So Drugs - any reason not to take them (in parthfinder)...
We assume thers a friendly cleric that have lesser restoration prepared. So ability dam is healed.
Aether:
Type drug (inhaled); Addiction moderate, Fortitude DC 16 Price 20 gp Effect 1 hour; +1 caster level Effect 1d4 hours; user must make a caster check to cast spells, DC 15 + spell level Damage 1d2 Con damage
So morning buff - the cleric/oracle have CL 11 - hmm +1 sounds sweet for GMW and Magic vestment.
If you happen to catch an addiction magic healing makes it trivial...
Zerk:
Type drug (injury); Addiction minor, Fortitude DC 18 Price 50 gp Effects 1 hour; +1 alchemical bonus to initiative. If addicted, the user also gains a +1d4 alchemical bonus to Strength for as long as he is addicted Damage 1d2 Con damage
Now a minor addction is a –2 penalty to Con. So I take the drug - auto fail my save- if I get a "4" on my alchemical bonus i keep failing the saves and just got +4 str -2 con. Why is this great? Well let's say you wanna buy a +2 str belt - now you just buy a +2 con belt and get +4 str for the price of +2...
It depends on the game, because I believe any GM should make sure there are other consequences as addiction would have a strong RP aspect to it.
Any character goals would probably change into getting a fix, if drugs are illegal in the game, then it could lead to problems in urban areas, negative reactions from NPCs who determine the person is on drugs.
Symptoms of withdrawal on those long adventures if they run out of stuff.
Come to think of it, I probably wouldn't allow them in my games as it seems like a whole lot more paperwork for me as the GM.
Now a minor addction is a –2 penalty to Con. So I take the drug - auto fail my save- if I get a "4" on my alchemical bonus i keep failing the saves and just got +4 str -2 con. Why is this great? Well let's say you wanna buy a +2 str belt - now you just buy a +2 con belt and get +4 str for the price of +2...
Other than you only get +4 to STR 25% of the time, it costs 50 gp a hour to keep this up and your stuck with the -2 to Constitution.
To remove the ability damage, your cleric friend would need to cast remove disease prior to lesser restoration ("Each addiction causes a persistent penalty to ability scores, lasting for as long as the character has the disease.") Hey guess what, you're no longer addicted. So, there goes your bonus to Strength.
No the whole point with Zerk is that you don't need to take it. as long as you addited you gain the 1d4 str bonus. If you keep taking it every hour you "just" gain a +1 to initiativ
No the whole point with Zerk is that you don't need to take it. as long as you addited you gain the 1d4 str bonus. If you keep taking it every hour you "just" gain a +1 to initiativ
While the words could be interpreted that way, I am pretty sure that is not the case.
As the rules are, you are either affected by a drug, or by a disease (if you are addicted).
When you take a drug, you look to it to see the benefits and drawbacks, ignoring the effect of the disease. The drug in this case gives you +1 initiative and +1d4 str for an hour. After that hour the drug subsides, and the benefits are no longer availiable. Being an addict you look to the addiction disease to see which penalties affect you.
EDIT: To use fewer words: The effects of the drug is only in effect when affected by that drug. The reference to being addicted is simply an additional benefits of using the drug, if your are an addict.
No the whole point with Zerk is that you don't need to take it. as long as you addited you gain the 1d4 str bonus. If you keep taking it every hour you "just" gain a +1 to initiativ
Well that's not the way I read it. I can see what your getting at, the wording could be interpreted that way. However, I'll apply Occam's Cheese Grater to that one. (Occam's Cheese Grater is a little known corollary to Occam's Razor. It states that when there are two possible interpretations to a rule, one that stinks of cheese and one that does not, the correct interpretation is the one that doesn't stink.)
Even if I allowed it. As a GM, I'd certainly force you to roleplay your need to take it as often as you can, after all you are addicted to the stuff.
I think zerk is a gem that has been discovered by thoughful rp's. It depends on your game for rollplaying vs. mechanics. I plan on picking up some at next chance, and have wanted to ever since I learned about it. +1d4 alchemal bonus to str? Yes please, I'll take the con damage.
I am playing a drug addicted witch. I worked with my GM to discuss the role and roll playing consequences of being addicted. I do think the existing rules can be exploited, so we have agreed to some house rules of our own. The TL:DR version of those rules is that drug addiction is a bad thing and so any positive impact of the drug, even short term, has to be balanced by a negative impact.
My witch has not yet moved on to the "hard stuff" yet, but we will make sure to use the same basic concept when he does.
And he will. Addictive personality disorder is key to his concept. He is a major endorphin junkie. He is addicted to drugs, gambling, drinking, whoring... if it provides a rush, he likes it.