Poison Maker

Your family/mentors have taught you the art of plants, for remedies and for harm. You have spent a great deal of time around plants, learning to care for them. This has taught you care and patience. There is a serenity in the life and death cycle, an order to growth and decline. You have seen birth and death a thousand times in your plants, and more than once in a person too.

Just some notes as I researched this:
For some official info on Poisons, see DMG, Pg 257, and for basic poison see PH pg 153. As a reference, monsters that do poison damage include Dragons (Green), Snakes, other Reptiles, Spiders, Insects, Carrion Crawlers, Kracken, Fungi, Myconid (kinda), Nagas, Purple Worms, Scorpions, Ghouls, Homunculus, Thri-kreen, Yuan-ti, Wryverns, and may others. Also, Drow, Gnome (Deep), Sprites and others that use poison on their weapons. 

As I was home brewing this for a character, I realized that poison, especially in combat, is a bit broken in the core rule books. A Drow, a Deep Gnome, and a Sprite (in the monster manual) all get to have poison on their weapons with a chance the poisoned condition happening every time they hit. But, if a character wants poison on their weapons (looking at the player handbook), Basic Poison cost 100 gp for one dose that has a chance to do only 1d4 poison damage, with no conditions or extra effects, and it takes a full action to apply the poison to the weapon and dries in 1 min if not used.  - So, just a heads up that DMs and players should defiantly talk about how to un-nerf that a bit and about incorporating some custom poisons without unbalancing the game. There are definitely other resources out there, and others have made it fun. Also, just a heads up, lots of monsters in the monster manual are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

All that complaining aside, I am excited about this background. I put it together for a Venomous Druid. I really hope someone else gets some use out of it too. 

Skill Proficiencies: Medicine Survival or Nature or Slight of Hand

Tool Proficiencies: Poisoner's Kit and Herbalism Kit

Equipment: Poisoner's Kit, 3 vials of poison, Mask and Gloves, Herbalism Kit, Supply of dried herbs that can be used to make tea or in cooking. 20 uses. 

 

Suggested Characteristics

As one with knowledge that can produce either recovery or decline, you feel a bit powerful, as your actions could bring life or death. But, your poisons and remidies are subtle in their workings, often taking time and patience. And, you are often separated from the result, the recovery or death happening hours, days, weeks after your hand played it's role. Also, the result is strongly tied to the individual, their construction, health, and will.  This can skew your perseption of cause an effect. - No one will ever know I poisoned them. Who's to say I did? Perhaspe I am merely an instrument of fate?

d8	Personality Trait
1	I approach problems deliberately and with a sound plan. Patience and care will produce the best result.
2	I will cut you if cornered, and my blades have poison on them.
3	Nothing is worse than being paralyzed, helpless. It's one of m biggest fears.
4	Tasteless food irks me. The extra effort to add some spice is well worth the effort. - The same goes for people. I don't understand how some people never do more than the bare minimum.
5	If we cross blades, the damage will be lasting and painful.
6	I resolve my problems quietly and often after the fact. You may think you have won, but I'm patient. When you are least expecting it, i'll settle the score.
7	I prefer to attack from a safe distance, and with tools that don't put me in danger.
8	I believe poison is a just another tool, no more good or evil than a sword or arrow. It's what I do with my tools that define if I'm good or bad.

d6	Ideal
1	Passion. If its worth doing, then its worth doing well. (Lawful)
2	Mystery. The world doesn't need to know who I am (and I'd prefer it didn't). Acknowledgement doesn't change the significance of the role I play or the things I do. (Any)
3	Supplier. I provide poison, to those that can pay. The consequences of how they choose to use it, are not my concern. (Chaotic)
4	Revenge. Those who slight me, they won't have any opportunity to stop me as I slip something into their drink. (Evil).
5	Fate. The world is just a cycle, one of peaks and valleys, growth and decline, life and death. No one can stop the inevitable, so don't worry so much. (Neutral)
6	Resist. When evil reigns and thrives unchecked, it is the small and quite actions that can topple it. (Good).

d6	Bond
1	I will end evil persons, not in some illusion of a fair fight where evil may prevail, instead I will silence them in the dark. And, one one will ever know it was me.
2	I trust my mentors and organization. They have trained me and trusted me with their secrets. I will never betray that trust.
3	I am driven to seek out new poisons, more effective ones. I will become a master of my craft.
4	I may not be strong, but when someone took something dear to me, I took their life. And, I'll take the life on anyone else that deserves it.
5	My family/orgninization has a reputation of murders, criminals, and cowards. I will prove the world wrong.
6	I'm on the run from my past and desperate to survive. I'll do whatever it takes.

d6	Flaw
1	I need to feel in control. I'll take steps to make sure my position is optimal and that I'm safe.
2	I don't fight fair and only fight to win.
3	I have a fascination with pain. I know it's wrong, but my curiosity often overrules my empathy.
4	I don't stick around for the fallout. If things start to go south and I don't see how I could help, that's my que to leave.
5	I won't put myself in danger. And, I'll flee if the danger is too great.
6	My unique knowledge and skills make me more valuable than other people.