Poisons are deadly toxins that are customized for a specific situation. Each poison is made up of effect delay components:

  • The effect
  • The delivery method
  • The potency
  • The effect delay

Under-Licensed Use. If you attempt to apply any poison that you do not have the license for, your inexperience makes it difficult. There is a 30% chance that any poison you apply affects you then becomes neutralized. You cannot produce a poison without the proper licensing, attempting so results in an inert substance.

Quicklinks: Poison Effect | Delivery Method | The Potency | Delay | Weight | Cost | Subjected to a Poison | Producing a Poison

Poison Effect

The effect of your poison determines what happens to a creature once they become affected with your poison. The effects that you are able to apply or produce are dependent on your licensing level.

You are able to purchase mixed poisons by having two effects combined into a single poison. When doing so, the costs of the poison effects are added together, then increased by 50%.

Poison effects that are unique are possible to acquire but require a Poison License III to use and are always illegal to possess without specialty clearances.

Poison License I Effects

Bleeding. ¢ 5. A creature subjected to this effect begins exsanguinating until cured.

Blinding. ¢ 6. A creature subjected to this effect becomes Blinded for the next 1 hour. If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the duration, the affected creature suffers the Blurred Vision ailment until cured.

Corrosive. ¢ 8. A creature subjected to this effect takes poison damage equal to a quarter of their maximum hit points.

Crippling. ¢ 8. A creature subjected to this effect gains disadvantage on all Fortitude saving throws for the next 24 hours. If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the 24 hours, the affected creature suffers the Nausea ailment until cured.

Slumber. ¢ 8. A creature subjected to this effect falls unconscious for 8 hours, or until forcefully woken, such as by forcefully shaking or drenching in water. Any creature that does not sleep is immune to this effect. If the creature is woken before the 8 hours ends, and the poison was not removed, the affected creature suffers the Drowsiness ailment until cured.

Poison License II Effects

Confusion. ¢25. A creature subjected to this effect becomes confused. While confused, the creature can’t understand what other creatures say, can’t read, and can only speak in gibberish. In addition, the creature forgets any current task and loses any ability to understand contextual information, and has its awareness, insight, and presence reduced to 5. This effect lasts for 24 hours. If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the 24 hours, the affected creature suffers the Disoriented ailment until cured.

Paralysis. ¢ 36. A creature subjected to this effect becomes Paralyzed for the next 8 hours. If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the 8 hours, the affected creature suffers the Nerve Damage ailment until cured.

Toxic. ¢ 15. A creature subjected to this effect becomes Poisoned for 1 hour. If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the hour, the affected creature suffers the Skin Damage ailment until cured.

Poison License III Effects

Cardiac. ¢ 50. A creature subjected to this effect feels a sudden pain in their chest and can only speak in short whispers for the next minute. If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the minute, the affected creature is reduced to 0 hit points. If the poison reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the affected creature suffers the Heart Arrhythmia ailment until cured.

Lethal. ¢ 70. A creature subjected to this effect becomes Incapacitated for the next 1 minute. If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the 1 minute, the affected creature dies. If the poison is cured, the affected creature suffers the Malaise ailment until cured. 

Pain. ¢ 40. A creature subjected to this effect feels crippling pain throughout their whole body, causing the following effects:

  • It can not move more than 10 feet on any turn.
  • It has disadvantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
  • It is unable to use any items or devices.

This effect lasts for 1 hour.  If the poison is removed naturally at the end of the hour, the affected creature suffers the Irritability ailment until cured.

Delivery Method

The delivery method of a poison determines how you apply the poison to a creature. It is determined by the substance that the poison is manufactured into. The substances you are able to apply or produce are dependent on your licensing level.

  • Poison License I: You can apply or produce liquid poisons.
  • Poison License II: You can apply or produce liquid or powder poisons.
  • Poison License III: You can apply or produce gas, liquid, or powder poisons.

Each poison substance has different properties and needs to be applied in different ways. The substances are detailed below.

Liquid poisons must be stored in a sterile glass vial. A liquid poison can be delivered to a creature in a variety of ways:

  • It can be injected into a willing or incapacitated creature through an injection gun or other devices capable of delivering liquid injections. When delivered in this way, the target has disadvantage on the saving throw.
  • It can be applied to melee weapons that deal piercing or slashing damage as an action. Once applied, the poison remains potent for 1 hour, or until you successfully hit a creature with the weapon, causing the target to suffer the poison’s effects.
  • It can be applied to up to 3 pieces of ammunition or arrows as an action. Once applied, the poison remains potent for 1 hour, or until you successfully hit a creature with the ammunition, causing the target to suffer the poison’s effects. If the ammunition is ever fired from a gun, the poison becomes inert.
  • A creature can drink the liquid either from the vial, or mixed into another liquid. Once mixed into another liquid, the poison remains potent for 1 hour, however alcohol and excessive heat reduces this duration to 5 minutes. The creature must drink more than half of the poison for the effect to take place.
  • The poison can be applied to a creature mucus membranes (i.e. nostrils or mouth). When delivered in this way, the potency of the poison is reduced by 5 points.

Powder poisons can be stored in a sealed pouch or other container. A powder poison can be delivered to a creature in a variety of ways:

  • It can be blown at a creature within 5 feet of yourself as an action. If the creature is wearing power armor or any other full-body covering, the poison will not affect them, but it will coat the front of the armor (see applying to a surface next). Otherwise, the target suffers the effects of the poison.
  • It can be applied to a surface or object, no larger than 1 foot in any dimension. A creature with an awareness equal to or greater than the poison’s potency will notice the fine dust coating the surface. A creature that touches the affected surface without wearing protective equipment will suffer the effect of the poison. Once touched by a creature, the potency is reduced by 5. Once it drops to 9 or lower, the poison becomes inert and undetectable. The poison will remain on the surface for 24 hours or until it is washed off with soap or water.
  • It can be mixed into spices, liquids, or other food. The potency of the poison is reduced by 5, and the food will taste poor. However, the poison remains potent for up to 6 hours, and can survive temperatures up to 500 degrees fahrenheit, and any creature that consumes at least one-quarter of the poison suffers its effects.

Gas poisons are stored in pressurized and sealed containers that prevent air from escaping. A gas poison can be delivered by being released into the air either through the container being opened or broken.

Once released, the gas rapidly expands to fill a 5 foot radius with the poison. At the start of your turn, the poison gas expands 5 feet in all directions, and has its potency reduced by 2. A creature with an awareness equal to or greater than the poison’s potency will see the poison gas cloud.

The poison can be deliberately released within an air circulation system. When the gas is released within an air circulation system, the potency is reduced by 5, however the poison will permeate all rooms within the air circulation system. As such, people within the system will be afflicted by the poison at different times. At the start of your turn, the poison gas flows up to 50 feet along the air circulation system, and has its potency reduced by 2.

Once the gas fills an area, holding your breath is ineffective against gas poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body. A creature that starts its turn within the area of the gas or enters the area of the gas for the first time on its turn suffers its effects.

A poison will remain in the air until its potency is reduced to 9 or less. Afterwards, it falls to the ground and becomes inert.

When 2 or more gas poisons with the same effect are released at the same time, the two of them expand together. Only 1 poison has its potency reduced each round, however, they both still expand.

The Potency

The potential of a poison is determined by its potency. You can choose the potency of a poison you produce, however the maximum potency is limited based on your poison licensing level.

  • Poison License I: Your maximum potency is 14.
  • Poison License II: Your maximum potency is 18.
  • Poison License III: Your maximum potency is 22.

A creature with poison license III can create a poison with a potency up to a maximum of 30. However, a potency of more than 20 is always illegal to possess without specialty clearances.

Delay

The duration between a poisons application and the effects occurring is the delay. You can choose the delay of a poison you produce, however the maximum delay is limited based on your poison licensing level.

  • Poison License I: Your maximum delay is 1 minute.
  • Poison License II: Your maximum delay is 1 hour.
  • Poison License III: Your maximum delay is 1 day.

A creature with poison license III can create a poison with a delay up to a maximum of 1 week. However, a delay of more than 1 day is always illegal to possess without specialty clearances.

Weight

The weight of the poison substance is negligible, however a container capable of holding a poison weighs a quarter-pound.

Cost

The cost of a poison is determined by its effect, potency, and delay.

The formula to calculate a poisons price is listed below:

  • Poison Price = Effect Cost × (Potency – 2)

Subjected to a Poison

Whenever a creature is subjected to a poison it must make a Fortitude saving throw once the delay has lapsed with a DC determined by the poison’s potency.

If a creature succeeds on a saving throw against a poison it becomes immune to that specific poison, preventing repeat exposure from the same application (such as the same gas cloud or contaminated surface). If the creature fails its saving throw it is subjected to the poison effect.

A poison can be cured or detected during the delay period in addition to the poison’s effect duration. Additionally, poisons can be detected after the effect has cleared for 1 hour per point of potency.

Producing a Poison

You can produce a poison with poisoner’s tools and the required materials from a proper vendor and spend time to craft it.

Cost: The cost of the materials required to create a poison is equal to one-half of the poisons price.

Time: Producing the poison requires that you dedicate time to building the bomb. The time it takes to craft a bomb is calculated with the below formula:

  • Production Time = (Effect Cost + Potency) / 4