Drug Puzzle

[L. Marcus]

I've got a puzze for you, good folks!

I was concidering the judicial system in my fantasy campaign, and was musing over torturers/executioners when I remembered a thing from Feist's and Wurtz's Daughter of the Empire series. There there was a couple of drugs that, first, made it impossible for the taker to pass out, and second, intensified all sensations (especially pain). Very, very nasty, and very useful to a torturer . . . Now, how could this be built? Any takers?

[lemming]

+5 to interrogation

[L. Marcus]

I think the drugs could have some use other than interrogation . . .

I don't know. How much would the power Cannot Be Knocked Out be worth?

[Snarf]

Automatons can buy the power Takes No Stun for 60 points, but it wouldn't be legal to use that on living characters. You would have to use something less absolute, like Damage Reduction vs. Stun or a lot of Defense vs. Stun. The cost would depend on exactly how much stun you think could be resisted (I'm guessing a lot).

If you were doing the drug as beneficial, a vulnerability to interrogation would be a physical side effect.

[L. Marcus]

It feels more like that the victims can be Stunned (they do feel pain), but not Knocked Out (they won't pass out).

I think this one just have to be a GM Fiat . . .

[Snarf]

If you want them to take stun damage, you could make a triggered healing effect that puts them back above 0 stun every time they get too close to knockout.

If you go with the GM fiat version, I'd be careful of how you use the drug in your game. It could be an extremely powerful ability.

[L. Marcus]

I think I will go with lemmings idea of a bonus to Interrogation, plus a linked 2d6 HKA with +1 STUN Multiplier (for the actual torture). I think that should cover it with the least mess.

[Snarf]

If they come up with the idea on their own, you could still let the players use it to maintain consciousness once or twice as a plot device to reward their creativity. But there would be something to keep it from being used that way regularly, like the negative side effects becoming permanent if it's overused or something.

[lemming]

Originally posted by Snarf
Automatons can buy the power Takes No Stun for 60 points, but it wouldn't be legal to use that on living characters. You would have to use something less absolute, like Damage Reduction vs. Stun or a lot of Defense vs. Stun. The cost would depend on exactly how much stun you think could be resisted (I'm guessing a lot).

If you were doing the drug as beneficial, a vulnerability to interrogation would be a physical side effect.
Hmm, you could always do the copout of using a Transform.

[L. Marcus]

Originally posted by lemming
Hmm, you could always do the copout of using a Transform.
Hah! Transform is for sissies!

. . . Aaaand that's what I am, sure enough . . . :rolleyes: