At the moment all you can do is shoot heroin, should allow the ability to smoke/insufflation if we’re going for realism.
Haha, and there are roaming gangs of DEA agents who are looking to bust survivors in possession of illicit substances too!
There are a lot of other things that could be done for better drug realism. I think that pink tablets can have a chance for a bad trip–with a massive penalty to morale and possibly one to dexterity–where the odds of a bad trip increase the more violence that one encounters. Cough syrup could cause hallucinations if enough is ingested. Opiates all should have minor to major cough reducing qualities.
This man speaks the truth, someone needs to hop on enhancing all the drugs.
If the drugs were realistic, there would be no reason to take any of them except for painkilling properties (and a few random medicinal ones maybe), in reality none of them have any stat-enhancing effects.
The amphetamines would absolutely be useful in certain circumstances. I could see a large boost to either the active stamina pool or stamina regeneration while they’re active, and a massive hit after they wear off. Hallucinogens would probably be near useless, as I imagine the stress of the situation would make for a bad trip.
We also don’t have stats in real life. Alcohol is a substance that can make someone seem stronger by reducing inhibitions and physical limitations that we put on ourselves to that we don’t injure ourselves on a daily basis. Stimulants don’t actually make people smarter, but they help people to focus more on the task at hand, and therefore they can devote more of their energy and thought process to a specific task. I’ve heard–and there may be research to support this–that hallucinogens can be used for therapeutic properties. This is the only class of drugs that would be an absolute nightmare to indulge in while in the middle of the apocalypse–to my reasoning. That said, to have a trip while in nature or a calm, safe environment could be very rewarding. Someone who is spiritual would greatly benefit from such a trip, and a psychopath may have no problems slaughtering hordes of monsters while fractals dance in their vision.
All that said, I can see great practical use of hallucinogens as a poisoning substance–both for humans and animals–in the apocalypse. Fear effects–like how pain is a condition–could be an game enriching thing to implement. A new negative trait that could come as a result would be Uneasy or Paranoid where substances that have psychoactive/psychotropic properties actually apply a penalty.
But I know that you’re working on a bajillion other things. Food for thought.
I’ve always thought stimulants should negate thirsty/hungry/tired/depressant debuffs rather than apply buffs of their own. With the new stamina system in place the very strong stims could also maybe increase the stamina pool but add a huge hangover-style debuff (aching muscles) once they wear off, if you ever use up more than your unmodified stamina pool.
Meth could save your life if you’re half-starved, been awake 40 hours and still being pursued by the zombie horde into unknown territory. But it’s not gonna magically make you a better electrician.