I've some questions about the rules for potions and medicines on p.280:
Under 'Easing a crisis', it says that, "The recipient makes a Mental Resistance roll with a Difficulty Threshold corresponding to the strength of the dose." That implies it is possible for a doctor to vary the strength, but I can't see any guidelines for determining what the strength is or could be (other than what to roll to create the "correct dose", which in turn isn't defined). Similarly, the next part, 'Subduing the Effects of a Disorder' refers to "correct doses" and "the strength of the dose" affecting the Threshold, but it's not clear to me how that works. What are the rules here?
In the 'Easing' section, it's also mentioned that Magience medicines can be addictive. What are the guidelines on that? (These medicines don't seem to use the same rules as Drugs on pp.243-44.) And does a Magientist doctor need to use the Magientist Tool or Artifact Use Disciplines to administer the medicine, like they do with the Tonic on p.268?
Potions and Medicines: Doses and Addiction
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Re: Potions and Medicines: Doses and Addiction
Hello Ovid!
It's true that this point remains rather vague, but that's another part where giving a more complete system would have taken too much space: to stick to 280 pages, restrictions had to be applied!
Anyway, to answer your question, the system I would use would be the following:
- To determine the necessary Mental Resistance roll according to how strong the dose is, apply the Difficulty Threshold system accordingly: a mere herbal infusion calls for a Difficult (17) roll, a relaxing draught leads to a Complicated (14) roll, the equivalent of sleeping pills make the roll Standard (11), and an actual knockout drug means an Easy (8) roll.
- "the correct dosage" refers to how strong the treatment should be according to the Mental Resistance rating of the patient. With a Complicated (14) roll with the appropriate Discipline (as it is mentioned in the book), the physician can know how strong the dose should be.
Example: A Demorthèn is preparing a draught for a very agitated patient in the middle of a hysteria fit. The patient has a Mental Resistance rating of 9. With a successful Complicated (14) roll in "Traditional Medicine", the Demorthèn can know of this, and therefore prepare the draught accordingly.
However, should the GL not want the Player of the Demorthèn to know of the precise Mental Resistance rating of his patient, he can just give advice to the Player: "You can see that in spite of what plagues him, he remains someone with a strong mind, who will be receptive to your treatment. It should not be necessary to go as far as to use your strongest herbs."
The idea here would be that a dose requiring a Complicated (14) roll to succeed should be enough, since the patient has reasonable odds of reaching such a level with his basic rating of 9.
- Regarding the risk of addiction for some medicines, it is actually described on p.244: the Addiction, Harmfulness and Dependency of a Tonic are given, and the rules to simulate such an aspect of the Health system are described on p.243.
-Finally, the Artifact Use Discipline can be used to administer a Tonic, but Medicine also works. Actually, having Medicine is almost necessary, to be able to perform a diagnosis on the patient; otherwise, the Magientist will just be administering the Tonic without knowing precisely which dose he should use.
Here you go! I hope it will make sense to you, and that it will make for a satisfying answer to your questions!
It's true that this point remains rather vague, but that's another part where giving a more complete system would have taken too much space: to stick to 280 pages, restrictions had to be applied!
Anyway, to answer your question, the system I would use would be the following:
- To determine the necessary Mental Resistance roll according to how strong the dose is, apply the Difficulty Threshold system accordingly: a mere herbal infusion calls for a Difficult (17) roll, a relaxing draught leads to a Complicated (14) roll, the equivalent of sleeping pills make the roll Standard (11), and an actual knockout drug means an Easy (8) roll.
- "the correct dosage" refers to how strong the treatment should be according to the Mental Resistance rating of the patient. With a Complicated (14) roll with the appropriate Discipline (as it is mentioned in the book), the physician can know how strong the dose should be.
Example: A Demorthèn is preparing a draught for a very agitated patient in the middle of a hysteria fit. The patient has a Mental Resistance rating of 9. With a successful Complicated (14) roll in "Traditional Medicine", the Demorthèn can know of this, and therefore prepare the draught accordingly.
However, should the GL not want the Player of the Demorthèn to know of the precise Mental Resistance rating of his patient, he can just give advice to the Player: "You can see that in spite of what plagues him, he remains someone with a strong mind, who will be receptive to your treatment. It should not be necessary to go as far as to use your strongest herbs."
The idea here would be that a dose requiring a Complicated (14) roll to succeed should be enough, since the patient has reasonable odds of reaching such a level with his basic rating of 9.
- Regarding the risk of addiction for some medicines, it is actually described on p.244: the Addiction, Harmfulness and Dependency of a Tonic are given, and the rules to simulate such an aspect of the Health system are described on p.243.
-Finally, the Artifact Use Discipline can be used to administer a Tonic, but Medicine also works. Actually, having Medicine is almost necessary, to be able to perform a diagnosis on the patient; otherwise, the Magientist will just be administering the Tonic without knowing precisely which dose he should use.
Here you go! I hope it will make sense to you, and that it will make for a satisfying answer to your questions!
Allez, come on, allons-y, here we go, en avant, godspeed, hardi, let's do this!
Re: Potions and Medicines: Doses and Addiction
Thanks for the explanations - you guys have done an excellent job in keeping the rules short and, in the vast majority of cases, very clear. I just get confused easily. 
Re: Potions and Medicines: Doses and Addiction
Well, I can easily understand that you'd be puzzled by such a vague fragment of the rules. However, do not hesitate to make up your own rules to fill any gaps you may find... or just roll with it according to the situation during play.
For example, your Players stuff someone undergoing a Crisis with knockout drugs in order to put him down, the Mental Resistance roll will probably be Easy (8), but even if no 10 is rolled, this certainly qualifies for overdosing!
For example, your Players stuff someone undergoing a Crisis with knockout drugs in order to put him down, the Mental Resistance roll will probably be Easy (8), but even if no 10 is rolled, this certainly qualifies for overdosing!
Allez, come on, allons-y, here we go, en avant, godspeed, hardi, let's do this!
Re: Potions and Medicines: Doses and Addiction
Follow up question to this older post ...
When does a character need to have a correct diagnosis in order to be treated? It sounds like when easing a crisis it might not be necessary? Or does the Player need to have had their diagnosis before hand. I assume that for Mind Treatment and subduing the effects of a disorder it is required?
Thanks
When does a character need to have a correct diagnosis in order to be treated? It sounds like when easing a crisis it might not be necessary? Or does the Player need to have had their diagnosis before hand. I assume that for Mind Treatment and subduing the effects of a disorder it is required?
Thanks
Re: Potions and Medicines: Doses and Addiction
It is not necessary to have diagnosed a patient to ease a crisis, but it certainly makes things easier (as discussed above). Subduing the effects of a disorder follows the same steps as easing a crisis, so there again, the patient can be administered a treatment without having been previously diagnosed.
Even for Mind Treatment, a therapy can be made even without a diagnosis. A diagnosis will help the physician know of their patient's mental condition better (which will make the treatment easier, and might warrant a bonus to the treatment roll, at the GL's discretion), but is not necessary. After all, for example, Demorthèn and adepts of the Temple have no Discipline for diagnosis, but can still supervise a patient with "Spirituality."
Even for Mind Treatment, a therapy can be made even without a diagnosis. A diagnosis will help the physician know of their patient's mental condition better (which will make the treatment easier, and might warrant a bonus to the treatment roll, at the GL's discretion), but is not necessary. After all, for example, Demorthèn and adepts of the Temple have no Discipline for diagnosis, but can still supervise a patient with "Spirituality."
Allez, come on, allons-y, here we go, en avant, godspeed, hardi, let's do this!
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