Mountebank Image

"Mountebank [moun-tuh-bangk] noun 1. A person who sells quack medicines, as from a platform in public places, attracting and influencing an audience by tricks, storytelling, etc." (From dictionary dot com)  Well, you wouldn't go so far as to call your remedies quack, exactly.  More like ... mmmm ... jejune.  Speculative.  Experimental even.  But hey ... you worked hard on them, and you're sure they're just as magical as anything the alchemists' guild could brew up.  You just need to iron out a few minor wrinkles, is all. ...

 ...aaaah, who's that guy tryin' to kid with his 'jejune' and his 'speculative' and all the rest of his fancy-pantsy hoity-toity talk?  Who's he think he is, Elminster or somethin'? Now, you know the real mountebank scoop; you know it don't matter WHAT your potions do, or even if they do anything.  The rubes 'll buy them anyway, so long as you know your stuff, so why waste gold on all those expensive ingredients?  What YOU need is a good line of patter, maybe some "magic" tricks to con 'em into thinking you're a real wizard, and above all a really convincing stage presence.  You got that, and you can get 'em to buy cow piss for an elixir of health.  Just make sure you've also got a quick way out of town before the yokels catch on.

Or you could be anywhere between these two extremes.  The one certainty is, you deal in potions without actually being an alchemist or herb doctor.  All the rest is up to you.

 
Tool Proficiencies: You do NOT have proficiency in either alchemy or herbalism, unless your character class includes one of those.  However, you have picked up a smattering of knowledge in both fields; for instance, you might know that a certain root cures stomach cramps and that another one is a powerful purgative -- you're just not quite sure exactly which is which...  This has two effects.  First, whenever you make an ability check related to these two fields, roll a d4.  On a 1, you have  a -2 penalty to your ability check; if you roll a 2, the penalty is -1; a 3 grants a +1 bonus, and a 4 +2.  Second, you can attempt to create potions.  When you do, consult the Mountebank Potion Creation text and table to proceed.
 
Mountebank potion creation

Most potions that a typical mountebank brews are best described by the phrase "snake oil"; basically harmless, but having no real curative or magical benefits either.  To brew one of these, make an Intelligence (Deception) check of DC 10, or DC 8 if you also have skill in either herbalism or alchemy, or DC 6 if you have both those skills.  If you fail this check, the worthlessness of the potion you create is obvious to anyone who can see, smell, taste or touch it; and it's probably pretty disgusting too.  If you roll a natural 1, the potion is actually a weak poison that causes projectile vomiting and stomach cramps, causing the drinker to be incapacitated and doing 2 points of poison damage per turn for 1d4 turns.  On a natural 20. you've lucked out and created a weak health potion that heals 1d3 points of damage and protects the drinker from effects that cause them to be incapacitated due to sickness or nausea (such as a stinking cloud) for 1d4 turns.

When you want to create a true potion, decide which one you are attempting, note its rarity, and then roll on the table below, adding your Intelligence bonus or penalty.  If the potion you are trying to create is common, the roll is made with advantage.  Uncommon potions impose a -1 penalty; rare potions a -3, very rare potions have a -5 penalty on the roll; legendary potions are at the discretion of your DM; these have a -6 penalty and are rolled with disadvantage

  Mountebanks generally cannot invent new potions; if your DM decides to allow this, you are limited to potions of a similar power level to a cantrip or 1st level spell.

d20 Mountebank potion creation
1 A small explosion takes place, inflicting 1d6 force damage on all creatures and objects within a 10' radius. The resulting failed potion is scattered and lost.
2 A stinking cloud is created in a 10' radius, and any creature who drinks the failed potion will be affected as if they were in a stinking cloud for 1d10+10 minutes, and makes their saves against this effect with disadvantage
3 The potion appears to be created successfully, but is actually a weak potion of poison which inflicts 1d6 poison damage per turn for 1d4+1 turns
4 The potion appears to be created successfully, but is actually a philter of love which allows a DC13 (Wisdom) saving throw. If the creature the drinker falls in love with is the Mountebank, they have advantage on the save
5 The potion appears to be created successfully, but its only effect is to cause short-term madness in the drinker for 1d10 minutes
6 The potion appears to be created successfully, but its only effect is to cause a swarm of brilliantly colored butterflies to appear and circle around the drinker's head for 1d6 turns, causing them to be blinded
7 The potion appears to be created successfully, but its only effect is to turn the drinker's skin a garish purple
8 The potion creation fails, creating a 20' radius cloud of thick smoke that smells of elderberries and cheap ale. Anyone who breathes this smoke is affected as if a hideous laughter spell had been cast on them
9 The potion creation fails, creating a 20' radius cloud of thick smoke that smells of pine needles and butterscotch. Any creature who breathes the smoke is outlined in faerie fire of myriad ever-shifting colors for 1d4 turns.
10 The potion creation fails. There is no other effect.
11 The potion creation fails, but the mountebank absorbs the result through their skin and gains darkvision for 1d6 hours. If they already have darkvision, its range is increased by 15' for 1d6 hours.
12 The potion creation fails, but the mountebank absorbs the result through their skin, which immediately thickens, granting them a *1 bonus on their AC for1d6 hours.
13 The potion creation fails; a randomly determined potion of the same rarity level is created instead.
14 The potion creation is a mild success, producing a potion of 1/4 normal strength (or duration, if the effects cannot be divided)
15 The potion creation is a mild success, producing a potion of 1/4 normal strength (or duration, if the effects cannot be divided)
16 The potion creation is a moderate success, producing a potion of 1/2 normal strength (or duration, if the effects cannot be divided)
17 The potion creation is a moderate success, producing a potion of 1/2 normal strength (or duration, if the effects cannot be divided)
18 The potion creation is a reasonable success, producing a potion of 3/4 normal strength (or duration, if the effects cannot be divided)
19 The potion creation is a reasonable success, producing a potion of 3/4 normal strength (or duration, if the effects cannot be divided)
20 Success! If on a natural 20, drinker also rolls on the wand of wonder effects table (DC8 Intelligence check to target); if INT check fails target is random and can include the drinker
 
Feature: Mountebank potions

You are able to create potions, as described under 'tool proficiencies' above...at a certain risk, of course.

 

 
Spell List

Like with the herbalism and alchemy skills, the Mountebank does not actually have any great spellcasting ability, unless a character class grants it them, but they have picked up a smattering here and there.  This grants them knowledge of four spells, detailed below except its being a pain in the yoohoo and not displaying properly and I don't know why.  The second level spell the Mountebank knows is not "[Tooltip not found]" because there is no second level spell in this list any more, that was an old edit.  The fourth spell the Mountebank knows is "Mountebank's Magic Aura 2[" which is another of my homebrews and which I have edited to be a first level spelll since the old draft I mention above

Spell Level Spells
Cantrip minor illusion, prestidigitation
1st expeditious retreat, [Tooltip Not Found]

Note that the mountebank can cast any of their four extended spells even if they are not otherwise a spellcaster.

 
Suggested Characteristics

Choose from the following characteristics or roll randomly

 
d12 Personality Trait
1 I live the rest of my life with the same flair and bluster I bring to a medicine show
2 I am excitable and impulsive, and I love the razzle-dazzle of a traveling medicine show
3 I instinctively understand the needs and weaknesses of people I meet. I use this knowledge to tailor the potions I make for them ...or that I CLAIM to have made for them
4 I was conned myself at an early age, and I want to turn the tables and con the one who conned me ... but the rest of the world will do until then
5 I am eloquent and loquacious; it's hard to get me to stop talking once I'm on a roll
6 I'm a born wanderer. I never really feel at home unless I'm on the road.
7 I always have an answer ready when someone questions my honesty or my potions.
8 I idolize a famous alchemist or herb doctor, and I am always ready to regale anyone who will listen with a Very. Long. And. Tediously. But. Inaccurately. Detailed. anecdote about one of their concotions or cures.
9 I always carry around a satchel of odd trinkets, and throw one in "for lagniappe" whenever I sell or buy anything.
10 I am very particular about my appearance and dress; in any sort of sales, presentation is everything.
11 I'll never admit when I'm wrong; somebody could drink my potion and turn into a giant ape right in front of me and I'd still insist, with solemn oaths, that it had been a potion of invulnerability
12 I insist that the worse a potion tastes and smells, the more powerful and beneficial it is. This has made my chosen line of work just a TINY bit more challenging...
d8 Ideal
1 Money. I'll do whatever it takes to rake in the gold, and phony medicines are pretty darn profitable. Who cares what happens to those that drink them, so long as I get my money. (Evil)
2 Variety. Life should be kept interesting, for myself and others. There's nothing worse than the same old places, people and things all the time (Chaotic)
3 People. I am fiercely loyal to the troupe I traveled with, and I'll include you as an honorary member if we adventure together long enough. Anyone else has a hard time getting me to care about them much one way or the other. (Neutral)
4 Charity. I really do want to help people and cure their ills, and if I con someone it's to get money that I will use helping someone else who's in greater need (Good)
5 Showmanship. I really want to entertain people; selling potions is just the medium, not the main goal. (Of course, it does help give me a livelihood so I can keep on entertaining people) (Any)
6 Artistry. Whatever I do, I try to do it with flair and style. I will always prefer the clever, elegant solution to the brute force approach. (Any)
7 Responsibility. The troupe leader makes decisions for the troupe. If I am the leader, I am responsible for everyone's welfare; if not, I accept their decisions without argument. (Lawful)
8 Self-improvement. The possibilities of potion making are nearly infinite, and I have dedicated my life to getting better at it day by day. (Any)
d8 Bond
1 The carnies are my family now. I would do anything for another traveling showperson
2 I may obfuscate and trick you with talk, but once I've actually given my word on something I will always keep it
3 I was once apprenticed to an alchemist or healer, and I intend to keep learning and experimenting until I prove myself worthy of them
4 Someone was harmed by drinking one of the potions I'd sold them. I will never rest until I've found them and made amends.
5 I was always the ugly duckling, the middle child, the third wheel on a one-wheeled wheelbarrow. I feel driven to outwit everyone so they'll finally pay some attention to me.
6 There must be hundreds of lost potion recipes, and I'n going to read and experiment until I rediscover them a!l
7 I am determined to prove to all those snooty wizards and alchemists and herb doctors that I can make potions that are just as good as theirs.
8 I was recruited by someone powerful to collect information for them as I travel about the lands selling potions.
d8 Flaw
1 I think I'm skilled at the art of the con, but I'm actually pretty gullible myself, especially if someone flatters my cleverness
2 I am addicted to the adrenaline rush of a masterful con. Or anything else exciting. If things are going too smoothly, I'll always try to stir up drama
3 There isn't even a tiny hamlet on the whole continent...maybe the world...where I hsven't fleeced SOMEbody, or at least tried to. I'm actually safer in the middle of a horrible, cursed, demon-haunted ruin than I am in town.
4 I tend to get so wrapped up in my performance that I overlook everything else around me.
5 I never know when to stop. I've ruined more potions, and sales pitches, than I can count or remember by trying to make what's already good enough even better
6 I breathed in the fumes from one too many failed potion making attempts. I believe one of my nonmagical possessions is alive and is my friend. I carry it wherever I go and often talk to it
7 I breathed in the fumes of one too many failed potion experiments. I hear bizarre, echoing voices saying things at the most inopportune times...sometimes horrible things, sometimes wondrous, but always strange and uncanny
8 I'm so used to con games, I find it impossible to believe that what anyone else says is straightforward and honest. "What's the catch?," is my favorite phrase.
 
Mountebank Image

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