Poisons

Welcome traveler. This book contains everything I have learnt about poisons from across the planes, I hope this knowledge serves you well. Best of luck with your travels.

Book Content

This book is split into 7 sections:

• Harvesting Poisons
• Crafting Poisons
• Purchasing Poisons
• Poison Types
• Poison Index
• Poison Descrptions
  • Contact
  • Ingested
  • Inhaled
  • Injury
  • Multi-type
• Madness tables (for reference)

Harvesting Poisons

You can harvest poisons from all manner of creatures, this will be a Nature check (if you are proficient in poisoner's kit, add your proficiency bonus).

The DC for harvesting a poison can be found below in the Poison Index table under Save DC. Poisons not listed in the table will be determind by the DM.

Crafting Poisons

Some poisons cannot be harvested direct from creatures, instead they require crafting. Many poisons can be crafted from ingredients, however some require special ingredients, sometimes even poisons harvested from creatures. Each poison has a material cost listed in the Poison Index table, this is a general guide for how much the materials to make that poison are likely to cost. This may vary at your DMs discretion.

If the poison does not have a material cost, it either cannot be crafted (such as poisons that can only be harvested) or the materials to make it are unknown by the author of this book.

Poisons with a * by their material price cannot be crafted, the price shows their purchase cost.

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Aquiring Poisons

Each poison also has a rarity value, these values, ranging from common to legendary, tell you how difficult to find the materials are. Common poison materials can be found in most town and city general stores, while Uncommon ones will generally only be available in a city. For rare and very rare poisons you will likly have to go to poison specialist shops. Legendary poison materials can rarely be found in any stores, some powerful mages or druid may be able to procure them, but often for a high fee or equivilant favour.

To craft a poison, you must succeed a intelligence check (+ your proficient bonus if you are proficient with a poisoner kit) against the poisons save rarity level DC using the below table:

Crafting Table

Rarity	Crafting DC
Common	10
Uncommon	14
Rare	18
Very Rare	21
Legendary	25

Modifying Poisons

It is possible to make any Ingested poison into an Inhaled poison, although the process is difficult and risky. You must first obtain the Ingested poison and then modify it by rolling an intelligence check (+ your proficient bonus if you are proficient with a poisoner kit), the DC for transforming the crafting poison table above +2. If you fail the check, the poison is completely lost. If you fail the check by more than 5, the poison is released, affecting any creature within a 5ft radius.

Purchasing Poisons

Instead of harvesting or crafting poisons, you can purchase them. The poison rarity listed in the Poison Index indicated how difficult they will be to find, see the advice in the Crafting Poisons section for help with where to look for different poison rarities. As a general rule, poisons will cost 10x their material cost to purchase, although this will vary between stores. Legendary poisons are never offered to the general public to purchase.

Remember that many poisons are illegal, both to buy, sell and posses. Careful you are not caught trying to purchase poisons. Stores will not openly sell most poisons but many will offer them when asked in the right way.

 

 

Poison Types

Contact

Contact poison can be smeared on an object and remains potent until it is touched or washed off. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its effects.

Ingested

A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its effects. The dose can be delivered in food or a liquid. A partial dose has can have a reduced effect, such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or dealing only half damage on a failed save.

Inhaled

These poisons are gases that take effect when inhaled. The resulting cloud dissipates within 1 round unless otherwise specified. Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, however creatures that do not breath are immune to these poisons.

Injury

Injury poison can be applied to weapons, ammunition, trap components, and other objects that deal piercing or slashing damage, and generally remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off. A creature that takes piercing or slashing damage from an object coated with the poison is exposed to its effects.

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Poison Categories

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aboleth Oil (Contact)

Aboleth oil is impossibly rare, and incredibly dangerous. Coming into contact with it accidentally can quickly spell death for most creatures.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a recently dead or incapacitated aboleth. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Legendary
• Saving Throw DC: 14
• Effect: A creature subjected to this oil must make a Constitution saving throw or become diseased. The disease has no effect for 1 minute and can be removed by any magic that cures disease, but the creature is unaware that they have been affected. After 1 minute, the diseased creature’s skin becomes translucent and slimy, the creature can’t regain hit points unless it is underwater, and the disease can be removed only by heal or another disease-curing spell of 6th level or higher. When the creature is outside a body of water, it takes 6 (1d12) acid damage every 10 minutes unless moisture is applied to the skin before 10 minutes have passed.

Black Ivy Paste (Contact)

Black ivy is rare, but extremely poisonous. Its leaves can be ground into a thin paste and spread upon surfaces to injure those that touch it.

• Acquisition: This poison is ground from the leaves of the rare black ivy plant.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 16
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage. The paste retains its potency until a total of at least 10 damage has been dealt.

Black Lotus Extract (Contact)

The flower known as the black lotus is legendary. Its properties allow it to be used for a number of purposes, but creating a poison out of the nectar is one of many uses. The nectar often needs to be neutralized before the rest of the flower can be harvested.

• Acquisition: This poison is refined from the extraordinarily rare black lotus flower.
• Rarity: Legendary
• Saving Throw DC: 20
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison takes 55 (10d10) poison damage.

Boneshard Paste (Contact)

This relatively uncommon positoxin is typically spread upon surfaces in entryways to buildings or rooms in order to protect against undead intrusion. It has a pale color that allows it to blend in to light-colored surfaces.

• Acquisition: Boneshard paste is made by mixing the cremated remains of a holy person with holy water, and then allowing the mixture to dry in a place of religious importance, like a temple.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute, also taking 18 (4d8) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The creature’s speed is reduced to 0 until the end of their next turn. The poisoned creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Brawler’s Bourbon (Contact)

Brawler’s bourbon is a favorite among fighters that don’t mind cheating. It looks, tastes, and smells like regular bourbon whiskey, but actually contains a rather potent poison. It has a unique property: ingesting a dose of the poison gives immunity to its effects for 24 hours. Clever cheats will typically take a swig before a fight and accidentally spill some on their hands, delivering a dose with a swift punch to exposed skin. It does not wash off with water.

• Acquisition: Brawler’s bourbon is made from a narcotic plant that resembles black corn, but grows low to the ground and only in the underdark. The kernels are ground to a pulp and mixed into a liquid, typically bourbon.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 12
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

 

 

Chuul Paralytic (Contact)

Chuul paralytic isn’t widely desired because crawler mucus does the same thing for much cheaper, but chuul paralytic is easier to modify and more difficult to treat.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated chuul. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Crawler Mucus (Contact)

Crawler mucus comes from the oversized insects known as carrion crawlers. Carrion crawlers lurk in caves, abandoned underground structures, and sometimes sewers, always drawn to the scent of death and its next meal.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated crawler. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Goodbye Kiss (Contact)

Some would-be assassins seem much friendlier than they really are. The goodbye kiss is a poison modified from midnight tears so that it can be applied to the lips without harming the poisoner. The poisoner must first coat the area of their skin that will come in contact with the poison in the nectar of the flower that midnight tears are made from.

• Acquisition: The goodbye kiss requires midnight tears and a rare liquid made from the nectar of the same flower.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 17
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison suffers no effect until the stroke of midnight. If the poison has not been neutralized before then, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 31 (9d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Golden Ice (Contact)

Golden ice is a specialized poison used by good-aligned creatures for a variety of purposes. The nature of the ice allows it to be shaped into a variety of objects: coins, ammunition, and anything else the creative owner might imagine. Evil creatures often mistake it for a gold coin, only to pick it up and realize their mistake.

• Acquisition: This is made by mixing true ice, a substance that stays frozen even at infernally high temperatures, and molten gold. The extremely hot mixture is the quenched in holy oil.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 17
• Effect: An evil creature that comes into contact with golden ice must make a Constitution saving throw or take 30 (12d4) cold damage. This damage bypasses all resistances and immunities.

Oil of Taggit (Contact)

This oil used to be used in many medical applications, but its widespread misuse has caused it to be heavily regulated in most civilizations.

• Acquisition: There are several rare plants with narcotic properties that this oil is able to be extracted from, but, due to their scarcity, the best way to acquire the oil is on the black market.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 24 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage.

Sunlight Oil (Contact)

Sunlight oil was originally crafted by clerics of the sun god seeking to combat a vampire outbreak, but has since become the primary choice for fighting any form of powerful undead. Sunlight oil will lose its potency if it is not exposed to direct sunlight for 24 hours.

• Acquisition: It is made from oil that has been blessed by the clergy of the sun god and infused with the sun’s magic. The blessed oil must either have the daylight spell cast upon it every day at dusk for a month, or have the full duration of the sunbeam spell channeled into it.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 18
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 27 (6d8) radiant damage and be blinded until the end of the beginning of your next turn (6 seconds if out of combat). On a successful save, they take half damage and are not blinded. Creatures with sunlight sensitivity have disadvantage on their saving throw.

 

 

Assassin’s Blood (Ingested)

Assassin’s blood is the primary tool of assassins that wish to subtly eliminate their targets, often mixing a dose into food or drink.

• Acquisition: This poison can be extracted from a rare tree known as the blood tree, whose sap is thick, red, and poisonous. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 10
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t poisoned.

Celestial Lightsblood (Ingested)

The blood of celestials is powerful, and when converted into a banetoxin it can be used to cripple and wither those that ingest it. Unlike other banetoxins, celestial lightsblood cannot affect celestials.

• Acquisition: This poison is made from the blood of a willing celestial. The celestial blood is then mixed with that of the intended target creature type and several other readily available banetoxin ingredients.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 25
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, their Dexterity score is decreased by 2, but cannot be reduced past 1, and they must repeat the saving throw at the beginning of their next turn. On a subsequent failed save, their Constitution score is decreased by 2, but cannot be reduced past 1. These scores can only be restored by the greater restoration spell or similar magic.

Depraved Decadence (Ingested)

There exists a special type of acid with unique properties that allow it to be modified to ignore certain types of material. This acid once reached the hands of extremely evil poisoners that then modified it to cause slow, painful death by starvation. Using this banetoxin is considered cruel even by the standards of most assassins.

• Acquisition: The recipe for this poison is rare, as is knowledge of where to find the proper ingredients. One must find a particularly cruel poisoner that might know the truth behind it, or be willing to sell doses.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 25
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature can no longer receive sustenance by consuming food. Every two days the creature goes without sustenance, their Constitution score decreases by 1. If a creature’s Constitution score reaches 0 due to this effect, they die.

Lockjaw (Ingested)

Lockjaw is a mild paralytic that loses its potency before it is even swallowed, thereby only affecting the mouth and jaw.

• Acquisition: Lockjaw can be made from a weed that grows in swampy areas. On its own, the weed only causes mild numbness, but once refined it is a decent paralytic.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s jaw muscles lock and its tongue falls numb. An affected creature cannot speak or cast spells that require verbal components for 10 minutes.

Midnight Tears (Ingested)

Many nobles have died peacefully in their sleep while their loved ones lay nearby, falling to the effects of a dose of Midnight Tears administered by a stealthy assassin many hours before.

• Acquisition: There exists an extremely rare flower that only blooms when the moon reaches its peak, and retracts again before dawn. The leaves of this flower can be ground into a fine paste and dissolved into liquid, leaving behind no color, odor, or taste.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 17
• Effect: A creature that ingests this poison suffers no effect until the stroke of midnight. If the poison has not been neutralized before then, the creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 31 (9d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

 

 

Mother’s Mercy (Ingested)

This toxin looks like, tastes like, and has the texture of cow’s milk. Those affected by the toxin slowly lose all bodily strength until they are left unconscious, eventually dying peacefully and without pain.

• Acquisition: This poison comes from the stems of a plant that grows high on the side of hills on a single island far out at sea.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, becoming poisoned on a failed save, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. While poisoned in this way, the creature’s Constitution score decreases by 2. On each successive failed save, the creature’s Constitution score is further reduced by 1. If a creature’s Constitution score is reduced to 0 in this way, it dies. After two successful saves, the poison ends and the creature’s Constitution score is restored.

Nightmare Root (Ingested)

Nightmare root comes from a plant deep within the abyss. When ground into a paste, it can be mixed into food or drink without significantly altering its taste, color, or odor, but it does add the texture of fine sand. Those that consume the root find themselves haunted by the greatest fears upon falling asleep.

• Acquisition: This poison comes from the pulverized roots of a twisting red and purple plant deep within the abyss.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 19
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s sleep is haunted with a combination of their greatest fears and everything they’ve ever done wrong. An affected creature cannot benefit from long rests, and therefore gains a point of exhaustion at the beginning of the next day. The poison leaves the creature’s system 24 hours after ingestion.

Pale Tincture (Ingested)

This milky liquid is the primary choice of cruel manipulators that often use it to coerce favors out of unwilling acquaintances. The poison is introduced unknowingly, and slowly chips away at the victim’s vitality, always threatening a slow and painful death. The promise of a cure is enough to make most people do things that they would otherwise avoid.

• Acquisition: Deep within damp caves and frequently in the underdark, there is a rare fluorescent mushroom that slowly secretes a thick, acrid substance that can be used to make this poison.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 16
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become poisoned. The poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save. Until this poison ends, the damage the poison deals can’t be healed by any means. After seven successful saving throws, the effect ends and the creature can heal normally.

Pallid Serpent’s Deception (Ingested)

Upon ingestion, the victim begins experiencing terrible headaches and visual hallucinations. They often see things twisting and warping, with vile and hideous creatures seeking to cause them harm. Those in the throes of the poison often lash out at those around them, believing that they have suddenly been surrounded by monstrosities. A few unfortunate souls have survived the experience, and the mark of paranoia often follows them until the end of their days.

• Acquisition: Created from the paste made by grinding up leaves of rare plants found within the Feywild, this milky substance has a rather intoxicating aroma that often is mistaken for cooked meat.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 16
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) psychic damage on a failed save, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On a successful save, the effect ends. While the creature remains poisoned in this way, it must succeed a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns, taking 11 (2d10) psychic damage on a failed save.

Potion of Poison (Ingested)

This concoction looks, smells, and tastes like a potion of healing or other beneficial potion. However, it is actually poison masked by illusion magic. An identify spell reveals its true nature.

• Acquisition: This poison is relatively easy to craft, but requires enchantment (DC 15 Arcana check) by an arcane practitioner.
• Rarity: Common
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison takes 10 (3d6) poison damage and must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. While poisoned in this way, the creature takes 10 (3d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. At the end of each of its turns, the creature can repeat the saving throw. On a successful save, the poison damage the creature takes on subsequent turns decreases by 1d6. The poison ends when the damage decreases to 0.

 

 

 

 

Anosmia (Inhaled)

The sense of smell is a luxury to some species, but to others it is entirely necessary for survival. This poison gas is designed to eliminate that ability.

• Acquisition: Anosmia can be made from almost any paralytic or numbing agent, but the process is long and involved, requires many cycles of refinement to reach the desired strength of gas.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 18
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature loses its sense of smell for 48 hours. If the creature relies on smell to locate other creatures, it can no longer do so. The creature automatically fails any Wisdom (Perception) check that relies on smell. If the creature has the keen smell trait, it must also succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or act as though affected by the confusion spell during their next turn.

Adult Dragon’s Breath (Inhaled)

The breath of green dragons is a devastating weapon. It can quickly turn into a cloud of death for the enemies of those that can gather it.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated adult green dragon. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 18
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Ancient Dragon’s Breath (Inhaled)

The breath of green dragons is a devastating weapon. It can quickly turn into a cloud of death for the enemies of those that can gather it.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated adult green dragon. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 22
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 77 (22d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Dretch Gas (Inhaled)

Dretch are disgusting little fiends from the lower planes. The gas they release causes violent coughing fits and hinders those that come in contact with it.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated dretch. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: Dretch gas lingers for 1 minute after it is released, or until a strong wind disperses it. Any creature that starts its turn in that area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. While poisoned in this way, the target can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both, and can’t take reactions.

Dust of the Desert Winds (Inhaled)

This powder has uses as a desiccant when properly packaged and used in small quantities. However, it is also the favored poison of assassins that dwell in the harsher climates of the world. The toxin begins immediately leaching all of the moisture from a victim’s body after it has entered through the mucous membranes. Once dead, the victim is little more than a desiccated husk.

• Acquisition: Beneath the desert sands grows a fungus that draws moisture from its surroundings. The spores of this fungus can be gathered and stored for later use as a poison.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the creature takes 2 (1d4) poison damage. After five successful saves, the poison ends. If the creature spends its action consuming a liquid, it automatically succeeds the saving throw for that turn. This effect ignores a creature’s immunity to poison and poison damage, but cannot affect a creature with no natural bodily moisture (such as a Skeleton or an Iron Golem).

 

 

Essence of Ether (Inhaled)

Commonly referred to as “knock-out gas”, this gas is used in certain civilizations as a crowd-control solution to handle riots and other unruly crowds. It is also, as with all poisons, used for much more nefarious efforts.

• Acquisition: The liquid that vaporizes into this gas is distilled from plants with narcotic properties, creating a potent vapor that disperses quickly.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 15
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

Euphoria Breath (Inhaled)

The breath of faerie dragons has long been used for recreational purposes, but it also serves as a viable option for incapacitating enemies.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated faerie dragon. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or, for 1 minute the, target can’t take reactions and must roll a d6 at the start of each of its turns to determine its behavior during the turn:
    1-4. The target takes no action or bonus action and uses all of its movement to move in a random direction.
    5-6. The target doesn’t move, and the only thing it can do on its turn is make a Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Fish out of Water (Inhaled)

This poison is different from most inhaled poisons; it is a liquid rather than a gas or powder. It is designed specifically to be released underwater and kill water-breathing creatures, though it does not do so quickly. Amphibious creatures can survive its effects, but they are often forced out of water as a result of them.

• Acquisition: This poison is made by distilling several readily available oils and adding microscopic flecks of dried sponge to them, adding pressure to the mixture as it cools in order to force air into it.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned in this way, the creature loses any ability to breath underwater. Rules for suffocating can be found on page 183 of the Player’s Handbook.

Gorgon Breath (Inhaled)

Few that encounter a gorgon live to tell about it, and for good reason. Their breath weapon is extraordinarily dangerous, and even seasoned poisoners hesitate to attempt to harvest or use it.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated gorgon. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this gas must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against being magically petrified. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.

Gravedust (Inhaled)

This gray-brown powder derives its name from its resemblance to the grime common to tombs and other long-enclosed areas. Even though most undead do not need to breathe, being exposed to this positoxin reintroduces the feeling of suffocation, rendering them unable to act.

• Acquisition: Gravedust is made by mixing consecrated earth into holy water, and then burning the mixture until it is a dry ash.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 10
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become incapacitated for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Insanity Mist (Inhaled)

Most poisoners seek to kill their targets, but some poisoners just enjoy messing with the minds of their foes. Insanity mist was invented by those cruel individuals.

• Acquisition: Insanity mist is made from a number of ingredients from the outer planes, primarily plant secretions from the Feywild. The mixture is then distilled and the vapors are collected in a container for later use.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 15
• Effect: A creature subject to this poison must succeed a Constitution saving throw or gain an effect listed on the short-term madness table within the DM’s Guide (page 259). The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
    The madness tables are included on the last page of this supplement for quick reference.

 

 

 

 

Bearded Devil Venom (Injury)

Devil venom is extremely rare, but also extremely potent when in the hands of an experienced poisoner. Bearded devil venom is a less powerful version of the devastating venom of pit fiends.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated bearded devil. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 12
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the target can’t regain hit points. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Bloodfire Paste (Injury)

A reddish-brown sticky paste, this poison is extremely rare. Once injured, the poison reacts with the creatures blood and begins igniting from within, causing a creature to quickly burn from the inside out. Often, the toxin burns through the victim so quickly and intensely that the remains are little more than charred bones.

• Acquisition: There are several methods of creating bloodfire paste, although the most common involves the fruit of a desert cactus soaked in the saliva of giant desert lizards and mixed with distilled alcohols. After several days of soaking, the fruit is removed from the mixture and ground into a paste.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) fire damage on a failed save, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the creature takes 3 (1d6) fire damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends. This effect ignores a creature’s immunity to poison, but cannot effect a creature without blood.

Bone Devil’s Sting (Injury)

Devil venom is extremely rare, but also extremely potent when in the hands of an experienced poisoner. Bone devil venom is deadly, being the fiendish equivalent to wyvern poison.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated bone devil. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 14
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 17 (5d6) poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and is not poisoned. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Celestial Essence (Injury)

Celestial essence is extremely rare. When applied to a weapon, the viscous golden substance seems to almost shine with an inner radiance.

• Acquisition: Celestial essence is made by mixing the blood of a living celestial with holy water. If the celestial dies before the poison is delivered, the essence loses its effectiveness and turns a dull gray color.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 14
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) radiant damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

Centipede Venom (Injury)

Centipede venom is uncommon and has some unusual properties. It cannot kill, but instead leaves the victim in a helpless, paralyzed state for a short period of time.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated giant centipede. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

 

 

Cockatrice Saliva (Injury Venom)

Cockatrice saliva is potentially one of the most dangerous poisons in existence. While its effects are relatively easy to resist, being subjected to them can quickly turn a creature to stone, rendering it helpless.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated cockatrice. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this venom must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against being magically petrified. On a failed save, the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified for 24 hours.

Drow Poison (Injury)

Drow poison is made almost exclusively by the underdark-dwelling elven sub-race, the drow. They use it on weaponry in order to subdue more powerful enemies with minimal effort.

• Acquisition: This poison is made only by the drow, and only in a place far removed from sunlight.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

Ettercap Venom (Injury)

The strange, humanoid spider creatures known as ettercaps have a mild poison that is cheap but effective.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated giant centipede. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) poison damage and becoming poisoned for 1 minute on a failed save. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Grell Venom (Injury)

This poison is as rare as the strange creature it comes from, but non-lethal.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated grell. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Imp Venom (Injury)

The venom from an imp’s stinger is as potent as that from a giant venomous snake.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated imp. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Lichbane Poison (Injury)

This bone-white unguent is equally dangerous to all spellcasting undead, as well as to those that depend on mental ability scores for their special attacks.

• Acquisition: When residuum is mixed with holy water in precise ratios and then allowed to dry under the effects of an anti-magic field, lichbane poison is produced.
• Rarity: Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 17
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, their Intellect, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are reduced by 2 for 1 minute. At the beginning of their next turn, they must repeat the saving throw. On a failure, the effect becomes permanent and can only be cured by a greater restoration spell or similar magic.

 

 

Liquid Mortality (Injury)

This extremely rare and expensive toxin is the one thing that all sentient undead creatures fear. It is a potent oil, thought by most undead creatures to be a mere myth.

• Acquisition: Liquid mortality is made only by high-ranking clergy of the deity of death, who use it to destroy powerful undead creatures that wish to cheat death.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 22
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, their Strength score is permanently reduced by 2. If this effect reduces an undead creature’s Strength to 0, they are utterly destroyed, and cannot be resurrected or reanimated by any means other than a wish spell. The creature’s Strength score can be restored by a greater restoration spell or similar magic.

Metabolite (Injury)

Metabolite is a magical tranquilizer of sorts, developed to make even the most dangerous of creatures much more manageable.

• Acquisition: Liquid mortality is made only by high-ranking clergy of the deity of death, who use it to destroy powerful undead creatures that wish to cheat death.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 25
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, an affected target’s speed is halved, it takes a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and it can’t use reactions. On its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature’s abilities or magic items, it can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted. A creature affected by this poison makes another Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the effect ends for it. On a failed save, the poison’s saving throw DC decreases by 10.

Naga Venom (Injury)

Venom from the mythical creatures known as naga is extremely deadly, but also extremely rare.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated naga. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to the venom of a spirit naga must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 31 (7d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Guardian Naga Venom (Injury)

Venom from the mythical creatures known as naga is extremely deadly, but also extremely rare.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated naga. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Very Rare
• Saving Throw DC: 15
• Effect: A creature subjected to the venom of a spirit naga must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Pit Fiend Venom (Injury)

Pit fiend venom is among the rarest poisons in existence, but also the most powerful.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated pit fiend. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Legendary
• Saving Throw DC: 21
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned in this way, the target can’t regain hit points, and it takes 21 (6d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Purified Couatl Venom (Injury)

Couatl venom is different from the venom of most other creature’s in that is requires a refinement process to use, and it loses its potency if taken from an unwilling couatl. However, it is extremely useful for a number of legal and illegal practices.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a willing couatl and then mixed with a small amount of holy water.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 13
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 24 hours. Until this poison ends, the target is unconscious. Another creature can use an action to shake the target awake. This effect ignores immunity to the poisoned condition.

 

 

Purple Worm Poison (Injury)

While extraordinarily rare, the venom of purple worms is one of the most deadly poisons in existence. The only reason that it is not outright illegal in most civilizations is the necessity for antivenom.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated purple worm. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Legendary
• Saving Throw DC: 19
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Giant Scorpion Venom (Injury)

Scorpion venom is commonly used by assassins that dwell in the harsh desert climates that scorpions typically roam.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated scorpion. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 12
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Spider Venom (Injury Venom)

Spider venom is the most common of venoms, but also one of the least potent.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated spider. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 12
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) poison damage.

Sprite Poison (Injury)

The tiny fey creatures known as sprites make a poisons akin to drow poison, but much less potent.

• Acquisition: This poison is made only by sprites.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 10
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

Svirfneblin Poison (Injury)

Deep gnomes, known as svirfneblin, make their own poison from ingredients found deep within the underdark. Its sole purpose is to hinder their enemy’s combat abilities.

• Acquisition: This poison is made only by svirfneblin.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 12
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Thri-kreen Venom (Injury)

Thri-kreen venom can quickly render a creature useless, leaving it at the mercy of the poisoner.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated thri-kreen. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also paralyzed while poisoned in this way. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw on each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Wasp’s Sting (Injury)

Giant wasps are extraordinarily frightening, and while being stung by one is extremely painful, it is not deadly.

• Acquisition: This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated giant wasp. It requires no further preparation.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

 

 

 

 

Antithesis (Ingested or Injury)

While not technically a poison itself, this oily mixture serves a similar purpose. It contains microscopic parasitic entities that live in oil and feast on magic.

• Acquisition: One must first find or acquire a solution that contains the creatures necessary for this mixture. They are typically found in pools of natural oil that sit along ley lines within the underdark. The oily mixture can then be processed to make it more viscous for application to weapons, or to make it clear in order to be hidden within food or drink.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 14
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they are infected with a parasitic disease. While diseased in this way, the creature cannot regain hit points through any means other than a short or long rest. Each time it would regain hit points in any other way, it instead takes 4 (1d8) poison damage and can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Basic Poison (Ingested or Injury)

Basic Poison is readily available in any shop that carries alchemical supplies or medicines. It is commonly used as a solution to problems with vermin, particularly rats.

• Acquisition: Bought from market or crafted from basic poisonous substances.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 10
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2 (1d4) poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

Basic Positoxin (Ingested or Injury)

Basic positoxin is the lowest level poison available for combating undead.

• Acquisition: Basic poison can be mixed with holy water to create this poison.
• Rarity: Common
• Saving Throw DC: 10
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) radiant damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.

Betrayer’s Inception (Contact or Ingested)

This poison is a thin liquid that can be applied to any surface, adhering to it until it comes into contact with organic matter, which it quickly seeps into. It is clear, nearly invisible, and odorless, but can be easily identified by agitating the liquid in any way, which causes it to flash violently with varying hues of light. Due to its use in bringing down many nobles in past generations, it has been banned in nearly every established civilization. Being caught with it on your person is an instant death sentence.

• Acquisition: All recipes for this poison have been destroyed. One can only learn of its nature by asking the right person. Ask the wrong person, and you will be put to death.
• Rarity: Legendary
• Saving Throw DC: 22
• Effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. The poisoned creature feels no immediate effect, and is unaware of their condition. After a week, the creature gains an effect listed on the short-term madness table (DMG 259). When the short-term effect ends, they gain an effect from the long-term madness table (DMG 260). When the long-term effect ends, they gain a new long-term effect as well as an indefinite effect (DMG 260). After each long-term effect ends, they gain a new one until they die or are cured. This effect can only be cured by a greater restoration spell cast at 7th level or higher.
    The madness tables are included on the last page of this supplement for quick reference.

Bloodwine (Ingested or Injury)

This thick, crimson positoxin includes garlic in its creation, making it particularly harmful to vampires and other undead with a vulnerability to garlic. Such creatures have disadvantage on their saving throws to resist the poison’s effects. The bloodwine can also be consumed by a living creature, and it remains in the system of that creature for up to 12 hours. Any undead that attempt to consume the creature or drink its blood is affected by the bloodwine as if they had ingested it themselves.

• Acquisition: Bloodwine is made from a precisely distilled mixture of holy water and fine wine.
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Saving Throw DC: 11
• Effect: An undead creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

 

 

 

 

Madness Tables

These are the madness tables as presented in the DMG, for quick reference when using the betrayer’s inception.

Short-term Madness

d100	Effect (lasts 1d10 minutes)
01–20	The character retreats into his or her mind and becomes paralyzed. The effect ends if the character takes any damage.
21–30	The character becomes incapacitated and spends the duration screaming, laughing, or weeping.
31–40	The character becomes frightened and must use his or her action and movement each round to flee from the source of the fear.
41–50	The character begins babbling and is incapable of normal speech or spellcasting.
51–60	The character must use his or her action each round to attack the nearest creature.
61–70	The character experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on ability checks.
71–75	The character does whatever anyone tells him or her to do that isn’t obviously self-destructive.
76–80	The character experiences an overpowering urge to eat something strange such as dirt, slime, or offal.
81–90	The character is stunned.
91–100	The character falls unconscious.

Indefinite Madness

d100	Flaw (lasts until cured)
01–15	“Being drunk keeps me sane.”
16-25	“I keep whatever I find.”
26–30	“I try to become more like someone else I know—adopting his or her style of dress, mannerisms, and name.”
31–35	“I must bend the truth, exaggerate, or outright lie to be interesting to other people.”
36–45	“Achieving my goal is the only thing of interest to me, and I’ll ignore everything else to pursue it.”
46–50	“I find it hard to care about anything that goes on around me.”
51–55	“I don’t like the way people judge me all the time.”
56–70	“I am the smartest, wisest, strongest, fastest, and most beautiful person I know.”
71–80	“I am convinced that powerful enemies are hunting me, and their agents are everywhere I go. I am sure they’re watching me all the time.”
81–85	“There’s only one person I can trust. And only I can see this special friend.”
86–95	“I can’t take anything seriously. The more serious the situation, the funnier I find it.”
96–100	“I’ve discovered that I really like killing people.”

Long-Term Madness

d100	Effect (lasts 1d10 × 10 hours)
01–10	The character feels compelled to repeat a specific activity over and over, such as washing hands, touching things, praying, or counting coins.
11–20	The character experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on ability checks.
21–30	The character suffers extreme paranoia. The character has disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks.
31–40	The character regards something (usually the source of madness) with intense revulsion, as if affected by the antipathy effect of the antipathy/sympathy spell.
41–45	The character experiences a powerful delusion. Choose a potion. The character imagines that he or she is under its effects.
46–55	The character becomes attached to a “lucky charm,” such as a person or an object, and has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws while more than 30 feet from it.
56–65	The character is blinded (25%) or deafened (75%).
66–75	The character experiences uncontrollable tremors or tics, which impose disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws that involve Strength or Dexterity.
76–85	The character suffers from partial amnesia. The character knows who he or she is and retains racial traits and class features, but doesn’t recognize other people or remember anything that happened before the madness took effect.
86–90	Whenever the character takes damage, he or she must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be affected as though he or she failed a saving throw against the confusion spell. The confusion effect lasts for 1 minute.
91–95	The character loses the ability to speak.
96–100	The character falls unconscious. No amount of jostling or damage can wake the character.