Intoxication, a ’Verses Rules Module
This Rules Module is presented both as an example of Rules Module design and as a functional expansion to the ’Verses rules, enabling players to include alcohol and its effects in a ’Verses game.
Module Properties
License
This ’Verses Rules Module is released under the same CC BY 4.0 licenses as the ’Verses Core v1 rules.
Stating how your expansion is licensed helps others understand what obligations they are under when using your work. In this case, the expansion is published as part of the core rules, so this isn't strictly necessary, but for other expansions, providing a clear statement of authorship, copyright, and license is important.
Compatibility
This module is compatible with ’Verses Core v1.
Declaring compatibility is important to avoid frustrating players and GMs with rules that don't work. In this section, state the version of ’Verses Core your expansion is meant for.
Dependencies & Limitations
If your expansion assumes other expansions or rules modules are in play, state them here.
This module has no dependencies except the ’Verses Core rules.
The following rules apply to human species actors. Other species may have other metabolic reactions to consuming alcohol.
Alcohol
Set the stage and explain why GMs and players should add your expansion into their play.
Alcohol has been made by humans for thousands of years and consumed for its desirable effects on the brain and nervous system for as long. However, alcoholic intoxication also negatively impacts human neurocognitive functions and health, up to including death.
The Therapeutic Safety Index measures the ratio between a lethal dose and effective dose of a substance. The TIsafety of alcohol (ethanol) is 10:1. This represents a highly dangerous and narrow window between the amount of alcohol that can produce desirable effects and a lethal amount. With increased consumption, health effects can tip over into lethality quickly and suddenly.
For the purposes of these rules, a single “standard” drink of alcohol is considered to contain approximately 8ml of ethanol. This equates to a single tankard of ale, 1 glass of wine, or 1 shot of liquor.
Intoxication Rules
When writing an expansion and especially when adding or modifying rules, it's a good rule of thumb to keep the scope of your changes a small as possible. The more of the core rules you override, alter, or change, the more likely your extension will have problems composing with other universes, rules modules, and expansions.
With each alcoholic drink imbibed, the actor must make a test to resist intoxication. The actor rolls:
(TUF × 2) + SMR → (# drinks in last 1/2 hour)S
The success target is the number of standard alcoholic drinks imbibed over the previous half hour.
If the actor fails this test by not meeting the required success target, they incur 1 level of Intoxication and gain the condition indicated in the table for the indicated duration. If they fail the test with zero successes, they incur 2 levels of intoxication.
After the duration, if the actor is not unconscious and no additional alcohol has been consumed, the intoxication level is reduced by 1.
Intoxicated Condition
This module defines the new condition Intoxicated for biological actors. The Intoxicated condition is declared with an Intoxication Level which indicates the degree of intoxication and the specific effects of the condition. This table shows the effects of intoxication on capabilities at each level.
Intoxicated Condition Levels
| Level | Description | Duration | PRW | SMR | SOC | TUF | Other Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buzzed | 0.5 hour | -1 | — | +1 | — | -1 contest against Charm |
| 2 | Tipsy | 1 hour | -2 | -1 | — | — | -1 contest against Charm |
| 3 | Drunk | 2 hours | -3 | -2 | -1 | — | — |
| 4 | Heavily Intoxicated | 4 hours | -4 | -4 | -2 | -3 | — |
| 5 | Inebriated | 8 hours | actor is Unconscious* | ||||
Where possible, work with the core rules to achieve the goals of your expansion. In this example, there's no need to create a whole constellation of effects and conditions, when we can simply plug into existing status conditions like Sickened and Moribund.
Abilities
Heightened Metabolism
Allocated dice that are not EX-bound may be added to any tests to resist intoxication.
If you need to incorporate new features into existing capabilities, you can extend them directly.
Hollow Leg
Allocated dice are added to any tests to resist intoxication.
Creating new Abilities and Skills is a great way to enrich and add flavor and texture to expansions.
Skills
Brewing
The era-appropriate knowledge of the brewing of beer.
Tests of this skill can be used when attempting to make beer, identifying the ingredients and processes used in making a particular brew, and distinguishing various beers from each other.
Distilling
The era-appropriate knowledge of the distilling of liquor.
Tests of this skill can be used when attempting to make liquor, identifying the ingredients and processes used in making a particular distillation, and distinguishing various distillations from each other.
Winemaking
The era-appropriate knowledge of viticulture and the making of wine.
Tests of this skill can be used when attempting to make wine, identifying the ingredients and processes used in making a particular wine, and distinguishing various wines from each other.