Alcohol poisoning [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alcohol poisoning [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jacob W. Michaels
09-01-03, 08:49 PM One of my players wants to know if his character's immunity to poison will extend to alcohol. I'm tempted to say it's considered a drug and that that would not be covered, but I'm not certain what the rules might say on that (especially since I couldn't be bothered to by the BoVD). Any thoughts/rulings?

Thanks,
Jacob
Lord Crimson
09-01-03, 09:05 PM I would reply to the player that such questions do not merit an answer in my games.
Jacob W. Michaels
09-01-03, 09:11 PM Why? It certainly seemed like a reasonable question to me. This isn't someone playing the stereotypical drunken dwarf or a Wolverine clone. He asked an honest question, seems like the least I can do is give him an honest, thought-out answer.

Jacob
MinusInnocence
09-01-03, 09:15 PM You could rule that the alcohol in his bloodstream only really becomes toxic when the body shuts down because there is so much of it. Thus, the PC could never really actually die from binge drinking, but he would still fall into a stupor (perhaps 1d2 Dexterity and Constitution damage every hour of drinking, or after every five drinks, whichever comes first: at a Fortitude save of DC10, and raising two points for every successive roll, regardless of success or failure). Eventually, unconsciousness may even be possible.

I've wanted to experiment with drug abuse in my games before but the rules in the BoVD are utterly and completely useless, in this regard. The DCs to stave off addiction, and the penalties contained therein, are entirely too low, as anyone who has ever suffered with substance abuse will readily tell you.

Whoops, I posted before I could read your second comment.

Lord Crimson's (and many other DMs share his sentiment) concern is that this type of dilemma is way out of line for a game of their calibre. Some people just don't think certain elements are appropriate to explore in their roleplaying. Personally, when I began my current campaign, I told my players bluntly that they would be free to voice concerns at any time and I would not hesitate to accomodate them, but I meant to push the envelope from the outset this time.
Tzor
09-01-03, 09:19 PM I would say that it should.

However, according to the A&E book, "Neuturalize poison negates the damaging effects of alcochol (but not the hangover)."

Edit: Minor spelling change
Lord Crimson
09-01-03, 09:56 PM I wouldn't say that it is out of my calibre. I explore some rather twisted themes (and happenings) in many of my games, substance addiction is the least of them (hell, in Vampire, that's part of the whole game's point).
But the question still seems a foolish one to me. Why would any player possibly need someone to make a ruling on something like that unless they were playing exactly what you claimed they weren't ("a stereotypical drunken dwarf or a Wolverine clone")? It sounds like a player trying to split hairs on how drunk his character REALLY is, after he made such a big deal about how much he was drinking and now realizes that there is about to be an encounter.
Sabrie
09-02-03, 12:13 AM I'm not sure, as I don't have the book, but I think the Arms and Equipment Guide covered alcohol.

Traps and Treachery has two listings for alcohol under poisons, one severe, the other moderate. Both are chemical nerve poisons, ingested. Moderate has DC 11, with 1d2 dex the first save and 1 dex the second. Severe has DC 14, with 1d4 dex and 1d4 con the first save and unconciousness and 1d6 con the second.
Edymnion
09-02-03, 12:34 AM Yes, I would say immunity to poison would protect against alcohol poisoning. However, I would also say it is impossible for the character to get drunk, or feel any effects at all from alcohol. Really sucks if the character enjoys his ale.

Why would I rule this? Because, ALL poisons will give you a buzz. You drink pure cyanide, you will feel all good and floaty just before you die. The effects of alcohol are actually the result of it shutting down portions of your brain one by one, which I would call poison damage. If you drink enough, the alcohol moves on from tertiary brain functions like inhabition to higher functions. Generally, when it shuts down your conciousness, you stop drinking and your body has time to recover. If you binge drink fast enough though, blacking out doesn't help because you already have too much in your system, and it eventually shuts down primary systems like your heart and lungs, and you die.

So yeah, Immunity to Poison would keep you from even getting the slightest good feeling from alcohol, and would protect you from alcohol poisoning.

And just a side note about not curing the hangover, that makes perfect sense from the real world viewpoint. You don't get a hangover from drinking alcohol, strange as that may sound. Alcohol is a diarhetic, meaning it removes water from the bloodstream, and makes you go to the bathroom a lot. The hangover is actually a symptom of dehydration, not the alcohol. And no, this doesn't mean if you drink a lot of water while drinking you won't get a hangover, you'll just go to the bathroom more while drinking.

So hey, let the character drink all they want, they won't get the good feelings, and will STILL have the massive hangover in the morning! :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jacob W. Michaels 09-01-03, 08:49 PM	One of my players wants to know if his character's immunity to poison will extend to alcohol. I'm tempted to say it's considered a drug and that that would not be covered, but I'm not certain what the rules might say on that (especially since I couldn't be bothered to by the BoVD). Any thoughts/rulings? Thanks, Jacob
Lord Crimson 09-01-03, 09:05 PM	I would reply to the player that such questions do not merit an answer in my games.
Jacob W. Michaels 09-01-03, 09:11 PM	Why? It certainly seemed like a reasonable question to me. This isn't someone playing the stereotypical drunken dwarf or a Wolverine clone. He asked an honest question, seems like the least I can do is give him an honest, thought-out answer. Jacob
MinusInnocence 09-01-03, 09:15 PM	You could rule that the alcohol in his bloodstream only really becomes toxic when the body shuts down because there is so much of it. Thus, the PC could never really actually die from binge drinking, but he would still fall into a stupor (perhaps 1d2 Dexterity and Constitution damage every hour of drinking, or after every five drinks, whichever comes first: at a Fortitude save of DC10, and raising two points for every successive roll, regardless of success or failure). Eventually, unconsciousness may even be possible. I've wanted to experiment with drug abuse in my games before but the rules in the BoVD are utterly and completely useless, in this regard. The DCs to stave off addiction, and the penalties contained therein, are entirely too low, as anyone who has ever suffered with substance abuse will readily tell you. Whoops, I posted before I could read your second comment. Lord Crimson's (and many other DMs share his sentiment) concern is that this type of dilemma is way out of line for a game of their calibre. Some people just don't think certain elements are appropriate to explore in their roleplaying. Personally, when I began my current campaign, I told my players bluntly that they would be free to voice concerns at any time and I would not hesitate to accomodate them, but I meant to push the envelope from the outset this time.
Tzor 09-01-03, 09:19 PM	I would say that it should. However, according to the A&E book, "Neuturalize poison negates the damaging effects of alcochol (but not the hangover)." Edit: Minor spelling change
Lord Crimson 09-01-03, 09:56 PM	I wouldn't say that it is out of my calibre. I explore some rather twisted themes (and happenings) in many of my games, substance addiction is the least of them (hell, in Vampire, that's part of the whole game's point). But the question still seems a foolish one to me. Why would any player possibly need someone to make a ruling on something like that unless they were playing exactly what you claimed they weren't ("a stereotypical drunken dwarf or a Wolverine clone")? It sounds like a player trying to split hairs on how drunk his character REALLY is, after he made such a big deal about how much he was drinking and now realizes that there is about to be an encounter.
Sabrie 09-02-03, 12:13 AM	I'm not sure, as I don't have the book, but I think the Arms and Equipment Guide covered alcohol. Traps and Treachery has two listings for alcohol under poisons, one severe, the other moderate. Both are chemical nerve poisons, ingested. Moderate has DC 11, with 1d2 dex the first save and 1 dex the second. Severe has DC 14, with 1d4 dex and 1d4 con the first save and unconciousness and 1d6 con the second.
Edymnion 09-02-03, 12:34 AM	Yes, I would say immunity to poison would protect against alcohol poisoning. However, I would also say it is impossible for the character to get drunk, or feel any effects at all from alcohol. Really sucks if the character enjoys his ale. Why would I rule this? Because, ALL poisons will give you a buzz. You drink pure cyanide, you will feel all good and floaty just before you die. The effects of alcohol are actually the result of it shutting down portions of your brain one by one, which I would call poison damage. If you drink enough, the alcohol moves on from tertiary brain functions like inhabition to higher functions. Generally, when it shuts down your conciousness, you stop drinking and your body has time to recover. If you binge drink fast enough though, blacking out doesn't help because you already have too much in your system, and it eventually shuts down primary systems like your heart and lungs, and you die. So yeah, Immunity to Poison would keep you from even getting the slightest good feeling from alcohol, and would protect you from alcohol poisoning. And just a side note about not curing the hangover, that makes perfect sense from the real world viewpoint. You don't get a hangover from drinking alcohol, strange as that may sound. Alcohol is a diarhetic, meaning it removes water from the bloodstream, and makes you go to the bathroom a lot. The hangover is actually a symptom of dehydration, not the alcohol. And no, this doesn't mean if you drink a lot of water while drinking you won't get a hangover, you'll just go to the bathroom more while drinking. So hey, let the character drink all they want, they won't get the good feelings, and will STILL have the massive hangover in the morning! :D