapacitating Conditions,
p. 428). In addition to the usual risk of
overdose, there is always the chance
the heroin was “cut” with toxic filler;
effects are up to the GM. Heroin is
very expensive, incapacitating, totally
addictive, and illegal; Addiction to
heroin is a -40-point disadvantage.