Voidrunner Medicine
Advanced medicine is another hallmark of many science fiction settings, with medical technology and procedures that can cure many ailments and injuries. In addition to the standard medical pouch (see tools) the following drugs and other items are available.
Drugs
Voidrunners often benefit from the better living chemistry provides. Whether they are used to heal, harm, or anything in between, drugs can be administered physically, orally, or via airhypo as an action.
Drugs do not affect synthetic lifeforms like androids.
|
ITEM |
COST |
WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-G Cocktail | 50 cr | — |
| Anti-Rad | 10 cr | — |
| Gullibility Serum | 100 cr | — |
| Quick-Sober Patch | 25 cr | — |
| Smelling Salts | 5 cr | — |
| Styx | 75 cr | — |
| Synthetic Adrenaline | 250 cr | — |
| Truth Serum | 100 cr | — |
| Universal Airhypo | 20 cr | ½ lb. |
Anti-G Cocktail. Administered to pilots and passengers on aircraft and spacecraft executing high-g maneuvers, these injected drugs are unpleasant, but potentially life-saving. A user gains an expertise die on saving throws for starship maneuvers, but also takes 1d4 poison damage. A dose lasts for 10 minutes. The delivery system is typically integrated into a vehicle seat, where it can be activated with the user’s reaction in response to starting a maneuver. If it needs to be administered manually with an airhypo, it takes an action.
Anti-Rad. Anti-rad flushes radiation from a creature’s body. A dose is administered via airhypo as an action and takes 10 minutes to take effect, but then immediately flushes all radiation from the patient’s body. The process is exhausting, and leaves the patient with two levels of fatigue.
Gullibility Serum. This drug, administered via ingestion or injection, makes the victim extremely trusting. The victim makes a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or Persuasion checks made against the target have advantage for the next hour.
Quick-Sober Patch. This is a small drug patch about an inch square that can be applied to any exposed skin as an action. It takes effect in one minute, immediately ending the effects of alcohol and similar “soft” drugs on the user once the minute has passed. Poisons with a save DC of less than 13 are simultaneously neutralized in the patient’s system, and the user gains an immediate saving throw at advantage against poisons with a DC of 13 or higher.
Smelling Salts. Available in several different forms (crystals, a solution, etc.) when the fumes from smelling salts are inhaled by a creature, they immediately become more alert. Unconscious creatures make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, and on a success, regain consciousness. creatures that are already conscious can ignore the effects of one level of fatigue for up to 10 minutes. Overuse of smelling salts can be dangerous. For every dose beyond the first in a 24-hour period, a creature makes a constitution saving throw of DC 11 + 1 per dose beyond the first. A creature that fails takes 1d4 points of poison damage.
Styx. A potent memory-erasing drug, Styx forces a creature exposed to it to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or forget the last hour of their life. It can be injected or ingested. Multiple doses extend further back, and it is possible to wipe out weeks or even months of a creature’s memory with repeated or large doses. If a creature is subjected to additional doses within 1 hour of failing this saving throw, they must repeat the saving throw, losing an additional 1d4 days of memory on a failed save.
Synthetic Adrenaline. Typically used as a combat drug, but sometimes used recreationally, synthetic adrenaline gives the user advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution checks and saves for one minute. Once the effect ends, the user immediately gains two levels of fatigue. It can only be injected.
Truth Serum. A drug used by interrogators, a victim injected with truth serum makes a DC 17 Constitution save and on a failed save is unable to lie for an hour, and remaining silent or vague when asked questions requires a separate DC 14 Wisdom saving throw for each question asked.
Universal Airhypo. Can be used to administer a dose of any injected drug to the user or a willing or restrained creature as an action.
Injury Treatment
Futuristic science has produced a variety of items to help voidrunners live to see another day.
|
ITEM |
COST |
WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| Antiseptic (5 uses) | 7.5 cr | — |
| Blood-Stop Bandages | 5 cr | — |
| First Aid Kit (15 uses) | 15 cr | 2 lbs. |
| Medical Gel | 250 cr | ½ lb. |
| Nanopatch | 30 cr | — |
| Nanobot Compound | 80 cr | — |
| Sedative | 3.5 cr | — |
Antiseptic (5 uses). Once applied, this fresh-smelling cream can keep a wound moist and prevent infection for more effective healing. You can apply an antiseptic as an action.
When a non-synthetic creature treated with an antiseptic takes a short rest, they roll a bonus hit die and add the result to the total number of hit points regained from the rest. Once a creature benefits from an antiseptic, it cannot do so again until it finishes a long rest.
Blood-Stop Bandage. These highly durable and stretchy strips are clear to better allow monitoring of a wound’s condition. Additionally, they are coated with a coagulant to help them staunch bleeding. You can use an action to apply a blood-stop bandage to yourself or another creature to end ongoing piercing or slashing damage. When using improvised bandages, such as torn clothing, there is a 50% chance of exposure to a disease (see Chapter 6: Maladies, in Trials & Treasures).
Synthetic lifeforms such as androids can benefit fully from this healing, as it prevents the leakage of critical fluids.
First Aid Kit (15 uses). This kit includes all the basic materials you need to staunch bleeding and start treatment of wounds. As an action, you can expend one use of this item to stabilize a non-synthetic creature that has 0 hit points, without needing to make a Medicine check.
Medical Gel. A highly-active slurry of stem cells and various beneficial drugs, medical gel is the ultimate in combat medicine. A single dose, when administered topically, heals 4d6 hit points. It is expensive, but used widely by military units. Synthetic lifeforms such as androids cannot benefit from this healing. This is an advanced item.
Nanopatch. An adhesive fabric bandage infused with nanomachines. When applied to a wound as an action, the nanomachines clean out debris and dead cells, and apply an antiseptic/analgesic compound. The patient recovers 1d6 hit points.
Synthetic lifeforms such as androids can benefit fully from this healing.
Nanobot Compound. A vial of gray goo that is actually millions of tiny medical nanomachines. These nanomachines can be drunk or applied directly onto a wound as an action. The patient recovers 1d4+4 hit points and in addition, they also gain 4 temporary hit points as the lingering active nanomachines quickly work to repair new injuries. Synthetic lifeforms such as androids can benefit fully from this healing.
Sedative. This calming solution can ease mental pain. When a non-synthetic creature is administered this drug, it recovers a level of strife. Roll 1d10. On a 1, it gains a short-term mental stress effect. Once a creature benefits from a sedative, it cannot do so again until it finishes a long rest.
Medical Technology Advancements
Medications and first aid supplies advance rapidly as technology improves, but the desired effects often remain the same. The following table details items that have supplanted those found in Adventurer’s Guide. Unless otherwise noted, these items are administered by airhypo or pill, either by the patient or another creature, as an action.
Expertise dice granted by the use of medicine can only be gained from that type of medicine once between long rests.
|
ITEM |
COST |
WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Inhibitive | 5 cr | — |
| Cognitive Enhancer | 5 cr | — |
| Immune Booster | 10 cr | — |
| Steroid | 10 cr | — |
| Stimulant | 10 cr | — |
| Reflex Enhancer | 10 cr | — |
Anti-Inhibitive. This reddish liquid fills you with confidence. After injecting it, you gain an expertise die on Charisma saving throws for 2 hours.
Cognitive Enhancer. This amber liquid helps sharpen focus. After injecting this compound you gain an expertise die on Intelligence saving throws for 2 hours.
Immune Booster. This dark liquid boosts your immune system. After injecting it, you gain an expertise die on Constitution saving throws for 2 hours
Steroid. This iron-gray liquid increases a patient’s physical prowess. After injecting it, you gain an expertise die on Strength saving throws for 2 hours.
Stimulant. This cloudy solution heightens the senses. After injecting it, you gain an expertise die on Wisdom saving throws for 1 hour.
Reflex Enhancer. This bright blue liquid improves reaction time. After injecting it, you gain an expertise die on Dexterity saving throws for 2 hours.
Synthetic Repair
The unique conditions of androids (and other synthetic lifeforms) mean that their injuries must be treated differently than most humanoids. In addition to any treatments that are specified to work on their constructed physique, any injectable substance listed under Medical Technology Advances has an equivalent that can usually be purchased at a cost increase of 50% of the original price, taking the form of short-term programs that act in nearly identical ways.
Additionally, there are the following items:
|
ITEM |
COST |
WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
| Patch Kit (15 uses) | 50 cr | 5 lbs. |
| Repair Kit | 300 cr | 15 lbs. |
Patch Kit (15 uses). This kit includes all the basic materials you need to regulate a construct’s systems, staunch the loss of critical fluids, and begin repair. As an action, you can expend one use of this item to stabilize a synthetic lifeform that has 0 hit points, without needing to make an Engineering check.
Repair Kit. The professional version of a patch kit, repair kits are most useful to those with formal engineering training. Any creature can expend one use to stabilize a dying artificial lifeform without the need for an Engineering check.
However, creatures with proficiency in Engineering can spend a use of the kit to greater effect. When a creature proficient in this skill makes an Engineering check with the kit to stabilize a synthetic lifeform, the synthetic lifeform recovers 1d6 hit points for every 5 full points the DC of the check is exceeded by (1d6 on a result of 15, 2d6 on a result of 20, etc.). This DC is 10 in most cases, except in the case of especially complicated or severe damage. The kit can be used 5 times before being depleted. Replacement supplies cost 50 credits per use.