Poisons affect the normal health and function of their targets. To use, create, or identify poisons, you need training in the Knowledge: Poisons skill. All poisons have the following characteristics.
How the poison finds its way into the target's body: Ingested, Injury, Contact, or Inhaled.
Some poisons take effect immediately. Others take some time before the first effects are felt. When exposed to a poison with an Onset, wait until the onset time is up before rolling the first Constitution saving throw to resist the poison.
If the first saving throw is successful, then the target suffers no effects from the poison. On a failed save, the target suffers the effects listed under Primary Effect. This might be ability damage (1d6 Con), hit point damage (2d12 hp), or some other effect (e.g. nauseated).
Most poisons also have a smaller, recurring effect and a save frequency. After the first failed save, wait for the duration of the save frequency and then attempt to save again. For each failed save after the first, take the recurring effect and then save again after the save frequency. This recurrence will happen for the duration listed. Note that the duration is the duration of the recurring effect, not the duration of both the primary and recurring.
Condition-inflicting poisons function differently. They simply have two effects, a primary and a secondary. For these poisons, after the onset has expired, you save for the primary effect. If you fail, you take the effect, wait for the primary duration, and then save for the secondary effect. That effect lasts for its duration and then the poison wears off. If you succeed on the primary effect, you don't need to save for the secondary effect.
When someone with poison crafting knowledge makes a poison, they make a Poison check to set the DC of the poison. Poisons can always be found with varying degrees of potency, and likewise, variable DCs. The Max DC of a poison is the highest DC it can have. Some poisons, no matter how concentrated, are only so potent. For most poisons, the typical DC found at market will be 3-5 points lower than the Max DC listed here.
The price listed here is the typical price for the poison, regardless of its DC, though the exact price is always set by the GM.
Some poisons are well-suited to be combined with traps, boosting the Challenge Rating (CR) of the trap. These augmented traps receive an increase to their CR depending on the potency of the poison. Add +1 for poisons around 25 gp,+2 for poisons around 150 gp, +3 for poisons around 400 gp, and +4 for poisons over 1000 gp.
For example, Arsenic is a poison that requires ingestion and has a 10 minute onset. Ten minutes after ingesting arsenic, a creature must make a Constitution saving throw at DC 20. If successful, the arsenic has no effect. If it fails, the creature takes 1d6 constitution damage. Arsenic's Frequency is 1 minute, so one minute later the creature must make another save. If failed, it takes another 1 Con damage. Because Arsenic has a duration of "5 minutes or until saved" the creature continues making saves every minute for five minutes, though any successful save will end the poisoning.
If you are currently poisoned, any subsequent doses of the same poison will boost its effects. Each time you are re-poisoned by the same type of poison and you fail your initial save, you do not take primary damage again, but the duration of the poison resets and the DC increases by 2. If you are poisoned by a different type of poison, then you suffer the effects of each poison independently.
| Minor Poisons | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poison | Type | Onset | Primary Effect | Recurring Effect | Save Frequency | Duration | Max DC | Price |
| Arsenic | injury | -- | 1d6 Str | 1d6 Str | 1 round | Until saved | 13 | 150 gp |
| Arsenic | ingested | 10 min | 1d6 Con | 1 Con | 1 min | 5 minutes or until saved | 20 | 150 gp |
| Belladonna | ingested | 10 min | 1d6 Str | 1 Str | 1 day | 5 days or until saved | 18 | 150 gp |
| Black Adder Venom | injury | -- | 1d6 Con | 1 Con | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 150 gp |
| Black Finger Salt | Ingested | 10 min | 1d6 Con | 1d3 bleed | -- | Until bleeding is stopped | 20 | 150 gp |
| Blistercap Spore | contact | -- | 1d2 Dex and 1 Con | Level 2 Fatigue | -- | 1 minute | 25 | 150 gp |
| Bloodroot | injury | 1 min | 1d4 Con and 1d3 Wis | None | -- | -- | 15 | 75 gp |
| Drider Poison | injury | -- | 1d6 Con | 2 Con | 1 round | Until Saved | 16 | 75 gp |
| Ettercap Poison | injury | -- | 1d6 Dex | 4 Dex | 1 round | Until Saved | 15 | 150 gp |
| Fungal Crawler Poison | injury | -- | 1d4 Str and 1d4 Con | 1 Str and 1 Con | 1 round | 3 rounds or until saved | 14 | 10 gp |
| Giant Bee Poison | injury | -- | 1d2 Str | 1 Str | 1 round | Until Saved | 12 | 10 gp |
| Giant Jellyfish Poison | contact | -- | 2d4 Dex | 2 Dex | 1 round | Until Saved | 17 | 150 gp |
| Giant Spider Poison | injury | -- | 1d4 Str | 2 Str | 1 round | 5 Rounds or Until Saved | 15 | 75 gp |
| Greenblood Oil | injury | -- | 1 Con | 2 Con | 1 round | 1 round | 15 | 10 gp |
| Id Moss | ingested | 10 min | 2d4 Int | 2 Int | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 15 | 150 gp |
| Imp Poison | injury | -- | 1d4 dex | 1d4 dex | 1 round | until saved | 15 | 100 gp |
| Lunar Naga Poison | injury | -- | 1d6 Con and 1 Wis | 2 Con | 1 round | until saved | 18 | 150 gp |
| Malyss Root Paste | Contact | -- | 1 Dex | 3 Dex | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 150 gp |
| Phase Spider Poison | injury | -- | 1d8 Dex | 3 Dex | 1 round | Until saved | 17 | 150 gp |
| Quasit Poison | injury | -- | 1d4 Dex | 2 Dex | 1 round | Until saved | 15 | 75 gp |
| Small Scorpion Poison | injury | -- | 1d2 Str | 1 Str | 1 round | Until saved | 12 | 10 gp |
| Spirit Naga Poison | injury | -- | 1d4 Con | 2 Con | 1 round | Until saved | 18 | 150 gp |
| Stingray Poison | injury | -- | 1d2 Dex | 1 Dex | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 13 | 10 gp |
| Small Centipede Poison | injury | -- | 1d2 Dex | 1 Dex | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 15 | 10 gp |
| Striped Toadstool | ingested | 10 min | 2d6 Wis and 1d4 Int | 1 Wis and 1 Int | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 15 | 150 gp |
| Violet Fungus | contact | -- | 1d4 Str and 1d4 Con | -- | -- | -- | 15 | 150 gp |
| Viper Poison | injury | -- | 1d6 Con | 1 Con | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 13 | 75 gp |
| Water Naga Poison | injury | -- | 1d4 Con | 1 Con | 1 round | until saved | 18 | 150 gp |
| Debilitating Poisons | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poison | Type | Onset | Primary Effect | Recurring Effect | Save Frequency | Duration | Max DC | Price |
| Athach Poison | Injury | -- | 1d6 Str | 2 Str | 1 round | until saved | 21 | 400 gp |
| Bone Devil Poison | Injury | -- | 1d6 Str | 1d6 Str | 1 round | until saved | 20 | 400 gp |
| Brain Rot | Injury | -- | 2d6 Int | 2 Int | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 700 gp |
| Burnt Othur Fumes | inhaled | -- | 1d6 Con | 1 Con | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 400 gp |
| Cloudy Mind | Injested | -- | 2d4 Int | 3 Int | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 18 | 400 gp |
| Curia | Injury | -- | 2d4 Wis | 1 Wis | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 22 | 400 gp |
| Dank Necrosis | Injury | -- | 2d6 Cha | 1 Cha | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 400 gp |
| Dark Reaver Powder | ingested | 10 min | 2d6 Con | 1 Con and 1 Str | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 700 gp |
| Dragon bile | contact | -- | 3d4 Str | -- | -- | -- | 23 | 700 gp |
| Giant Wasp Poison | injury | -- | 2d4 Dex | 2 Dex | 1 round | Until saved | 20 | 400 gp |
| Guardian Naga Poison | injury | -- | 1d4 Con | 2 Con | 1 round | Until saved | 20 | -- |
| Insanity Mist | inhaled | -- | 1d4 Wis | 3 Wis | 1 round | Until save | 18 | 400 gp |
| King's Sleep | ingested | 1 day | 1 Con | 1 Con | 1 day | 2 Consecutive saves | 25 | 400 gp |
| Large Scorpion Venom | injury | -- | 1d6 Str | 2 Str | 1 round | Until Saved | 25 | 700 gp |
| Lich Dust | ingested | 10 min | 2d6 Str | 1 Str | 1 round | Until Saved | 20 | 700 gp |
| Medusa Poison | injury | -- | 2d6 Str | 2 Str | 1 round | Until Saved | 17 | 400 gp |
| Nitharit | contact | 1 min | 3d4 Con | -- | -- | -- | 18 | 400 gp |
| Pit Field Poison | injury | -- | 1d6 Dex | 1 Dex | 1 round | Until saved | 25 | -- |
| Shadow Essence | injury | 1 min | 2d4 Str | 2 Con | 1 round | Until saved | 20 | 400 gp |
| Terinav root | Contact | -- | 2d6 Dex | 1 Dex | 1 round | Until Saved | 20 | 700 gp |
| Ungol Dust | inhaled | -- | 1d6 Cha | 1 Cha | 1 round | Until saved | 18 | 400 gp |
| Wyvern Poison | injury | -- | 2d4 Con | 2 Con | 1 round | Until saved | 20 | 400 gp |
| Deadly Poisons | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poison | Type | Onset | Primary Effect | Recurring Effect | Save Frequency | Duration | Max DC | Price |
| Black Lotus Extract | contact | 1 min | 2d6 Con | 2 Con | 1/min | 3 min | 25 | 1,200 gp |
| Deathblade | injury | -- | 2d6 Con | 2 Con | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 25 | 1,200 gp |
| Purple Worm Poison | injury | -- | 1d6 Con | 3 Con | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 27 | 1,200 gp |
| Sard Poison | injury | -- | 1d2 Dex and 4d6 Electricity | 1 round | until saved | 31 | 1,200 gp | |
| Giant Black Scorpion Venom | injury | -- | 1d4 Str, Dex, and Con | 1 round | until saved | 27 | -- | |
| Damage-Inflicting Poisons | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poison | Type | Onset | Primary Effect | Recurring Effect | Save Frequency | Duration | Max DC | Price |
| Blood Leaf Residue | Contact | 1 min | 2d12 hp damage | 1 Con | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 150 gp |
| Bloodwort | Injury | -- | 4d10 hp damage | 1 hp | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 26 | 700 gp |
| Fire Jackal Saliva | injury | -- | 1d6 acid dmg | 1 Dex | 1 round | until saved | 18 | 40 gp |
| Goblin Bite | Injury | -- | 1d8 hp damage | 1 hp | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 18 | 25 gp |
| Orcbane | Injury | -- | 3d10 hp damage | 1 hp | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 24 | 400 gp |
| Sassone leaf | Injury | -- | 2d10 hp damage | 1 hp | 1 round | 5 rounds or until saved | 20 | 150 gp |
| Condition-inflicting Poisons | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poison | Type | Onset | Primary Effect | Primary Duration | Secondary Effect | Secondary Duration | Max DC | Price | Effect Type |
| Blue Whinnis | injury | -- | Sleep | 1d4 Rounds | -- | -- | 15 | 25 gp | Sleep |
| Dark Naga Poison | injury | -- | Nightmare-Hauted Sleep | 2d4 Minutes | -- | -- | 20 | -- | Sleep |
| Drow poison | injury | -- | Unconsciousness | 1d4 Rounds | Unconsciousness | 2d4 Hours | 15 | 100 gp | Unconsciousness |
| Faun Song | injury | -- | Sleep | 1d4 Rounds | Sleep | Each round until saved | 20 | 400 gp | Sleep |
| Fiddleback Venom | injury, ingested | 1 min | No standard actions | 1d4 Rounds | 1 Str and 1 Con | 5 rounds or until saved | 15 | 200 gp | Nauseated |
| Gelidburn Oil | injury | -- | 1d3 fire dmg, 1d3 cold dmg, and Staggered | 1 Round | -- | -- | 15 | 50 gp | Staggered |
| Hag Spit | injury, ingested | -- | Blindness | 1d10 Rounds | 1 Wis | Each round until saved | 18 | 175 gp | Blindness |
| Homunculus Poison | injury | -- | Sleep | Each round until saved | -- | -- | 15 | 25 gp | Sleep |
| Large Black Widow Venom | injury | -- | 2d4 Con plus staggered | 1 round | 1 Con plus stgaggered | Each round until saved | 17 | 150 gp | Staggered |
| Oil of Taggit | Ingested | 1 min | Unconsciousness | 1 Hour | -- | -- | 15 | 75 gp | Unconsciousness |
| Pseudodragon Poison | injury | -- | Sleep | 1 Minute | Sleep | 1d3 hours | 12 | 25 gp | Sleep |
| Quietus | injury | -- | Sleep | 1 Minute | Sleep | 1 hour | 25 | 1,200 gp | Sleep |
| Red Bedlam | ingested | 10 min | Confusion | 1d4 Rounds | Confusion | Each round until saved | 20 | 400 gp | Confusion |
| Spider Eater Poison | injury | -- | Stun (level 2) | Each Min until saved | -- | -- | 17 | 150 gp | Paralysis |
| Styx Sap | contact | 1d4 min | 1d4 Wis plus memory loss from the last 10 minutes | Instantaneous | -- | -- | 18 | 700 gp | Memory Loss |
| Swampseer Poison | ingested | 10 min | 1d4 Wis | Instantaneous | Confusion | Each round until saved | 20 | 400 gp | Confusion |
| Sweetdream | inhaled | -- | Sleep | 1d4 Rounds | Sleep | Each round until saved | 20 | 400 gp | Sleep |
| Woundweal | Injury | 1 rd | Medicine checks on target are at -10. Magaical healing requires a DC 25 spell attack to succeed | 1 Day | -- | -- | 18 | 100 gp | Prevents Healing |