Arsenic

[azato]

How, in Hero game terms (heh), do i simulate arsenic? It will be in the drinking water of contaminated wells.

[Mr. Gridlock]

Re: Arsenic

 

It's going to be difficult because of the long term effects. If it's in a high enough concentration to be fatal sooner than later, then something like an NND RKA that Does Body.

 

Otherwise it can take awhile for the effects to show up.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenic_poisoning

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Arsenic

 

I believe the water sources the Ul-Mor use are fairly highly contaminated. Drinking your fill one time probably won't kill you, but it'll make you sick as hell, and if that's all the water you've got to drink (and no way to filter it), you'll be dead within a week, one way or the other.

 

So, what...1 1/2d6 NND no range RKA? Probably some sort of gradual effect on that, but I'm not too up on arsenic poisoning*, and I didn't read the provided link.

 

 

 

 

 

*Or maybe that's what I WANT you to think...

[azato]

Re: Arsenic

 

Yeah, I believe that half the wells are contaminated (random chance).

 

I have Dark Champions and they discuss various poisons but never any specifics (STEEEEVVVEEE!!). The bad thing about arsenic poisoning is that it is not quite obvious what is happening. I suppose I could just do the dehydration effect but stretch it out over a week instead of 2 days.

 

I believe the water sources the Ul-Mor use are fairly highly contaminated. Drinking your fill one time probably won't kill you, but it'll make you sick as hell, and if that's all the water you've got to drink (and no way to filter it), you'll be dead within a week, one way or the other.

 

So, what...1 1/2d6 NND no range RKA? Probably some sort of gradual effect on that, but I'm not too up on arsenic poisoning*, and I didn't read the provided link.

 

 

 

 

 

*Or maybe that's what I WANT you to think...

[Basil]

Re: Arsenic

 

I found write-ups for Arsenic in An Eye for an Eye, a 4th edition book in the Dark Champions line. Written (I sure this will surprise you:winkgrin:) by Steven S. Long.

 

I hope Mr. Long doesn't mind if I post them here. Yes, more than one: one for immediate effect, one for long-term effect. I've changed the formating a little, and spelled out the "common limitations" (there were ~20 poisons in AEFAE).

 

Arsenic (Concentrated Dose)

3d6 RKA, NND (defense is appropriate Immunity, +2), (135 Active Points); OAF (fragile poison and possibly some means of projecting it, injecting it, or having it ingested, -1 1/4), No KB (-1/4), No Range (-1/2), 1 Charge (-2), Extra Time (up to a few days before onset, -3 1/2), Gradual Effect (up to 12 hours, -2 1/2), (12 Real Points )

 

Arsenic (Long-Term Dose)

3d6 RKA, NND (defense is appropriate Immunity, +2) (135 Active Points); OAF (fragile poison and possibly some means of projecting it, injecting it, or having it ingested, -1 1/4), No KB (-1/4), No Range (-1/2), 1 Charge (-2), Gradual Effect (small doses given over the course of 1 month, -4) (15 Real Points)

plus 2d6 CON Drain, NND (defense is appropriate Immunity, +2), Recover 5 points per day (+1 1/4); OAF (fragile poison and possibly some means of projecting it, injecting it, or having it ingested, -1 1/4), 1 Charge (-2), Gradual Effect (small doses given over the course of 1 month, -4), Linked (-1/2); Total cost: 25 points

 

I think the second is what you're looking for.

 

Hope that helped.

[azato]

Re: Arsenic

 

Thanks. Is there other goodies in that book that would make it worthwhile to purchase?

 

I found write-ups for Arsenic in An Eye for an Eye, a 4th edition book in the Dark Champions line. Written (I sure this will surprise you:winkgrin:) by Steven S. Long.

 

I hope Mr. Long doesn't mind if I post them here. Yes, more than one: one for immediate effect, one for long-term effect. I've changed the formating a little, and spelled out the "common limitations" (there were ~20 poisons in AEFAE).

 

Arsenic (Concentrated Dose)

3d6 RKA, NND (defense is appropriate Immunity, +2), (135 Active Points); OAF (fragile poison and possibly some means of projecting it, injecting it, or having it ingested, -1 1/4), No KB (-1/4), No Range (-1/2), 1 Charge (-2), Extra Time (up to a few days before onset, -3 1/2), Gradual Effect (up to 12 hours, -2 1/2), (12 Real Points )

 

Arsenic (Long-Term Dose)

3d6 RKA, NND (defense is appropriate Immunity, +2) (135 Active Points); OAF (fragile poison and possibly some means of projecting it, injecting it, or having it ingested, -1 1/4), No KB (-1/4), No Range (-1/2), 1 Charge (-2), Gradual Effect (small doses given over the course of 1 month, -4) (15 Real Points)

plus 2d6 CON Drain, NND (defense is appropriate Immunity, +2), Recover 5 points per day (+1 1/4); OAF (fragile poison and possibly some means of projecting it, injecting it, or having it ingested, -1 1/4), 1 Charge (-2), Gradual Effect (small doses given over the course of 1 month, -4), Linked (-1/2); Total cost: 25 points

 

I think the second is what you're looking for.

 

Hope that helped.

[Basil]

Re: Arsenic

 

Thanks. Is there other goodies in that book that would make it worthwhile to purchase?

 

Well, that depends firstly on whether you can find it. Being 4th Edition, it's out of print.

 

I recommend it if you can find it. It has lots of information useful for a Dark Champ.'s GM: Criminal Psychology, Advanced Forensics, Illegal Drugs, etc., etc. Mind you, it's copyright 1994, so somewhat out of date.

 

Frankly, I feel the stuff covered by it was short-changed in 5th Ed. Dark Champ. In fact, some the stuff in 4th Ed. Dark Champions was skimped on in 5th Ed.; stuff about the law and (super)heroes for instance. So I'd say get the 4th Ed. main Dark Champions book if you can find it.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Arsenic

 

I've never been happy with the way that Hero tends to build poisons and diseases. They are far too expensive IMO, if they are 'accurate' i.e. have other effects than simple KAs.

 

Here's a suggestion for Arsenic poisoning:

 

Drain BODY 1 point, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2), BODY, DEX, CON and STR simultaneously (+1), Continuous (+1), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Month; +2) (18 Active Points); Gradual Effect (1 Week; -2)

 

18 Active, 6 Real

 

The effects are really mild and take a week to be felt. You lose a character point from each of BODY, DEX, CON and STR, to simulate weakness and debility. Every week you lose another point, unless you get an antidote (the switch condition for 'uncontrolled'). After a month you recover all lost points and the effect ends. Just before it ends you'll be down 2 Body, 1 DEX, 2 CON and 4 STR. You'll hardly notice, right.

 

Well, yes UNLESS you've been regularly drinking from the well. If you have to take a drink a day, in a months time you'll be down 14 Body, 9 DEX, 14 CON and 28 STR. You'll have snuffed it

 

To make a more potent or concentrated poison, change the gradual effect:

 

Drain BODY 1 point, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2), BODY, DEX, CON simultaneously (+1), Continuous (+1), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Month; +2) (18 Active Points); Gradual Effect (6 Hours; -1 1/2)

 

18 Active 7 Real

 

This one will kill you in 5 days if left untreated.

 

Note that, because this is based on a low level drain, any power defence at all will stop it. Personally I no longer generally allow power defence that is not limited to a particular sfx (EG Power Defence v Poisons and Diseases -1), but if you do, then adding 'NND (LS: Poisons)' only ups the active cost to 21 points and the real costs to 7 and 8 respectively.