Alcohol

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, and in water there is bacteria.” -- Benjamin Franklin, founding fatherAlcohol is a depressant drug and active ingredient (ethanol) in alcoholic drinks such as beer, wine, and in TL5, distilled spirits.High-Tech, p.15 It is one of the oldest and most commonly used recreational drugs, causing intoxication.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_(drug) In GURPS, as it is in many tabletop games, alcohol is an easy way to bring people together (the locals at the tavern might appreciate a free drink) or to cause problems (bar fights).
For magic and practical purposes, alcohol counts as a poison. Drink responsibly!
== Drinking and Intoxication ==
"It comes in pints?" -- halfling discovering human-sized portionsAn adult (human) character can typically have about ST/4 drinksA drink being a standardized measure of an alcoholic beverage, such as a full mug or can of beer (12 oz), a glass of wine (4-5 oz), or a shot of spirits (1.5 oz). an hour before becoming seriously intoxicated.This is a GURPS mechanic, not medical advice! If the character exceeds this, roll against the higher or HT or Carousing.
* -1 per drink over ST/4 that hour
* -2 on an empty stomach, +1 if they've recently eaten
* +2 for Alcohol Tolerance perk, -2 for Alcohol Intolerance quirk
Failure on the roll shifts the character one level along the intoxication spectrum.
=== Intoxication Spectrum ===
* Sober
* Tipsy
* Drunk
* Unconscious (stupor)
* Coma
==== Pink Elephants ====
If a character is drunk, make a HT+4 roll. On a failure, they are also hallucinating.
==== The Heaves ====
If you're drunk and still drinking, your body will try to purge itself of the alcohol (it is a toxin, after all!). When a HT failure would knock you unconscious or into a coma, make a second, unmodified HT roll. On a success, you throw up instead of passing out (treat as retching). On a critical failure, you might pass out and throw up, which can be very dangerous.
=== Sobering Up ===
To sober up, you must first stop drinking (obviously). After (total drinks/2) hours, roll vs HT. Various remedies may give a bonus. On a success, you move one step on the spectrum back towards sober. Continue to roll each time this many hours pass. If in a Coma--you'll need medical help!
==== Magic Sobriety ====
Relieve Sickness can temporarily provide respite from drunkenness, but to really sober up, one needs to use Neutralize Poison--alcohol still counts as a toxin!
==== Magic Insobriety ====
While the effects are much shorter-lived, the Drunkenness spell can replicate the effects of drunkenness without the toxicity nor hangover. This spell may see a lot of competition from mages simply creating alcohol (using Water to Wine and Distill), while it
=== Hangovers ===
If you are tipsy or worse, you must roll vs HT when you stop drinking, -2 if Drunk or -4 if Unconscious. On a failure, you suffer a hangover. This kicks in about 1d hours after drinking--or upon awakening, if you pass out or fall asleep before this time--and the effect lasts an amount of hours equal to your margin of failure. 
During this time, you'll suffer from moderate pain (about -2 in penalties) and temporarily have Low Pain Threshold (or lose High Pain Threshold, for that time). Preventative measures (like drinking plenty of water) can provide a bonus to HT for this roll.Basic Set, p.440
== Household Uses ==
High-purity alcohol works as a relatively low-tech disinfectant, and can be used as a painkiller in a pinch. These two traits make it particularly useful for cinematic action characters who may need to numb themselves and clean a wound. In modern settings, it (in raw form) may be as cheap as $1.30 a gallon. A gallon weighs about 6.8 lbs, and is Legality Class 4.High-Tech, p.16 As an actual beverage, it can vary immensely by price.High-Tech, p.34
== As A Flammable Substance ==
"The proof is in the Proof. One-half ether is what it takes to light. At room temperature, anyway." -- some sort of Alco-WizardAlcohol (in relatively pure form, above about 50% per volume) will light readily, from 1 point of burning damage.Basic Set, p.433 In High-Tech, this is specified as 80% purity.High-Tech, p.16 This is makes "flaming drinks" possible (for instance, vodka cocktails).
=== As A Fuel ===
Alcohol may also see life as a fuel for some modern and ultratech vehicles who use multifuel engines--it's less efficient than petrol, but can be made without digging into the earth.Vehicles, p.90
== As an Alchemical Ingredient ==
In some settings, alcohol and alchemy may be closely linked--perhaps the former allowing the latter to function. Just be careful with how often you drink your potions...
== Effects on Tactics ==
* The effects of alcohol can actually reduce bloodflow to the eyes, making it harder to see in the dark (-1 from normal darkness penalties).Tactical Shooting, p.18 
* For cinematic drunken fighters, try the Drunken Fighting perk. 
== References ==
* Basic Set, p.439-440
category:rules