drugs [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

drugs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mvander
09-01-05, 02:45 PM does your dm allow drugs or other substances in your campaign? :pint:
Abulafia
09-01-05, 03:27 PM What, do you mean at the table? ;)

Ale is pretty much mandatory for a D&D game -- what else are your adventurers going to meet over a mug of? Other substances are dependent on the campaign setting -- urban games might feature recreational drugs, whereas primitive settings might include substances used for ritualistic purposes.

I ran a game where my brother's character (a monk) ritualistically used a hallucinogen during his daily meditation. It made for a great game moment when his trance was interrupted by an ogre attack, and he had to fight while tripping out.
ImmortalBlueMage
09-01-05, 07:38 PM Is this in-game or out?

A lot of DMs don't like the term "drugs" because it seems anachronistic, but illegal substances (an even more anachronistic term) can add some interesting story hooks, as well as a little logic here and there. Most D&D worlds are overpopulated with "thieves guilds" and bands of roving bandits, far more than could make a living robbing the local nobility or mugging low level PCs on the roadside, so drug smuggling (we really need to come up with some "ye olde" sounding term for this stuff) provides a more tangible and believable way for criminals to make a living, and can make for a good story. Busting up a gang of Rogues is fun and all, but bringing down their drug ring is a much more sophisticated challenge that requires more than kicking in the door of their hideout with swords drawn.

If you read SHARN: CITY OF TOWERS, it details the cities problem with Dreamlily and Dragon's Blood, two highly illegal substances that are pedaled by various criminal factions. The interesting thing about them is not the drugs themselves but the context and challenges that come with how they're distributed. Most Dreamlily dens in Sharn are owned by a powerful criminal organization with ties to (and members in) the city's own government. Dragon's Blood is not only illegal, but it's only source is a hostile nation ruled by monsters. If PCs want to stop drug trafficking in the city, they have much more to contend with than just the street-level criminals who do the buying and selling.
Bruunwald
09-01-05, 07:46 PM Assuming you mean in-game, our PCs once stumbled upon a hallucinogenic and very foul-tasting elixir stored in some hollowed out skulls. The evil cult they are always battling has shamanistic qualities, and I thought it seemed very historically accurate to include this as something they might use in a ritual.

They found the side effects very unpleasant, and so refrained from more than their first exploratory taste. But they did put the stuff to good use by tainting some ale with it, causing a group of orcs they were being pestered by to wander off, sort of stoned.

Other than that, we're all pretty clean people, and always have been, so there's no use for any PCs getting stoned, as it's not quite as humorous or important as it might be to some.

However, in high school, a few guys used to come to the table stoned, out of game. Boring. Nothing ever got done playing with those people.
death_hand
09-01-05, 10:37 PM Assuming you mean in-game, our PCs once stumbled upon a hallucinogenic and very foul-tasting elixir stored in some hollowed out skulls. The evil cult they are always battling has shamanistic qualities, and I thought it seemed very historically accurate to include this as something they might use in a ritual.

They found the side effects very unpleasant, and so refrained from more than their first exploratory taste. But they did put the stuff to good use by tainting some ale with it, causing a group of orcs they were being pestered by to wander off, sort of stoned.

Other than that, we're all pretty clean people, and always have been, so there's no use for any PCs getting stoned, as it's not quite as humorous or important as it might be to some.

However, in high school, a few guys used to come to the table stoned, out of game. Boring. Nothing ever got done playing with those people.

in a game i was playing, 2 guys went to the store and they bought weed of different colors, then mixed and smoked it.
mvander
09-02-05, 08:51 AM just so you know it is in the game not at the table.
Vaelan
09-02-05, 09:24 AM Yes, but I make them hard to find.

I especially like Mordayn Vapor from the Book of Vile Darkness. Unless you make a Will save, you are compelled to take another dose after the first one wears off. It is an extremely effective aid to your interrogaton and bargaining endeavors.
High Octane
09-02-05, 10:04 AM Both my DM and myself have narcotics in our game. In his there is "Black Lotus" which is like Marijuana. By the way his is first edition, before black lotus caused 3d6 con damage TWICE.

In my campaign I made a marijuana equivelant. I call it "Layback".
Gedrin
09-02-05, 03:51 PM IMC, we had a smuggling ring, complete with setting apropriate versions of opium and cocaine. We had a player who became addicted to some things. There was a party NPC who was running "Uncle Barny's Midnight Medicinal Elixer", a diluted 1/4 dose of the speed/cocaine drug, as a method to keep alert in those late hours.

Only the opium was illegal to transport or possess. Uncle Barny was able to get the party priest, a licenced physician (lawful nation), to sign off on the "medicinal elixer" and get a apothecary's licence, so that was legal. Well, legal if you don't count the bribery involved in getting the licence.

Of course, most of the party is wanted for treason (gotta wonder what the drug trade is financing...No? okay...), slaving, smuggling, murder, consipracy and a host of other crimes at this point... They're really trying to turn it around now. New leaf. Building a better life. Making amends for their crimes as best they can. That Paladin/Justicar is still chasing them though...some silly demand that they surrender and face justice.
Pryrates
09-02-05, 03:55 PM In general its a bad idea, allow me to give you an example. A friend of my group decided he wanted to play (he had played once before but was horrible at it and basiclly just followed around the PC most like his, and did nothing on his own) Our friend is also a fan of drugs in real life so he decided so would his character. what he made was a LSD loving ninja....yes....well the drug he used in the game effectively increased the intensity of everything he say so he got (i believe) a +2 to spot or something like that. Unfortunately for him the first encounter we faced that session was against bodaks, so the DC of their gaze attack was greatly increased since he was on the drugs, ninja fort saves being as they are the ninja did not make it. His character lasted a total of 15 minutes, in real time....Drugs are bad, hm kay.
hazel monday
09-02-05, 04:40 PM if all these adventuring types are constantly running around killing horrifying monsters and sticking their heads in traps, i figure they gotta be whacked out on something. i mean, who's more likely to try killing dragons for their treasure? a well respected citizen, or a crackhead looking for a fix?
UltimateReality
09-02-05, 06:40 PM if all these adventuring types are constantly running around killing horrifying monsters and sticking their heads in traps, i figure they gotta be whacked out on something. i mean, who's more likely to try killing dragons for their treasure? a well respected citizen, or a crackhead looking for a fix?
My next NPC...coming right up. :D
Argon_Asimov
09-02-05, 10:34 PM I always put drugs in my game somewhere. If you lived in a world frought with dragons, the walking dead, and all manner of beasties ready to eat you (and possilby the rest of your town) for lunch, wouldn't you want to mellow out sometimes?

Opium --> freely available, prescribed by respected physicians and healers (just like the good old days)

Hemp --> the best stuff comes from the barbarians whose shamans use it to achieve an enlightened state in thier ceremonies. Less volitile breeds grown and sold freely (where do you think hemp rope comes from?)

Astral Tears --> my own creation. Psycho-chemical drug produced by the elite magic-users for thier own use. Causes massive halucinations or possibly projection into the astral plane. The imbiber sheds large tears during the entire high.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mvander 09-01-05, 02:45 PM	does your dm allow drugs or other substances in your campaign? :pint:
Abulafia 09-01-05, 03:27 PM	What, do you mean at the table? ;) Ale is pretty much mandatory for a D&D game -- what else are your adventurers going to meet over a mug of? Other substances are dependent on the campaign setting -- urban games might feature recreational drugs, whereas primitive settings might include substances used for ritualistic purposes. I ran a game where my brother's character (a monk) ritualistically used a hallucinogen during his daily meditation. It made for a great game moment when his trance was interrupted by an ogre attack, and he had to fight while tripping out.
ImmortalBlueMage 09-01-05, 07:38 PM	Is this in-game or out? A lot of DMs don't like the term "drugs" because it seems anachronistic, but illegal substances (an even more anachronistic term) can add some interesting story hooks, as well as a little logic here and there. Most D&D worlds are overpopulated with "thieves guilds" and bands of roving bandits, far more than could make a living robbing the local nobility or mugging low level PCs on the roadside, so drug smuggling (we really need to come up with some "ye olde" sounding term for this stuff) provides a more tangible and believable way for criminals to make a living, and can make for a good story. Busting up a gang of Rogues is fun and all, but bringing down their drug ring is a much more sophisticated challenge that requires more than kicking in the door of their hideout with swords drawn. If you read SHARN: CITY OF TOWERS, it details the cities problem with Dreamlily and Dragon's Blood, two highly illegal substances that are pedaled by various criminal factions. The interesting thing about them is not the drugs themselves but the context and challenges that come with how they're distributed. Most Dreamlily dens in Sharn are owned by a powerful criminal organization with ties to (and members in) the city's own government. Dragon's Blood is not only illegal, but it's only source is a hostile nation ruled by monsters. If PCs want to stop drug trafficking in the city, they have much more to contend with than just the street-level criminals who do the buying and selling.
Bruunwald 09-01-05, 07:46 PM	Assuming you mean in-game, our PCs once stumbled upon a hallucinogenic and very foul-tasting elixir stored in some hollowed out skulls. The evil cult they are always battling has shamanistic qualities, and I thought it seemed very historically accurate to include this as something they might use in a ritual. They found the side effects very unpleasant, and so refrained from more than their first exploratory taste. But they did put the stuff to good use by tainting some ale with it, causing a group of orcs they were being pestered by to wander off, sort of stoned. Other than that, we're all pretty clean people, and always have been, so there's no use for any PCs getting stoned, as it's not quite as humorous or important as it might be to some. However, in high school, a few guys used to come to the table stoned, out of game. Boring. Nothing ever got done playing with those people.
death_hand 09-01-05, 10:37 PM	Assuming you mean in-game, our PCs once stumbled upon a hallucinogenic and very foul-tasting elixir stored in some hollowed out skulls. The evil cult they are always battling has shamanistic qualities, and I thought it seemed very historically accurate to include this as something they might use in a ritual. They found the side effects very unpleasant, and so refrained from more than their first exploratory taste. But they did put the stuff to good use by tainting some ale with it, causing a group of orcs they were being pestered by to wander off, sort of stoned. Other than that, we're all pretty clean people, and always have been, so there's no use for any PCs getting stoned, as it's not quite as humorous or important as it might be to some. However, in high school, a few guys used to come to the table stoned, out of game. Boring. Nothing ever got done playing with those people. in a game i was playing, 2 guys went to the store and they bought weed of different colors, then mixed and smoked it.
mvander 09-02-05, 08:51 AM	just so you know it is in the game not at the table.
Vaelan 09-02-05, 09:24 AM	Yes, but I make them hard to find. I especially like Mordayn Vapor from the Book of Vile Darkness. Unless you make a Will save, you are compelled to take another dose after the first one wears off. It is an extremely effective aid to your interrogaton and bargaining endeavors.
High Octane 09-02-05, 10:04 AM	Both my DM and myself have narcotics in our game. In his there is "Black Lotus" which is like Marijuana. By the way his is first edition, before black lotus caused 3d6 con damage TWICE. In my campaign I made a marijuana equivelant. I call it "Layback".
Gedrin 09-02-05, 03:51 PM	IMC, we had a smuggling ring, complete with setting apropriate versions of opium and cocaine. We had a player who became addicted to some things. There was a party NPC who was running "Uncle Barny's Midnight Medicinal Elixer", a diluted 1/4 dose of the speed/cocaine drug, as a method to keep alert in those late hours. Only the opium was illegal to transport or possess. Uncle Barny was able to get the party priest, a licenced physician (lawful nation), to sign off on the "medicinal elixer" and get a apothecary's licence, so that was legal. Well, legal if you don't count the bribery involved in getting the licence. Of course, most of the party is wanted for treason (gotta wonder what the drug trade is financing...No? okay...), slaving, smuggling, murder, consipracy and a host of other crimes at this point... They're really trying to turn it around now. New leaf. Building a better life. Making amends for their crimes as best they can. That Paladin/Justicar is still chasing them though...some silly demand that they surrender and face justice.
Pryrates 09-02-05, 03:55 PM	In general its a bad idea, allow me to give you an example. A friend of my group decided he wanted to play (he had played once before but was horrible at it and basiclly just followed around the PC most like his, and did nothing on his own) Our friend is also a fan of drugs in real life so he decided so would his character. what he made was a LSD loving ninja....yes....well the drug he used in the game effectively increased the intensity of everything he say so he got (i believe) a +2 to spot or something like that. Unfortunately for him the first encounter we faced that session was against bodaks, so the DC of their gaze attack was greatly increased since he was on the drugs, ninja fort saves being as they are the ninja did not make it. His character lasted a total of 15 minutes, in real time....Drugs are bad, hm kay.
hazel monday 09-02-05, 04:40 PM	if all these adventuring types are constantly running around killing horrifying monsters and sticking their heads in traps, i figure they gotta be whacked out on something. i mean, who's more likely to try killing dragons for their treasure? a well respected citizen, or a crackhead looking for a fix?
UltimateReality 09-02-05, 06:40 PM	if all these adventuring types are constantly running around killing horrifying monsters and sticking their heads in traps, i figure they gotta be whacked out on something. i mean, who's more likely to try killing dragons for their treasure? a well respected citizen, or a crackhead looking for a fix? My next NPC...coming right up. :D
Argon_Asimov 09-02-05, 10:34 PM	I always put drugs in my game somewhere. If you lived in a world frought with dragons, the walking dead, and all manner of beasties ready to eat you (and possilby the rest of your town) for lunch, wouldn't you want to mellow out sometimes? Opium --> freely available, prescribed by respected physicians and healers (just like the good old days) Hemp --> the best stuff comes from the barbarians whose shamans use it to achieve an enlightened state in thier ceremonies. Less volitile breeds grown and sold freely (where do you think hemp rope comes from?) Astral Tears --> my own creation. Psycho-chemical drug produced by the elite magic-users for thier own use. Causes massive halucinations or possibly projection into the astral plane. The imbiber sheds large tears during the entire high.