How would you model Clarissa Mao's implant in The Expanse?

fdsa1234567890 · 09-08-2021, 01:04 PM

In the Expanse, Clarissa Mao has some sort of adrenal amp that gives her limited extreme strength and agility at the cost of crashing as soon as it wears off within only a few seconds. It is also not particularly good for her health.

I could find a few drugs in Bio-Tech that do similar things, but not to the same degree. How might this be modeled?

Taneli · 09-08-2021, 01:39 PM

Increased attributes and ATR 1 with a large fatigue cost and a tiny chance of getting a heart attack might be a start.

Refplace · 09-08-2021, 02:51 PM

Also consider Aftermath or Cardiac Stress limitations from GURPS BioTech or GURPS Power-Ups limitations.

Varyon · 09-08-2021, 02:57 PM

As an Advantage, you're probably looking at something like increased Basic Speed (or even outright ETS), markedly increased ST (optionally with Unsupported - while it never happens, at least not in the show, she's at risk of serious injury), and a nasty Aftermath. That last bit is probably a combination of Unconsciousness (it outright knocks her out, although making it Resistible may be an option) and, as Taneli and Refplace note, Cardiac Stress (which IIRC costs FP, requires an HT roll to not cost even more FP, and causes a Heart Attack on a Critical Failure).

The longterm health effects probably don't really need to be statted out; at most, maybe something like a Quirk-level Reduced Lifespan.

As gear or a drug, you could still have the same above effects, just no need to pay points for it. I believe there's a Pyramid article on drug design that you could use as guidance for monetary cost, however.

09-08-2021, 01:04 PM	#1
fdsa1234567890 Join Date: May 2011	How would you model Clarissa Mao's implant in The Expanse? In the Expanse, Clarissa Mao has some sort of adrenal amp that gives her limited extreme strength and agility at the cost of crashing as soon as it wears off within only a few seconds. It is also not particularly good for her health. I could find a few drugs in Bio-Tech that do similar things, but not to the same degree. How might this be modeled?

09-08-2021, 01:39 PM	#2
Taneli Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Helsinki, Finland	Re: How would you model Clarissa Mao's implant in The Expanse? Increased attributes and ATR 1 with a large fatigue cost and a tiny chance of getting a heart attack might be a start. __________________ [/delurk] AotA is of course IMHO, YMMV. vincit qui se vincit

09-08-2021, 02:51 PM	#3
Refplace Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Yukon, OK	Re: How would you model Clarissa Mao's implant in The Expanse? Also consider Aftermath or Cardiac Stress limitations from GURPS BioTech or GURPS Power-Ups limitations. __________________ My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries

09-08-2021, 02:57 PM	#4
Varyon Join Date: Jun 2013	Re: How would you model Clarissa Mao's implant in The Expanse? As an Advantage, you're probably looking at something like increased Basic Speed (or even outright ETS), markedly increased ST (optionally with Unsupported - while it never happens, at least not in the show, she's at risk of serious injury), and a nasty Aftermath. That last bit is probably a combination of Unconsciousness (it outright knocks her out, although making it Resistible may be an option) and, as Taneli and Refplace note, Cardiac Stress (which IIRC costs FP, requires an HT roll to not cost even more FP, and causes a Heart Attack on a Critical Failure). The longterm health effects probably don't really need to be statted out; at most, maybe something like a Quirk-level Reduced Lifespan. As gear or a drug, you could still have the same above effects, just no need to pay points for it. I believe there's a Pyramid article on drug design that you could use as guidance for monetary cost, however. __________________ GURPS Overhaul Last edited by Varyon; 09-08-2021 at 03:01 PM.