[Space] "Mildly" Toxic

[David Johnston2]

Is Mildly Toxic Suffocating Toxic or not for the purposes of Habitability?

[Mgellis]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Is Mildly Toxic Suffocating Toxic or not for the purposes of Habitability?

Not automatically, or at least, I don't think so. In GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars, "Mildly toxic" is used for tainted atmospheres...they're breathable in the short run, but you have to make a HT roll at certain intervals to avoid losing HP--mostly once per hour but in the case of pollutants or organic toxins (pollen, etc.) it's only once per day.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Mgellis

Not automatically, or at least, I don't think so. In GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars, "Mildly toxic" is used for tainted atmospheres...they're breathable in the short run, but you have to make a HT roll at certain intervals to avoid losing HP--mostly once per hour but in the case of pollutants or organic toxins (pollen, etc.) it's only once per day.

And if you'll die of asphyxiation in a few minutes, it doesn't much matter that it's also a chronic irritant. It will require a little bit of extra care in keeping the toxins out of habitats, most likely.

Edit: Never mind, I misunderstood the question.

[Bruno]

The air in Mexico City on bad days probably qualifies as "mildly toxic". It kills people, that's for sure. The worst of the London Smogs were definitely "mildly toxic" if not worse - coal burning is ick.

To be suffocating, it would have to be entirely lacking in oxygen, or have compounds in it that prevent oxygen absorption (carbon monoxide frex).