SRD:Poisons

This material is published under the OGL

Poisons

When a character takes damage from an attack with a poisoned weapon, touches an item smeared with contact poison, consumes poisoned food or drink, or is otherwise poisoned, he must make a Fortitude saving throw. If he fails, he takes the poison’s initial damage (usually ability damage). Even if he succeeds, he typically faces more damage 1 minute later, which he can also avoid with a successful Fortitude saving throw.

One dose of poison smeared on a weapon or some other object affects just a single target. A poisoned weapon or object retains its venom until the weapon scores a hit or the object is touched (unless the poison is wiped off before a target comes in contact with it). Any poison smeared on an object or exposed to the elements in any way remains potent until it is touched or used.

Although supernatural and spell-like poisons are possible, poisonous effects are almost always extraordinary.

Poison Categories

Poisons can be divided into four basic types according to the method by which their effect is delivered, as follows.

Contact

Merely touching this type of poison necessitates a saving throw. It can be actively delivered via a weapon or a touch attack. Even if a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid taking any damage from the attack, the poison can still affect it. A chest or other object can be smeared with contact poison as part of a trap.

Ingested

Ingested poisons are virtually impossible to utilize in a combat situation. A poisoner could administer a potion to an unconscious creature or attempt to dupe someone into drinking or eating something poisoned. Assassins and other characters tend to use ingested poisons outside of combat.

Inhaled

Inhaled poisons are usually contained in fragile vials or eggshells. They can be thrown as a ranged attack with a range increment of 10 feet. When it strikes a hard surface (or is struck hard), the container releases its poison. One dose spreads to fill the volume of a 10-foot cube. Each creature within the area must make a saving throw. (Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons; they affect the nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.)

Injury

This poison must be delivered through a wound. If a creature has sufficient damage reduction to avoid taking any damage from the attack, the poison does not affect it. Traps that cause damage from weapons, needles, and the like sometimes contain injury poisons.

Poison Qualities

The characteristics of poisons are summarized on Table: Poisons. Terms on the table are defined below.

Type

The poison’s method of delivery (contact, ingested, inhaled, or via an injury) and the Fortitude save DC to avoid the poison’s damage.

Initial Damage

The damage the character takes immediately upon failing his saving throw against this poison. Ability damage is temporary unless marked with a superscript "1" (¹), in which case the loss is a permanent drain. 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 he fails a second saving throw. Unconsciousness lasts for 1d3 hours. Ability damage marked with a superscript "1" is permanent drain instead of temporary damage.

Price

The cost of one dose (one vial) of the poison. It is not possible to use or apply poison in any quantity smaller than one dose. The purchase and possession of poison is always illegal, and even in big cities it can be obtained only from specialized, less than reputable sources.

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.

Table: Poisons

Poison	Type	Initial Damage	Secondary Damage	Price
Nitharit	Contact DC 13	0	3d6 Con	650 gp
Sassone leaf residue	Contact DC 16	2d12 hp	1d6 Con	300 gp
Malyss root paste	Contact DC 16	1 Dex	2d4 Dex	500 gp
Terinav root	Contact DC 16	1d6 Dex	2d6 Dex	750 gp
Black lotus extract	Contact DC 20	3d6 Con	3d6 Con	4,500 gp
Dragon bile	Contact DC 26	3d6 Str	0	1,500 gp
Striped toadstool	Ingested DC 11	1 Wis	2d6 Wis + 1d4 Int	180 gp
Arsenic	Ingested DC 13	1 Con	1d8 Con	120 gp
Id moss	Ingested DC 14	1d4 Int	2d6 Int	125 gp
Oil of taggit	Ingested DC 15	0	Unconsciousness	90 gp
Lich dust	Ingested DC 17	2d6 Str	1d6 Str	250 gp
Dark reaver powder	Ingested DC 18	2d6 Con	1d6 Con + 1d6 Str	300 gp
Ungol dust	Inhaled DC 15	1 Cha	1d6 Cha + 1 Cha^1	1,000 gp
Insanity mist	Inhaled DC 15	1d4 Wis	2d6 Wis	1,500 gp
Burnt othur fumes	Inhaled DC 18	1 Con^1	3d6 Con	2,100 gp
Black adder venom	Injury DC 11	1d6 Con	1d6 Con	120 gp
Small centipede poison	Injury DC 11	1d2 Dex	1d2 Dex	90 gp
Bloodroot	Injury DC 12	0	1d4 Con + 1d3 Wis	100 gp
Drow poison	Injury DC 13	Unconsciousness	Unconsciousness for 2d4 hours	75gp
Greenblood oil	Injury DC 13	1 Con	1d2 Con	100 gp
Blue whinnis	Injury DC 14	1 Con	Unconsciousness	120 gp
Medium spider venom	Injury DC 14	1d4 Str	1d4 Str	150 gp
Shadow essence	Injury DC 17	1 Str^1	2d6 Str	250 gp
Wyvern poison	Injury DC 17	2d6 Con	2d6 Con	3,000 gp
Huge scorpion venom	Injury DC 18	1d6 Con	1d6 Con	200 gp
Giant wasp poison	Injury DC 18	1d6 Dex	1d6 Dex	210 gp
Deathblade	Injury DC 20	1d6 Con	2d6 Con	1,800 gp
Purple worm poison	Injury DC 24	1d6 Str	2d6 Str	700 gp
Permanent drain, not temporary damage.

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