Environmental Hazards

Certain areas, objects, or enemies in System Shock series can be environmentally hazardous. These have a detrimental effect on the player and must be either avoided or warded against.

Radiation and Bio Contamination
Radiation and Bio Contamination (also called Bio-Contamination or BioHazard) are environmental threats in the original game. They both work in a similar manner, however are independent from each other (player can be both irradiated and contaminated at the same time). Difficulty levels do not influence neither hazards.

While staying in any hazardous area, the present type of threat (Radiation / Biohazard) will be always shown in white. Additionally, interference from radiation areas will result in static noise sounds - more often when moving.

As long as the player is irradiated/contaminated, the current LBP (Level of Biological Poisoning) will show in light red, along with random lines of green static displayed erratically on the screen. The LBP will instantly reach and remain at the maximum value of that area (each has its own) until leaving - only then will it start to decrease slowly. The damage the player receives is proportional to the current LBP (or LBPs, if both hazards are present in the system).

Using an EnviroSuit is heavily recommended when staying inside the zone, although version 1 (Bio-Suit) only filters out Bio Contamination, and not the Radiation. EnviroSuits block more than 80% of intake of compatible hazard.

Detox Patch will reduce player's LBP significantly (reduction by ⅔ each 3 ±1 seconds) until all contamination is gone, provided the player has left the hot zone. Staying inside with active Detox Patch will only slightly reduce the damage taken over time (58 seconds without any Patches, approximately 1 minute 9 seconds with 1 Detox active at the same time, and up to 1 minute 20 seconds with multiple Detoxes).

Finally, player brought to life by the Restoration Bay will be clear of any radiation/biocontamination.

Neither level of Energy/Projectile Shield protects against environmental hazards.

Destroying Waste Barrels (both Radioactive and Toxic) and Chemical Tanks found inside hazardous areas does not affect these zones nor the player (no splash damage or LBP difference). There are, however, three Chemical Tanks and one Radioactive Waste Barrel found nearby the Freight Elevator on Flight Deck. Destroying them will respectively contaminate/irradiate their immediate area (cube), permanently setting its LBP to 32.

Maps of Navigation and Mapping Unit version 3 (both MFD and fullscreen) show contaminated areas in olive  colour, while irradiated zones are displayed in dark red.

Radiation
While in an irradiated area, a small green bar will begin to fill. Every 6 seconds the screen will flash green and the player will suffer damage, the amount of which depends on currently accumulated Radiation and player's Endurance. Each zone has its own maximum level of Radiation and the player can't absorb more than that. Only after leaving the contaminated area a portion of Radiation bar will gradually deplete until gone.

Two types of armor reduce Radiation absorption: WormSkin Armor and Hazard Suit give 30% and 75% protection against Radiation intake, respectively. An even better protection is offered by Neural Decontamination Psi power that provides an 80% protection against Radiation absorption. Armors and Neural Decontamination can be combined for the most effective Radiation intake protection up to a maximum of 95%.

Some irradiated areas have decontamination rooms nearby that will instantly remove the player's Radiation poisoning. Functional Surgical Units also instantly purge all the Radiation the player has been exposed to. Using an Anti-Radiation Hypo will deplete the Radiation bar by 12% (14% with Pharmo-Friendly O/S Upgrade). Lastly, dying and being brought back to life by a Resurrection Station makes the player clean of all Radiation instantly.

Endurance influences the damage caused by Radiation. With END 6 (the permanent maximum) the player suffers only 40% of the full damage. Additionally using an EndurBoost™ implant to reach END 7 makes the player feel only 20% of the originally dealt damage. However, using Psychogenic Endurance Psi power (for the maximum ENDurance of 8) results in only 1 astonishing % of the original damage dealt to the player, effectively negating any damage from Radiation in all places but one in the game!

Strong Metabolism O/S Upgrade reduces the damage dealt by Radiation by 25%. Using a WormMind implant also lowers the damage from Radiation by roughly 25%.

Toxin
Toxin, or poison, is another hazard in System Shock 2.

Toxins can come from different sources, such as attacks of specific enemies, touching a worm pile or detaching/discharging an equipped WormHeart implant.

Having received a Toxin dose, a small bar will instantly fill with Biohazard symbols, the number of which corresponds to the strength of poison received. Every 10 seconds the screen will flash red and the player will suffer damage (the amount of damage depends on the Toxin level and player's Endurance). Unlike Radiation, the level of the Toxins in the player's body does not decrease on its own.

Two types of armor reduce Toxin absorption: WormSkin and Hazard Suit give 30% and 75% protection against Toxin intake, respectively. It has to be noted that the Hazard Suit cannot shield the player completely and a small dose of the poison always gets through. An ideal 100% protection against Toxin intake is given by Neural Toxin-Blocker Psi power.

Using an Anti-Toxin Hypo will decrease the current Toxin level by 2 Points (out of 4 maximum). This is the only way of flushing the Toxins from the player's body, except for dying and being brought back to life by a Resurrection Station, which makes the player clean of all Toxins instantly.

Endurance influences the damage caused by Toxins, however even a high value cannot protect the player completely: there's no way to reduce its damage below the minimum 1 Hit Point (dealt each 10 seconds) if the Toxin is still present. High END (6 or higher) is needed for the minimum damage to be dealt (no matter the Toxin level). WormMind implant brings the needed END down to 4 (or higher), and Strong Metabolism O/S Upgrade brings it down to only 2, with only Toxin level 4 dealing 2 HP / 10 s with END 1. WormMind and Strong Metabolism can be combined, resulting in player always receiving 1 HP / 10 s from Toxins, regardless of their level and Endurance.