Poisons: Difference between revisions

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===Base Price Per Dose===
===Base Price Per Dose===
{| class="ep-default"
{| class="ep-default" style="text-align:center"
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! width="75" | Potency Level || Save DC || Bonus Damage || Price Per Dose
! width="75" | Potency Level || width="75" | Save DC || width="75" | Bonus Damage || width="75" | Price Per Dose
|-
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| 1 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=1}} || +1 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 1^2 * 10}}}}
| 1 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=1}} + 10}} || +1 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 1^2 * 5 + 10}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 2 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=2}} || +2 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 2^2 * 10}}}}
| 2 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=2}} + 10}} || +2 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 2^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 3 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=3}} || +3 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 3^2 * 10}}}}
| 3 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=3}} + 10}} || +3 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 3^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 4 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=4}} || +4 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 4^2 * 10}}}}
| 4 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=4}} + 10}} || +4 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 4^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 5 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=5}} || +5 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 5^2 * 10}}}}
| 5 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=5}} + 10}} || +5 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 5^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 6 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=6}} || +6 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 6^2 * 10}}}}
| 6 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=6}} + 10}} || +6 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 6^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 7 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=7}} || +7 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 7^2 * 10}}}}
| 7 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=7}} + 10}} || +7 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 7^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 8 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=8}} || +8 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 8^2 * 10}}}}
| 8 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=8}} + 10}} || +8 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 8^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
| 9 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=9}} + 10}} || +9 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 9^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 9 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=9}} || +9 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 9^2 * 10}}}}
| 10 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=10}} + 10}} || +10 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 10^2 * 5 + 20}}}} gp
|-
|-
| 10 || {{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=10}} || +10 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 10^2 * 10}}}}
| 11 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=11}} + 10}} || +11 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 11^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 12 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=12}} + 10}} || +12 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 12^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
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| 13 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=13}} + 10}} || +13 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 13^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 14 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=14}} + 10}} || +14 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 14^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 15 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=15}} + 10}} || +15 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 15^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 16 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=16}} + 10}} || +16 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 16^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
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| 17 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=17}} + 10}} || +17 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 17^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 18 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=18}} + 10}} || +18 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 18^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 19 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=19}} + 10}} || +19 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 19^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 20 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=20}} + 10}} || +20 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 20^2 * 5 + 50}}}} gp
|-
| 21 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=21}} + 10}} || +21 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 21^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 22 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=22}} + 10}} || +22 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 22^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 23 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=23}} + 10}} || +23 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 23^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 24 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=24}} + 10}} || +24 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 24^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 25 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=25}} + 10}} || +25 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 25^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 26 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=26}} + 10}} || +26 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 26^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 27 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=27}} + 10}} || +27 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 27^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 28 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=28}} + 10}} || +28 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 28^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 29 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=29}} + 10}} || +29 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 29^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 30 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=30}} + 10}} || +30 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 30^2 * 5 + 100}}}} gp
|-
| 31 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=31}} + 10}} || +31 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 31^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 32 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=32}} + 10}} || +32 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 32^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 33 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=33}} + 10}} || +33 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 33^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 34 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=34}} + 10}} || +34 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 34^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 35 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=35}} + 10}} || +35 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 35^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 36 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=36}} + 10}} || +36 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 36^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 37 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=37}} + 10}} || +37 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 37^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 38 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=38}} + 10}} || +38 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 38^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 39 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=39}} + 10}} || +39 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 39^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|-
| 40 || {{#expr:{{MonsterStrongSave|transcludesection=40}} + 10}} || +40 || {{#number_format:{{#expr: 40^2 * 5 + 500}}}} gp
|}
|}


{{Template:Boxtext2|Title=Alcohol (Ingested; Potency 1)|Body=[[Image:The Perils of Drink.png|600px|right|Luckily, only the paladin could recall the details the next morning.]]Alcohol behaves somewhat differently from other ingested poisons.  While it has the normal onset time of 10 minutes, it has a special frequency of "once per drink ingested". It is assumed that most characters who drink alcohol are forgoing the saving throw.   
 
==Alcohol==
[[Image:The Perils of Drink.png|600px|right|Luckily, only the paladin could recall the details the next morning.]]
Alcohol behaves somewhat differently from other ingested poisons.  While it has the normal onset time of 10 minutes, it has a special frequency of "once per drink ingested". It is assumed that most characters who drink alcohol are deliberately failing the saving throw.   


Unlike other poisons, if the initial saving throw is failed, there are no further saves for that particular drink. Its effects persist until the alcohol's duration expires.  The duration of alcohol is 4 hours, which is reset to 4 hours each time an additional drink is ingested (assuming the Fort save is failed).  While this might suggest that a character can stay permanently intoxicated, the effects of alcohol increase significantly as more drinks are consumed, eventually rendering the character unable to drink more.
Unlike other poisons, if the initial saving throw is failed, there are no further saves for that particular drink. Its effects persist until the alcohol's duration expires.  The duration of alcohol is 4 hours, which is reset to 4 hours each time an additional drink is ingested (assuming the Fort save is failed).  While this might suggest that a character can stay permanently intoxicated, the effects of alcohol increase significantly as more drinks are consumed, eventually rendering the character unable to drink more.
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A standard drink of alcohol is often much larger than a normal dose of poison. A beer, for example, is a pint (16 oz), which is assumed to have roughly the same efficacy as a glass of wine (5 oz), or a shot of spirits (1 oz).  
A standard drink of alcohol is often much larger than a normal dose of poison. A beer, for example, is a pint (16 oz), which is assumed to have roughly the same efficacy as a glass of wine (5 oz), or a shot of spirits (1 oz).  


* Fort save: DC 10
* Onset: 10 minutes
* Frequency: once per drink ingested
* Duration: 4 hours
* Effects:
** 1d8 points of [[Non-Lethal Damage]] per drink
** 1d8+1 temporary hit points per drink, which stack with any other temp hit points gained from alcohol
** inflicts [[Drowsy]] condition
** Special: Drunk -- If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to his CON score/4 (not modifier; drop fractions) before the alcohol's duration expires, he becomes Drunk. In addition to the other effects, the character gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Cha-based skill checks and gains the [[Sluggish]] condition.
** Special: Stupor -- If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to his CON score/2 (not modifier; round down) before the alcohol's duration expires, he enters a Stupor. In addition to the other effects, he gains the [[Rattled]] status condition until the alcohol's effects expire.
** Special: Unconscious -- If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to at least triple his CON score/4 (not modifier; drop fractions) before the alcohol's duration expires, in addition to the other effects, he gains the [[Asleep]] condition.  If the character is awakened before the duration of the alcohol has expired, he is instead [[Nauseated]] until the end of the alcohol's duration.
* Cost: varies; see [[Food and Drink]] for details.
}}
{{Template:Boxtext2|Title=Languishroot (Injury; Potency 8)|Body=Favored by drow, this poison comes from a plant grown in the Unterwelt.
* Fort save: DC 18
* Onset: instant
* Frequency: 1/round
* Duration: 2 rounds
* Effects:
** 2d8+7 points of [[Non-Lethal Damage]]
** 1d4+1 points of Dex damage
* Cure: 1 save
* Cost: 656 gp/dose
}}


{{Template:Boxtext2|Title=Spider Venom (Injury; Potency 2)|Body=A simple venom drawn from common poisonous varieties of spider.
:: <span style="color:#584500; font-size:115%">'''Alcohol'''</span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Ingested vector; [[Poisoned]] intensity)
* Fort save: DC 12
:: '''''Save:''''' Fort DC 10 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; '''''Frequency:''''' 1/drink ingested
* Onset: instant
:: '''''Effect:''''' 1d8 points of [[non-lethal damage]], 1d8+1 temporary hit points (cumulative per drink), target becomes [[Drowsy]].
* Frequency: 1/round
:: '''''Fruition:''''' - &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; '''''Fruition Duration:''''' -
* Duration: 3 rounds
* Effects:
** 1d8+1 points of [[Non-Lethal Damage]]
** 1d2 points of Str damage
* Cure: 1 save
* Cost: 80 gp/dose
}}


{{Template:Boxtext2|Title=Sun-Shade Cobra Venom (Injury; Potency 40)|Body=A remarkably rare venom drawn from one of the legendary Sun-Shade Cobras.  
:::* '''Special &mdash; Drunk:''' If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to his CON score/4 (not modifier; drop fractions) before the alcohol's duration expires, he becomes Drunk. In addition to the other effects, the character gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Cha-based skill checks and gains the [[Sluggish]] condition (replaces [[Drowsy]]).
* Fort save: DC 51
:::* '''Special &mdash; Stupor:''' If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to his CON score/2 (not modifier; round down) before the alcohol's duration expires, he enters a Stupor. In addition to the other effects, he gains the [[Rattled]] status condition until the alcohol's effects expire.
* Onset: instant
:::* '''Special &mdash; Unconscious:''' If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to at least triple his CON score/4 (not modifier; drop fractions) before the alcohol's duration expires, in addition to the other effects, he gains the [[Asleep]] condition.  If the character is awakened before the duration of the alcohol has expired, he is instead [[Nauseated]] until the end of the alcohol's duration.
* Frequency: 1/round
:::* '''''Cost:''''' varies; see [[Food and Drink]] for details.
* Duration: 5 rounds
* Effects:
** 6d8+63 points of [[Non-Lethal Damage]]
** 4d6 points of Dex damage
* Cure: 2 consecutive saves
* Cost: 14,040,000 gp/dose
}}


==Designing New Poisons==
==Designing New Poisons==

Revision as of 21:21, 11 January 2018

Drink Me!

A poison is a substance that interferes with the natural functions of a living creature's body, causing injury or death, typically requiring only a very small amount. The target of a poison may resist with a successful saving throw. Poisons can be delayed or cured with spells such as delay poison and neutralize poison.

Broadly speaking, when someone fails a saving throw against any poison, the poison deals some amount of lethal or Non-Lethal Damage that ignores the target's defenses (DR or ER). Most poisons also inflict a status condition, in addition to the damage they deal. The most common status condition inflicted by poison is ability damage (Ability Dilution, Ability Damage, or Ability Drain). Creatures that succeed on a saving throw against poison are usually completely unaffected by it, ignoring both the damage and any secondary effects, like status conditions.

There are a number of important terms related to how poisons work, which should be understood before looking at specific poisons.

Afflictions

Afflictions, such as diseases and poisons, are all defined by the following characteristics, which detail how they affect a creature which fails a saving throw against them: Name, Vector, Intensity, Save, Frequency, Effect, and Fruition.
Name: This is the name of the disease or poison.
Vector: This is the means by which the disease or poison must be introduced to a subject: contact, ingested, inhaled, injury.
  • Contact: delivered the moment a creature touches them with their bare skin.
  • Ingested: delivered when a creature eats or drinks them.
  • Inhaled: delivered the moment a creature enters an area containing them. A creature can hold its breath while inside the area, by voluntarily gaining the Gagging condition, to avoid inhaling the toxin. If a creature is voluntarily asphyxiating and fails its save, rather than dying, it begins to breathe normally again (and is affected by the inhaled affliction if it is still present).
  • Injury: These poisons are primarily delivered through the attacks of certain creatures and through weapons coated in the toxin. Injury poisons do not usually have an onset time and have a frequency of 1 round.
Note that vectors are not interchangeable — a disease or poison with an injury vector won't harm a target that ingests it, unless it also has an ingest vector listed.
Intensity: The intensity of a disease or poison states which status condition it inflicts. Disease intensities are: Infected, Diseased, or Plagued. Poison intensities are Tainted, Poisoned, and Blighted. The intensity of the disease or poison determines how easily the effects can be cured.
Save: This is the saving throw type (Fort, Refl, Will) and DC for the disease or poison. A creature subjected to a disease or poison makes a saving throw immediately upon its introduction to their system, and one saving throw for the second and third intervals of the disease or poison's frequency. The save DC is always the same for all of these saves. A creature which fails a saving throw against the disease or poison will always take one interval worth of effects from it as a result. If the saving throw is successful, the disease or poison is shrugged off, and deals no further effects to the target.
Frequency: Many poisons act immediately upon their introduction to a target, but some poisons are designed to be slower to act. By contrast, most diseases take a day to cause effects on the target. The frequency determines how often the disease or poison will attempt to inflict its effects on the victim, and when its first effects are felt. There are three frequencies: "1/round for 3 rounds", "1/hour for 3 hours", and "1/day for 3 days". Diseases and poisons never have more than 3 intervals of their frequency. The first interval's effects are triggered by the failure of the initial saving throw, but may not occur until the first interval has passed, as detailed below:
  • "1/round for 3 rounds": Diseases and poisons with a frequency of "rounds" inflict their first interval of effects as soon as it is introduced into the system of its victim. (E.g. a drow blademaster stabs the fighter, inflicting melee damage, and forcing the fighter to save against the drow's languishroot poison. If the save is failed, the fighter immediately takes the first interval of effects of the poison.) The target of a disease or poison with a frequency of "rounds" takes the second interval of effects at the start of their next turn, if they fail a second save. The round after that, at the start of the target's second turn after being diseased or poisoned, they make their third (and final) save. If this save is also failed, the third interval of effects are inflicted, as is the disease's or poison's fruition (if it has one). The strongest diseases and poisons only allow a saving throw when it is first inflicted, and no saving throws for the second or third intervals. In this case, the effects of the second and third intervals just occur as though their respective saving throws were failed.
  • "1/hour for 3 hours": Slower diseases or poisons, such as ingested poisons or fast-acting diseases, may act with a frequency of "1/hour for 3 hours". In this case, the target creature makes their first saving throw as soon as the disease or poison is introduced, but they take no effect until the first interval (1 hour later) occurs. The victim doesn't get a second saving throw until the second interval (2 hours after the disease or poison's introduction). If they fail the second save, they take a second interval of effects. At the start of the 3rd hour, the third (and final) save is made. If this save is also failed, the third interval of effects are inflicted, and the disease or poison's fruition is inflicted (if it has one). The strongest diseases and poisons only allow a saving throw when it is first inflicted, and no saving throws for the second or third intervals. In this case, the effects of the second and third intervals just occur as though their respective saving throws were failed.
  • "1/day for 3 days": This frequency is extremely rare for poisons, but extremely common for diseases. Much like a disease or poison with a frequency of "hours", the target creature makes their first saving throw as soon as it is introduced, but they take no effect from it until the first interval occurs, at the beginning of the next day. The victim doesn't get a second saving throw until the second interval (2 days after the disease or poison's introduction). If they fail the second save, they take a second interval of effects. At the start of the 3rd day, the third (and final) save is made. If this save is also failed, the third interval of effects are inflicted, and the disease or poison's fruition is inflicted (if it has one). The strongest diseases and poisons only allow a saving throw when it is first inflicted, and no saving throws for the second or third intervals. In this case, the effects of the second and third intervals just occur as though their respective saving throws were failed.
Effect: This is what the disease or poison does to the target creature at each interval of its frequency, if the saving throw was unsuccessful. Poisons typically inflict a combination of ability damage (or ability drain) and poison (physical, uncommon) damage, although poison effects can vary wildly. Diseases usually inflict just ability damage to one or more ability scores, though status conditions are also possible. Note that damage inflicted by the effect (or fruition) of a disease or a poison cannot be mitigated with DR or ER, unless the DR explicitly states it can be used to mitigate damage caused by diseases or poisons.
Fruition: This is the effect inflicted if the disease or poison's third tick of its frequency is allowed to occur before a successful saving throw is made. Fruitions always list a duration after which the effect(s) expire on their own. This can be some number of hours, days, or even permanent. Note that a fruition can only occur after 3 failed saving throws, but it usually occurs in the same round as the third tick of the Effect (in addition to the Effect), immediately after that third failed save.


Multiple Doses: If a creature is subjected to multiple doses of the same disease or poison they are already afflicted with, and that disease or poison has a frequency measured in "rounds", the most recent disease or poison overwrites the older one. Any effects already inflicted by the older disease or poison linger and must be cured as described below. Of course, if a creature is subjected to different kinds of diseases or poisons, their effects stack.

Monster and NPC Poisons

Monsters and NPC's use different rules for poisons than players do, since monsters and NPC's aren't heroes. In most cases, monster-based poisons are injury poisons which grant a saving throw. They have an immediate onset, and a frequency of 1 round for 3 rounds (though the initial immediate effect counts as the first round). Poisoned creatures get a saving throw to resist the immediate effect, and another saving throw at the start of each of their turns. Each time the saving throw is failed, the creature takes the effect of the poison, until the 3rd failed save, at which point, the creature takes the fruition of the poison instead.

Poison effects, as mentioned above, are usually some combination of lethal or non-lethal damage, and a status effect. Poison fruitions can vary wildly, from a severe status effect to death. They can also include a huge variety of non-combat effects, such as compelling the poisoned creature to speak only the truth for the next hour, and to always answer any question asked of it without prevaricating.

If a creature (usually a PC) succeeds on any saving throw against the monster's poison, the poison is fully resisted and no longer affects the creature (unless they get poisoned again). All poisons, no matter how nasty, are cured with a single successful saving throw, as long as that successful saving throw comes sometime before the fruition is inflicted on the victim. Once the fruition occurs, no further effects of the poison occur, but usually the fruition is so nasty, additional effects aren't necessary.

Note that stronger poisons disallow saving throws after the initial exposure (unless a save is granted to the victim by a spell or ability). See Tainted, Poisoned, and Blighted for details.

Some monsters are capable of emitting poisons that are harmful if inhaled, rather than requiring the creature successfully target the target first. Such poisons are usually belched out in a cloud of some kind, which is (somewhat) avoidable, if those within the affected area are aware of it and are not surprised. Such creatures may attempt to hold their breath. Those creatures which are surprised by the effect, or unable to initiate holding their breath voluntarily breathe the poison in, and must save against it normally.

Some poisons act upon contact with the exposed flesh of a creature, rather than needing to be inhaled, ingested, or inserted via an injury into the creature's bloodstream. Contact poisons are exceedingly rare, but are typically applied via a touch attack. In all other ways, they behave exactly like an injury-based poison.

Non-Combat Poisons

Some poisons cannot be used on weapons, and are better suited to use outside of combat. The most common example of this would be ingested poisons, which take effect when a creature eats or drinks the poison. Often these poisons are mixed with food or drink to mask their taste. These poisons usually have an onset time of 10 minutes, and a frequency of 1 minute. Like all other poisons, they inflict their effect up to 3 times, and then the fruition is resolved, if no successful saves against the poison occur before then.

Ingested poisons are often more role-playing based, story-driven types of poisons. As such, the rules and effects of these poisons can vary widely, as the story requires. It is also much harder to catch an assassin who plants a poison that doesn't affect its target until 10 minutes after they eat or drink something. The assassin may not be anywhere near where the food/drink is ingested, and could have planted it long before the food/drink were even served.

Player Poisons

Players can purchase poisons to apply to their weapons, or for whatever other crazy idea fills their psychopathic little heads. Player poisons are a simplified version of monster poisons. Like monster poisons, they are nearly always injury poisons that grant a saving throw to the target after a successful hit with the poisoned weapon. If the target fails the save, however, instead of a frequency, onset, or fruition, the poison simply deals bonus damage equal to the potency level of the poison, and inflicts a status condition (usually lasting only until the start of the poisoner's next turn).

Bonus damage inflicted by poison is not multiplied on a critical hit. Creatures immune to poison are not subject to the poison's damage or status condition (hopefully, this is obvious).

Applying Poison

Player characters wishing to apply poison to a weapon or a single piece of ammunition must expend a standard action to perform a Sleight of Hand check, versus a Challenging DC, based on the potency level of the poison being applied. This can be reduced to a move action by adding +5 to the DC, or a swift action by adding +10. Characters must declare they are attempting to apply the poison with a lesser action prior to making the skill check.

If a character fails the Sleight of Hand check by less than 4, or they roll a natural 1, they are unable to apply the poison to the weapon or piece of ammunition. Both the action to apply the poison, as well as the dose of poison itself, are wasted. If a character fails the sleight of hand check by 5 or more, the character accidentally afflicts the poison's effects on themselves. They must make a save against the poison or suffer its effects. Whether this save succeeds or fails, the dose of poison and the action used to apply it are wasted.

Once a dose of poison is applied to a weapon, it persists until the first time the weapon successfully hits a target. At that time, in addition to the normal damage from the weapon's hit, the struck creature must also make a saving throw against the poison or suffer its effects. Regardless of whether the creature succeeds or fails this saving throw, the dose of poison is expended. The poison will wear off of the weapon naturally by the end of the next encounter, or when the character takes a full night's rest (whichever comes first). If the poison is applied during an encounter, and isn't used up by striking a target, it wears off at the end of the current encounter.

If a dose of poison is applied to a piece of ammunition, the poison persists as described above, except that it is expended whether the attack using that piece of ammunition hits or misses (or at the end of the encounter or a full night's rest, whichever comes first).

Base Price Per Dose

Potency Level Save DC Bonus Damage Price Per Dose
1 15 +1 15 gp
2 15 +2 40 gp
3 16 +3 65 gp
4 17 +4 100 gp
5 18 +5 145 gp
6 19 +6 200 gp
7 19 +7 265 gp
8 20 +8 340 gp
9 21 +9 425 gp
10 22 +10 520 gp
11 23 +11 655 gp
12 24 +12 770 gp
13 25 +13 895 gp
14 26 +14 1,030 gp
15 27 +15 1,175 gp
16 28 +16 1,330 gp
17 29 +17 1,495 gp
18 30 +18 1,670 gp
19 31 +19 1,855 gp
20 32 +20 2,050 gp
21 33 +21 2,305 gp
22 34 +22 2,520 gp
23 35 +23 2,745 gp
24 36 +24 2,980 gp
25 37 +25 3,225 gp
26 39 +26 3,480 gp
27 40 +27 3,745 gp
28 41 +28 4,020 gp
29 42 +29 4,305 gp
30 43 +30 4,600 gp
31 45 +31 5,305 gp
32 46 +32 5,620 gp
33 47 +33 5,945 gp
34 48 +34 6,280 gp
35 49 +35 6,625 gp
36 50 +36 6,980 gp
37 51 +37 7,345 gp
38 52 +38 7,720 gp
39 53 +39 8,105 gp
40 54 +40 8,500 gp


Alcohol

Luckily, only the paladin could recall the details the next morning.

Alcohol behaves somewhat differently from other ingested poisons. While it has the normal onset time of 10 minutes, it has a special frequency of "once per drink ingested". It is assumed that most characters who drink alcohol are deliberately failing the saving throw.

Unlike other poisons, if the initial saving throw is failed, there are no further saves for that particular drink. Its effects persist until the alcohol's duration expires. The duration of alcohol is 4 hours, which is reset to 4 hours each time an additional drink is ingested (assuming the Fort save is failed). While this might suggest that a character can stay permanently intoxicated, the effects of alcohol increase significantly as more drinks are consumed, eventually rendering the character unable to drink more.

A standard drink of alcohol is often much larger than a normal dose of poison. A beer, for example, is a pint (16 oz), which is assumed to have roughly the same efficacy as a glass of wine (5 oz), or a shot of spirits (1 oz).


Alcohol    (Ingested vector; Poisoned intensity)
Save: Fort DC 10      Frequency: 1/drink ingested
Effect: 1d8 points of non-lethal damage, 1d8+1 temporary hit points (cumulative per drink), target becomes Drowsy.
Fruition: -      Fruition Duration: -
  • Special — Drunk: If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to his CON score/4 (not modifier; drop fractions) before the alcohol's duration expires, he becomes Drunk. In addition to the other effects, the character gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Cha-based skill checks and gains the Sluggish condition (replaces Drowsy).
  • Special — Stupor: If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to his CON score/2 (not modifier; round down) before the alcohol's duration expires, he enters a Stupor. In addition to the other effects, he gains the Rattled status condition until the alcohol's effects expire.
  • Special — Unconscious: If a character drinks a total of drinks equal to at least triple his CON score/4 (not modifier; drop fractions) before the alcohol's duration expires, in addition to the other effects, he gains the Asleep condition. If the character is awakened before the duration of the alcohol has expired, he is instead Nauseated until the end of the alcohol's duration.
  • Cost: varies; see Food and Drink for details.

Designing New Poisons

Since the above list is not exhaustive, GM's and players may wish to design additional poisons that exist in their campaign. These rules provide a way to determine the characteristics and cost of new poisons.

Poisons have several characteristics, each of which are limited by the potency level of the poison. These characteristics are: damage, status, onset, frequency and save DC.

Damage: Most poisons deal Non-Lethal Damage, the amount of which is based on their potency level (see Table:Potency below).
Status: All poisons inflict a single status condition. Note, when reading the table below, the listed values for ability damage (dilution, damage, drain) and essence damage (suppression, omission, destruction) only apply if the poison inflicts that particular status condition.
Save DC: The save DC of a poison is determined by its potency level (see Table:Potency below). Note that once a creature fails the saving throw to resist the poison, it may not make another save to get rid of the poison until the end of any round after which the poison's effects have triggered. Note that poison effects always trigger at the beginning of a character's turn on the round they trigger. That is, an ingested poison, which has a frequency of 1 minute would trigger at the start of a character's turn 10 rounds after that creature failed its save to resist the poison, and may only be saved against at the end of that round. Assuming it fails the save, it could not attempt another save until another minute had passed and the poison's effects had once again triggered. Similarly, character afflicted with an injury poison suffers the poison's effects at the start of each of the creature's turns, but gets a new saving throw at the end of that creature's turn.
Craft DC: A successful Profession check, using either Profession (Alchemist), Profession (Herbalist) or Profession (Brewer) can be used to create poisons, rather than buying them. Raw materials, equal to half the retail price of the poison, must still be purchased or acquired in order to create the poison. If the poison is not crafted in an appropriate workshop, the DC is increased by 10. Poisons require 8 hours to brew, and a successful result produces a single dose of poison. For every 5 by which a skill check exceeds the required DC, the time to produce the poison is reduced by 1 hour, to a minimum of 1 hour. Poisons are considered alchemical creations for purposes of an Alchemists "Swift Alchemy" and "Instant Alchemy" class features.

Table: Poison Potency

Potency Level Non-Lethal Damage Ability Damage Energy Drain Save DC Craft DC Cost
1 1d8+0 1 - 10 18 40
2 1d8+1 1d2 - 12 20 80
3 1d8+3 1d2 - 13 21 160
4 1d8+4 1d3 - 13 23 240
5 1d8+6 1d3 - 14 25 360
6 1d8+8 1d3+1 - 16 27 480
7 1d8+10 1d3+1 - 16 28 640
8 2d8+7 1d4+1 - 18 32 820
9 2d8+8 1d4+1 - 19 33 1,000
10 2d8+10 1d6 - 19 35 1,220
11 2d8+6 1d6 - 20 37 1,440
12 2d8+7 1d6+1 - 21 39 1,700
13 2d8+9 1d6+1 1 22 40 1,960
14 2d8+10 1d6+2 1 22 42 2,260
15 3d8+8 1d6+2 1d2 23 44 2,560
16 3d8+10 2d6-1 1d2 24 47 2,900
17 3d8+11 2d6-1 1d2 25 48 3,240
18 3d8+12 2d6-1 1d2 26 50 3,620
19 3d8+14 2d6 1d3 27 51 4,000
20 3d8+17 2d6 1d3 28 53 6,000
21 3d8+20 2d6 1d3 29 67 8,000
22 4d8+18 2d6+1 1d3 31 69 12,000
23 4d8+20 2d6+1 1d4 32 71 16,000
24 4d8+23 2d6+1 1d4 33 75 24,000
25 4d8+27 2d6+2 1d4 35 77 32,000
26 4d8+29 2d6+2 1d4 36 79 60,000
27 4d8+32 2d6+2 1d6 37 82 100,000
28 4d8+34 3d6 1d6 39 84 180,000
29 5d8+34 3d6 1d6 40 86 240,000
30 5d8+36 3d6 1d6 41 88 300,000
31 5d8+40 3d6+1 2d4-1 42 91 380,000
32 5d8+44 3d6+1 2d4-1 43 94 460,000
33 5d8+47 3d6+1 2d4-1 44 96 580,000
34 5d8+49 4d6-2 2d4-1 45 99 700,000
35 5d8+52 4d6-2 2d4-1 46 102 870,000
36 6d8+51 4d6-2 2d4-1 47 110 1,040,000
37 6d8+53 4d6-1 2d4 48 118 1,300,000
38 6d8+56 4d6-1 2d4 49 126 1,560,000
39 6d8+60 4d6-1 2d4 50 133 1,950,000
40 6d8+63 4d6 2d4 51 142 2,340,000