Thajocoth
2010-09-23, 11:19 AM
I plan to eventually insert into a game a shady dealer that has 6 very tempting consumables.
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The tempting part:
The 6 consumables each increase an ability score by 2 points until the player's next extended rest. (Typed bonus, so it doesn't stack.)
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First clue there's something wrong:
For each one, I mention some sort of feeling it gives. For example, the +1 Str Mod consumable makes the person feel powerful. The +1 Con Mod makes them feel numb.
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At the end of each encounter, a player effected by one of these consumables rolls an endurance, nature or heal check. If the character is not natural, nature is replaced with the appropriate skill for the player's race's origin. A Half-Elf could use either Arcana or Nature here. Each failure adds a cumulative -1 penalty to these checks. If a player is effected by multiple consumables, they roll multiple times, but the rolls share the same penalty (making two more addictive that one).
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When the day finally ends, they roll a final check with the penalty. DC:
Hard - They're fine and not addicted at all
Normal - The enter the "addiction" disease at Stage 0
Low - The enter the "addiction" disease at Stage 1
Failure - The enter the "addiction" disease at Stage 1 and add an extra -1 to their penalty
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The Disease:
Stage 0 - You really want some more. But you don't need it. No mechanical effects.
Stage 1 - You need more. Minor problem which goes away if you take more
Stage 2+ - The problems get bigger
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After the first day - A day spent without taking any more of the consumables decreases the penalty by 2. If this brings the penalty below 0, it becomes a bonus.
Taking more makes the negative effects of taking it go away. At the end of each encounter though, they roll the same way they did the first day, increasing their penalty to get rid of it. Once the penalty reaches:
-10 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 0, but taking 2 would
-20 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 1, but taking 2 would
-30 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 2, but taking 2 would
-40 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 3, but taking 2 would
-50 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 4, but taking 2 would
-60 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 5, but taking 2 would
-70 - Taking 2 more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 0, but taking 3 would
-80 - Taking 2 more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 1, but taking 3 would
ect...
At the end of the day, when they roll, DC:
Hard - Get one stage better. From stage 0, this would cure the character.
Medium - Maintain
Low - Get one stage worse. If already at the worst stage, no effect.
Failure - Get one stage worse. If already at the worst stage, no effect... and add an extra -1 to their penalty
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Specifics for the consumables thus far:
+1 Str Mod
Feeling: Feel more powerful
Stage 1 - -2 Diplomacy
Stage 2 - -2 to mental skill checks
Stage 3 - -2 to mental ability score modifiers
Stage 4 - -2 to mental ability score modifiers; Paranoia and Delusions begin to set in. Allies count as enemies
Stage 5 - -2 to mental ability score modifiers; you're paranoid and delusional. Allies count as enemies and you're not done with an encounter while any enemies are still alive.
+1 Cha Mod
Feeling: Relaxed
Stage 1 - -1 penalty to Speed and Reflex
Stage 2 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis skill checks; -1 penalty to Speed and Reflex
Stage 3 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis mods; -1 penalty to Speed
Stage 4 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis mods; -2 Endurance; -1 penalty to Speed
Stage 5 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis/Con mods; -1 penalty to Speed
+1 Con Mod
Feeling: Numb
Stage 1 - -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity
Stage 2 - -2 Str mod; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity
Stage 3 - -2 Str/Dex mods; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity
Stage 4 - -2 Str/Dex mods; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity; Chance to vomit (At the start of each turn, roll a save. On a failure, you spend a Minor Action to vomit.)
Stage 5 - -2 Str/Dex mods; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity; Chance to vomit (At the start of each turn, roll a save. On a failure, you spend a Minor Action to vomit.); +1 Endurance
+1 Dex Mod
Feeling: Confident and Awake
Stage 1 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled)
Stage 2 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con
Stage 3 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con; Paranoia and Delusions begin to set in. Allies count as enemies
Stage 4 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con; Violent Paranoia (when interacting with anyone, roll a save not to roll initiative. You might get a lot of surprise rounds this way...)
Stage 5 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con; Violent Paranoia (when interacting with anyone, roll a save not to roll initiative. You might get a lot of surprise rounds this way...); +1 Speed
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Remove Affliction - Addiction is a disease like any other. The level of the disease is equal to the character's level + stage number. The penalty is NOT applied to rituals.
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Still thinking about what to do for Int and Wis... But tell me how these sound so far. Ideally, this becomes a plot hook where they either go after the shady dealer, or seek to protect him to protect their only source of these consumables.
-----
The tempting part:
The 6 consumables each increase an ability score by 2 points until the player's next extended rest. (Typed bonus, so it doesn't stack.)
-----
First clue there's something wrong:
For each one, I mention some sort of feeling it gives. For example, the +1 Str Mod consumable makes the person feel powerful. The +1 Con Mod makes them feel numb.
-----
At the end of each encounter, a player effected by one of these consumables rolls an endurance, nature or heal check. If the character is not natural, nature is replaced with the appropriate skill for the player's race's origin. A Half-Elf could use either Arcana or Nature here. Each failure adds a cumulative -1 penalty to these checks. If a player is effected by multiple consumables, they roll multiple times, but the rolls share the same penalty (making two more addictive that one).
-----
When the day finally ends, they roll a final check with the penalty. DC:
Hard - They're fine and not addicted at all
Normal - The enter the "addiction" disease at Stage 0
Low - The enter the "addiction" disease at Stage 1
Failure - The enter the "addiction" disease at Stage 1 and add an extra -1 to their penalty
-----
The Disease:
Stage 0 - You really want some more. But you don't need it. No mechanical effects.
Stage 1 - You need more. Minor problem which goes away if you take more
Stage 2+ - The problems get bigger
-----
After the first day - A day spent without taking any more of the consumables decreases the penalty by 2. If this brings the penalty below 0, it becomes a bonus.
Taking more makes the negative effects of taking it go away. At the end of each encounter though, they roll the same way they did the first day, increasing their penalty to get rid of it. Once the penalty reaches:
-10 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 0, but taking 2 would
-20 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 1, but taking 2 would
-30 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 2, but taking 2 would
-40 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 3, but taking 2 would
-50 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 4, but taking 2 would
-60 - Taking more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 5, but taking 2 would
-70 - Taking 2 more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 0, but taking 3 would
-80 - Taking 2 more doesn't hide the effects of Stage 1, but taking 3 would
ect...
At the end of the day, when they roll, DC:
Hard - Get one stage better. From stage 0, this would cure the character.
Medium - Maintain
Low - Get one stage worse. If already at the worst stage, no effect.
Failure - Get one stage worse. If already at the worst stage, no effect... and add an extra -1 to their penalty
-----
Specifics for the consumables thus far:
+1 Str Mod
Feeling: Feel more powerful
Stage 1 - -2 Diplomacy
Stage 2 - -2 to mental skill checks
Stage 3 - -2 to mental ability score modifiers
Stage 4 - -2 to mental ability score modifiers; Paranoia and Delusions begin to set in. Allies count as enemies
Stage 5 - -2 to mental ability score modifiers; you're paranoid and delusional. Allies count as enemies and you're not done with an encounter while any enemies are still alive.
+1 Cha Mod
Feeling: Relaxed
Stage 1 - -1 penalty to Speed and Reflex
Stage 2 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis skill checks; -1 penalty to Speed and Reflex
Stage 3 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis mods; -1 penalty to Speed
Stage 4 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis mods; -2 Endurance; -1 penalty to Speed
Stage 5 - -2 to Int/Dex/Wis/Con mods; -1 penalty to Speed
+1 Con Mod
Feeling: Numb
Stage 1 - -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity
Stage 2 - -2 Str mod; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity
Stage 3 - -2 Str/Dex mods; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity
Stage 4 - -2 Str/Dex mods; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity; Chance to vomit (At the start of each turn, roll a save. On a failure, you spend a Minor Action to vomit.)
Stage 5 - -2 Str/Dex mods; -1 penalty to speed; treat Str as 2 points lower when calculating carrying capacity; Chance to vomit (At the start of each turn, roll a save. On a failure, you spend a Minor Action to vomit.); +1 Endurance
+1 Dex Mod
Feeling: Confident and Awake
Stage 1 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled)
Stage 2 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con
Stage 3 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con; Paranoia and Delusions begin to set in. Allies count as enemies
Stage 4 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con; Violent Paranoia (when interacting with anyone, roll a save not to roll initiative. You might get a lot of surprise rounds this way...)
Stage 5 - Reduced appetite (Endurance checks to keep from starving, but with all time lengths doubled); -2 Con; Violent Paranoia (when interacting with anyone, roll a save not to roll initiative. You might get a lot of surprise rounds this way...); +1 Speed
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Remove Affliction - Addiction is a disease like any other. The level of the disease is equal to the character's level + stage number. The penalty is NOT applied to rituals.
-----
Still thinking about what to do for Int and Wis... But tell me how these sound so far. Ideally, this becomes a plot hook where they either go after the shady dealer, or seek to protect him to protect their only source of these consumables.