Roleplaying Guide

General Information - Drugs & Poisons

Drugs & Poisons

A list of drugs, poisons and medicines for use in fantasy role playing games. Every poison is detailed with how it is administered (contact, ingested, inhaled, injury), the standard cost for a single vial of the poison (one vial = one dose), initial damage, secondary damage and the difficulty class (i.e. DC 18). Some drugs & poisons have side effects and overdose properties as well.

DC: When a character encounters a poison, they must make a Fortitude saving throw. If the player fails, they takes the poison's initial damage. If they succeed, no damage is taken. For example, if a poison has a difficulty class of 11 (DC 11), then the player must roll a saving throw. A saving throw is a d20 roll plus a bonus based on your class, level, and an ability score. To succeed at a saving throw, a player must match or better the DC. So, if the DC equals 11, a roll of 11 or higher will dodge any damage.

Initial damage refers to the damage that the character takes immediately upon failing his saving throw against this poison. Ability damage is typically temporary (however some result in a loss that is a permanent drain). Standard paralysis lasts for 2d6 minutes.

Secondary Damage: The amount of damage the character takes 1 minute after exposure as a result of the poisoning, if they fail a second saving throw. Unconsciousness lasts for 1d3 hours.

Perils of Using Poison: A character has a 5% chance of exposing himself to a poison whenever he applies it to a weapon or otherwise readies it for use. Additionally, a character who rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll with a poisoned weapon must make a DC 15 Reflex save or accidentally poison himself with the weapon.

Poison Immunities: Creatures with natural poison attacks are immune to their own poison. Nonliving creatures (constructs and undead) and creatures without metabolisms (such as elementals) are always immune to poison. Oozes, plants, and certain kinds of outsiders are also immune to poison, although conceivably special poisons could be concocted specifically to harm them.

Anything I should add, change, and/or delete.