Drink reduces both Grey Matter and Vim & Vigour. The GM must decide the effects of a particular combination of drinks on the Drone in question in terms of what modification will be made to both these statistics - the target number to suffer no worse than this is usually three times that modifier.
The Drone in question then adds the roll of a D10 to his current Vim & Vigour to determine his degree of inebriation. Achieving the target number merely limits the Drone's drunkenness to the level determined by the GM. This level is reduced by one for every three points over the target number and increased it by one for every three points under the target with the additional factor of the characters Alcohol Tolerance which is added to the resultant number to determine how to modify the Drone's Old Grey Matter and Vim & Vigour.
An average Drone with an alcohol tolerance of 0 can usually consume a couple of preprandial drinks, four glasses of wine during dinner, and a couple of glasses of port or brandy after a meal without getting to more than -2 (Tipsy).
Note that someone may fall below a Grey Matter rating of -10 and still be conscious (just not too bright); it is fitness that determines mobility.
| 0 | Cold sober |
| -1 | Happy |
| -2 | Tipsy |
| -4 | Drunk |
| -6 | Very drunk |
| -9 | Paralytic |
If Roll + Vim & Vigour + Alcohol Tolerance is: -
| Target +9 | Three points less boozed |
| Target+6 | Two points less |
| Target+3 | One point less |
| Target | As determined by the GM |
| Target-3 | One point more |
| Target-6 | Two points more |
| Target-9 | Three points more |
Drink wears off at the rate of one point per hour, after-effects then take effect and last for the same length of time.
Buffy Pearson likes a drink, and at Freddie's birthday party he drinks enough to get Very Drunk (-6). Buffy's target number is 18. A tricky one as his Vim & Vigour is a mere 0. Heroically he rolls a 10, but still fails by 8 gin soaked points.
Failing by 8 points would give Buffy an extra two degrees of drunkenness; fortunately the Old Bean has a strong head for drink (Alcohol Tolerance +2) which cancels out the failed roll to leave him on -6.
Thus his Old Grey Matter rating drops from 0 to -6 as does his Vim & Vigour.
He becomes loudly and obnoxiously drunk, declaring his love for the club, the gin and finally for a passing lamppost. After extracting numerous loans from the unfortunate Buffy, his chums manhandle him into a cab and send him home.
Buffy awakens 8 hours later in his own bed, Cold Sober but with a hangover that looks like lasting the rest of the morning.
Simpson, his decidedly superior gentleman's gentleman, mixes him a pick-me-up which enables him to rise for a light breakfast and a slow stroll around the park.
Gussie Arbuthnot is also at Freddie's party and is pressed into drinking half a bottle of champagne a little faster than usual. He's swilled down enough to make someone a little happy. (Modifier -1 and thus a target number of 3)
Gussie rolls a 7 and adds his Vim & Vigour of 0. He has made the roll by four - any normal person would be Cold Sober. Alas Gussie can't hold his drink; his Alcohol Tolerance of -2 renders him Tipsy. His Grey Matter is partially pickled (3-2=1) and he's a little unsteady on his feet (0-2= -2).
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Copyright Ian Crowther, Sheila Thomas, Victoria Uren 1995-1996