[skalchemist]

Alcohol and Psyche are listed in the PDF of the rules is listed as availability "n/a".  I think that abbreviates either "not available" or "not applicable", but I have no idea what either of those would mean in this context.   

Interestingly, in the errata document the "n/a" is not there, availability is just blank.  For alcohol, I think this might mean essentially availability 0(L).  But that seems weird for Psyche, I mean, maybe you can just buy Psyche over the counter at the gas station?

[Michael Chandra]

Psyche can be considered a study-drug, it has no significant side-effects and doesn't give you any kind of dangerous boosts. So I'd go with - as available, aka 0. (Not 0(L), since you don't need a license to consume alcohol.)

[skalchemist]

Psyche can be considered a study-drug, it has no significant side-effects and doesn't give you any kind of dangerous boosts. So I'd go with - as available, aka 0. (Not 0(L), since you don't need a license to consume alcohol.)

Thanks!  Psyche seems like a virtual no-brainer for mages, at 200 nuyen a dose for 9 hours.  And sorry, I was momentarily confused that L meant "Legal" and not "License" in the Availability ratings.

Follow-up, do you roll a Toxin Resistance test to see if drugs work?  I had thought no, but I see on page 124 it says "Drugs have the same characteristics as toxins" so now I am not sure.  I'm guessing the answer might actually be yes, which mitigates their value for super-duper street samurai with high Body and Will scores conceivably. 

[Michael Chandra]

I personally object to that due to it being rather unfair, and high-Body chars are already punished duration-wise. As for their Power, I'd apply that to the Antidote spell alone, not the initial use.

[skalchemist]

I personally object to that due to it being rather unfair, and high-Body chars are already punished duration-wise. As for their Power, I'd apply that to the Antidote spell alone, not the initial use.

Michael, when you say "personally object" do you mean "that is not the rule, drugs are not resisted with Toxin Resistance when taken voluntarily" or do you mean "drug effects are always resisted by Toxin Resistance and I don't like that and would house rule it"?

[Michael Chandra]

Given the lack of explicit statement and history from previous editions, I assume the intent is for there to be no resist, though I can understand interpretations otherwise even if I disagree with the impact such an interpretation would have.

[skalchemist]

Given the lack of explicit statement and history from previous editions, I assume the intent is for there to be no resist, though I can understand interpretations otherwise even if I disagree with the impact such an interpretation would have.

Thanks Michael!  I guess this seems like something worth bringing up to the errata/clarifications team, but I leave that to you and whoever else might be reading this.