Health

Anthro personas have a few unique responses to being damaged. The persona may grimace, scream, fight, or run away. These are choices made by the player.

Anthros can be stunned if they take too much damage at once. They remain stunned until they spontaneously recover. These two responses are unique to anthro personas. Getting knocked out during combat is called Damage System Shock (DSS). Failing Damage System Shock renders the anthro unconscious. Recovering from this unconscious state is aptly called Recovery. The player must win a Recovery Roll (REC) to get her persona back on her feet. For more details about anthro HPS, DSS and REC, jump to Anthro HPS.

When an anthro reaches zero HPS, they fall into an unconscious coma and quickly die from their wounds.

Alien personas have a few unique responses to being damaged. The persona may growl, howl, fight, or run away. These are choices made by the player.

Aliens cannot be knocked unconscious during combat. An alien persona can keep persevering in combat until all her HPS are exhausted. There is no Damage System Shock or Recover Rolls for aliens.

There is an important caveat to this combat resistance. When an alien reaches zero HPS, they are deceased. There is no unconscious state for an alien persona. Aliens are not obligated to fight to the death, but they could if the player chose to.

Robot personas have a few unique responses to being damaged. The persona may beep, squeak, fight, or run away. These are choices made by the player.

Robots are not stunned by damage. Robots do not feel pain from damage. Robots keep grinding along. There are no DSS or REC rolls for robots. They take a licking and keep on kicking.

Robots have a unique response when they reach zero HPS. The robot does not die or go unconscious. A robot keeps functioning but falls apart a little bit. Eventually, a robot will fall apart and cease to function. To learm more about this convoluted and drawn-out process jump to mechanical decay.

Anthro bodies will spontaneously replenish their HPS under the right circumstances. For an anthro to spontaneously heal, she must have at least zero HPS and rest completely. Anthro personas with less than zero HPS are critically ill and dying. When an anthro’s HPS Total is negative, she cannot spontaneously heal.

An anthro must rest completely to heal damage and retain hit points. The persona must remain undisturbed in camp, a hotel room, or an infirmary. Rest means no combat, no exertion, no sentry work, no carousing, no alcohol, and no other funny business. If there is an interruption in this intentional rest, the persona will not heal that day.

The fruit of this lack of labour is +1 to her HPS Total every 24 hours. For example, a resting anthro will go from 8 HPS Total to 9 HPS after a good night’s sleep. Healing will not increase a persona’s HPS Total greater than her HPS Max. Once at HPS Max, the persona has been returned to full health. A veterinarian, or medical device, can speed up persona healing.

If the persona has negative hit points, she is dying and cannot recuperate without medical attention. A veterinarian, or medical device, will be needed, or the persona will be dead in minutes.

Rest cannot heal lost attribute scores. Rest cannot repair a decreased INT or PSTR attribute. Rest cannot reverse ageing. Combating ageing and attribute deterioration are complicated veterinarian maneuvers.

Alien bodies will spontaneously replenish their HPS daily. An alien will heal every sleep and does not need to rest intentionally.

So an alien persona wakes up every morning with +1 HPS. For example, an alien will go from 18 HPS Total to 19 HPS each calendar day. Healing will not increase a persona’s HPS Total greater than her HPS Max. Once at HPS Max, the persona has been returned to full health. A veterinarian, or medical device, can speed up persona healing.

If an alien chooses to rest intentionally, they will heal 2 HPS per day. Rest means no hunting, no carousing, no chasing, no combat and no other shenanigans. If there is an interruption in this intentional rest, the alien will only heal one HPS that day.

An alien with 0 HPS Total is a dead alien and does not heal.

Rest cannot heal lost attribute scores. Rest cannot repair a decreased INT or PSTR attribute. Rest cannot reverse ageing. Combating ageing and attribute deterioration are complicated veterinarian maneuvers.

Robots do not heal spontaneously. Robots cannot repair their damage without compromising their consciousness. So robots are destined to deteriorate, and as they deteriorate, they improve their consciousness.

Damage equals experience for a robot. The EXPS from HPS damage increases the robot’s EXPS Level, leading to a higher control factor and more free will. The more damage the robot takes, the more free-will the robot persona has. Eventually, accumulated damage will destroy the robot.

Robot repairs are dangerous because fixing a robot makes them more like a robot. Robots can be repaired but run the risk of having their free will repaired out of them. Most robots will avoid repairs (healing) as they prefer free will.

Robot attributes and HPS Max deteriorate in a byzantine and complicated fashion. Jump to process of mechanical decay to get the rundown on robots running down.

Anthros generate their starting age when being created. Most anthros start age is an adolescent or young adult. Attribute age adjustments do not apply during anthro creation. Each anthro type has its age categories. Each age category represents common changes to the persona’s attributes. Initially, the anthro gets smarter and stronger. With more time, the anthro gets wiser and weaker. Eventually, the anthro starts to fail in all attributes and dies.

Aliens generate their starting age when being evolved. This starting age will usually put them in the late adolescent or young adult age range. Attribute age adjustments do not apply during alien evolution. Each alien species type has its unique age categories and lifespan. The player generates the alien lifespan and alien age categories during the evolution of the persona.

Robots do not age. The nearest equivalent to ageing for a robot is the accumulation of malfunctions from damage. A robot that avoids damage will not deteriorate. Robots have an age from their fabrication date, but that age bears no relation to their state of disrepair. Some referee personas have deterioration built-in for story purposes. Deterioration does not apply to robot player personas.

The youngest age category is that of a child. Children are dependent on their elders and have undeveloped physical and mental faculties. Personas will rarely start as children. However, some referee personas may start as children.

Any persona that descends into the child age category would face the following attribute adjustments. AWE -1, CHA +4, CON -3, DEX +2, INT -2, MSTR -4, PSTR -3, and HPS Max -20%. In general, children are cuter and weaker than their elder brethren. If these adjustments were to reduce a persona’s attribute to zero or less, the transition would kill them.

An adolescent is suffering through the age of transformation. This transformation represents reproductive awareness, independence and identity. Most organic personas start in the adolescent age range. Attribute age category adjustments do not apply to personas during creation. The attribute adjustments do apply to referee personas during creation. Attribute age category adjustments do apply to personas that age into adolescence. The persona may be allowed to pursue a new vocation with these attribute changes.

A person ascending into adolescence would suffer/enjoy the following attribute adjustments: AWE +1, CHA -5, CON +2, DEX -3, INT -1, MSTR -2, PSTR +2, and HPS +20%. In general, adolescents are stronger, healthier and more irritating than their younger brethren.

When descending into adolescence from adulthood, only the negative adjustments apply. Reverse ageing only occurs if the persona suffers a chronologic abnormality that takes place during the game. If these attribute changes reduce an attribute to zero, the persona is dead.

An adult has reached maturity in all aspects of her biology. An adult can fully function as an individual in their respective society. Adulthood represents a prolonged period of no physiologic change until things start to fall apart.

A persona ascending to adulthood would enjoy improved wisdom and intelligence. Attribute changes are: AWE +0, CHA +1, CON +1, DEX +1, INT +1, MSTR +2, PSTR +1, and HPS +0%. In general, adults are stronger, wiser and smarter than their younger brethren. The persona may be allowed to pursue a new vocation with these attribute changes.

When descending into adulthood from being an elder, only the negative adjustments apply. Reverse ageing only occurs if the persona suffers a chronologic abnormality that takes place during the game. If these attribute changes reduce an attribute to zero, the persona is dead.

An elder persona has passed peak performance, and her attributes are beginning to wane. An elder persona can fully function as an individual in their respective society. She may or may not have earned an element of respect in her culture or society. Elderhood represents the beginning of biologically programmed physiologic descent.

A persona ascending to an elder starts to weaken but gains a bit of wisdom and smarts. Attribute changes are: AWE -1, CHA +0, CON -2, DEX -2, INT +2, MSTR +2, PSTR -2, and HPS -10%. In general, elders are slightly weaker and slightly wiser than their younger brethren. Passing into elderhood does not allow a persona to pursue a new vocation.

When descending into the elder age category from the aged category, only the negative adjustments apply. Reverse ageing only occurs if the persona suffers a chronologic abnormality that takes place during the game. If these attribute changes reduce an attribute to zero, the persona is dead.

The aged age category represents biological deterioration. Things are starting to suck. It is hard to imagine an aged persona in combat or traipsing around with an expedition.

A persona ascending to the aged category weakens in most attributes. Attribute changes are: AWE -2, CHA +0, CON -3, DEX -4, INT +1, MSTR +1, PSTR -4, and HPS -20%. In general, aged personas are much weaker and slightly wiser than their younger brethren. Passing into the aged category does not allow a persona to pursue a new vocation.

When descending into the aged category from the past expiry category, only the negative adjustments apply. Reverse ageing only occurs if the persona suffers a chronologic abnormality that takes place during the game. If these attribute changes reduce an attribute to zero, the persona is dead. Life was long and good.

The persona whose age has reached the past expiry point is quickly becoming a burden. Any persona that has lived past the upper limit of the aged category is considered past expiry. Surviving past the upper limit of the aged category is defying the genetic imperative.

A persona ascending into the past expiry age category suffers an attribute penalty on every attribute. This penalty is -1 on every attribute score and -20% on her HPS Max. This whole-body deterioration occurs every six months of the persona’s rapidly ending life. If these attribute changes reduce an attribute to zero, the persona is dead. Finally.

Several quirks come up with the attribute age adjustments.

Anthros can die from losing HPS in trauma or losing attributes.

A negative hit point total indicates more damage than her body can heal. When an anthro reaches a negative HPS Total, she isn’t dead yet, but she is unconscious and dying. A dying anthro loses 1 HPS per game minute (30 units) until she is dead. An anthro is dead once her HPS total reaches negative one-half her HPS maximum.

An anthro whose HPS Max is 54 would be irrevocably and permanently dead at -27 HPS Total. An anthro with negative HPS can only lie about and bleed. For example, a Garbling Snarfshankeran bites an anthro with 54 HPS Max. The anthro is now lying unconscious with an HPS Total of -12. She will lose 1 HPS per minute until 15 minutes passes and she is dead at -27 HPS.

Only skilled intervention by a healer can save the anthro’s life. Appropriate medical attention can stabilize her downward slide to oblivion. Veterinarians are best at performing this stabilization, having specific maneuvers to do so. A successfully stabilized persona will cease to lose HPS at the lethal rate of 1 per minute. If a stabilization maneuver fails, the vet can immediately try again, but the anthro loses 1 HPS. The anthro cannot start natural biologic healing until her HPS total is at least zero.

Anthros can also die from attribute loss. Attribute loss is usually due to ageing. Some horrible attacks reduce attributes directly. If any attribute score reaches zero, the persona is dead. For example, if an anthro with an awareness score of 1 were to lose an AWE point, she would be irrevocably dead. A zeroed attribute represents the complete loss of an essential faculty. A persona with an AWE of 0 has suffered a fatal collapse of her sensory processing system.

Alien death is not as dramatic as anthro death. Once an alien’s HPS total reaches zero, it is dead. There is no unconscious or salvageable dying state, just a final thud to the ground.

Aliens can also die from attribute loss. All attributes, including charisma, are essential alien attributes. If any attribute score reaches zero, the alien is dead. For example, if an alien with an awareness score of 1 were to lose an AWE point, she would be irrevocably dead. A zeroed attribute represents the complete loss of an essential faculty. An alien with an AWE of 0 has suffered a fatal collapse of her sensory processing system.

Robotic death is somewhat complicated. Robots rarely die from a loss of hit points. Dropping a robot’s HPS to less than zero has a completely unique effect on robots. When a robot loses all their hit points, they simply deteriorate a bit. The deterioration leads to a drop in random attributes. Because of this, robots almost always die from attribute loss.

If any attribute score reaches zero, the robot is dead. For example, if a robot with an awareness score of 1 were to lose an AWE point, she would be scrap. A zeroed attribute represents the complete loss of an essential system. A robot with an AWE of 0 has suffered a fatal collapse of her sensory processing system.

Attribute loss for robots is due to damage. Robots actively avoid repair.

Robots do not have an MSTR attribute to lose. This attribute starts at zero and does not represent robotic death. If a robot somehow gains mental strength, reducing it to zero would be fatal.