Toxin Exposure

EXPOSURE

To simulate these effects in areas of variable exposure, first rate the level of toxic exposure from 1-4. A rating 1 area would be a city on an average day, while rating 4 would be a huge chemical dumping ground, just oozing toxins.

This rating is not treated as a normal rating for damage purposes. Instead the rating equals the number of dice rolled to determine the power number of a toxic attack.

Example:

This variable Powered attack represents the shifting winds, etc., all the factors that are variable around a toxic site.

The Wound Level of a toxic attack is also determined by the Rating, as follows:

Rating          Wound Level
1                L(stun)
2                M(stun)
3                S(stun)
4                D(stun)

Yeah, well then you're safe until you hit the physical overflow point. After stun damage gets to Deadly, it starts overflowing onto the physical chart. Additionally this damage does not heal until the person is no longer exposed to the toxic environment. Magical Healing is an exception, of course. Keep in mind, though, that a piece of land so blighted as to be toxic will probably have a background count, so all you mages, don't get cocky.

As a rule of thumb, make checks every two hours or so, although particularly deadly environments may require checks every hour, or even 1/2 hour. Another tactic for really toxic environments is to make the damage physical to begin with (i.e. corrosives in the air etc), instead of stun.

Now this is for areas that have a fluctuating toxic level. In an area of constant exposure things are easier. Just set the Power and Wound Level at fixed numbers and require a check every so often (see above).

Keep in mind that any PC with a pollutant allergy should have to deal with that on top of these effects.

PROTECTION

Proper protection for inhaled toxins is a filter mask or similar cyberware/bioware. The masks are very common on the streets of polluted cities like LA, New York, And Seattle.

Insulasted protection comes in the form of sealed suits (like todays EPA workers wear).

Radioactivity can only be screened by a radiation suit.

All of these protective forms can be bought in varying ratings. The rating of the protective device is subtracted from the Power of the toxic attack, like armor in fire combat. Unlike fire combat, if the Power of the toxic attack is reduced to 0, no check is needed.

HOW IT ALL COMES TOGETHER