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# CRAIG'S GUIDE # to POISONS ##### Simple rules for simple adventurers ##### and lazy game masters _for the 5th edition of the world's greatest role-playing game_

``` ``` ### What is a Poisoner's Kit? The **SRD v.5.1** indicates that a *Poisoner's Kit* allows you to safely create, store and use poisons. Official rules for game masters and from our tentacle friend show the same intent: **poisons are harvested directly from monsters and are very expensive.** However, there is still a lot of space for additional rules. In this document, you will learn about harvesting poisonous materials, modifying or countering them, and creating new poison effects. This document was created to provide a simple ruleset to make proficiency in the _Poisoner's Kit_ something worth a player's attention in your games. --- ***- Please keep in mind that the game master can alter rules, costs, and difficulty classes (DC) as needed.***

##### Credits **Craig's Guide to Poisons ©2021** (version 1.0) --- Author: Hans '[Jyhnu](https://t.co/0Jl6TAgd6h?amp=1)' Lone Sang --- _More rulesets & coloured version available on_ [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/thereddragon)

Illustrations: + _Chalice of Saint John the Evangelist_ by Hans Memling (cover, ~1470) + _Still Life with Poppy, Insects, and Reptiles_ by Otto Marseus van Schrieck (page 1, ~1670) + _View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow_ by Thomas Cole (page 2, 1836) + _The Death of Harmonia_ by Jean-Baptiste Marie Pierre (page 3 & 5, ~1740) + _Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743–1794) and Marie Anne Lavoisier (Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze, 1758–1836)_ by Jacques Louis David (page 4, 1788)

_Published using the OGL by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and the 5E SRD (v5.1) ruleset as the sole Open Game Content._

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\page ### The Four Types of Poisons There are four types of poison introduced by the **SRD v.5.1**. There is no need to create new types, but here is are some clarifications about what to expect from each type of poison. + **Contact.** A creature is affected when touching the poison with any part of its actual body. Usually, it is limited to touched surfaces but you can allow such poison to work as a weapon's coating. They usually inflict only a short-term condition and dry in 1 hour. + **Ingested.** The entire dose of poison must reach the creature's digestive metabolism to inflict its full effect. Initially, this can be achieved through food or drinks. However, any mucosal tissues from the digestive apparel should do: _you know, that bottom one too_. They are powerful: usually, they inflict both poison damage and short to long-term conditions that are usually strong. If only a partial dose was ingested, the creature should either have advantage to resist, have resistance to the poison damage, or the duration of the poison should be reduced at your own discretion. + **Inhaled.** These poisonous vapors officially affect a 5-ft. cube, and you will have to be creative to expose your target to them because they are not readily thrown. The released poison affects any creature in the area (even if they do not breathe) but disappears afterward. They inflict poison damage that can last longer if the target fails to resist their effect. Otherwise, they can inflict a strong condition. + **Injury.** The most useful type of poison for the average adventurer. They take effect after succeeding to hurt a creature with a slashing or piercing weapon. They inflict direct poison damage on the first hit before being washed off. Sometimes, they inflict light and short-term conditions such as _Poisoned_. You could allow bludgeoning weapons to work too, at your discretion. By default, a dose keeps its potency for 1 minute before drying on a melee weapon and is enough to cover 3 pieces of ammunition at a time. --- **_- Please note that Injury poisons are a one hit effect and lose their potency after one successful attack._** ``` ``` ### 1. Trading in Poisonous Materials The characters will have multiple opportunities to fight poisonous monsters or plants. However, gathering venom from an incapacitated snake should not be as hard as harvesting the poisonous materials of a green dragon! #### Storage costs Each poisonous material you manage to harvest will cost you money to cover the tool maintenance, container price, and most importantly, for game balance. If you cannot cover the required harvest costs for a poisonous material, it is lost and will have to be harvested again. A market price (storage '*Cost*' x4) is also suggested if a character wishes to buy accessible poisonous materials from merchants. The stat blocks of poisonous creatures of the same CR often show significant differences in poison DC, damage, or effects. You will have to choose between the poison DC or the creature's CR to set its cost and market value. Officially, poisons are far too expensive for their power level. The following table lowers the price of poisonous materials to make them hard to get, but a useful expense still. --- **_- You can alter those prices to fit your world's economy._** --- ##### Price Suggestion Table | Poison DC | Creature CR | Cost | Market Value |:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:| | 9 | **1/8** | 5 gp | 20 gp | | 10 | **1/4** | 20 gp | 80 gp | | 12 | **1/2** | 35 gp | 140 gp | | - | **1** | 50 gp | 200 gp | | 13 | **3** | 75 gp | 280 gp | | - | **4** | 120 gp | 480 gp | | 14 | **5** | 150 gp | 600 gp | | 15 | **6** | 200 gp | 800 gp | | 17 | **8** | 300 gp | 1,200 gp | | 19 | **10** | 400 gp | 1,600 gp | | 20 | **13** | 520 gp | 2,080 gp | | - | **15** | 640 gp | Get it yourself | | 21+ | **20+** | 700+ gp | Allow me to insist |

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_Homebrew_ - POISON TYPES & COSTS

\page #### Harvesting Poisonous Materials You can harvest poisonous materials from the same dead or incapacitated creature (or plant) only once by making a _Poisoner's Kit_ (**Dexterity**) check. Creatures that are proficient in _Survival_ or in the _Poisoner's Kit_ can use their _Help_ action and confer advantage on the roll. --- **The DC is equal to** -- _whichever is more appropriate_: + **5 +** the poison's DC (_Difficulty Class_) + **10 +** the creature's CR (_Challenge Rating_)

To make the harvest more interesting, the result of the check creates levels of success or failure: --- _**- Remember, no ability check can end on a critical success** (20) **or failure **(1)** unless you decide so.**_ + **Failure by 5+**. The poisonous material is lost, and you immediately suffer the poison effects with disadvantage to any saving throws made to resist. + **Failure.** You can attempt to harvest the poisonous material one last time with disadvantage on the _Poisoner's Kit_ check. + **Success.** You obtain one dose of poisonous material and must pay for its storage '_Cost_' (_see the '**Price Suggestion Table**' above_). You can name it starting with the creature's name and the part that is poisonous (_e.g._ _Wyvern's Sting Venom_) to be able to refer to its stat block later if required. Its effects stay the same as written in the creature's stat block but the game master chooses its poison type among the 4 types of poisons available (_see the '**Four Types of Poisons**' section above_). + **Success by 5+** The poisonous material is harvested in duplicate provided that you can cover their storage cost. Remember that harvesting the poisonous materials of some legendary creatures can remain out of reach of characters without magical means to help. This poisonous material can be further transformed to create better poisons or even doses of antidotes (_see the following '**Modifying Poisonous Materials**' section_). --- _**- Living a poisoner's life should lead to interesting but dangerous encounters, either with shady NPCs or monsters.**_ ``` ``` ### 2. Using Poisonous Materials Because of the wide variety of available poisonous material, it is important to define some rules to use them in a wide variety of circumstances: + **Applying a poison.** You can use your action to apply a poisonous material on a melee weapon or 3 pieces of ammunition. You can take 1 minute to apply a poisonous material on a surface you can touch that covers up to a 5 ft square. By default, a poisonous material will remain potent for 1 minute but its effects only trigger once per weapon or ammunition, not on every successful hit! + **Throwing a poison.** You can use your action to throw a poisonous material as an improvised ranged weapon with a 20/60 ft. range. You are proficient for this attack if you are proficient in the _Poisoner's Kit_. On a miss, the poisonous material is thrown at its maximal critical range and spreads in a 5 ft. square on the floor if adequate. By default, the poisonous material loses its potency after 1 minute, with the exception of _Contact_ poisons that usually last for 1 hour. + **Stealthy approach.** As an action, you can make a _Sleight of Hand_ (**Dexterity**) check against any creature's passive or active _Perception_ to use a poisonous material while remaining undetected. ### 3. Modifying Poisonous Materials Most poisonous materials can be effective as is, but the most skilled poisoners use modified poisons to better suit their targets. Once per long rest, a creature possessing a _Poisoner's Kit_ and proficient with it can attempt the modification of a poisonous material -- provided that you can afford their costs. Each modification can only ever be attempted a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus per poisonous material. For each modification, you must make a _Poisoner's Kit_ (**Intelligence**) check using the same calculated DC you used to harvest it (_as described in the '**Harvesting Poisonous Materials**' section_). Creatures proficient in the _Poisoner's Kit_ or in _Medecine_ can use their _Help_ action to grant advantage on this check. **In case of failure**, the invested money is lost and the poisonous material cannot be modified again. Failing by 5 or more renders the poisonous material worthless.

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_Homebrew_ - HARVESTING POISONS

\page #### Available Modifications Below is a shortlist of the available modifications of poisonous materials and their cost for each attempt: + **Duration.** You spend half of the '_Cost_' of the poisonous material to double the duration of the poison's potency or of its effect. However, any affected creature gains advantage to resist the poison or gains resistance to any damage inflicted specifically by this poison. + **Enhanced.** You spend another dose of the same poisonous material or spend its full '_Cost_' to add +5 to the poison's DC. + **Concentrated**. You spend another dose of the same poisonous material or pay its full '_Cost_' to impose disadvantage to resist the poison or to reroll once any result of 1 or 2 on any of its poison damage roll. Alternatively, you can counter the resistance effects of the _Duration_ modification above. + **Altered**. You spend half the '_Cost_' of the poisonous material to change the type of your poisonous material to another among the four types of poisons available. + **Vaporized**. You spend the full '_Cost_' of the poisonous material to change its effect to a 10 ft.-sphere that remains in the air for 1 minute or until dispersed by a strong wind. The area of the sphere is lightly obscured, and a creature can be affected by the poison only once. --- **_- Modified poisons are worth more. Their new prices should be 2 to 4 times the total money invested, from their harvest to their final modifications._** #### Developing Counteragents Instead of modifying a poisonous material to hurt as seen above, a creature can follow the same rules to attempt to create a counteragent to this poisonous material instead. You must spend 1 poisonous material to attempt to produce one counteragent potent enough for one creature. You must make a _Poisoner's Kit_ (**Wisdom**) check using the same DC you would use to harvest it, as described in the _'**Harvesting Poisonous Materials**'_ section. Creatures proficient in the _Poisoner's Kit_ or in _Medicine_ can use their _Help_ action to grant advantage on this check. **In case of failure**, the poisonous material and the invested money are lost, and you will have to try again. Each dose of counteragent must be _ingested_ using your action to take effect for a duration of your choice. You must choose one of the following effects when succeeding in developing a counteragent: + **Antitoxin.** You gain advantage on any saving throw made to resist this poisonous material and are considered proficient for this save (_if not already_) for 10 minutes (_suggested duration_). + **Antidote.** You immediately cure any lasting conditions and effects of this poisonous material. + **Inhibitor.** You gain resistance against the poisonous material damage for 24 hours (_suggested duration_). --- **_- Developing a counteragent is not easy, but being prepared can drastically change the tide of a battle._**

##### Reworked List of Official Poisons Official poisons are too expensive for what they do, especially when compared to spells that replenish far more often. Here is a summary of the official poisons with corrected prices according to the **'Price Suggestion Table'** above. Each line is written following this template:

+ **Poison Name** (original price → **Cost**/new Market Price). _Poison Type_. Summary of the poison effects.

Official Poisons in alphabetical order: + **Assassin's blood** (150 gp → **40 gp**/160 gp) _Ingested_. DC 10 CON Save or _full_ 1d12 poison damage and _poisoned_ for 24 hours. + **Burnt othur fumes** (500 gp → **75 gp**/280 gp) _Inhaled_. DC 13 CON Save or _full_ 3d6 poison damage. Repeat at the start of each turn for 1d6 poison damage until saved 3 times. + **Crawler mucus** (200 gp → **100 gp**/400 gp) _Contact_. DC 13 CON Save or poisoned & paralyzed while poisoned for 1 minute until saved at the end of its turns. + **Drow poison** (200 gp → **100 gp**/400 gp) _Injury_. DC 13 CON Save or poisoned for 1 hour. Failure by 5+: unconscious while poisoned or until shaken or damaged. + **Essence of ether** (300 gp → **200 gp**/800 gp) _Inhaled_. DC 15 CON Save or poisoned for 8 hours & unconscious while poisoned or until shaken or damaged. + **Malice** (250 gp → **65 gp**/260 gp) _Inhaled_. DC 15 CON Save or poisoned for 1 hour and blinded while poisoned. + **Midnight tears** (1,500 gp → **300 gp**/1,200 gp) _Ingested_. DC 17 CON Save at midnight or _full_ 9d6 poison damage. + **Oil of taggit** (400 gp → **145 gp**/580 gp) _Contact_. DC 13 CON Save or poisoned for 24 hours & unconscious while poisoned or until damaged. + **Pale tincture** (250 gp → **250 gp**/1,000 gp) _Ingested_. DC 16 CON Save or 1d6 poison damage & poisoned. Next save each 24 hours or 1d6 poison damage that cannot be healed while poisoned and until 7 saves are successful. + **Purple worm poison** (2,000 gp → **300 gp**/1,200 gp) _Injury_. DC 19 CON Save or _full_ 12d6 poison damage. + **Serpent venom** (200 gp → **20 gp**/80 gp) _Injury_. DC 11 CON Save or _full_ 3d6 poison damage. + **Torpor** (600 gp → **350 gp**/1,400 gp) _Ingested_. DC 15 CON Save or poisoned for 4d6 hours and incapacitated while poisoned. + **Truth serum** (150 gp → **35 gp**/140 gp) _Ingested_. DC 11 CON Save or poisoned for 1 hour and under the effect of Zone of Truth while poisoned. + **Wyvern poison** (1,200 gp → **200 gp**/800 gp) _Injury_. DC 15 CON Save or _full_ 7d6 poison damage.

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_Homebrew_ - MODIFYING POISONS

\page ### 4. Creating New Poisons The goal of this section is to give you some inspiration and guidelines to efficiently create new poisons for your games. Here is a quick breakdown of how to use the _'**Creating a New Poison**'_ table on the right: 1. Choose the **poison's type** and the **duration** of its potency and of its actual effect. Standard durations are suggested in this table to match what the official poison types are expected to do. 2. Set the **DC** of the poison to match the party level or to match its expected **cost** (_see the '**Price Suggestion Table**' above_). The damage increases if the target can attempt a save (which will often results in taking half damage). You will have to rely on your own experience and the economy of your world to decide how difficult it is to resist the poison or how rare (and expensive) it is. 3. Choose the **damage dice** of the poison and/or its **unique effect**. Conditions are divided in light or strong effects, as differents poison types tend to hurt differently depending on their duration or method of administration. 4. Name your poison with the help of the _'**Poison Name Inspiration**'_ table below. --- _**- The term 'venom' refers to an attack mechanism **_(_e.g._ snakes, scorpions, spiders, ..._)** while the term 'poison' is a defensive mechanism **_(_e.g._ frogs, birds, plants, ...).

``` ```

##### Creating a New Poison | Poison type | Potency| Damage? | Condition? | |:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:| | Contact | 1 hour | - | Strong | | Ingested | 8 hours | x2 | Strong | | Inhaled | 1 min | x1 | Strong | | Injury | 1 hit | x1 | Light | ##### Damage Formula | Party Level | DC | Damage (if CON Save)| |:-:|:-:|:-:| | 1-4 | **11** | **1d6** (3d6)| | 5-8 | **13** | **2d8** (4d8) | | 9-12 | **15** | **3d8** (6d8)| | 13-16 | **17** | **4d6** (8d6) | | 17-20 | **19** | **6d6** (12d6)| ##### Poison Effects | Light Effects | |:-| | Minor condition (Blinded, Deafened, Muted, Charmed, Prone) | | Medium condition (Restrained, Incapacitated, Frightened, Poisoned) | | Cannot use its bonus action, or reaction, or both | | Can be hit with advantage for a short period of time | | Cannot crit on attack rolls | | Death saves at disadvantage | | Diseased | | Strong Effects | |:-| | Major condition (Stunned, Restrained, Paralyzed, Petrified, Unconscious) | | Disadvantage on any concentration check | | Auto-fail one or multiple ability checks | | Additional level of exhaustion | | Cannot regain or use Hit Dice | | Cannot take short or long rests | | Moves at half speed | | Cannot regain hit points in any way | | Suffer a -2 penalty to its AC | | Suffer from the _Bane_ spell effects | | Gains Vulnerability to a type of damage | | Lose Resistance to a type of damage | | Lower an ability score to 4 for a period of time |

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_Homebrew_ - CREATION OF POISONS

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_Homebrew_ - OPEN GAME LICENCE

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