Environment
This section covers some of the environmental conditions most commonly found in Striker. Conditions of the environment are usually referred to as field conditions and they are given ratings, which are expressed as a property of the environment and having the form:
3(field,heat)
This represents high heat. Compare this with standard human heat adaption, which is denoted:
0(field,heat)
The number “3” in the field condition is used later in the rules to determine the consequences of being exposed to this heat.
Biochemistry
What you can drink eat and breathe is determined by your biochemistry. Creatures with the same biochemistry can generally eat and drink each other’s food and water, and they may be able to breathe each other’s air.
However with different biochemistry comes many important considerations, including what you consider to be water.
Food
Biological and most cyborg creatures require food and water, while construct creatures require power.
Construct creatures simply run out of power and cannot function. They must either recharge using whatever capabilities they have, or plug into power.
Biological creatures, don’t simply run out, but can burn through various resources and become physically and mentally tired. A biological creature can go without food for a number of days equal to 3 + Health (minimum 1). At the end of each day beyond that limit, a character automatically suffers 1ep and 1fp.
A normal day of eating resets the count of days without food to zero.
Water
A biological creature needs 1 litre of water (or what substance plays the role of water for them) a day if they are small, 2 litres a day if they are medium and 3 litres a day if they are large. They will require twice this if it is hot, meaning +0.5(field,heat), or if they are spending a reasonable portion of the day exerting themselves, such as if they are travelling at a fast pace.
A biological creature who drinks only half that much water must succeed on a 15(sv,Health) or lose 1(ep) at the end of the day. A creature with access to even less water automatically suffers 1ep at the end of the day.
Creatures who are drought adapted require only a quarter of the above listed water intake.
Pressure
When a creature is under conditions of high or low atmospheric or water pressure, it can interfere with their bodily functions. A creature can usually withstand down to half or up to twice their normal pressure without ill effect.
The pressure of Earth’s atmosphere at sea level is referred to as 0.5(field,press), any creature adapted to this (such as humans) will suffer ill effects if they leave these conditions.
However, the pressure can vary a bit (down to half or up to twice) without any ill-effect, meaning that 0.25(field,press) and 1(field,press) would be sufferable.
Beyond these limits, the creature will immediately suffer 1d4(hp,psn) and become sickened.
Example Pressures
| x(field,press) | Examples on Earth |
|---|---|
| 0 | Space |
| 0.1 | 10000 metres above sea level |
| 0.25 | 5000 metres above sea level |
| 0.5 | Standard pressure at sea level |
| 1 | 100m under water |
| 2 | 200m under water |
| 5 | 500m under water |
Some creatures are adapted to pressure regimes other than 0.5(field,press). Aquatic cephenes, for example, are 3(field,press). This means that for them, 0.5(field,press) is a dangerous environment (2.5(field,press) for them), and if they are exposed to that they will take 1d4(hp,psn) and become sickened. This is why aquatic cephenes walk around in pressurised suits (called hydrosuits) in space vehicles (and also why they particularly don’t like being shot).
Note that hydrosuits and other aegis suits do not change your adaption. They instead offer resistance to certain types of damage. The aquatic cephene’s hydrosuit offers (amongst other things) 2(rst,heat) and 3(rst,press). As the 3(rst,press) is greater than the exposure of 2.5(field,press), the suit completely protects the aquatic cephenes from that rarified human air.
Vacuum
Vacuum is a complete absence of any atmosphere, which is the typical environment of space. This is a 0(field,press) environment. Contrary to the impression you might get from various science-fiction movies, you do not explode, nor do you instantly freeze solid when exposed to the vacuum of space.
In fact, the first thing that will kill you is suffocation (long before you feel any effects of decompression). You can attempt to hold your breath, but its harder to do this in space than in water because you feel the pressure in your lungs more when there is no compensating air pressure from the outside. A creature can hold its breath for a number of seconds equal to:
hold breath in vacuum = 20 + 5•Health
When a creature runs out of breath it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Health (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 health points and is dying, and it can’t regain health points or be stabilised until it can breathe again.
If the (now dead) character remains in the vacuum of space for an hour, they will begin to freeze over several hours.
Non-Breathable Water or Atmosphere
A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to:
hold breath = 60 + 5•Health
When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Health (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 health points and is dying, and it can’t regain health points or be stabilised until it can breathe again.
Noxious Atmosphere
While the rules for holding your breath are the same in a non-breathable atmosphere, you may acquire cold, corrosive, heat, or poison damage. Atmospheres are generally rated like other environments in terms of the damage types that you would get from exposure.
The surface of the planet Mars would have the following field ratings: 2(field,cold), 1(field,rad) and 0(field,press). However, the surface of the planet Venus would be 8(field,heat), 2(field,corr) and 10(field,press). So, assuming that you could breathe, you would survive for a while on Mars, but on Venus, you would be dead in seconds as you suffer huge amounts of damage from the various ways that this atmosphere is hostile toward you.