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In combat, one can use a Needler, Needler Rifle or Injection Glove to apply

a drug, an injury poison, or a medicinal compound

to an enemy via the Injection special property.

For the Drugs and poisons, a Save DC is listed on p. 419. The prices and descriptions of the Drugs and poisons, as well as medicinals, are listed on p. 232. However, no Saving throw or DC is ever mentioned for Medicinals.

Are medicinals supposed to be applicable without a Saving Throw, or is this an oversight?

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1 Answer 1

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They do not allow a save

Only three examples of medicinals were given so far, Analgesic, Antitoxin and Sedative. Analgesic has a negative effect (you become flat-footed) along with its benefit (bonus on saves against pain). Antitoxin has no negative effect, only a positive one (bonus on saves against poisons). Sedatives cause non-lethal damage when injected, along with a bonus against emotion and fear effects.

With that said, only the Analgesic really sounds like it could use a saving throw. But keep in mind that not all negative effects will allow saving throws, like certain abilities that must hit a target.

Sedatives are only strong on higher tiers, and they cost a fortune for single-use damaging items. If your purpose was to kill/incapacitate your target, there are far better choices. The item's description is pretty clear that they are used when you want to bring the target alive. If you have to pay 150 credits for 1d4 nonlethal damage, you are much better buying a Flare Gun for 1d3F for 90 credits and a couple of flares for 5 credits each.

Finally, at tier 4, they cost 23,500 credits and cause 4d4 nonlethal, and that's insanely overpriced. You could buy an Aurora Arc Rifle for nearly the same cost that causes 2d12 stun damage and can fire 40 times before you have to reload it with a new battery (330 credits).

Just remember that medicinals, unlike drugs, do not cause addiction.

I expect, in the future, if more medicinals are released, that some of them could have a saving throw. But since their description is that they are (mostly) beneficial drugs that do not cause addiction, it sounds like that not allowing a saving throw is supposed to be their difference.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Overall good answer, but your examples miss the fact that the medicinal adds to the applicator damage, so your comparisons aren't as good as they could be. That flare gun with 1d3 is competing against a needler doing, effectively, 2d4. \$\endgroup\$
    – YogoZuno
    Commented Sep 13, 2017 at 22:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ The needler increases the cost even more, on another 100 credits. Each needle costs at least 150 credits for 2d4 damage. While the flare was a weak example on damage, it was an example on the cost. A full clip of needles plus the needler would cost 1000 credits. \$\endgroup\$
    – ShadowKras
    Commented Sep 13, 2017 at 22:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ OK, try looking at it another way - an InjectionGlove is roughly on par with comparable melee weapons by itself, but allows the addition of medicinals for extra capabilty, at extra cost. Also, if you are willing to wear the extra cost, how does the combined value compare to comparably costed, but higher level, options? \$\endgroup\$
    – YogoZuno
    Commented Sep 14, 2017 at 0:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ You are correct, at first tier you are trading credits for extra damage. But for the higher levels it will become weaker and weaker, as shown by the tier 4 vs the Aurora Arc Rifle. For first tier, the Static Arc Pistol is a more sustainable weapon, 750 credits, 20 charges and 1d6E damage (also with a stun setting). A Tactical Crossbolter is the next option damage-wise and will do 1d10P damage for 475 credits, and 50 credits for a pack of 50 arrows, but only fires once before reloading. \$\endgroup\$
    – ShadowKras
    Commented Sep 14, 2017 at 3:00

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