Drugs and Addictive Substances

This supplement outlines the addictive nature of various substances and drugs in the fantasy world. This supplement is not meant to condone nor encourage any drug use, but to offer a guideline for DMs to incorporate these substances into their game.

Addiction

Drugs can offer some handy benefits to characters, but they do have their drawbacks. When characters use a drug they make a Constitution check against the Addiction Rating of that drug. On a failed save the character becomes addicted and sufferers from the effects in the chart below.

Addiction Rating

Con DC Addiction Rating Satiation Damage 4 Negligible 1 day 1 Exhaustion 6 Low 10 days +1 Exhaustion 10 Medium 5 days +1 Exhaustion -2 Charisma 14 High 2 days +1 Exhaustion -2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom 20 Extreme 1 day +1 Exhaustion -4 Charisma, -4 Wisdom 25 Vicious 1 day +1 Exhaustion, -4 Charisma, -4 Wisdom, -2 Strength

With Negligibly addictive drugs, it is impossible to exceed level 1 exhaustion from withdrawals under normal circumstances

Prolonged Use: Long-term use can increase the addiction rating of a drug. All drugs increase their rating by one step for every two months a PC uses them. Negligible drugs are immune to this effect

Satiation: Satiation is the time that passes before a character, whom is addicted to a drug, needs another hit or starts to suffer from withdrawals. The first satiation period begins at the dose that makes the character addicted.

Damage: Damage is dealt to a character's ability scores and exhaustion level each day outside of the satiation period. This can be prevented by a successful Constitution saving throw or by taking another dose of the drug. This damage is healed at a rate of 1 point in each ability score per day.

Recovery: If a character makes two successful Constitution saving throws in a row, the character has fought off addiction and recovers, taking no more damage.

Poison Resistance/Immunity If a character is immune to poisons, drugs will have no effect on them unless otherwise noted.

If a character is resistant to poison, they have advantage on Addiction and Effect saving throws.

Addiction Madness If a character goes too long without a drug they are addicted to, they have a chance at going mad. After a certain amount of time without the drug the character has to make a Constitution saving throw against the addiction rating. If they fail they roll on the madness tables. Addiction Madness Addiction Rating Time Without Drug Madness Table Negligible NA NA Low NA NA Medium 15 Days Short-Term High 6 Days Long-Term Extreme 3 Days Long-Term Vicious 3 Days Indefinite

Madness tables can be found here

Drug Effects

Drug effects are treated much like poisons. The character must first make a Constitution saving throw against the Addiction Rating of a drug, followed by a Constitution saving throw against the Effect Save DC. Upon a fail, the character takes on the initial effects of the drug. If the drug has a secondary effect, after the character takes on the initial effects they must then roll another Constitution saving throw, if they fail they take on the secondary effects aswell.

Effect DC is specific to each drug and can be found in it's description.

Willing Consumption If a character willingly takes a drug they automatically fail both effect saves. The Effect Save DC is provided for if a character is given the drug against their will.