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Hi...

I don't know whether this thread has to be here or not but I think it's a question for GMs so I left it here.

So regarding Marines equipment and according to the Colonial Marines Rulebook, the hospital corpsman has 5 naproleve doses on character creation.

I thought that "consumable" equipment is refreshed after each mission. For example, there is an option for a marine to choose 4 grenades and I think that, in a mission, he/she throws 1 or 2 the character can recover the grenades lost on the interlude for the next mission.

But naproleve is a different question. Each naproleve dose relieves all the stress on a character. It may be (and it is in fact) too powerful.

How do you, GMs, play this? Do you refresh the doses? Do you limit them in some way? I think I would opt for this second option but I would like to know your opinions.

Hi,

I would refresh all doses (grenades and napro) starting each mission.

Stress is good for the corps.

Thanks for the answer.

I don't know... In a mission, 5 naproleve doses may turn the stress in a minor or irrelevant question. Simply, PCs wait to have 4-5 stress points (usually this happens after the first half of a scenario) and take them.

For now I would check with some limited doses (I don't know how many, maybe 1 or 2) and let's see how it's going.

Thanks for the answer.

I don't know... In a mission, 5 naproleve doses may turn the stress in a minor or irrelevant question. Simply, PCs wait to have 4-5 stress points (usually this happens after the first half of a scenario) and take them.

For now I would check with some limited doses (I don't know how many, maybe 1 or 2) and let's see how it's going.

Just in case you overlooked this; you are aware that multiple doses incures Agility penalties, right? P.137. In my campaigns, the players are MUCH more afraid of a Agility-1 than a handful of stress. They tend to hold on to their stress and take the Naproleve when their level nears two digits!

Hi Angelman...

Yes I know, that's the reason they try to wait until they have 4-5 points of stress. They face the last part of the scenario with 0 stress. For now, this strategy has worked and they end the mission with 2-3 stress... That's the reason I would like to limit the access to naproleve.

Lots of story potential here. Characters forming an addiction might be a concern. Then they gain a stress every shift they don't use and can only relieve stress with Naproleve (see detailed rules for alcoholism and/or drug use in the Permanent Mental Trauma table in the CRB p. 101) .

At some point the quartermaster is going to come by and start asking about all the Naproleve use in this unit compared to the other units in the battalion.

The doc is going to be hesitant to keep writing more prescriptions and might need some additional encouragement, perhaps even prompting a mission where the characters go without to establish a quid pro quo with the doc.

How will the characters get enough to get them through shore leave? Will they try something harder when the opportunity presents itself?

What if supply lines are disrupted? How will the characters cope with a temporary (or permanent) shortage).

Lots of possibilities. Mechanics are a tool and a starting point, not a straight jacket.