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 ‘Wat Is A Porsoner's Kir? ‘The SRD ¥..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 i still alot 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 rulesét to make proficiency in the Poisoner’s Kit something worth 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 ‘yhnu More rulesets & coloured version available on Pi Lone Sang, Ulustations: + Chalice of aint john the Evangelist by Hans Merling (cover, -1470) + Stll 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 SE SRD (v5.1) ruleset as the sole Open Game Content, Pon tTL)Tue Four Tyres OF POISONS ‘There are four types of poison introduced by the SRD. 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 ofits actual body. Usually itis limited to touched surfaces but you can allow such poison to work as a weapor'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 conly a partial dose was ingested, the creature should cither 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 offically affect a 5 ‘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 (event they do not breathe) but disappears afterward. They inflict poison damage that can last longer ifthe target fails to resist their effect. Otherwise, they ¢an inflict 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 in direct poison damage on the first hit before being washed off. Sometimes, they inflict light and shorttetm conditions such as Poisoned. You could allow. bbludgeoning weapons to work too, at your disefetions 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 caver the tool maintenance, container price, ‘and most importantly, for game balance. Ifyou 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 ifa 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 ceffects. 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 0 ‘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 18 5 gp 20 gp 10 4-200 80 gp 2 2-35 140 gp - 1 50 gp 200 gp 13 3 75 ep 2800 - 4120p 480 gp “4 5 150g 600 gp 1s 6 — 200gp 800 gp W 8 — 300gp 1,200 gp 19 10 400gp ~——1,600gp 20 13 520gp 2,080 gp : 15 640.gp_—_Getit yourself au 20+ 700+ gp Allow me to insist‘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 dase of poisonous material ‘and must pay forts storage ‘Cost (see the Price Suggestion Table' above) You can name it starting with the creature's name and the part that is poisonous (ex Wyvern's Sting Venom) to be able to refer toftsstat block later if required Its effects stay the same as ‘written inthe creature’ tat 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 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. Noa 2. UsinG PorsONous MATERIALS Because of the wide variety of available poisonous material, itis 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 poigon. You can use your action to throw a poisonous material as an improvised ranged weapon with « 20/60 ft range. You are proficient for this attack ifyou are proficient in the Poisoner's Kit. On a miss, the poisonous material is thrown at its maximal eritial range and spreads ina 5 ft. equare on the Noor if adequate. By default, the poisonous material loses its potency after I 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 ean be effective as is, but the ‘most skilled poisoners use modified poisons to better suit their targets. Once perlong rest, a creature possessing a Poisoner's Kitand proficient with it can attempt the modification of a ‘poisonous material — provided that you can afford thei ‘608is*Each modification can only ever be attempted a rumberof 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 rant 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.AVAILABLE MODIFICATIONS Below is 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 o double the duration of the poison's potency or ofits 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 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 oto reroll once any result of 1 or 2 on any ofits 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 ‘Cast’ ofthe poisonous material to change its effect to a 10 ft-sphere that ‘remains in the air for I 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 I poisonous material to attempeto 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 Kitor 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 ofthe following effects when succeeding in developing a counteragent: ‘+ Antitoxia. You gain advantage on any saving throw ‘made to resist this poisonous material and are considered proficient for this save (ifnot 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 propared 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 offical poisons with corrected prices according to the ‘Price Suggestion Table? above. Each line is written following this template: + Poison Narre (original price —» Cost/new Market Price. Poison Type. Surnmnary of the poison effects, (Official Poisons in alphabetical order: + Assassin's blood (150 gp + 40 g0/160 gp) Ingested. DC 10 CON Save or full'd12 poison damage and poisoned for 24 hours + Bumt cthur fumes (500 gp -> 75 gp/280 gp) Inhaled. DC 13 CON Save or full3d6 poison damage. Repeat atthe start of each turn for 146 poison damage until saved 3 times + Cramer rrucus (200 gp —> 100 gp/400 gp) Contact DC 13 CON Save or poisoned & paralyzed while poisoned for 1 minute until saved at the end ofits turns. + Drow peison (200 gp + 100 gp/400 gp) Injury. DC 13 CON Save or poisoned for 1 hour. Failure by 54: 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, + Michight tears (1,500 gp + 300 p/1,200 gp) Ingested. DC 17 CON Save at midnight or full 946 poison damage, + ilo 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 go) Ingested. DC 16 CON Save or 146 poison darmage & 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 go ~» 300 gp/1,200 gp) Injury DC 19 CON Save or full 1246 poison damage. + Serpent venom (200 gp —> 20 gp/80 gp) Injury. OC 11 CON Save ot fill 345 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 sem (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. + Wyvem poison (1,200 gp —+ 200 gp/800 gp) Injury. OC 15 CON Save ot full 746 poison damage.4. CREATING New PoIsoNs 9 : ‘The goal of this section isto give you some inspiration and CREATING A NEW POISON {guidelines to efficiently create new poisons for your games, ie Here is a quick breakdown of how to use the ‘Creating a Poison type Potency Damage? Condition? ‘New Poison’ table on the right: Contact 1 hour Strong 1. Choose the poison's type and the duration of its Ingested — 8hours x2 Strong potency and of its actual effect. Standard durations are Inhaled 1 min xd Strong 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. Damace FORMULA match its expected cost (sce the Price Suggestion ‘Table’ above) The damage increases if the target can. Party Level OC Damage (f CON Save) Injury Thit a Light attempt a save (which will often results in taking half 14 n ‘1d6 (346) damage) You will have to rely on your own experience 58 B 2d8 (408) ‘andthe economy of your world to decide how dificult it taf rete fi prea or Now fare (ond expendi) in 91215 3¢8 (648) 3. Choose the damage dice of the rifor it aL Ad6 (806) tunique effect. Conditions are divided in light or strong 720 19 6d6 (1246) fects, as differents poison types tend to hurt diferently depending on their duration or method of Polson ErFects ‘administration. Light Ef 4, Name your poison with the help of the ‘Poison Name Minor condition (Blinded, Deafened, Muted, Charmed, Inspiration’ table below. Prone) Medium condition (Restrained, Incapacitated, - The term ‘venom’ refers to an attack mechanism (6. Frightened, Poisoned) snakes, scorpions, spiders...) while the term ‘poison’ is a Cannot use its bonus action, or reaction, or both defensive mechanism (c.g. frogs, birds, plants) Can be hit with advantage for a short period of time Cannot crit on attack rolls Poison NAME INSPIRATION Death saves at disadvantage ‘Adjective Tyre Diseased Agonizing Blood Strong Efe Burning Decoction Major condition (Stunned, Restrained, Paralyzed, Dark Elixir Petrified, Unconscious) Death Essence Disadvantage on any concentration check Devil Extract ‘Auto-fail one or multiple ability checks Dreadful Fumes Additional level of exhaustion Midnight Ichor Cannot regain or use Hit Dice Nefarious oil Cannot take short or long rests of Agony Poison Moves at half speed of Suffering Serurn Cannot regain hit points in any way ofthe Witch Tear || Suffer a-2 penalty to its AC Sanguine Tincture Suffer from the Bane spell effects Strangler Toxin Gains Vulnerability to a type of damage Villainous Vapor Lose Resistance to a type of damage Wicked Venom Lower an ability score to 4 for a period of time Homebrew. 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System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors Mike Meats, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwvalb, Bruce R, Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. lly Craig's Guide to Poisons ©2021 Author: Hans ‘Iyhnu’ Lone Sang : Homebrew OPEN GAMESLICENCE