While adventuring in Vaarn, characters may be exposed to poison, venom, radiation, or other toxins. The Toxin die (TD) system is a way to track the harmful, lingering effects of such exposures.
A Toxin die represents the damage caused by toxic substances. A TD is incurred when a PC is hit by a toxic attack and fails a CON save. Toxic attacks are indicated by the notation TOX. For example, an attack with the damage notation 'd6 TOX' requires the target to make a CON save vs a d6 TD.
Toxin dice use a dice chain, which runs as follows:
Cured < d4 < d6 < d8 < d10 < d12 < d20
When a TD shows a 1-4, it depletes and moves one step down the dice chain. When PCs reach the Cured step, they no longer have a TD.
The more potent the toxin, the more difficult it is to resist. An afflicted PC must make a CON save vs 10 + the listed TD size.
?> Example: A d6 TOX attack requires a CON save exceeding 16. A d10 TOX attack requires a CON save exceeding 20, and so on.
Each combat round, before taking their action, a PC with a Toxin die must roll the TD and subtract the number shown from their HP.
If the PCs are not in combat, they can choose to suffer the average damage for their TD (see table) and move to the cured step, or they can roll their TD every ten minutes of real-time until it depletes.
| TD Size | Average Damage Dealt | CON Save Must Beat |
|---|---|---|
| d4 | 3 | 14 |
| d6 | 8 | 16 |
| d8 | 17 | 18 |
| d10 | 31 | 20 |
| d12 | 50 | 22 |
| d20 | 103 | 30* |
* Impossible even with a +10 in CON. I'd let the PC resist if they rolled a natural 20. Otherwise treat this as a 'living on borrowed time' situation.
A PC only has one TD at a time. Failing a save against a new TOX attack only increases the PC’s TD size if their current TD is smaller than the size indicated by the new attack.
?> Example: Magen is already afflicted by a d8 Toxin die. She is hit by a d6 TOX attack, and fails her CON save. However, as her TD is d8, higher than d6 in the dice chain, it does not increase in size.
The exact method will differ depending on the source of the toxin, but it should generally be assumed that the locals of an area will know some method of curing the affliction. Pre-Collapse medgel pods and surgeon synths will be of use. PCs trained in alchemy may also be able to brew up antidotes.
The Referee should consider allowing the PCs to attempt amputation of an afflicted limb, when appropriate.
The system can expand to include a separate Radiation die and Disease die. For these deeper, more insidious ailments, have the PCs roll the dice once per day, but allow it to deal damage directly to their ability defences. Radiation sickness may whittle away CON, while Diseases could decrease any attributes the Referee thinks fitting.
Be aware that losing ability scores severely weakens a PC, and ensure there are remedies to such afflictions.