Ultra-Tech Drugs

Miraculous drugs are a staple of science-fiction medicine. Below is
a quick-and-dirty system for designing TL9+ drugs.
Effects: Select one or more attribute modifiers, advantages, or dis-
advantages to represent the drug’s effects and (usually bad) side effects.
Most medical drugs give Rapid Healing, Resistant to Disease, HT
bonuses, or similar benefits. Some mitigate disadvantages, canceling
them for the drug’s duration (e.g., a psychiatric drug might suppress
Delusions and Paranoia). A few provide unique effects, such as healing
lost HP or FP.
Duration: Select the duration of the effects. Standard durations are
short-term (lasts [25 - HT] minutes), medium-term ([25 - HT]/4 hours),
long-term (one full day), or very long-term (up to a week). Multiple doses
generally extend duration rather than increasing effect; e.g., two doses
of a long-term drug last two days.
Potency: The subject gets a HT roll to resist disadvantages and other
negative effects. The drug’s potency is a modifier to this roll. Assume
that each doubling of dosage gives an extra -1 to the roll.
Form: A drug may be a pill, injection, aerosol, contact agent, or
aerosol contact agent. Many drugs are available in multiple forms. Most
pills require 30 minutes or more to take effect, but can be dissolved in
drinks. Contact agents (e.g., patches) take at least 5 minutes. Aerosols
and injections take effect almost immediately.
Cost: This can vary, but here’s a rule of thumb. Sum the absolute
point values of all traits the drug adds or removes. Multiply the sum by
a base cost for duration: $2 for short-term, $10 for medium-term, $50
for long-term, or $250 for very long-term. For drugs that heal, use the
point cost of HP or FP, as appropriate, and treat permanent healing as
“long-term.” Potency modifies price: double cost for each -1 to HT rolls.
Multiply final cost by 2 for aerosols or contact agents, by 10 for aerosol
contact agents.
LC: This will vary by society and with the nature of the drug. Medical
drugs are typically LC3. Drugs perceived as socially harmful might be
LC2 or even LC1.
Example: A “truth drug” that forces the subject to roll HT-3 or suffer
-4 to Will for (25 - HT) minutes would cost 20 (point value) ¥ $2 (short-
term) ¥ 8 (potency) ¥ 1 (injection) = $320 per dose. It would probably
only be available to spies: LC2.
Running long distances, using
extra effort, being suffocated, casting
magic spells, and many other things
can cause “fatigue”: a temporary loss
of Fatigue Points. Your Fatigue Points
(FP) score starts out equal to your HT,
but you can modify this; see Fatigue
Points (p. 16). Just as injury represents
physical trauma and comes off of HP,
fatigue represents lost energy and
reduces FP. When you lose FP, keep
track of it on your character sheet.