Help - Search - Members - Calendar
Full Version: New drug: Overstim
Dumpshock Forums > Discussion > Shadowrun
kerbarian
I've seen a number of threads discussing how stunbolt/stunball, Stick-n-Shock, etc. are too powerful and how armor converting damage to stun can actually make a character go down faster. This probably wouldn't be a complete fix by itself, but it makes stun attacks less of a sure bet without changing any rules.

Overstim
Duration: 10 x 1D6 minutes
Effect: Eliminates injury modifiers from Stun damage
Description: Also known as "hot stim", overstim is a bigger, badder version of the stimulant patch. Users completely ignore injury modifiers from Stun damage, and they won't fall unconscious when Stun damage reaches its maximum. Overstim can even be used to revive someone who's been knocked out due to Stun damage, but anyone revived in this fashion suffers from Disorientation.

While overstim is more powerful than any standard stim patch, it's also a much rougher ride. Users are often jittery and have difficulty focusing. Some also suffer from numbness or mild hallucinations. When the drug wears off, the user suffers 6 Stun damage (unresisted) as well as Nausea (treat as power 4, no resistance test). As with stimulant patches, anyone on overstim is unable to rest.


This game effect is already possible with an adrenaline pump or pain editor -- the drug version just makes it much more readily available. Would this be an effective and appropriate counter for stun attacks? Would it cause any balance problems of its own? Do the after-effects look about right?
BookWyrm
Overstim can also be known as HotLine (due to some side effects felt during it's use that the user feels overheated), Noks (coming from an old car-racing term, meaning a nitrous-oxide injection intot he vehicle's engine) or Push-It (meaning they're pushing their own health levels to the maximum).
Shrike30
I would look to the adrenaline pump as a guide on how to do this, otherwise you're going to make the pump completely useless.
Fortune
QUOTE (Shrike30)
... otherwise you're going to make the pump completely useless.

Too late!
kerbarian
QUOTE (Shrike30)
I would look to the adrenaline pump as a guide on how to do this, otherwise you're going to make the pump completely useless.

There are two examples in the game that already provide this mechanic (that I'm aware of): adrenaline pump and pain editor. The adrenaline pump offers the benefit (along with stat boosts) only for a few combat turns and then inflicts massive stun damage. The pain editor offers the benefit forever with no after-effects. I figured I'd go somewhere in between.

I'd say that the adrenaline pump is already completely useless, though, except maybe at rating 1. As a house rule, I'd say that the adrenaline pump inflicts stun damage equal to its rating after the effects wear off, not equal to the number of turns it was active. That actually makes it a reasonable piece of bioware.
Shrike30
I'd be inclined to stick with something like that, too. As it is, people actively avoid getting one.
OneTrikPony
I don't know that I'd say that the A-pump <1 is completely useless. What if you comine the pump with the editor? Pretty powerfull.

I think the drug needs additional side effects. What about a -2 perception mod while the drug is active and a -4 perception mod for anyone who's been revived?
Shrike30
The "useless" adrenaline pump comments come from the fact that an AP2 can knock you unconcious through use, and an AP3 can *kill* you through use, based solely on the amount of stun damage you take. Hell, if my memory of the exact description of the AP is correct, a Will 4 character gets knocked unconcious by his AP2 33% of the times it kicks in and he doesn't have any stun damage.

I'm inclined to say that the stun damage is equal to the D6 roll that determines how long the effects last, rather than D6xRating (like the duration). Or maybe the D6 + Rating, but make it resistable?
Jaid
QUOTE (OneTrikPony)
I don't know that I'd say that the A-pump <1 is completely useless. What if you comine the pump with the editor? Pretty powerfull.

I think the drug needs additional side effects. What about a -2 perception mod while the drug is active and a -4 perception mod for anyone who's been revived?

the fact that adrenal pump can take the average person from fully healthy to within inches of death (ten boxes on each damage track, if the full adrenal pump lasts max duration they take 18 boxes of stun, leaving them with only 2 boxes until overflow) makes the higher rating versions not a good idea, imo. sure, it will *usually* be survivable, but that doesn't make it a good idea.
Kesslan
If combined with the pain editor which makes you immune to stun damage however, would you not avoid any such effect? Or is it unresisted stun?
Jack Kain
well with the pain editor up your not exactly IMMUNE to stun. The stun will never knock you out and you won't suffer the penalties but the stun can still fill up and overflow into physical.
Marmot
You just won't feel your body destroying itself/your heart exploding from the jacked adrenaline levels.
Kesslan
Course thats the thing that kinda bugs me about the Adernal pump. It cant make your 'heart explode' as far as I know. I mean hell they use pure adrenalin as I understand to help restart folk who've been hit with cardiac arrest. As well as in some cases with drug OD or something?

I really should look at that bit of bioware again, it's one I've never used anyway but that seems horribly.. bad. I mean it's bad enough the thing can trigger without you wanting it to. I really dont see how it should be able to flat out kill you as well.
ElFenrir
QUOTE
Course thats the thing that kinda bugs me about the Adernal pump. It cant make your 'heart explode' as far as I know. I mean hell they use pure adrenalin as I understand to help restart folk who've been hit with cardiac arrest. As well as in some cases with drug OD or something?



They do. Pure adrenaline has saved lives from OD's/stopped hearts. It's also used to save lives for people with those severe, severe life-threatening allergies, by opening airways. The needles you see some people carry who suffer from deadly allergies or the like have epinephrine(adrenaline) in them. Ive also read its used to help people with septis. But like any drug(well, this is a naturally occuring one...the pump basically saves your natural adrenaline), it does have side effects...one of them is as its described ''cardiac irritability''. So the heart, while if its not doing well, can be saved from adrenaline, if its healthy, sticking more into it isnt too good all the time. It can also cause problems with breathing and cause hypertension if used often. (IE; it has a few side effects like uber-caffiene, only more serious.)

Kinda like how medicine can cure you if something is wrong, but if you arent sick, taking it can cause problems. I'm a massive coffee drinker and cigg smoker myself...and i can get restless, and stims are known to cause problems over time. I can only imagine what its like for someone who is boosting their adrenaline levels daily. I doubt it would have an 'exploding heart', but long term overuse could very well just cause the thing to wear out and give up.

For the record, i read alot of useless things that i wont need...well, unless im in discussions like this. I love random knowledge. biggrin.gif

Now, as for making the adrenal pump useful...it would be great if they developed a sort of 'adjuster' on it. Allowing you to somehow control the amount thats dumped into your blood stream might help the thing...the more that gets dumped, the more effect. The stun damage shouldnt be so severe unless a rather large amount was used. However, if a large amount is used, then i can see the penalty being rather large...but i dont think it should be deadly right off the bat...i think the penalty should be adjusted to the amount of use.


It is also seemed, from the bits ive gleaned from books, that its the long-term use that nails people a bit more. Hmm..well, im sure reading over the rules can finally fix this piece with a few tweaks. I recall that the old...MAO? i believe it was called, had a supressive effect on adrenaline. (However, seesaw dumping adrenaline/MAO could cause big problems of its own, like someone switching up a stimulant with a depressant.)

Man, yet another thread discussing how some cyberware is a bit/more than a bit underpowered/broken....but i can understand why. These days it seems eyes and ears are the only things without problems. Well, and smartlinks seem to work ok. grinbig.gif
Fortune
QUOTE (ElFenrir)
These days it seems eyes and ears are the only things without problems. Well, and smartlinks seem to work ok.

Nah. People bitch about all of them as well. wink.gif
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Dumpshock Forums © 2001-2012