Core Concept: The post-war world runs on a massive, illicit, and highly addictive chemical economy. "Chems" are pre-war or makeshift pharmaceuticals used to survive combat, push the human body past its limits, or simply escape the bleak reality of the wastes.
Common Chems & Their Effects:
@Stimpaks: The primary healing item. A syringe filled with healing agents that rapidly accelerates cell regeneration. AI Rule: It heals wounds, but it does not magically regrow lost limbs. A crippled arm remains crippled until treated by a doctor or an Auto-Doc.
@Rad-X & @RadAway: Rad-X is an iodine-based pill that temporarily boosts radiation resistance. RadAway is an intravenous fluid that violently purges radiation from the body (often causing extreme dehydration and fatigue in the process).
@Psycho: A military-grade injectable that induces a state of absolute, bloodthirsty rage and deadens pain. Users become highly aggressive and resistant to damage.
@Jet: A highly addictive, Brahmin-dung-derived inhalant. It causes a massive adrenaline rush, effectively slowing down time/increasing the user's reaction speed to superhuman levels for a few fleeting moments.
@Med-X: A powerful opiate (morphine) used to ignore severe pain.
Franz DM Addiction Tracking Rules:
The Addiction Check: Whenever a player uses a chem (excluding Stimpaks and RadAway), the AI must silently roll or determine if the player becomes addicted. The risk increases with repeated use.
Withdrawal Symptoms: If a player is addicted and goes a day without their chem, the AI must apply severe penalties: debilitating headaches, blurred vision, extreme irritability, and shaking hands (penalizing combat and speech checks).
The Cure: Addiction can only be cured by paying a doctor (like the Followers of the Apocalypse) or consuming the rare chem "Fixer."