Fallout D6: Equipment (and Some Related Rules)

 

This week's post is a follow-up to weapons and armor with equipment for Fallout D6 characters: ammo (which I forgot about last week,) chems, food/drink, and general gear.  As with encumbrance, I've included some D6 rules for addiction, starvation, and dehydration under the appropriate sections.  At this point, we have enough to create characters and templates for Fallout D6!

Ammunition

A firearm or energy weapon without ammunition is just an awkward club.  Armor Piercing (AP) ammunition has a +1 bonus to damage against armored opponents and creatures, but a -1 against unarmored or fleshy ones.  Inversely, jacketed hollow-point (JHP) ammunition has a +1 to damage against unarmored opponents and creatures, but a -1 to damage against armored ones.  Price is for one (1) round of ammunition.

Ammo Type	Price
.223 FMJ	3
.308	4
.38	1
5mm JHP	2
5mm AP	2
5.56mm	1
10mm JHP	4
10mm AP	3
.44 Magnum FMJ	3
.44 Magnum JHP	3
Energy cell	10
Flamer fuel	25
Plasma cartridge	20
Rocket, AP	400
Rocket, explosive	200
Shotgun shell (12GA)	11

 

Chems

Medical and recreational drugs, known as “chems” in wastelander-speak, were commonly available in the late 21st century.  Often, the line between medicine and poison was thin, as medical authorities (under the guidance of pharmaceutical companies) widely prescribed medicines whose side effects were often worse than the conditions they purported to help, not to mention addictive, which would create dependency (and repeat customers!)  Abuse of controlled substances among the troubled and desperate had been an ongoing problem in cities and communities since before the war.  The situation has sadly not changed in post-war America, except that none of these substances (still widely-available and potent due to advanced preservation methods) are controlled in any way, so drug addiction is rampant among raiders and Wasteland warriors looking for an edge, as well as wastelanders wanting to dull the rough edges of their often miserable lives.

Addiction

Most chems are addictive.  Characters using an addictive substance must succeed at an Easy Endurance roll every time they consume or otherwise administer it to themselves; failing this roll results in the character becoming addicted.  They must then use the same type of chem at least once per day or suffer withdrawal symptoms, which vary by the type.  In addition, they must succeed at a Moderate Perception roll to avoid using an addicted chem when faced with the opportunity, which rises to Difficult if they have not had their daily dose.  A character can become addicted to multiple types of chems (a sorry state indeed.)

Overcoming Addiction

Breaking an addiction to chems is an arduous and painful process, with no guarantee of success, and high chance of recidivism.  This can be done under the guidance of a character or settlement physician with the doctor skill.  The addicted character must endure 2D days without taking the chem, and suffer from its withdrawal symptoms the entire time.  The addict must usually be restrained during this time to help them from themselves.  Once this “detox” period is complete, the addicted character is “clean” and no longer needs a daily dose of the addicted chem nor do they suffer from withdrawal symptoms.  However, the character continues to be in danger of addiction for 12 months minus the number of dice in their Perception die code.  They must still succeed at a Moderate Perception roll to resist taking the addicted chem if offered the chance.  Once this time has elapsed without taking the chem, the character is considered cured of their addiction.

Chem Type	Price
Addictol	125
Antidote	50
Buffout	200
Jet	50
Med-X	180
Mentats	280
Psycho	400
RadAway	500
Rad-X	300
Stimpak	175
Super Stimpak	350

Addictol: Addictol is a synthetic drug that helps in with overcoming addiction, but does not necessarily cure it.  An addicted character can take one dose of addictol instead of their chem dose for the day to fulfill the requirement and alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

Antidote: There are many Pre-War, universal anti-toxins that can be acquired by scavenging medical facilities.  Some Wasteland communities have also learned (the hard way) to produce antidotes against local, poisonous flora and fauna.

Buffout: Buffout is a synthetic steroid and growth hormone combination that became a problem with Pre-War athletes, bodybuilders, and military personnel (the rumor that they were issued these chems in the field was officially disavowed.)  It is still popular with raiders and mercenaries or pit fighters.  Buffout users enjoy a +1 bonus to Strength and Agility-based actions, and +2 to Endurance-based actions.  Duration: 1D+1 rounds.  This chem is addictive!  Withdrawal Symptoms: -2 to Strength, Endurance, and Agility-based totals.

Jet: A cheap and highly-addictive stimulant with a presumably Western origin post-war.  Jet is delivered via inhaler and gives the user a sense of euphoria and slowed time.  Characters under the influence of Jet have a +1 bonus to Strength and Perception-based totals, gain a +1D to Agility for initiative, and their multiple-action penalty reduced by 1D.  Duration: 2 rounds.  This chem is addictive, with a Moderate difficulty to resist!  Withdrawal symptoms: -1 to Strength and Perception-based actions, and multiple-action penalty increased by -1D.

Med-X: this next-generation, synthetic descendant of morphine is a potent painkiller designed for victims of severe trauma.  Using Med-X grants a +2 bonus to Endurance to resist damage.  Duration: 1D+1 rounds.  This chem is addictive!  Withdrawal Symptoms: -1 to Agility and Intelligence-based totals.

Mentats: the choice of Pre-War STEM professionals, cramming college students, and busy parents with unruly children.  This synthetic methamphetamine freshens the breath and grants a +1 bonus to Intelligence, Perception, and Charisma-based totals.  Duration: 1D+1 rounds.  This chem is addictive!  Withdrawal Symptoms: -1 to Intelligence, Perception, and Charisma-based totals.

Psycho: Psycho’s origin is possibly as an experimental, Pre-War combat drug that continues to be popular with raiders and other fighters.  The drug dampens higher brain function and includes painkillers that result in the user developing a berserk feeling of fearlessness and invulnerability in combat.  Psycho users have been known to fight even after suffering massive damage, only to collapse dead afterward.  Users have a +1D bonus to Agility-based actions and +1D to Endurance to resist damage, but a -1D penalty to Intelligence-based actions.  Duration: 1D+1 rounds.  This chem is addictive!  Withdrawal Symptoms: -1 to Agility-based totals, -1D to Endurance to resist damage.

Rad-X: this modern, pharmaceutical miracle pill enhances the body’s natural mechanisms against radiation absorption.  +2D to Endurance resist radiation damage, which stacks well with physical radiation protection.  Duration: 1D rounds.

RadAway: this IV-induced drug helps the body flush out radioactive particles and free radicals, at the expense of potential kidney and liver failure later on in life, but who lives that long in the Wasteland anyway?  Characters using RadAway immediately heal 2D points of radiation damage.  This chem is addictive!  Withdrawal Symptoms: none.

Stimpak: this drug delivery system is a synthetic cocktail of painkillers, stimulants, anticoagulants, and other trauma drugs packaged in a one-use, pressurized hypodermic needle for fast delivery directly to the injured area.  Stimpaks restore 2D Body Points immediately upon use.

Super Stimpak: the rarer super stimpak was used by battlefield medics and civilian paramedics for victims of extreme physical trauma.  The more potent drug package, delivered via leather sleeve, immediately restores 4D Body Points to the user, but they suffer a -1 penalty to Strength and Agility-based actions for one (1) round due to the disorienting and numbing effect of the massive, chemical dose.

Food and Drink

Everyone has to eat and drink.  While cheap comestibles where so common in the Pre-War world that obesity became a widespread health problem, this is no longer the case, and famine in the Wasteland is a sadly frequent occurrence.  Fortunately, widespread production of cheap, preserved food and drinks in the late 21st century means such can still be scavenged from the ruins of population centers and consumed, at the cost of a little radiation poisoning.

Starvation

Characters must consume at least one food item such as a can of pork and beans (the other characters will hate you,) a nice brahmin steak (if you have the caps,) or dog food (if you don't) per day or risk starvation.  A character that has not eaten for three days suffers a -1 penalty to Strength-based totals from nutritional deficiency.  After one week, this becomes a penalty to both Strength and Charisma-based totals as the character further weakens and becomes “hangry.”  At two weeks, the character adds a -1 penalty to Perception-based totals from dizziness.  After three weeks, the character must also succeed at a Very Difficult Endurance roll every day without food or perish.

Dehydration

Characters must consume at least three (3) drink items per day to stay hydrated: water (dirty or pure,) a soft drink such as Nuka Cola, or an alcoholic beverage (beer also counts as a food item.  Neat!)  A day with less than this amount results in a -1 penalty to Endurance-based totals, while a day without any hydration adds a -1 to Perception-based totals in addition to Endurance.  Consuming less than the required amount of water pauses the dehydration process for one day, but does not mitigate the dehydration effects.  Two days without any hydration results in the penalty extending to Intelligence-based totals as well.  Three days extends the penalty to Agility-based totals, and the character must succeed at a Very Difficult Endurance roll on that day and every day thereafter without adequate hydration or perish.

Ghouls, Super Mutants, and Robots

Robots do not suffer from starvation or dehydration.  Super mutants must consume one extra food and drink item than humans per day to avoid starvation or dehydration.  While ghouls can suffer from starvation and dehydration, they do not die from it, becoming “feral” NPCs instead.

Food and Drink	Price
Alcohol, beer or wine	5
Alcohol, booze	10
Food, Pre-War	5-30
Meat-on-a-stick	3-24
Muttfruit	10
Muttfruit, "Meach"	15
Nuka Cola	3
Water, dirty	10
Water, purified	20

Alcohol: Consumption of alcoholic beverages, whether home-brewed moonshine, wastelander “craft” beer, or a fine bottle of Suavignon Blanc 2076 found in a cellar, continues to be a recreational tradition in Wasteland homes and dives where nobody cares to know your name. Consuming beer and wine grants a +1 bonus to Strength and Charisma-based actions but a -1 penalty to Perception and Agility-based actions.  Consuming "booze" (hard liquors) doubles these.   Duration: 1D rounds.  Alcoholic drinks are addictive!  Withdrawal Symptoms: none.

Food, Pre-War: Food corporations took advantage of the war effort and rationing fears to engage in mass-production of cheap, preserved foods in an already glutted (and gluttonous) market. As such, there are still warehouses worth of these foods scattered around in the Wasteland over 200 years later.  Advances in radioactive-preservation technology means that cans of Cram or boxes of Sugar Bombs have a half life of over a thousand years – still as fresh as when they came from your grocer’s counter, with only a mild change in flavor!  However, most of these foods (save for ones in sealed places like Vaults) have been bombarded with more radiation than its original preservation amount.  Characters consuming these irradiated foods suffer 1D radiation damage.  The sale price of Pre-War foods varies by individual brand type and condition, typically about 5D caps.

Meat-on-a-stick: Fortunately for “foodies,” the concept of street food is alive and well in the Wasteland.  However, adventurous eaters should not think too deeply about what kind of meat they are consuming, and just enjoy the savory flavor of skewers fresh off a makeshift grill made out of toxic waste drums (1D radiation damage.)  The sale price for meat-on-a-stick varies by quality and scarcity, typically 4D caps (the cheaper the meat, the more dubious its origin; caveat emptor.)

Muttfruit: The flora of the Wasteland has also changed, with hardier plants that survived the radioactive fallout producing mutated varieties of fruit, collectively known as “muttfruit.”  While muttfruit is still nutritious, and counts as both food an hydration, they contain radioactive particles absorbed through the air and groundwater (1D radiation damage.)

Muttfruit, “Meach”: This genetically-engineered, miracle fruit has started to appear throughout the ‘Lanta Wasteland, despite attempts by the Colonel and his Regulators to control its production.  It is a cross between Pre-War peach varieties and hardier strains of muttfruit, resulting in a juicy, highly-nutritious fruit that can be enjoyed fresh or preserved for later.   A meach counts as both food and hydration and does not cause radiation damage.

Nuka Cola: The venerable, Pre-War soft drink continues to be the taste of Wasteland generations.  Its highly-refreshing, fizzy, and only slightly radioactive flavor (1D radiation damage) is rumored to be addictive in very rare cases.  While the original flavor is the most common, other varieties are available in the Wasteland.  This drink is addictive!  Withdrawal Symptoms: none.

Water: The liquid of life is necessary for all.   In addition to pathogens, radiation is a constant danger with any water source found in the Wasteland, but what’s a little fallout when you’re thirsty enough?  Characters consuming “dirty” water suffer 1D radiation damage.  More rare and valuable is clean, potable water.  Typically, only Vaults or other communities with high-tech filtration systems have purified water available.  The rest of wastelanders must scavenge for preserved, Pre-War containers of clean water, or boil larger quantities of dirty water to purify it, losing approximately two thirds of it in the condensation process.  It is rumored that the people of the Capital Wasteland currently enjoy unlimited, purified water, but that sounds like purified fantasy.

 

Gear

Exploring and surviving in the Wasteland can be much easier with the right tools and gear.  This was true for our ancestors and it is still true today.  Most gear items are of Pre-War construction, and therefore scavenged and repaired or refurbished, but more successful communities have been able to manufacture quality goods at varied levels of technology.

Gear	Price
Backpack	40
Backpack, military	50
Bag	25
Bobby pins (box)	25
Canteen or water flask	10
Crowbar	65
Doctor's bag	300
Duffel bag, military	75
Explosives, Dynamite	500
Explosives, Plastic	1,250
First aid kit	300
Flare	35
Geiger counter	650
Junk	varies
Lockpick, electronic	500
Lockpicks	150
Lockpick set, expanded	400
Motion sensor	800
Pip-Boy computer	200
Radio, handheld	50
Rope	25
Shovel	15
Tool set	200
H&H Super tool set	1,000

Backpack: a typical sporting backpack distributes weight evenly and enhances portability.  This container adds three (3) slots to a character’s encumbrance.

Backpack, military: a military-issue backpack has many pockets designed for the various items of a soldier’s kit.  This container adds four (4) slots to a character’s encumbrance.

Bag: many bags, pouches and satchels are available in the Wasteland, from fashionable, Pre-War styles to hand-crafted versions made of brahmin or molerat leather.  This type of container adds two (2) slots to a character’s encumbrance total.

Bobby pins (box): Pre-War hair pins make for serviceable, improvised lockpicking tools.  However, they are prone to breaking and characters risk running out them or jamming a lock on a lockpick skill Critical Failure.

Canteen or water flask: a sporting or military canteen or a Vault Tec flask can hold 1/3 of the daily allotment of water for a human.

Crowbar: this sturdy, breaking-and-entering tool of choice grants a +1D bonus to Strength for forcing open doors and containers.  It can also be used as a metal club in a pinch (+1D damage.)

Doctor’s bag: this kit of (hopefully) sterilized medical tools and medicines for diagnosis, treatment and minor surgery grant a +1D bonus to doctor skill rolls.

Duffel bag, military: this large, canvas and ballistic fiber bag can be ridiculously cumbersome, but somehow enabled the Pre-War soldier, or modern, Brotherhood squire to carry much more than believed possible.  This container adds six (6) slots to character’s encumbrance.

Explosives: Demolitions devices can be set to explode by timer or detonator using the explosives skill (with potential early or delayed explosion on a Critical Failure!)  A dynamite bomb deals 8D+2 physical damage in a 0-2/5/10 radius range.  Plastic explosives produce a more powerful blast concentrated in a smaller area, dealing 13D physical damage with a 0-3/-/- radius range.

First aid kit: a small kit with bandages, scissors, thread, painkillers, and antibiotics that grants a +1D bonus to first aid skill rolls.

Flare: magnesium road or hardware flares can shed bright light in a 5-meter radius, reducing darkness penalties by 2D. Lasts for 30 minutes.

Geiger counter: this device can detect the presence of radiation, and its level, within two (2) meters.

Junk: various kinds of items that can be scavenged in the Wasteland – hardware, trinkets, home and office goods, toys, and other bric-a-brac that are too numerous to list here.  A typical, generic “junk” item can sell for 1Dx10 caps, or its value may contribute (as spare parts) towards repairing, modifying, or MacGyvering items.

Lockpick, electronic: a high-tech device for overriding electronic locks which cannot be opened with standard lockpicks.  It grants a +1D bonus to science skill rolls when used for opening these types of locks.

Lockpicks: a set of proper lockpicking tools grants a +1D bonus to lockpick skill rolls, but may still break on a Critical Failure while still leaving the lock clear to try again.

Lockpick set, expanded: this comprehensive set of tools for the professional burglar grant a +2D bonus to lockpick skill rolls and do not break on a Critical Failure.

Motion sensor: This small, electronic device uses a combination of electromagnetic and radar-based sensors to detect the presence of organic life forms or robots in a 20-meter radius before one can say “game over man!  Game over!”

Pip-Boy personal computer: the wrist-wearable, Vault Tec Pip-Boy was developed under contract by RobCo and used as a portable, convenient means of computing, identification, and tracking for Vault citizens.  While there are multiple versions, most Pip-Boy computers include the following features:

• Date, time, and calendar display with agenda and notes
• GPS system with digital maps (Warning: last update October 2077)
• Flashlight (3-meter illumination, reduces darkness penalties by 2D)
• Personalized, biometric ID and health monitor
• Radio receiver
• Holodisk reader
• Computer and device interface

Radio, handheld: a shot-range personal communication device typically used by guard or militant forces in the Wasteland when available.  Six (6) kilometer range.

Rope: 50 feet of natural, or synthetic fiber rope can help one access otherwise unreachable places in Wasteland ruins.  Don’t leave home without it!

Shovel: useful digging foxholes, trenches, or graves (including one’s own; convenient!)  As an improvised weapon, it deals +1D+1 damage with a melee weapons skill difficulty of Moderate.

Tool set: this metal box with most tools needed around the typical, Pre-War household, grants  a +1D to repair skill rolls.

H&H Super tool set: this complete set of professional-level tools that only dads and grandpas know the individual names of grants a +2D to repair skill rolls.