A rigorous critic of RPGs would round out the week with a post on his copy of Danger International, to highlight the contrast between it and Espionage!, and to give a glimpse at where the Hero System would be heading in the future. But not me! Because I just remembered I’ve never posted about Bad Medicine for Doctor Drugs (1983), a Superworld scenario that has one of the all-time best titles in RPGs. Despite being published by Chaosium, it is dual-statted for Champions, more evidence of collaboration in the West Coast scene.
It’s an extremely interesting scenario focusing on teen heroes. It provides guidance for making them (they’re weaker and have more disadvantages, but also more energy) and running them (players are bound by a code of conduct that keeps the characters in a kid frame), then gives a whole bunch of pre-gens for players to pick from. They’re all well-developed and interconnected and go to the high school that Doctor Drugs has been plying his trade at.
The scenario kicks off with the teens investigating the drug-related death of a fellow student and uncovering the rather elaborate narcotics trade at their high school. The presentation of the school is pretty great, with factions to navigate and a general challenge of how to surveil the school without revealing their powers. All roads lead to the Doctor, whose real scheme is pushing drugs that unlock people’s super powers. He’s…an interesting character: pretty likable, even agreeable, wrestling over what to do with a potentially world-changing dilemma while working a shitty criminal day job. And, worth noting, a lot of the teens aren’t likable, specifically Brain, an obnoxious genius and the Doctor’s opposite number: he gave the teens their powers, though through science rather than dangerous drugs. In fact, the bulk of the book is dedicated to character profiles, which really drive the action within the brief framework of events. It’s really good!
Cover and interiors are all by Butch Guice, too. I don’t love the cover, honestly, but all the interior work is sharp. The choice to make Doctor Drugs a skinny hippie dude was inspired.
