I am trying to come up with the best class and skills to use besides the poisoner feat. Anyone have any good tips for a decent class or other details to consider?
My favorite use for Poisoner is on a Moon Druid that focuses on poisonous wildshapes. The Giant Scorpion especially has a really mean poison. Not really your typical "poison my blade and stab you" character though.
You should be a ranged character using ammunition, because poison vials provide three times as many ranged ammunition doses as they do melee weapons, but each hit still delivers the same potency. Multiple attacks per round (at least two, but probably don’t need more than three) is desirable, both to spread poison to more combatants, but also to be able to force one enemy to make multiple saves. Fast Hands (thief 3) will let you apply poison mid-combat with a bonus action, so that’s good. You don’t want to be a dual hand xbow user, because you need those hands free. Put it all together and...
A Thief/Hunter would be straightforward. Bonus Action poison applications, and 3ish ranged bow attacks fairly consistently (sometimes more).
A thief/Bloodhunter Mutant works too, with the goal to take Cruelty for three attack action attacks per round... and 24 Dexterity!
A thief/Bladesinger would be interesting, though you’ll need to use a single hand xbow or darts for your attacks. Cast Mind Sliver to hand out disadvantage on their next save, then follow with a poisoned shot, while still keeping bonus action open for a poison application or a cunning action hide.
Racially, Yuan Ti, Firbolg, or Forest Gnome could be interesting, as a way to speak with small venemous creatures and persuade them to share venom with you. Grung obviously feel thematic too. Consider also Changeling, which might let you gain access to poison NPCs food or whatever, or Warforged or Dwarf, to have resistance to poison in case you have an accident.
You should be a ranged character using ammunition, because poison vials provide three times as many ranged ammunition doses as they do melee weapons, but each hit still delivers the same potency. Multiple attacks per round (at least two, but probably don’t need more than three) is desirable, both to spread poison to more combatants, but also to be able to force one enemy to make multiple saves. Fast Hands (thief 3) will let you apply poison mid-combat with a bonus action, so that’s good. You don’t want to be a dual hand xbow user, because you need those hands free. Put it all together and...
A Thief/Hunter would be straightforward. Bonus Action poison applications, and 3ish ranged bow attacks fairly consistently (sometimes more).
A thief/Bloodhunter Mutant works too, with the goal to take Cruelty for three attack action attacks per round... and 24 Dexterity!
A thief/Bladesinger would be interesting, though you’ll need to use a single hand xbow or darts for your attacks. Cast Mind Sliver to hand out disadvantage on their next save, then follow with a poisoned shot, while still keeping bonus action open for a poison application or a cunning action hide.
Racially, Yuan Ti, Firbolg, or Forest Gnome could be interesting, as a way to speak with small venemous creatures and persuade them to share venom with you. Grung obviously feel thematic too. Consider also Changeling, which might let you gain access to poison NPCs food or whatever, or Warforged or Dwarf, to have resistance to poison in case you have an accident.
If it's an accident with your poison, it ignores resistance to poison damage(I think).
So... a Grung can just automatically apply poison to any piercing weapon they attack with for free as part of the attack action. Does that conflict with any attempts to add more poison to a weapon? I mean... there has to be a limit to how much poison can be applied to a single weapon, right?
So... a Grung can just automatically apply poison to any piercing weapon they attack with for free as part of the attack action. Does that conflict with any attempts to add more poison to a weapon? I mean... there has to be a limit to how much poison can be applied to a single weapon, right?
Last I checked no. Just the amount of each poison. I have yet to find a rule that says one poison per weapon. Plus Grung are immune to poison so no risk of hurting themselves while applying their own to an already poisoned weapon as theirs is applied during attack.
any weapon does or does not have Grung poison, but can’t have MORE Grung poison. But I dont see any reason it couldn’t have Grung, and basic, and drow, and...
yes, it can stack high. But, other than Grung poison, you’re expending limited (and costly) resources, and action economy, and that dose will be spent on a miss, and will expire in minutes if unused... there’s enough balancing it out.
I can't find anything that explicitly stops coating a weapon with multiple poisons. Considering the Grung's poison is a DC 12 that doesn't scale and does 2d4 damage I'd just allow it. If someone wants to dedicate themselves to poison like that I'd support them since they're already giving themselves a huge handicap. I'd even allow someone to coat a weapon multiple times with non-Grung poison. It isn't cheap, each save would have to be made seperately and the attack could just outright miss. Don't see anything wrong with giving a poison obsessed PC a little love.
I can't find anything that explicitly stops coating a weapon with multiple poisons. Considering the Grung's poison is a DC 12 that doesn't scale and does 2d4 damage I'd just allow it. If someone wants to dedicate themselves to poison like that I'd support them since they're already giving themselves a huge handicap. I'd even allow someone to coat a weapon multiple times with non-Grung poison. It isn't cheap, each save would have to be made seperately and the attack could just outright miss. Don't see anything wrong with giving a poison obsessed PC a little love.
Poison damage is the worst damage type. Spending a feat to have to get around the very common resistance is a big cost, and it still leaves the problem that poison is the most common damage immunity in the game. And the PC has to poor a constant stream of gold into maintaining their ability to poison with no guarantee the poison will work because of immunity or the enemy simply making their saving throw. Polearm Master and Crossbow Expert certainly don't make you spend a bunch of money to constantly do extra damage, and their extra damage is more reliable.
Poison damage is the worst damage type. Spending a feat to have to get around the very common resistance is a big cost, and it still leaves the problem that poison is the most common damage immunity in the game. And the PC has to poor a constant stream of gold into maintaining their ability to poison with no guarantee the poison will work because of immunity or the enemy simply making their saving throw. Polearm Master and Crossbow Expert certainly don't make you spend a bunch of money to constantly do extra damage, and their extra damage is more reliable.
Sadly this is true and spellcaster especially with transmute ability is a thing now fear this even less. Though it is a matter of know when and where to use said things. Though the poison immunity ratio is insane compared to most.
No one mentioned the PHB beast master for harvesting poison(venom). Giant snake is great but requires a save and no ranger bonus to poison damage. Flying snake is 3d4+PROF(character scaling not Ranger level scaling) with no save. A beast master should have a huge supply and if you take a good race you are at less or no risk of hurting yourself while harvesting. Familiars, wild shapes and summoned creatures tend to not allow harvesting because they are magic and will disappear after a time or when separate from the Creature.
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I am trying to come up with the best class and skills to use besides the poisoner feat. Anyone have any good tips for a decent class or other details to consider?
My favorite use for Poisoner is on a Moon Druid that focuses on poisonous wildshapes. The Giant Scorpion especially has a really mean poison. Not really your typical "poison my blade and stab you" character though.
You should be a ranged character using ammunition, because poison vials provide three times as many ranged ammunition doses as they do melee weapons, but each hit still delivers the same potency. Multiple attacks per round (at least two, but probably don’t need more than three) is desirable, both to spread poison to more combatants, but also to be able to force one enemy to make multiple saves. Fast Hands (thief 3) will let you apply poison mid-combat with a bonus action, so that’s good. You don’t want to be a dual hand xbow user, because you need those hands free. Put it all together and...
A Thief/Hunter would be straightforward. Bonus Action poison applications, and 3ish ranged bow attacks fairly consistently (sometimes more).
A thief/Bloodhunter Mutant works too, with the goal to take Cruelty for three attack action attacks per round... and 24 Dexterity!
A thief/Bladesinger would be interesting, though you’ll need to use a single hand xbow or darts for your attacks. Cast Mind Sliver to hand out disadvantage on their next save, then follow with a poisoned shot, while still keeping bonus action open for a poison application or a cunning action hide.
Racially, Yuan Ti, Firbolg, or Forest Gnome could be interesting, as a way to speak with small venemous creatures and persuade them to share venom with you. Grung obviously feel thematic too. Consider also Changeling, which might let you gain access to poison NPCs food or whatever, or Warforged or Dwarf, to have resistance to poison in case you have an accident.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
If it's an accident with your poison, it ignores resistance to poison damage(I think).
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
Before that witch swung the nerf bat I had a Mercy monk / Spore Druid Grung that loved this feat. Post Tasha’s it lost a ton of potential.
I just realized Poisoner replicates Fast Hands, for poison. Thief unnecessary, sorry.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
So... a Grung can just automatically apply poison to any piercing weapon they attack with for free as part of the attack action. Does that conflict with any attempts to add more poison to a weapon? I mean... there has to be a limit to how much poison can be applied to a single weapon, right?
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Last I checked no. Just the amount of each poison. I have yet to find a rule that says one poison per weapon. Plus Grung are immune to poison so no risk of hurting themselves while applying their own to an already poisoned weapon as theirs is applied during attack.
any weapon does or does not have Grung poison, but can’t have MORE Grung poison. But I dont see any reason it couldn’t have Grung, and basic, and drow, and...
yes, it can stack high. But, other than Grung poison, you’re expending limited (and costly) resources, and action economy, and that dose will be spent on a miss, and will expire in minutes if unused... there’s enough balancing it out.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
I can't find anything that explicitly stops coating a weapon with multiple poisons. Considering the Grung's poison is a DC 12 that doesn't scale and does 2d4 damage I'd just allow it. If someone wants to dedicate themselves to poison like that I'd support them since they're already giving themselves a huge handicap. I'd even allow someone to coat a weapon multiple times with non-Grung poison. It isn't cheap, each save would have to be made seperately and the attack could just outright miss. Don't see anything wrong with giving a poison obsessed PC a little love.
Which handicap are we talking about?
Poison damage is the worst damage type. Spending a feat to have to get around the very common resistance is a big cost, and it still leaves the problem that poison is the most common damage immunity in the game. And the PC has to poor a constant stream of gold into maintaining their ability to poison with no guarantee the poison will work because of immunity or the enemy simply making their saving throw. Polearm Master and Crossbow Expert certainly don't make you spend a bunch of money to constantly do extra damage, and their extra damage is more reliable.
Sadly this is true and spellcaster especially with transmute ability is a thing now fear this even less. Though it is a matter of know when and where to use said things. Though the poison immunity ratio is insane compared to most.
No one mentioned the PHB beast master for harvesting poison(venom). Giant snake is great but requires a save and no ranger bonus to poison damage. Flying snake is 3d4+PROF(character scaling not Ranger level scaling) with no save. A beast master should have a huge supply and if you take a good race you are at less or no risk of hurting yourself while harvesting. Familiars, wild shapes and summoned creatures tend to not allow harvesting because they are magic and will disappear after a time or when separate from the Creature.