Progressive Poisons (3.5e Variant Rule)
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Contents
Introduction[edit]
There is great agreement that the 3.5e poison rules need work. As a fairly new player, I'm done quite a bit of research on playing the game and all its aspects. I liked aspects of each of the resources I've found on poisons, but not any of them as a whole. Some I've found could be potentially too powerful, some too weak. I decided to take the aspects that I agreed with about each and combine them and the result is what is below. I've also added some aspects of my own to give it the progressive nature that most poisons have.
DISCLAIMER: This page is a work in progress, and non of this has been discussed with my DM of one of the current games I am in, and is not yet tested. Expect potential changes.
Creating[edit]
Most of the creation rules haven't changed.
Using[edit]
Again, most rules haven't changed.
Effects[edit]
Initial DC[edit]
10 + 1/2 CR or HD + potency bonus + Int or Wis modifier of creator (at time of creation)
This formula is again a combination of several I've seen.
CR or HD would be from the specific animal taken or plant taken from, whichever is higher. In some cases smaller animals tend to have stronger poisons, but in D&D, the CR is the challenge to kill a beast or monster, which takes into account size and such. So the harder the creature is to defeat the nastier the poison generally would be.
The potency bonus would be for any additional effects used to increase its potency.
The Int or Wis modifier of the creator of the poison, whichever is higher. This is meant to represent the knowledge and experience and ultimately their ingenuity in making the poison as effective as they can at the time they made it.
Progressive DC[edit]
+1 for each failed application (successful save against application).
+2 for each successful application (failed save)
This is meant to reflect the body fighting off the poison and becoming more vulnerable to it the longer the target is exposed to it.
Duration[edit]
Base duration on first successful application.
1/2 duration added to remaining duration on each additional application.
Heightened Effect[edit]
After multiple applications, the amount of poison in the target's system reaches a point where an additional effect occurs. There is a threshold for each poison, which also changes based on its size. +1 for each size above medium, -1 for each below.
Heightened Threshold[edit]
This is the number of applications required inside a continuous duration to trigger the heightened effect. This number is reduced by 1 each time this threshold is hit while the duration is kept up. This number resets if the duration ends or if the poison is removed. This is meant to represent more and more doses of poison being introduced into the target's body.
Lingering Effect[edit]
An especially potent and creative poison can have a special effect. They will be akin to the Lingering effects listed here: www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Poisons,_Variant_(3.5e_Variant_Rule) (couldn't add as link because it's blacklisted for some reason).
Sources[edit]
Below are the sources of the information I combine the above information from, along with adding some of my own.
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