Chronic Acne

August 3, 2022
Limitless Heroics Cover: As our heroes fight the hydra, we see just some of the variety of symptoms represented in this book. The paladin has a prosthetic arm to assist with their amputation. The barbarian rages from their wheelchair, providing mobility for their paralyzed legs. The ranger, whose body is more accustomed to an aquatic environment just as someone in the real world may be more comfortable in a quieter or darker sensory environment, finds ways to compensate and keep fighting. The wizard’s vitiligo may not be thought of as a disability, nor should it be, yet many in the real world experience severe discrimination due to unusual skin pigment — how many celebrities, corporate executives, or politicians do you know with visibly irregular skin?

You have chronic acne on your face and upper body. Because many cultures view this as unsightly, you have a −(IE × 1/2) penalty on all Charisma (Persuasion) checks. The discharge within the pustules contains the following, which rupture frequently.

function displayTrait() { const set = [ {range: [1], trait: 'Acid'}, {range: [2,8], trait: 'Blood'}, {range: [9], trait: 'Honey'}, {range: [10,12], trait: 'Oil'}, {range: [13,19], trait: 'Pus'}, {range: [20], trait: 'Venom'} ]; const randomNum = Math.floor(Math.random() * 20) + 1; let selectedTrait = ''; for (const item of set) { if (randomNum >= item.range[0] && randomNum <= item.range[item.range.length - 1]) { selectedTrait = item.trait; break; } } document.getElementById('trait').innerHTML = selectedTrait; }

1d20 Discharge
1 Acid
2–8 Blood
9 Honey
10–12 Oil
13–19 Pus
20 Venom
  • Acid. Acid leaks out of your skin at a rate of (IE) ounces per day. Your skin is not immune to this acid, so you have scars and need a way to constantly flush it out or collect it to keep it off your skin. If collected, a flask of 32 ounces equals one use as a weapon.
  • Blood. Blood drains out of your skin at a rate of (IE) ounces per day. Because of this blood loss, you need to eat more to compensate, consuming an additional (IE) × ten percent to avoid exhaustion.
  • Honey. A honey-like substance flows from your skin at a rate of (IE) ounces per day. While this substance is edible and tastes similar to honey, most people are reluctant to consume it, considering its source. Because of its sweet smell, it attracts insects and other animals, and if not properly cleaned, it will leave contacted substances sticky.
  • Oil. An oil similar to lamp oil drains out of your skin at a rate of (IE) ounces per day. If collected, it can be used for lanterns and other practical uses, but if not collected or washed away consistently, it gets on your hands, clothes, and items, making it difficult to hang onto anything. Consequently, anytime you're handling an object during a tense situation (e.g., a weapon in combat), you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid dropping the object.
  • Pus. A foul-smelling ochre pus flows from your skin at a rate of (IE) ounces per day. The smell gives you a −(IE) penalty on Dexterity (Stealth) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks. If collected, 32 ounces of the pus can be thrown at a target and cause the same effects to that target as a Stinking Cloud spell.
  • Venom. A toxic substance leaks from your skin at a rate of (IE) ounces per day. You are not immune to this substance, so if not contained somehow, in any situation where you take damage that is not psychic or bludgeoning, you need to succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw with a −(IE) penalty to avoid getting it in a wound. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a successful one.
    While referred to here colloquially as venom, this reflects real-life examples where an irritant or contagious liquid is expelled.
Real-world Examples

Polycystic Ovary Disease, Cushing Syndrome, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Androgen-secreting Tumors, Acromegaly, Apert Syndrome, SAPHO Syndrome, Behçet Syndrome, PAPA Syndrome

Assistive Options

Spending a week without significant stress can reduce the IE by 1.

Magical Assistance

Healing magic can be specifically applied to acne to remove it (although it will not remove scars) instead of restoring hit points, but it returns the next day. The Prestidigitation spell can clean the affected area but does not stop the discharge.