[UA] Anyone here ever been pepper-sprayed?

[Rayburn, Russell E.]

Subjected to CS gas as part of boot camp.  It's a little different, but
about the same.

Blinding for the initial 3 rounds, vision blurred for (I'd guess) another 5
- 10 minutes.  Pepper spray includes Oleum Capsicum, so in addition to
blurred vision I'd add an intense burning sensation in the eyes and nasal
cavity.  Note that the blurred vision does not preclude action; gross motor
skills are ok, but anything requiring fine movements is out.  

Blast-wise, epideromancers should be fine... others might not.

Incidentally, pepper spray causes a physical swelling of sinus tissue in
mammals.  Unlike CS gas, it's effective on dogs.

Note the brand of pepper spray Amanda carries; some include a UV ink for
identification which can take 24 - 72 hours to wear off.

Also, there is a significant difference between stream and spray dispensers.
Stream is harder to hit with than spray, but harder for it to blow back in
the users face.

I'd say spray models are Struggle + 10% to hit, but failure in the right
conditions ( GM's call... think moderate to strong wind ) blows back in the
users face.

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Dohnim [mailto:bibadoo at hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 12:12 PM
To: ua at lists.unknown-armies.com
Subject: [UA] Anyone here ever been pepper-sprayed?


My UA character, Amanda Manteufel (not too dissimilar from Amanda Wilkes 
from the UA2 book) carries around hi-grade pepper spray for dealing with 
lowlifes (wand-fondling and otherwise) that are trying to make her job 
difficult.

The effect of hi-grade pepper spray is (per Hush Hush) 3 rounds of 
incapacitation unless the victim makes a matched Soul check. He can't even 
Dodge. Afterwards, though, it doesn't list the effects . . . but there's got

to be some, right? Amanda would prefer to not have to put a bullet in her 
targets during their panic attack, or spray them every 9 seconds, I'm 
wondering whether there shouldn't be some long-term effects.

For one, how long would the blinding last? 'Mancers can't target someone 
they can't see (usually) so this isn't a trivial question . . . Amanda is 
relatively mojo-less and needs every advantage modern technology can 
provide. I was thinking a number of minutes equal to the tens digit of the 
attack roll, unless the target can spend three or four rounds rinsing his 
eyes with water. (I understand that pepper-spray is pretty nasty stuff.) 
Maybe towards the end of that duration he can squint enough to target 
something or somebody, though he gets a -20 or -30 shift . . . I dunno. What

do y'all think?

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