Reading through the Combat stimms, they all seem very geared to bigger, better and badder character effects like increased nerve strength toughness etc.
Just as a passing though what about something like a diazepam equivalent that gives a +10 to BS skill to show increased steadiness to the characters shot so they're more likely to hit, but a decrease in either initiative or a basic -1 to speed. With the effects lasting maybe either a set amount of turns or indefinitely until an anti-drug is administered?
Anyway just a thought, I'm on my way out so can't put more thought to paper. Any thoughts good, and any other atypical combat stimms too.
Rob
Yeah, that would be a good idea. I've always thought of combat-stimms as being those drugs that add to close-combat capability, whether through inducing an adrenaline rush, testosterone boost or simply dulling pain reactions.
But stimms for shooters would be interesting.
Put some ideas together. It should work fine.
I'd suggest limiting the maximum boost... A Vindicare Assassin, with his almost Zen connection with his Rifle already controls his body far better than Diazapan would allow for example.
Whereas if you have a green guardsman he might well gain a great deal of consistency in his groupings by taking a stim of that nature...
I would suggest perhaps increasig ballistic skill by 10 to a maximum of 60 (or perhaps 70, 80... depending on the power levels you experience in your games).
I like the idea of limitations, but think that an arbitrary BS60 limit doesn't allow for all the weird and wonderful concoctions that the 41st millennium has to offer. Diazepam and steadiness was only a 21st century example, the drug in question may perhaps do all manner of extra things such as sharpen eye sight briefly, or exclude all distractions, focus the hand to eye co-ordination areas of the brain etc.
Rather than limiting who can achieve a boost I would increase the penalties incurred depending on what level the BS skill is at and thus how much of the drug may be needed to see a comparative increase in ability.
Example: Serenity
- At a BS of less than 60 a dose of Serenity increase BS by +10 (non-cumalative) but also decreases speed by 1 and the character incurs a -20% to all hearing tests whilst under the effect of Serenity and -10% to all visual tests 1 turn afterwards, as well as speed being effected for 1 turn after.
-For every 10 or part of) after a BS of 60, an extra dose is required to achieve the +10 increase e.g. 2 doses for 61-70, 3 doses for 71-80 etc
-Each additional dose increases the penalties by 5% and due to the strain placed on the eyes visual tests are affected for 1 extra turn per dose.
-The decrease in speed is also maintained for 1 extra turn per dose.
Just racked that off the top of my head. The decrease in hearing is supposed to represent their complete concentration on firing, and the drug is designed more for dedicated marksman than the casual brute so I assume if you're heaving a heavy stubber around this is not for you :P
Criticism welcome!
Rob
I don't know whether this would work at all, but rather than -10% for visual tests just reduce his arc of vision slightly? As I said, this might not work as it may be too fine a thing to actually implement in game.
I also keep thinking that something to with the rested weapon rule might work, such as when the drug is first taken, his gun counts as rested for the rest of the turn or until he does any actions mentioned within the rule that would stop a weapon from being rested.
Sorry if neither of them woud work.
An idea for some other drugs might be some designed for adverse conditions such as at night or in close quarters. Drugs to improve night vision, peripheral vision, hearing etc. Not all at once, but this kind of drug might be useful for those who can't get their hands on high tech equipment
Yeah that is the kind of drugs I'm thinking about. More in line with the gland wars that leads to whole modified imperial regiments like the elysian D-99 (imperial armour 4 I think?). I'm playing around with stuff and will probably post something next week, I'm not great with rule invention :P
I think the visual arc may be too fine, but I was considering making the penalties less severe and making the benefit only when aiming as an extra modifier, but still unsure. Will give the resting weapon some thought.
Thanks for the input anyway :)
Rob
Right sorry for the double post, but this is to big to add on as an edit! These are just three ideas I've knocked up and they may very well be a load of crap so please neatly dissect them for me if you please :D
Night Fighting
Night sight – similar to vision of predatory animals, injection or gland, + 15% to nighttime visual awareness tests, shooting etc; works by producing an effect at the back of the yes similar to that of a horses tapetum lucidum allowing greater reflection and absorption of light and therefore better sight.
Those using injections, suffer -15% to visual tests in normal light and -30% in the case of bright light from a flare or suchlike.
Bat Hearing – Allows effective echo-location, gland only, + 20% to hearing test and the character may also make initiative test with a modifier equal to the distance of the heard sound divided by 5, if passed the character can pinpoint the source of the noise to an accuracy of D10 yards.
However any extremely loud noise, such as a grenade or close proximity full auto weapon may stun the character through sensory overload unless the character can pass a nerve test with a negative modifier equal to -50/number of yards to the source of the sound.
Extreme Heat
Thickened skin – the skin has been transformed to have the property of thick flame retardant material, gland only, the calloused thickened skin grants exceptional heat protection halving any damage taken from flamers and preventing a considerable deal of the pain from being felt when their clothes are alight, this giving them a much greater chance of putting out flames. To extinguish flames the character may test against there toughness.
However the nature of this skin greatly thickens the characters fingers and therefore decreases their fine dexterity. When performing any risky action that requires the use of hands the character must roll and extra die and discard the highest, in the case of grenades this problem is much greater and the character must roll 2 extra dice and discard the two highest.
I know that these can be achieved through other means, but I really like the idea of guardsmen, bounty hunters and perhaps Inquisitors being so constantly subject to certain condition or specialising in certain conditions that they organically/chemically alter their body to meet these demands.
I've tried to keep the benefit and detriment equal but having no experience of their mechanics in play its pretty much a guess on my half. Hope somebody finds these interesting anyway, and anyone else's ideas would be grand!
Rob
I think the extreme heat one is very cool, definitly want to use that at some point on one of my characters.
One addition to the night sight might be an increased max line of sight, as if i remember right, it's something really quite small at night, initiative/10 yards or some such number.
I'd suggest the diazepam equivalent stimm gives a +15% bonus to aimed shots (on top of the normal aiming bonus) to represent the increased stability of the persons muscles, but puts a -5% penalty on un-aimed shots to represent the loss on motor function associated with use, as well as a penalty to willpower to represent the confusion/depression sometimes associated with it's use.
It can be good to take a relaxant when your sniping someone but it will also impair the motor functions needed in a more intense firefight.
I like that idea a lot, think I will give it to my more sniper inclined character. Definitely has a game workable simplicity to it as well. Thanks for the input!
Rob