History TabletopGame / PARANOiA

** Though some higher-clearance citizens ''voluntarily'' go back on hormone suppressants after a while, deciding to stick to drugs that aren't constantly UpToEleven.

** Avoid being a Communist. Friend Computer will allow mutants to register their powers, and may even be lenient on traitors.[[labelnote:note]] For instance, a confessed traitor may be allowed to assist Research and Design with a ''very special'' project.[[/labelnote]] But if you are a Commie (or made to look like one), you '''will''' be terminated.

* AmmunitionBackpack

* RedShirt: Literally, in every sense of the term. Part of the reason for the lenient promotion rules is that [[KillEmAll no Troubleshooter is expected to survive past Red Clearance]].

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: When the group is so zap-happy that nobody can even get up to any entertaining shenanigans, the game recommends that the GM temporarily try playing things Straight, making the most sane team-member leader, and generally demanding a slight touch of class from the players. Once players adjust to the new paradigm, they'll find ways to blow everything up again in a slightly more restrained manner.

** All humans in Alpha Complex are cloned and grown in vats. Sex is not only considered treason, but constant doses of hormone suppressants (Along with the mind-boggling amount of other drugs that fills most human's diets) remove the capability to reproduce, as well as any desire. Because of this, not only is their barely any significant difference between genders, but many aren't even aware of the human capability for reproduction.

* NonPromotion: Being promoted up from relatively-safe Infrared anonymity. Being made Troubleshooter team leader (the picture on the [[http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/pdf/mbdhandouts.pdf badge]] is a ''target'') pretty much dooms you.

* {{EMP}}: Some anti-bot weapons. The setting assumes any important part of the Computer is heavily shielded.

* RedShirt: Literally, in every sense of the term. Part of the reason for the lenient promotion rules lies in the fact that [[KillEmAll no Troubleshooter is expected to survive past Red Clearance]].

* NoSexAllowed: All humans in Alpha Complex are cloned and grown in vats. Sex is not only considered treason, but constant doses of hormone suppressants (Along with the mind-boggling amount of other drugs that fills most human's diets) remove the capability to reproduce, as well as any desire. Because of this, not only is their barely any significant difference between genders, but many aren't even aware of the human capability for reproduction.

* GenderIsNoObject: Sexism is not among the many evils of Alpha Complex society, if only because everybody's dosed up to the eyeballs with hormone suppressors.

* NoSexAllowed: Everyone's a clone for a reason. Still, humans are humans, and exceptions do exist (particularly for High Programmers, and anyone who lives Outdoors long enough for the hormone suppressants to wear off).[[labelnote:note]] The Outdoors are a rumor: spreading rumors is treason. The food that you receive from Friend Computer does not contain hormone suppressants. Hormone suppressants are a rumor spread by Commies. Spreading rumors is treason.[[/labelnote]]

* RobotMaid: Alpha Complex is kept relentlessly clean by an army of scrubots.

* DefiantToTheEnd: You are expected to kill and die with style if at all possible. If you face repeated accusations of treason and your clone template is about to be erased permanently, etiquette dictates you go down fighting, shouting treasonous secret society slogans and mocking the others for their cowardly servitude to the Computer.

As of 2022, the latest version is Red Clearance Edition, based on [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1990654819/paranoia-rpg a successfully funded Kickstarter campaign for a reboot of the game.]] Done by James Wallis as lead designer with assistance from original game designers Greg Costikyan and Eric Goldberg, gameplay is streamlined while the setting is updated for a modern context, with "terrorists" as the stated greatest threat to Alpha Complex (Commies are still lurking in the background, but are just one illegal secret society among many), while technology has advanced from smartphones to cranial implants (making the hardware harder to hack, but the software and Wi-Fi are another story).

As of 2022, the latest version is Red Clearance Edition, based on [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1990654819/paranoia-rpg a successfully funded Kickstarter campaign for a reboot of the game.]] Done by James Wallis as lead designer with assistance from original game designers Greg Costikyan and Eric Goldberg, gameplay is streamlined while the setting is updated for a modern context, with "terrorists" as the stated greatest threat to Alpha Complex (Commies are still lurking in the background, but are just one illegal secret society among many).

In April 2019, a video game adaptation [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5zdft7m_fM was announced]] by the name of ''Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory'', developed by Creator/CyanideStudio and Black Shamrock.

With the latest edition, the game can now be played in three forms: as a Troubleshooter, an Internal Security agent, or a High Programmer. In the latter cases, the Computer progressively shifts from "that information is not available at your security clearance" to "that information is not available at this time", possibly because the Computer doesn't know either, or It's not sharing it with ''anyone''. (Apart from that, High Programmers get ''lots'' of information, but most of it is garbage.) The equipment also beefs up; Troubleshooters have laser pistols, [=IntSec=] agents have cone rifles (basically bazookas), and High Programmers hang out in [[TheWarRoom the Situation Room]] and manipulate teams of lower-clearance citizens working for service groups or secret societies or the Troubleshooters. [[DystopianEdict Just remember]], Citizen, no matter how high your security clearance, HappinessIsMandatory! [[SuperFunHappyThingOfDoom Insufficient happiness]] will be punished by [[AllCrimesAreEqual termination]]!

[[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1990654819/paranoia-rpg A Kickstarter campaign for a reboot of the game was successfully funded.]] Done by James Wallis as lead designer with assistance from original game designers Greg Costikyan and Eric Goldberg, gameplay is streamlined while the setting is updated for a modern context, with "terrorists" as the stated greatest threat to Alpha Complex (Commies are still lurking in the background, but are just one illegal secret society among many).

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: While there is technically some sort of mission the [=PC=]s are trying to finish, the real point of the game is to gleefully accept your true role as "backstabbing lying weasel" and come up with ever-more humorous and creative ways to ''sabotage'' that mission and screw over your teammates.[[labelnote:note]] Sabotaging a mission is treason. Failure to punish treason is also treason.[[/labelnote]]

* DeaderThanDead: Usually, a person's next clone is activated and assigned to the predecessor's position upon death, even if the predecessor was executed for treason; after all, it's entirely possible that ''just that one clone'' was possessed of treasonous intent, and it's not fair to judge the rest of the template in the same light. However, in particularly egregious treason cases or if the person was identified as having the Machine Empathy mutation, the clone template from which they were made may be erased for safety's sake.

With the latest edition, the game can now be played in three forms: as a Troubleshooter, an Internal Security agent, or a High Programmer. In the latter cases, the Computer progressively shifts from "that information is not available at your security clearance" to "that information is not available at this time" (possibly because the Computer doesn't know either, or It's not sharing it with ''anyone''. (Other times, High Programmers get ''lots'' of information, but most of it is garbage.) The equipment also beefs up; Troubleshooters have laser pistols, [=IntSec=] agents have cone rifles (basically bazookas), and High Programmers hang out in [[TheWarRoom the Situation Room]] and manipulate teams of lower-clearance citizens working for service groups or secret societies or the Troubleshooters. [[DystopianEdict Just remember]], Citizen, no matter how high your security clearance, HappinessIsMandatory! [[SuperFunHappyThingOfDoom Insufficient happiness]] will be punished by [[AllCrimesAreEqual termination]]!

* ConvenientlyInterruptedDocument: It's not at all uncommon for the Troubleshooters to receive documents with parts [CENSORED BECAUSE OF SECURITY REASONS], [THIS INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR CLEARANCE], and the like.

* AndThatWouldBeWrong: The various gamebooks have been known to deploy this trope, usually by suggesting such an action would be beneficial to the Troubleshooter, but would require him to betray his comrades, and he'd NEVER consider something like that, as a good and loyal citizen of Alpha Complex, right?

* CannedOrdersOverLoudspeaker: Often the method by which Troubleshooters are [[BlatantLies flawlessly and precisely]] assigned their missions.[[labelnote:note]]Failing to appear punctually at the briefing will result in demotion![[/labelnote]]

** If a [=GM=] is feeling particularly vicious, he can single out one Troubleshooter (Or the whole party, for more fun) as not being on the list when heading to the briefing, and denied entry. Unless they can work out a way to get inside, cue the whole party charged with treason for not showing up to their officially ordered meeting.

** Real food grown in hydroponic gardens are considered a rare delicacy, with Red citizens getting occasional real food as a reward, and the quantity increasing up until Blue clearence, when they finally get to eat nothing but real food.

* TheCaligula: Friend Computer is a ''well-meaning'' Caligula -- it genuinely wants to make Alpha Complex a safe and enjoyable place to live, with the fact that it's become an insane schizophrenic after who knows how long of having its code tampered with being the main thing preventing it from actually doing so.

* ComicallySmallBribe: Bribing the ever-present [[StateSec IntSec]] Green Goons, despite being four security clearences (And income brackets) above the Troubleshooters, will be automatically accepted, as long as the bribe was at least moderately meaningful to the players. This is explained as most Green Goons were rapidly promoted from the ranks of the Infrared due to their size, brutality, and lack of intellect, so even small amounts still seem significant despite their much higher earnings.

* BlackMarketProduce: Food is easy to come by in Alpha Complex. ''Real'' food is a rare luxury, and can usually only be obtained at Infrared Markets for those of lower security clearances.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The early written adventures for ''Paranoia'' tended to send the Troubleshooters Outdoors a ''lot'' with several being set almost entirely outside Alpha Complex and the existence of other similar complexes (and other surviving humans) a simple fact. ''Paranoia XP'' focuses much more firmly on events inside the dome, offering vague and (intentionally) conflicting ideas on what might be happening outside with the implication the Troublshooters probably won't ever visit there.

* AliensAndMonsters: The game has included suggestions for alien invasions alongside the [[BigCreepyCrawlies Giant Mutant Radioactive Cockroaches]].

* UnfortunateNames: Usually crossed with PunnyName. The frequency of either varies DependingOnTheWriter.