So I have been looking for real world and game world examples of mundane poisons that would not be used for combat purposes. Hallucinogens (from mushrooms), contact poisons that might create a skin reaction. Think tricks charlatans or Sherlock Homes villains might use to trick people into thinking they are magic and more powerful than they actually are. Is there a resource, rule or homebrew for something like this? I want to combine things like mild skin rash and bio-luminescence to trick people into thinking they are marked (again out of combat). My DM would rule that I would have to experiment or work with other poisoners and alchemists which is fair, but I am not seeing any resources that would support such a mechanic. Example, I might cast suggestion or charm for someone to sign a contract to enter my service, then I shake their hand and on the palm of my glove is a compound over a raised glyph. After a few minutes after the hand shake, the glowing rash appears tricking the person that there is a supernatural cause. A powder from a plant that could be blown into enemies chasing me to blur their vision and give them breathing difficulties.
As for the game mechanics, they are left purposefully and frustratingly vague. I suppose for examples like this where the designers couldn't have possibly thought of this and every other possible use for a poison. It's really up to the DM how to rule this. Xanathars does have a little bit of information for ideas on how to rule things like this but I'm not sure if it has what you're looking for.
There is a whole list of poisons and only half of them are particularly combat specific. Crawler mucus causes paralysis on contact. Essence of ether causes unconsciousness if inhaled. Malice causes blindness, there is even truth serum.
99% of them are damage focused. What about weakness, sneezing, itching, skin rash, bacterial (since there is unlikely to be antibiotics), stuff that create interesting storytelling opportunities. Well I was frustrated with the lack of... well anything. I am building a framework, I'll probably never finish it.
My goal is to list all general values then use the system to make a poison that is already listed. they figure the cost breakdown to match it up with the GP values in the official texts. Instead of approaching it like finding chemicals in nature that might created the desired result, I went with desired effects and will work backwards.
Damage Step 1: 0 HP Damage Step 2: 1 HP Damage Step 3: 1d4 HP Damage Step 4: 1d6 HP Damage Step 5: 1d8 HP Damage Step 6: 1d10 HP Damage Step 7: 1d12 HP
Damage Severity # of die rolled
Effect Count 1: No Effect Effect Count 2: 1 Effect Effect Count 3: 2 Effects (would be a cumulative increase. More effects are more complicated therefore it would not be a simple 10+10. More like 10+(10x2)+(10x4) so 3 effects would cost 70 points(arbitrary). Effect examples: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, Hearing, extra Sensory like Mind Reading or radius
Duration until activation 200% faster, 0% for ten minutes to 100% in 24 hours or more
effect or debilitation severity Sense Impairment Level: None/0% Sense Impairment Level: Light/25% or less (Chlorine halo from swimming pool) Sense Impairment Level: Moderate/(50% or less (Muscular weakness) Sense Impairment Level: Severe/70% or less (choking) Sense Impairment Level: Extreme/100% or less
Creation Complexity Skill Level once formula has been researched.
Creation Complexity Tool Requirement: None, Simple(hammer, mortar & Pestal), Uncommon(Alembic, Crucible), Rare(Magical tools), Legendary (Volcano of Mt Doom where the one ring was forged)
Research complexity and time Perfecting formula Research and time Ingredient Phase Change Solid Level to Liquid Level Solid Level to Gas - Solid, Liquid, Gas Solid Mithril to a Light Gas (Fog) would be EXTREMELY LEGENDARY in all possible ways. Solid Mithril to a Dense Liquid like Mercury would be only slightly less difficult, but still require skill and specialized tools and amazing ingredients and fuels.
So I have been looking for real world and game world examples of mundane poisons that would not be used for combat purposes. Hallucinogens (from mushrooms), contact poisons that might create a skin reaction. Think tricks charlatans or Sherlock Homes villains might use to trick people into thinking they are magic and more powerful than they actually are. Is there a resource, rule or homebrew for something like this? I want to combine things like mild skin rash and bio-luminescence to trick people into thinking they are marked (again out of combat). My DM would rule that I would have to experiment or work with other poisoners and alchemists which is fair, but I am not seeing any resources that would support such a mechanic. Example, I might cast suggestion or charm for someone to sign a contract to enter my service, then I shake their hand and on the palm of my glove is a compound over a raised glyph. After a few minutes after the hand shake, the glowing rash appears tricking the person that there is a supernatural cause. A powder from a plant that could be blown into enemies chasing me to blur their vision and give them breathing difficulties.
As for the game mechanics, they are left purposefully and frustratingly vague. I suppose for examples like this where the designers couldn't have possibly thought of this and every other possible use for a poison. It's really up to the DM how to rule this. Xanathars does have a little bit of information for ideas on how to rule things like this but I'm not sure if it has what you're looking for.
There is a whole list of poisons and only half of them are particularly combat specific. Crawler mucus causes paralysis on contact. Essence of ether causes unconsciousness if inhaled. Malice causes blindness, there is even truth serum.
99% of them are damage focused. What about weakness, sneezing, itching, skin rash, bacterial (since there is unlikely to be antibiotics), stuff that create interesting storytelling opportunities. Well I was frustrated with the lack of... well anything. I am building a framework, I'll probably never finish it.
My goal is to list all general values then use the system to make a poison that is already listed. they figure the cost breakdown to match it up with the GP values in the official texts. Instead of approaching it like finding chemicals in nature that might created the desired result, I went with desired effects and will work backwards.
Damage Step 1: 0 HP
Damage Step 2: 1 HP
Damage Step 3: 1d4 HP
Damage Step 4: 1d6 HP
Damage Step 5: 1d8 HP
Damage Step 6: 1d10 HP
Damage Step 7: 1d12 HP
Damage Severity # of die rolled
Effect Count 1: No Effect
Effect Count 2: 1 Effect
Effect Count 3: 2 Effects (would be a cumulative increase. More effects are more complicated therefore it would not be a simple 10+10. More like 10+(10x2)+(10x4) so 3 effects would cost 70 points(arbitrary).
Effect examples: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, Hearing, extra Sensory like Mind Reading or radius
Duration until activation 200% faster, 0% for ten minutes to 100% in 24 hours or more
effect or debilitation severity
Sense Impairment Level: None/0%
Sense Impairment Level: Light/25% or less (Chlorine halo from swimming pool)
Sense Impairment Level: Moderate/(50% or less (Muscular weakness)
Sense Impairment Level: Severe/70% or less (choking)
Sense Impairment Level: Extreme/100% or less
Creation Complexity Skill Level once formula has been researched.
Creation Complexity Tool Requirement: None, Simple(hammer, mortar & Pestal), Uncommon(Alembic, Crucible), Rare(Magical tools), Legendary (Volcano of Mt Doom where the one ring was forged)
Main Ingredients: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Legendary
Fuel Ingredients: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Legendary
Research complexity and time
Perfecting formula Research and time
Ingredient Phase Change
Solid Level to Liquid Level
Solid Level to Gas -
Solid, Liquid, Gas
Solid Mithril to a Light Gas (Fog) would be EXTREMELY LEGENDARY in all possible ways. Solid Mithril to a Dense Liquid like Mercury would be only slightly less difficult, but still require skill and specialized tools and amazing ingredients and fuels.
8/15 is not 99%. I said half are non-combat because I meant it.
You can homebrew whatever poisons you want using whatever system you want.
As for what tools to make poisons with. The poisoner's kit seems like an obvious start.