You know there's an augmentation that does this, right? No drugs necessary. It's even simpler for infomorphs/cyberbrains; just turn off write functions.

It's called Memory Lock, and it was in since, I believe, Core. [b]Memory Lock:[/b] This implant, when activated, prevents information from being stored in the subject’s long-term memory or from being recorded via lifelog, mnemonic augmentation, or other sensory link. It also temporarily blocks up-to-the second cortical stack backups. The individual will retain short-term memories, but for no more than a few minutes. This implant is usually a requirement for personal aides, consultants, and other underlings of powerful people. The implants can be remotely activated by the superior during confidential meetings or other secret affairs to ensure privacy and deniability. This implant is also a popular option among some personal couriers who intentionally retain no memories of the party that hired them in case they are intercepted. [b][Low][/b] All that's needed is to install it such that another party has remote control of the "aug," and bob's your uncle.

Alright, while methods of manipulation aren't the focus of the thread ("How would you use this in a campaign? What limitations come to mind?" - OP) I'm going to go ahead and toss down every method I know of in the books to set up options for people to discuss the main topic of the thread: Memory Editing Psychosurgery (EP. 231): Long duration (Lowered by simulspace and timeframe reduction), stress damage, and potential for affecting additional memories. Memory Lock Cyberware/Software Plug-In (PO. 149): Suppresses long term memory and blocks other methods of recording such as lifelogging software and mnemonic augmentations, other sensory links, and up to the second cortical stacks. Possibility for remote activation. Source for software plug-in is on TH. 141 "Additional Upgrades" sidebar. Grey Ranks drug (Oral and Narcoalgorithm) (FW. 175): Long term memory suppression that doesn't affect other devices or mental faculties. _____________________ Personally I've considered the possibility of using this to avoid some stress accumulation, though I guess it's kind of an off-label use. Essentially my thinking is that if long term memory is blocked, traditional methods of stress accumulation might be blocked. Others methods, such as Psi slights or cyberbrain hacking Scorchers would get around it, but it could at least keep you from remembering your friend getting pulled apart by a disassembler nanoswarm.

problem is chase, any lack without forewarning is a cause for stress, granted this stress may be lesser than eldritch horrors whose idea of a good time was to rewire your brain through your ears

A general rule in EP, at least the way I read it, is "if you don't remember it, you don't get RES for it." In terms if character growth, I would expect popping a memory-blocking pill would be functionally equivalent to dying and being restored to the point where you popped the pill. However, since the character is aware they administered the pill to themselves, you might be able to argue that it would be less stressful (but not stress-free, screwing with memories rarely is) because they're expecting the gap. If their most recent backup is from around the same time that stress reduction would even apply if they died while under the influence of the pill, because from their point of view there is no difference in the experience: they popped (or planned to pop) the pill, and remember nothing until they woke up in the body bank, hopefully after a planned farcast at the end of the mission. So you'd be hamstringing your ability to gain RES, but if you anticipate a high probability of severe mental damage or you're expecting to die without stack recovery anyway it could be a viable form of stress-management. The question you have to ask yourself is: is the chance of higher stress from a backup sleeve worth the chance to actually gain some RES points if you, or at least your stack, manage to get back in one piece? Your mileage may vary.

Maybe you could even develop mental techniques based on short term memory rehersal to get around the effects of those treatments. To remember something just long enough to record it after a meeting.

uwtartarus - it's a [Low] cost implant. You know what's a [Moderate] cost implant? A Cortical Stack. And they give one of those to everyone, for free. You know what else is a [Moderate] cost? A dose of Grey Ranks. It [b]literally[/b] costs more - like, [u]four times as much[/u], to administer Grey Ranks to someone [u]once[/u], than it does to install a Memory Block augmentation in them that will work for as long as they're a Titanian politician. Additionally, it's not like these politicians are going to be [u]unaware[/u] of the fact that they participate in zero-retention briefings. Because think about what happens then - The @-block elects a dude to parliament. @-block dude shows up to do his civic duty. Gets called into a zero-retention briefing. Is given a pill and told to pop it. Asks what it is, is told that it prevents him from remembering this. @-block dude says "no fuck that, I'm leaving and I'm telling everyone that you're doing this." You now have to either have something massively whistle-blown, or assassinate one of your own politicians. The far more likely scenario is that politicians - and the Titanian public in general - know [u]about[/u] "zero-retention briefings," so they can be sure that, in fact, their duly-elected officials [u]are[/u] the ones making the calls, it's just that they don't remember what they learned at those briefings.

Keep in mind that administering the drug is guaranteed. People are kind of on their honor to activate a memory blocking implant of their own.