Advances in chemistry and biochemistry make more potent chemical weapons available at every TL – from lethal nerve gas to subtle pheromones. At higher TLs, nanotechnology is deployed in terrifying weapons that can reconfigure minds or devour entire ecosystems. This section presents the gases and drugs most commonly used in combat, including lethal and nonlethal biochemical weapons, as well as ultra-tech chemical obscurants.
These come in many varieties, from sleep gas and nerve gas to smoke and prismatic smoke. They create a cloud with a radius depending on the dispersal mechanism (see below). Chemical clouds may disperse within a few seconds or linger for minutes, depending on the wind. Most chemical clouds last for 300 seconds before dispersing; in winds of one mile per hour or more, divide this duration by the wind speed in mph. Most chemicals have no effect once dispersed, but some virulent poison gases cause injury even when greatly diluted.
The usual dispersion methods are a biochemical warhead (p. 153), an aerosol spray (p. 134), or a vortex ring projector (p. 134).
A non-lethal incapacitating gas often used for crowd control. Any living being within the cloud who breathes the gas must make a HT-4 roll to resist every second. If the roll fails, he is nauseated (p. B428) for as long as he remains in the cloud. If it fails by 5 or more, he will become violently ill, retching (p. B429) for as long as he remains in the cloud; after leaving it, he will be nauseated for minutes equal to his margin of failure. $2 per dose. LC3.
This malodorous fluid boasts a chemical formula similar to skunk oil. Highly persistent and almost impossible to wash away, it is used by police to mark demonstrators or fleeing suspects, and can also be a self-defense weapon! Anyone sprayed suffers the Bad Smell disadvantage. The effects wear off after two weeks. Each hour of washing with high-tech detergents can reduce the duration of the stench by one day. A sealed suit protects the wearer but not the suit. $2 per dose. LC4.
Nerve gases are aerosolized liquids which disrupt the enzyme that transmits nerve signals. After exposure, the nerves become uncontrollable, resulting in a loss of motor function, breathing problems, pain, vomiting, convulsions, and death.
This is an area-effect contact agent with no delay and a HT-6 roll to resist (HT-3 if touching a contaminated area after the initial attack). Failure to resist inflicts 1d toxic damage. This is repeated at one-minute intervals until six cycles have passed.
Loss of 1/3 HP results in coughing and the Neurological Disorder (Mild) disadvantage. Loss of 1/2 HP results in being nauseated plus the Neurological Disorder (Severe) disadvantage. Loss of 2/3 HP adds the Neurological Disorder (Crippling) disadvantage. The victim suffers only one disorder due to the nerve gas, with the severity increasing as he loses HP. The severity of the disorder is decreased as the victim recovers HP, and the disorder is removed when the HP lost are less then 1/3 HP. $10 per dose. LC0.
An advanced sedative, such as an engineered variant of the heroin molecule, mixed with a skin-penetrating agent. It causes rapid incapacitation. It is a contact agent that requires a HT-6 roll to resist. Failure results in unconsciousness lasting for minutes equal to the margin of failure, followed by ordinary sleep. $0.50 per dose. LC2.
Smoke is used to obscure or mark an area. Screening smoke is white, gray, or sand-colored and gives a -10 penalty for visually aimed attacks or sighting through them (see Obscure, p. B72); it also blocks ladar. Smoke clouds take one second per five yards of burst radius to form. They linger for one to four minutes, depending on weather conditions.
Colored Smoke: used to mark targets or landing zones, but also difficult to see through (-7 penalty). $0.1 per dose. LC4.
Hot Smoke: Has the same effects as normal smoke. It also penalizes Infravision, Hyperspectral Vision, and Night Vision. $0.15 per dose. LC4.
Prism Smoke: Has the same effects as hot smoke, but also blocks most lasers. It has no effect on X-ray or gammaray lasers. $0.2 per dose. LC4.
Electromagnetic Smoke: Has the same effects as hot smoke, but is also effective against Radar and Imaging Radar. $0.3 per dose. LC4.
This dissolves sticky foam (tangler) bonds in one second. $1 per dose. LC4.
This agent neutralizes a wide spectrum of signature traces left behind by living beings. Any Forensics roll to detect chemical traces left by an individual or to track people by scent suffers a penalty of -6 if the trail passes through a Masked area. The masking agent itself is easily identified and tracked, making it somewhat less helpful to spray yourself with it! $30 per dose. LC2.
Paralysis gas is an advanced nerve gas. It is a nonlethal area contact agent that may be delivered via chemical warhead, spray, or vortex ring. For every turn spent in a paragas cloud, the victim must make a HT-6 roll to resist. If he fails by 1 or 2, he falls down and cannot move that turn. If he fails by 3 or more, he falls and is paralyzed for minutes equal to the margin of failure. On a critical failure, the paralysis gas causes 1d damage and results in a coma (p. B429). Paralysis gas is often used in riot control and security systems. $10 per dose. LC2.
Pheromone spray is a biochemical agent which enhances sexual attractiveness to members of the same species; aliens are almost never affected. It is a respiratory agent that requires a HT-2 roll to resist. Failure results in the Lecherousness (9) disadvantage for as long as the victim is in the cloud, plus minutes equal to the margin of failure. $20 per dose. LC3.
A combination of prism and electromagnetic smoke. It lasts half as long, but also impairs infrared- and radaraimed attacks or sighting (-5 penalty). If this smoke is breathed without a filter, it inflicts one point of damage per second. $3 per dose. LC3.
These agents may be dispensed by liquid projectors or in biochemical liquid warheads.
These fire-retardant chemicals put out any fire doing (TL-8) dice of damage or less within its area of effect, and temporarily reduce the damage of larger fires for 3d seconds. $1 per dose.
This category of chemical agents induces rapid corrosion. Each agent is designed to weaken a specific metal, inflicting 3d corrosion damage per hour to any object mostly made of that alloy, or with exposed vital parts made of it.
If an SM +2 or larger object is completely within the area of effect, multiply the damage by the object’s SM. The effect continues for 12 hours or until the object is decontaminated. $5 per dose, LC2.
This consists of disassembler nanomachines in the form of a viscous slime rather than a diffuse cloud. At TL11-12, disassembler nanoglop fills much the same role as napalm. It has half the burst radius of normal chemical rounds; if that reduces burst radius to less than a yard, it means that it only affects a target that was directly hit. Anyone in the affected area is covered with sticky nanoglop. The effect is the same as a disassembler nanocloud, but the greater density of the nanoglop doubles damage! The glop persists for only 15 seconds. If it misses, it splatters on the ground and begins eating through that. Disassembler nanoglop costs the same as disassembler clouds (p. 169).
Replicator Nanoglop (TL12): This has the same effect as replicating disassemblers (p. 169).
Poisons may also be delivered by a hypo or by drug rounds, or as a contact poison (below). Two ultra-tech poisons:
This is also available as a drug – a single dose injected into the body (by hypo, needler, etc.) requires a HT-7 roll to resist. Failure inflicts 1d toxic damage. This is repeated at one-minute intervals, until six cycles have passed. Loss of 1/3 HP results in coughing and the Neurological Disorder (Mild) disadvantage. Loss of 1/2 HP results in being nauseated plus the Neurological Disorder (Severe) disadvantage. Loss of 2/3 HP adds the Neurological Disorder (Crippling) disadvantage. The victim suffers only one disorder due to the nerve gas, with the severity increasing as he loses HP. The severity of the disorder is decreased as the victim recovers HP, and the disorder is removed when the HP lost are less then 1/3 HP. $10 per dose. LC0.
A sleep dose for hypos and dart guns is available. The victim must roll vs. HT-6. Failure results in the subject becoming drowsy (p. B428), while failure by 5 or more results in unconsciousness, lasting for minutes equal to the margin of failure. $0.50 per dose. LC2.
Contact versions of both nerve and sleep poisons may be placed on a blade (but not a vibroblade), smeared on a flat surface such as a doorknob, etc. As contact poisons, these are less effective. The HT roll not to succumb is at +2. Contact versions cost 10 times as much. The GM may require a roll against DX or Poisons skill to avoid an accident if applying it in haste. LC1.
These nanomachines are designed to enter a living body and wreak havoc. They won’t affect someone with Immunity to Metabolic Hazards, such as a machine. Metabolic nanoweapons can be delivered the same way as any other poison:
Blood Agent: This is a liquid spray that must enter a mucous membrane (eyes, mouth, open wound, etc.) to have effect. Use the Blood Agent rules (p. B437). Double normal cost.
Contact Agent: A nanoweapon mist designed to penetrate skin. Double cost for a gel that may be smeared onto an object, 10 times normal cost as a gas. Use the Contact Agent rules (p. B437).
Digestive Agent: A pill that can be dissolved in food or drink. Use the digestive agent rules (p. B437). Normal cost.
Follow-Up Poison: The nanoweapon must be injected, often via a hypo or drug projectile. Use the Follow-Up Poison rules (p. B437). Normal cost.
Respiratory Agent: A mist of active nanoparticles that must be breathed to have effect. Use the Respiratory Agent rules (p. B437). Five times normal cost.
An ultra-tech nerve agent using a suspension of nanomachines designed to invade the body and break down bodily functions, Nanoburn is effective against all carbon-based life forms. A HT-6 roll is required to avoid being paralyzed for three minutes times the margin of failure. If paralyzed, the victim takes 1d-1 toxic damage every three minutes over the next 30 minutes. Normal nerve poison antidotes are ineffective, but the drug Torpine (p. 206) stops the damage once taken. Aegis Nano (p. 206) is effective. $5 per dose. LC1.
These nanomachines function like a homing beacon (p. 105) except that they diffuse within the body. They are very difficult to remove without blood filtration (which requires a life support unit) or using Aegis or pharmophage nano (p. 206).
It takes one minute for nanotracers to spread through the body before they can begin signaling. They may use a radio signal, or they may cause the body to exude coded chemical cues which can be tracked by appropriate chemsniffers or someone with Discriminatory Smell. These will persist for a day or more, giving a +5 bonus to any tracking rolls to anyone who knows what the cues are and can detect them.
Nanotracers are designed to hide. Aegis nano (p. 206) get a roll against their skill to find them when they first enter the body, but roll at a penalty of -2 for TL10 nanotracers, -4 for TL11, and -6 for TL12.
Diagnostic nano can also find nanotracers: roll each hour of searching, at the penalties listed above. If diagnostic nano has identified them, Aegis nano can automatically destroy them. $100 per dose.
Splatter is available only as a follow-up poison. Each “dose” contains thousands of cell-sized nanobot microbombs that circulate through the bloodstream. Upon command or after a programmed time delay, they explode and rip apart the victim’s arterial system.
Splatter inflicts 1d toxic damage after it has circulated for at least a minute through the body. Each extra minute spent circulating in the body adds an extra +1d damage, to a maximum of 30d. Multiple doses increases the damage, e.g., three doses do 3d per minute to a maximum of 90d.
Splatter comes in either timed or remote-control versions. Remote versions are triggered by receiving a specific coded radio pulse.
Aegis nano (p. 206) may be able to hunt down the splatter nanomachines before they detonate. Roll a Quick Contest of Skill each minute, with both nano types having a skill of 12 if they are TL11 or a skill of 14 if they are TL12. Each time the Aegis nano win a contest, the detonation damage is reduced by -1 per die. If the Aegis nano win six times, the splatter nano are exterminated.
The splatter nano may also detonate before the Aegis nano can extinguish them. For instance, suppose a dose of splatter is set to go off after a delay of five minutes. The Aegis nano get five contests of skill. They win three and lose or draw two. That means that damage becomes -3 per die, or 5d-15 instead of 5d. $100 per dose. LC2.
Shrike nanomachines track down and eliminate defending Aegis nano (p. 206), clearing the way for other intruders. Each minute that shrike nanomachines are in the body, roll a contest of skill between the shrike nano and the Aegis nanomachines. If the Aegis nano wins, one dose of shrike nano is killed. If the shrike nano wins, the Aegis nano in the target’s body is killed. Otherwise, they are still fighting.
Aegis nano defends with a skill of 10 at TL10, a skill of 12 at TL11, and a skill of 14 at TL12. Shrike nano have skill of 12 at TL10, a skill of 14 at TL11, and a skill of 16 at TL12. Their skill can be upgraded by doubling the number of doses the subject is injected with. Each doubling adds +1 to skill. If a user is impatient, shrike can be used simultaneously with other forms of invasive nano, in the hope that the shrike kills the Aegis nano before Aegis destroys the invaders. $500 per dose. LC2.
These nanomachines enter the body, trick their way past the blood-brain barrier, and reconfigure deep neural structures in the subject’s brain, altering his personality. This technology is similar to Instaskill (p. 59).
Each dose of dominator nanomachines is designed to permanently instill (or erase) a specific mental disadvantage or set of mental disadvantages. It only affects mundane mental disadvantages that are not self-imposed and that do not require a particular subject or object. The GM may also disallow any disadvantage that seems implausible, such as Unluckiness. Dominator nano often instills Amnesia, Cowardice, Non-Iconographic, Pacifism, Paranoia, and Slave Mentality.
Dominator nano has a six-hour delay and requires a HT- 6 roll to resist. Failure results in the victim gaining (or losing) the programmed disadvantage. Superscience (TL12^) versions of dominator nano take effect after only a minute’s delay.
Dominator nano’s effects are permanent, but can be canceled by other nano, psych implants, etc. The attack has no effect if the user already has that disadvantage, or if he doesn’t have the disadvantage that is to be erased.
Dominator nano costs $100 times the combined value of the mental disadvantages. For example, erasing or adding a -5-point disadvantage would cost $500 per dose. At double cost, dominator nano can reverse the changes it has wrought after a specified duration has passed. Superscience dominator nano is twice as expensive.
Some types of dominator nano erase disadvantages that a society finds offensive, or add those it considers desirable. Such types are LC2 and may be available to licensed physicians. Other types are LC1.
A parasite seed is a template for a bioplas nanomorph (p. 111). To be activated, the apple-seed-sized capsule must be injected into or swallowed by an organic life form. It then releases nanomachines that begin transforming that being, using its body mass as raw material to construct a nanomorph. Each hour, the subject makes a HT-4 roll. Any success kills the parasite seed.
Any failure reduces the victim’s HT by 3. When HT is reduced to 0, the victim dies and his body is transformed into that of a nanomorph: apply the nanomorph template. The parasite seed includes the nanomorph’s own AI, which overwrites that of the host’s mind. It may also trap and store his mind as a ghost program. $10,000 per dose ($100,000 for mind-trapping seeds). LC1.