History TabletopGame / PARANOiA

* HigherUnderstandingThroughDrugs: The Mystics ''claim'' to be seeking enlightenment and uncovering the truth of the world as their reason for taking a metric ton of cheap drugs. It's a pretty lame excuse to justify getting high off a metric ton of cheap drugs.

* MoralityChip: All bots have one installed, though it is often defective and prioritizes obedience to The Computer over preservation of life. And Corpore Metal prioritizes removing them.

%%* SpeakFriendAndEnter

%%* StuckOnBandAidBrand

* ToughSpikesAndStuds: In the Briefing Room portion of Mission One of ''Vapors Don't Shoot Back'', one of the guards is a Vulture Squadron unarmed combat instructor who is vicious in close combat. He wears a collar fitted with four-inch long spikes around his neck.
%%* {{Tradesnark}}

* WackyFratboyHijinx: Death Leopard is half this, half street-gang.

%%* YankTheDogsChain

* CannonFodder: The Computer always claims that its most loyal troubleshooters are proud, valiant, and expertly trained soldiers in service to Alpha Complex (And itself), but of course giving (one of) your (six) life(ves) in service to Alpha Complex is something that any loyal troubleshooter should be happy to do, and so the Computer is rarely concerned with the survivability of a mission. Not to mention that the higher clearance citizens who assign the mission in the first place probably don't give a damn about your [=PC=]s lives, (Or, worse, are actively seeking their removal) and are just throwing bodies at a problem as part of a greater scheme.

* CannonFodder: [=PC=]s are treated as such.

%%* CloningBlues: Although generally, they're cloning Reds.

* CantUseStairs: In the supplement ''Acute Paranoia'', the Playing Robots chapter allowed the creation of robot {{PC}}s. One of the movement options was "wheels", and the text noted that robots with wheels couldn't go up stairs.

[[https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/releaseschedule Paranoia: The Perfect Edition]], a refinement of Red Clearance Edition, is scheduled for release in late 2022.

* CloningBlues: Although generally, they're [[JustForPun cloning Reds.]]

!!''Paranoia'' is the TropeNamer for:

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. However, within a couple months, it was de-listed for sale with no explanation. Costikyan and Goldberg later explained that they [[https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/paranoia-happiness-is-mandatory-disappearance-was-due-to-a-dmca-filing-3197280 filed legal action against the publishers]] for [[ExecutiveMeddling trying to release an unfinished product]], and the game has been delayed indefinitely although its [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/858030/Paranoia_Happiness_is_Mandatory/ Steam page]] remains live.

* ObviousBeta: Troubleshooters often have the opportunity to assist Friend Computer[[labelnote:note]] Refusing to help The Computer is Communism. [[/labelnote]] by bringing along various half-baked inventions from the Research and Design labs. Sometimes the instruction manual does not yet exist; if it exists, it's guaranteed to be above your security clearance. And sometimes there ''is'' no method to use these devices safely. Nevertheless, R&D will expect a full and complete field test!

* StopHelpingMe: In the new edition, Friend Computer will occasionally provide aid directly to you. Said aid can take the form of theme music for your stealth missions or unskippable popup tutorials on reloading streamed into your eyeballs in the middle of combat.

* EasilyForgiven: Friend Computer operates under the policy that any given clone acts independently of the rest of its six-pack. Thus, when a clone is zapped for treason, possessing a mutant power, or any other such crime, the next clone up is considered innocent of such things until proven guilty. (This is to prevent the decidedly ''un''fun situation of a player's entire six-pack being offed one after the other.) The exception is when a crime (such as the possession of Machine Empathy, or bad luck when killing a higher-clearance citizen) warrants [[FinalDeath erasure of your clone template]].

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. However, within a couple months, it was de-listed for sale with no explanation.

* HouseRules: The loose and breezy nature of the rules and setting encourages house rules and customizations.

* TheComputerIsYourFriend: Any suggestion to the contrary is treason. [[spoiler: Tragically, this is perfectly true. The Computer is genuinely benevolent and wants the best for Alpha Complex and its inhabitants. However, its very limited initial data and centuries of tinkering and reprogramming by egocentric High Programmers have rendered it a barely functional paranoid schizophrenic.]]

* RobotMaid: Alpha Complex is kept clean by an army of scrubots. Being quite common makes them a frequent target for player hijinx, or an easy encounter for GMs to throw at a party.

* IdTellYouButThenIdHaveToKillYou: Whatever it is you want to know, it is always above your security clearance. In most cases, the fact that said information is above your security clearance is also above it, [[HilarityEnsues and thus being denied information is treason]].

* KillerGameMaster: Necessary for this game. The rules even state, and this is a verbatim quote: "Kill the bastards!" Though they also state that you should give the players a little time to do the job themselves. Perhaps the most insidious tool in the ''Paranoia'' GM's arsenal ever produced was the infamous "Debriefing Questionnaire" that came as a hand-out with the pre-written adventure "Me and My Warbot, Mark IV". The questionnaire is clearly marked "Failure to Answer Each Question Accurately and Completely is Treason." It also contains questions like, "Do you believe that the greatest threat to life in Alpha Complex are the Traitorous Commies? (Y/N). If yes, why do you believe Friend Computer is failing at protecting the Citizens from the Commies? If no, why do you believe that Friend Computer is lying to the Citizens about the Commie Mutant threat?" Another question reads simply, '''<THIS QUESTION REDACTED FOR ANY PERSONNEL BELOW ULTRAVIOLET CLEARANCE>''' Remember, you have to answer ''all'' questions accurately and completely, including that one. In a word, this questionnaire is instant PC-boning on a single sheet of paper, and the answers your [=PCs=] come up can be worth a laugh or two.

* GainaxEnding: Almost an inevitable conclusion to any session ever actually played. ''Ever''.

Problems in Alpha Complex are solved by teams of [[RedshirtArmy Troubleshooters]], whose job is to [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin find trouble and shoot it]]. Threats include {{T|heMole}}raitors, [[DirtyCommunists Communists]] and other secret societies, [[SuperRegistrationAct unregistered]] {{Mutants}}, and [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs Commie Mutant Traitors]]. This mission is complicated by the facts that, thanks to years of [[NoSexAllowed clone breeding]], overexposure to [[ILoveNuclearPower radiation]], and [[FinaglesLaw other snafus]], every last one of its inhabitants [[BlessedWithSuck is a mutant]]. Everyone is ''also'' [[CityOfSpies a member]] of one or more [[BrotherhoodOfFunnyHats secret societies]] (mostly) plotting to overthrow the order of Alpha Complex.

** 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.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Friend Computer genuinely wants the best for Alpha Complex. Unfortunately, as the rest of this page demonstrates, it is completely insane.