Poisons
How a Rogue or others may use their Craft Skill: Poisonmaking.
Refining raw material into effective poison requires both patience and care. A special subcategory of craft skill call Craft: Poisonmaking, provides the necessary expertise. Making poisons with the Craft: Poisonmaking skill follows the standard rules for making items with the Craft Skill, with the following exceptions.
1. The cost of raw materials varies widely depending on whether the character has access to the active ingredients; the venom or plant that actually provides the poison. If a supply is readily available, the raw material cost one sixth of the market price. Otherwise, the raw materials cost no less than three-quarters of the market price assuming that the substance in question is for sale at all.
2. To figure out how much poison you’re able to create in a week, make a Craft: Poisonmaking check at the end of the week. If the check is successful, multiply the check result by the DC for the check. That result is how many gold pieces worth of the poison you created that week. When your total gold pieces created equals or exceeds the market price of one dose of the poison, that dose is finished. You can sometimes be able to create more than one does in a week. Depending on your check result and the market price of the poison. If you fail the check, you make no progress that week, and if you fail the check by a margin of 5 or more, you ruin half the raw materials and have to buy them again.
Using 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 or she must make a Fortitude saving throw. If he or she fails, they take the poison initial or primary damage usually ability damage. Even if they succeed, they typically face more damage, about 1 to 5 minutes later. Which they 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 poison weapon or object retains its venom until the weapon scores a hit or object is touched. Some poisons can be neutralized by wiping it off before a target comes in contact with it or any poison smeared on an object or exposed to the elements in any way. If the vial containing it is left alone, it will remain potent until it is touched or used.
Although supernatural and spell-like poisons are possible, poisonous effects are almost always extraordinary.
Poisons are divided into four basic types according to the method by which their effects are delivered, which are as follows:
CONTACT:
Merely touching this type of poison necessities 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 effective 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.
Each of the poisons presented below is rare in some fashion, whether it has increased versatility or a special effect beyond mere ability damage. Such qualities make many of these toxins attractive choices for those who would never normally consider such methods, or for poisoners with specific agendas.
The characteristics are summarized and the terms on the chart are detailed;
Type:
The poison’s method of delivery and the Fortitude save DC to avoid the poison’s damage.
Create:
This is the DC to create the poison with the Craft: Poisonmaking skill.
Primary Damage:
The damage the character takes immediately upon failing their saving throw against this poison. Ability damage is temporary unless noted, in which case the loss is a permanent drain.
Secondary Damage:
The amount of damage the character takes in 1 to 5 minutes after exposure as a result of the poisoning, if they fail a second saving throw. Ability damage noted is permanent drain instead of temporary damage.
Price:
The cost of one dose 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 in most locations illegal, and even in big cities it can be obtained only from specialized, less than reputable sources.
Soruce Notes: Dungen Masters Guild, Complete Scoundrel, Song and Silance and KoK Players Guild to the Sovereign Lands
