Poisons

Contents

Given their insidious and deadly nature, poisons are illegal in most societies but are a favorite tool among assassins, drow, and other evil creatures.

Poisons come in the following four types.

Contact: Contact poison can be smeared on an object and remains potent until it is touched or washed off. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its effects.

Ingested: A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its effects. The dose can be delivered in food or a liquid. You may decide that a partial dose has a reduced effect, such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or dealing only half damage on a failed save.

Inhaled: These poisons are powders or gases that take effect when inhaled. Blowing the powder or releasing the gas subjects creatures in a 5-foot cube to its effect. The resulting cloud dissipates immediately afterward. Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.

Injury: Injury poison can be applied to weapons, ammunition, trap components, and other objects that deal piercing or slashing damage and remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off. A creature that takes piercing or slashing damage from an object coated with the poison is exposed to its effects.

Table: Poisons (Core)
Poison Type Price per Dose
Assassin’s blood Ingested 150 gp
Burnt othur fumes Inhaled 500 gp
Crawler mucus Contact 200 gp
Drow poison Injury 200 gp
Essence of ether Inhaled 300 gp
Malice Inhaled 250 gp
Midnight tears Ingested 1,500 gp
Oil of taggit Contact 400 gp
Pale tincture Ingested 250 gp
Purple worm poison Injury 2,000 gp
Serpent venom Injury 200 gp
Torpor Ingested 600 gp
Truth serum Ingested 150 gp
Wyvern poison Injury 1,200 gp

Sample Poisons

Each type of poison has its own debilitating effects.

Assassin’s Blood (Ingested)

A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t poisoned.

Burnt Othur Fumes (Inhaled)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the character takes 3 (1d6) poison damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends.

Crawler Mucus (Contact)

This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated crawler. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Drow Poison (Injury)

This poison is typically made only by the drow, and only in a place far removed from sunlight. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

Essence of Ether (Inhaled)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 8 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

Malice (Inhaled)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. The poisoned creature is blinded.

Midnight Tears (Ingested)

A creature that ingests this poison suffers no effect until the stroke of midnight. If the poison has not been neutralized before then, the creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 31 (9d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Oil of Taggit (Contact)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 24 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. The creature wakes up if it takes damage.

Pale Tincture (Ingested)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become poisoned. The poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save. Until this poison ends, the damage the poison deals can’t be healed by any means. After seven successful saving throws, the effect ends and the creature can heal normally.

Purple Worm Poison (Injury)

This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated purple worm. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Serpent Venom (Injury)

This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated giant poisonous snake. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Torpor (Ingested)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 4d6 hours. The poisoned creature is incapacitated.

Truth Serum (Ingested)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. The poisoned creature can’t knowingly speak a lie, as if under the effect of a zone of truth spell.

Wyvern Poison (Injury)

This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated wyvern. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

3rd Party Poison Descriptions

Table: Poisons (3pp)
Poison Type Price per Dose
Black Vein Ingested or Injury 500 gp
Blood Fire Injury 150 gp
Concoction of the Pallid Serpent Ingested 400 gp
Dust of the Desert Winds Inhaled or Ingested 200 gp
Ghost Blossom Extract Ingested or Injury 200 gp
Jade Frog Poison Ingested or Injury 125 gp
Mother’s Worry Ingested 150 gp
Tears of the Infernal Injury 250 gp
Tyrants Mercy Contact 150 gp
Witchbane Injury 750 gp

Black Mamba Venom

Source FGG:CoB

Category Injury

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or lose 2d4 points of Strength and begin to suffocate. The target cannot breathe until at least one point of Strength is recovered.

Black Vein Poison

ACoP

Extracted from the seeds of a dark colored flower that grows from rotting organic matter, the poison has a highly noticeable visual effect upon the victim. The veins closest to the surface of the skin become visibly black, giving the toxin it’s disturbing name, as the poison begins working it’s way through a victim’s bloodstream, turning the blood and the vessels into a rotten black ichor.

Knowledge Check: DC 12

Category: Ingested or Injury

Saving Throw: DC 12 Constitution

Frequency: one Day

Primary Effect: 2 (1d3) Constitution damage

Secondary Effect: 6 (2d4) necrotic damage

Cost: 500 gold pieces

Blood Fire

ACoP

A reddish-brown sticky paste, this poison has seen a fair amount of use. Once injured, the poison begins igniting the blood, causing a creature to quickly burn from within. Often the toxin burns through the victim so quickly and intensely that the remains are little more than charred bones.

There are several methods of creating Blood Fire poison, although the most common involves the fruit of a desert cactus soaked in the saliva of giant lizards mixed with distilled alcohols.

After several days of soaking the fruit is removed from the mixture and ground into a paste.

Knowledge Check: DC 12

Category: Injury

Saving Throw: Constitution DC 12

Frequency: one Round

Primary Effect: 5 (1d6+1) fire damage

Secondary Effect: 5 (1d6+1) fire damage

Cost: 150 gold pieces

Blue Lotus Extract

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested

The blue lotus flower on its own is a powerful hallucinatory drug that causes extreme relaxation, a lack of inhibitions and willpower, and blissfulness. Users often take the drug willingly for these effects. The extract of this drug, if distilled and infused with alcohol, has a magnified effect that can cause imbibers to slip into a catatonic state of euphoria where they become lost in a dreamlike world not unlike being trapped in the effects of a hallucinatory maze of pleasure and ecstasy for 2d4 hours. Creatures under the effect of the drug feel little pain, gaining 4d8 temporary hit points for the duration of the drug. The drug does require a successful DC 18 Constitution saving throw to avoid random attacks by shadow creatures.

The shadow creatures are figments of the character’s mind, having the same hit points and attack modifiers of a shadow. Damage suffered by the character is real in so much as the character damages himself or herself trying to fight things that are not there. Three consecutive failed saving throws results in addiction to the substance. Addicts must take the drug as soon as it wears off or lose complete control of their actions until such time as a new dose of the drug is taken.

Blue lotus extract is 100 gp per dose.

Boomslang Venom

Source FGG:CoB

Category Injury

A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 16 Constitutions saving throw, losing 2d6 Constitution points on a failed save and 16 on a successful one. A creature that fails the saving throw by 5 or more is nauseated for 2d6 minutes. The nausea can be cured by magical healing or a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Medecine) check. While nauseated, a creature is incapacitated.

Cannon

Source FGG:CoB

Category Inhaled

This substance is distilled from a rare herb called kolkis on another plane of existence and is imported to the shop. It can be sniffed or smoked. Its effects are fast-acting, giving you a burst of energy and alertness as well as making you more sociable and talkative, but the effects wear off quickly.

Addiction: DC 20 Constitution, 1d4 Constitution/week; Recovery: six weeks.

Effects: For 1d10 + 10 minutes, you cannot be surprised, and you have advantage on all Strength, Charisma and Initiative checks.

Side Effects: You gain a level of exhaustion for 1d4 + 2 hours after the effects wear off. Additionally, you takes 1 point of Constitution damage and 1d3 points of Charisma damage each week the drug is consumed (to a minimum of 1).

Concoction of the Pallid Serpent

ACoP

Created from the paste made by grinding up leaves of the Cat’s Breath plant, and combined with the pungent juice made from King’s Pear seeds, this milky substance has a rather intoxicating aroma that often is mistaken for cooked meat. The poison has a slightly bitter taste, yet it often goes unnoticed.

Upon ingestion, the victim begins experiencing terrible headaches and visual hallucinations. They often see things twisting and warping, with vile and hideous creatures seeking to cause them harm. Those in the throes of the poison often lash out at those around them, believing that they have suddenly been surrounded by monstrosities. A few unfortunate souls have survived the experience, and the mark of paranoia often follows them until the end of their days.

Knowledge Check: DC 14

Category: Ingested

Saving Throw: DC 15 Constitution

Frequency: one Minute

Primary Effect: 7 (2d6) psychic damage

Secondary Effect: 1 point of Wisdom damage

Cost: 400 gold pieces

Cottonmouth Venom

Source FGG:CoB

Category Injury

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or lose 1d6 points of Constitution until after completing a long rest. A creature that fails the saving throw by 5 or more permanently loses 1 point of Constitution as well.

Death Flower Oil

Source FGG:CoB

Category Contact/Ingested

Death flower oil is a complex distillation of black lotus and deadly nightshade berries that has been boiled down into a syrupy oil. So deadly is it that handling it can cause instant death to the user. The oil kills on contact or by ingestion and forces a DC 18 Constitution save. Those who fail are instantly brought to 0 hit points. Those who succeed still suffer 28 (8d6) poison damage and find their Strength drained by 1d4 points until a long rest is completed.

Death flower oil costs 1,800 gp per dose.

Desert Lotus

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested

This wild plant grows with fiery orange flowers. Wild brigands of the desert consume it in order to enter a narcotic trance that makes them very ferocious and more difficult to kill. Those consuming the desert lotus must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or fall into a hallucinatory slumber for 2d12 hours. The slumber is filled with such vivid nightmares that the victim takes 1d4 points of Wisdom and Intelligence damage each from the mental and spiritual exhaustion. Habitual use causes the Fortitude save DC to increase by +1 per month.

Those succeeding on their save gain advantage on saving throws against fear effects and charm for the next 1d4 + 4 hours. Lotus eaters are so numb to their own personal pain that the first time they are brought to 0 hit points within 6 hours of eating lotus, they drop to 1 hit point instead.

Desert lotus can be harvested and sold on the market for about 100 gp per dose.

Distillate of Nightmare

Source FGG:CoB

Category Injury

Distillate of nightmare is a powerful poison made from the distilled remains of slowly murdered fungus folk. The powdered remains are highly toxic to the central nervous system. Intelligent creatures exposed to the venom must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. Those who fail their saving throw are dead within 90 seconds as their mind is filled with an amalgam of their worst nightmares. Those who succeed in making their save suffer 14 (4d6) psychic damage to their central nervous systems and are left comatose for 2d6 hours. They awaken suffering long-term paranoia that lasts 1d10 x 10 hours.

Distillate of nightmare costs 1,000 gp per dose.

Dust of the Desert Winds

ACoP

This insidious powder has long been the favored poison of assassins that dwell in the harsher climates of the world. Created from grinding up a mushroom that only grows in a small cave system, the toxin begins immediately leaching all of the moisture from a victim’s body after it has entered through the mucous membranes. Once dead, the victim is little more than a dessicated husk.

Knowledge Check: DC 16

Category: Inhaled or Ingested

Saving Throw: Constitution DC 15

Frequency: one Round

Primary Effect: 4 (1d6) poison damage

Secondary Effect: 4 (1d6) poison damage

Cost: 200 gold pieces

Efreeti Smoke

Source FGG:CoB

Category Inhaled

This reddish gold tobacco has a spicy, heady flavor, and produces a thick yellowish smoke from the imbiber. The smoke is said to have been given as a gift to mortals from Iblis. of course, any gift given of the efreeti can largely be considered a curse as well, and Efreeti Smoke is a highly addictive substance that fills the smoker with euphoria and a heightened sense of self.

Effects: You gain +2 to Charisma-based checks for one hour after smoking.

Addiction: DC 15 Constitution, the Charisma bonus becomes a –2 penalty; Recovery: one week.

Side Effects: The stench of the smoke tends to make others wish they were anywhere but in your presence.

Efreeti Smoke averages 140–180 gp per ounce when it is in stock.

Ergos

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested

This substance is harvested from the ergos fungus, crushed and boiled. The resulting liquid is then consumed. The effects are felt almost immediately and last for quite a while, filling your mind with vivid and rich hallucinations, making everything around you seem more vibrant, colorful, and enriching.

Addiction: DC 16 Constitution, 1d4 Wisdom/week; Recovery: two weeks.

Effects: Your mind is filled with images and hallucinations for 2d4 hours. During this time, you may be slow to react. Each turn, for the duration, you have a 50% chance to act normally; otherwise, you take no action.

Side Effects: You takes 1d4 points of Dexterity damage after the effects wear off. You recover the loss of points after a long rest.

Ghost Blossom Extract

ACoP

Created from the juice of a pale white flower that only blossoms at night, the poison elicits violent muscle contractions, often causing broken bones and shattered teeth.

Knowledge Check: DC 12

Category: Ingested or Injury

Saving Throw: DC 12 Constitution

Frequency: one Minute

Primary Effect: 6 (2d4) poison damage

Secondary Effect: 6 (2d4) bludgeoning damage

Cost: 200 gold pieces

Hannan

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested/Inhaled

This yellowish tobacco has a sweet taste and odor to it. You experience hallucinations; for 1d2 hours you have advantage on Intelligence and Charisma checks and disadvantage on Strength and Wisdom checks.

Hannan is not addictive.

Higdne

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested

A higdne specimen features four green slender leaves tapering slightly as they approach the root. Blue bands stripe each leaf in diagonal rows, much like tiger striping. The space between the stripes decreases closer to the root, until the leaves are solid blue. This plant never flowers. The root itself is the drug. When eaten, you gain the effects listed below.

Addiction: DC 18 Constitution, 1d4 Constitution/week; Recovery: four weeks.

Effects: You do not suffer from the effects of gained levels of exhaustion until the drug wears off, after 2d4 + 2 hours.

Side Effects: You suffer 1d3 points of Charisma drain each week the drug is consumed (to a minimum of 3).

Jade Frog Poison

ACoP

The vibrantly colored tree frog that dwells high in the treetops of a jungle spends it’s life eating insects and drinking nectar, and secreting a toxin from it’s skin to keep from being easy prey for the many serpents that also slither through the canopy overhead. Local tribes climb the trees in search for the creature so that they may coat their darts and arrows in the secreted poison.

Once the poison has entered the victim’s system, the victim begins suffering from itching, and weeping lesions begin to form upon their flesh. The toxin continues to break down the skin and internal organs until the victim perishes, leaking blood from their orifices.

Knowledge Check: DC 14

Category: Ingested or Injury

Saving Throw: Constitution DC 14

Frequency: one Round

Primary Effect: 3 (1d4) poison damage

Secondary Effect: 3 (1d4) poison damage

Cost: 125 gold pieces

Jena

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested/Inhaled

This brownish tobacco has a slightly bitter taste and odor. You feel a rush of energy and adrenalin spread throughout your body. For the next 1d4 hours, you enjoy advantage on all Dexterity and Initiative checks and disadvantage on all Wisdom checks. Jena is not addictive.

Jellyfish Toxin

Source FGG:CoB

Category Injury

This toxic venom has been reduced to a powdered form. The venom is a complete paralytic that leaves its victim in excruciating pain for 2d6 + 2 hours on a failed DC 15 Constitution saving throw. Those who make their save are weakened, suffering 1d6 points of temporary Strength damage for 2d6 + 2 hours. The victim is awake and aware the entire time, although seems to all others to be dead. The victim appears to have no pulse, and their body temperature starts to drop. A lesser restoration spell or similar ability removes its effects. The venom is most effective when ingested, as it reacts strongly with liquids such as saliva, though it can soak through a victim’s skin via sweat glands if needed.

Kesh-aath

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested/Inhaled

This substance can be sniffed, smoked, or eaten — the effects are the same. This is an inhibition-numbing drug made cheaply available and enjoyed by the throngs of visitors to the Bazaar of 1,000 Sins.

Addiction: DC 18 Constitution, 1d2 Strength/week; Recovery: three weeks.

Effects: For 1d2 + 1 hours, you gain advantage on Charisma-based checks and disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Side Effects: None.

Libynos Blue

Source FGG:CoB

Category Inhaled

The most common tobacco found on the continent of Libynos, Blue is known for its deep blue-tinted smoke and its sharp, almost acidic bite, that is tempered by smoking in a hookah. Blue on its own is not favored by anyone but is considered an ideal filler tobacco when paired with tobaccos from other lands. Initial use of Libynos Blue forces a DC 14 Constitution saving throw to avoid catching a sore throat that takes 1d4 days to heal.

Libynos Blue is used by trekkers of the far deserts because it reduces the desire to eat and drink, allowing its users to travel on half rations.

Libynos Blue averages 5–10 gp per ounce.

Modron

Source FGG:CoB

Category Inhaled

This substance is smoked or sniffed and heightens your sense of awareness.

Addiction: DC 16 Constitution, 1d2 Strength /week; Recovery: four weeks.

Effects: You gain advantage on Perception and Insight checks for 1d4+ 1 hours and take 1 point of Strength damage immediately when the substance is consumed.

Side Effects: After the effects wear off, you have disadvantage on Dexterity checks for 1d2 hours.

Mother’s Worry

ACoP

This toxin most visibly resembles milk, and comes from the stems of a plant that grows high on the side of hills. While local goats have learned to avoid eating the plants, people have learned that by harvesting the liquid and distilling it, they can create a mild toxin that can cause unconsciousness and even death. Those affected by the toxin begin breathing shallowly as their airways are slowly constricted.

Knowledge Check: DC 10

Category: Ingested

Saving Throw: Constitution DC 10

Frequency: one Minute

Primary Effect: 1 (1d2) Constitution damage

Secondary Effect: 1 (1d2) Constitution damage

Cost: 150 gold pieces

Najala

Source FGG:CoB

Category Inhaled

This dark brownish-black tobacco is mild in taste and smells like coffee grounds. Smoking najala grants the character a +2 alchemical bonus to Strength for 1d4 hours and a –2 penalty to Constitution for the same duration.

Numedan Blond

Source FGG:CoB

Category Inhaled

This tobacco has a golden-brown color and a very sweet smell. It is considered a smooth smoke, though it is much stronger than most tobaccos found in Akados. Aged in casks once used for palm wine, the tobacco has a sharp sweet smell to it, and is often smoked in a hookah filled with cool water to cut the initial bite.

The tobacco gives a +1 bonus to Wisdom-based checks for 30 minutes after use, and its unique smell can be detected within 30 feet.

Numedan Blond averages 10–20 gp per ounce in the Maighib Desert where it is quite common and may be 5–10 times that price when sold outside of Libynos.

Orange Poppy Blossom Pollen

Source FGG:CoB

Category Inhaled

This intense pollen is taken from primitive orange poppy. Those who breathe in its fumes must make a successful DC 17 Constitution save or drop immediately into a fever-filled sleep that lasts until they are removed from the area where the pollen has been spread. Those who are trapped within the confines of the pollen may eventually become dehydrated and die. Beings removed from the pollen’s potency recover in 2d10 minutes, though they are lethargic and gain a level of exhaustion.

Orange poppy blossom pollen costs 600 gp per dose.

Purple Lotus

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested

The petals of the purple lotus are highly poisonous and outright kill most people who eat them. Anyone partaking of the purple lotus must make a successful DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 17 (5d6) poison damage. This usually results in the eater dying, though if they survive, they are granted incredible psychedelic visions. These visions deal 1d3 temporary Wisdom damage but bestow an effect equal to legend lore, pertaining to any one certain subject defined before eating the purple lotus. The visions are hallucinogenic and often surreal, completely interpreted by the GM.

Shun

Source FGG:CoB

Category Ingested/Inhaled

This orange-brown tobacco has a sweet taste and fragrant odor and is a potent hallucinogen. You gain a +2 bonus to Wisdom for 1d4 hours and a –4 penalty on saving throws against mind-affecting effects for the same duration.

Tears of the Infernal

ACoP

Harvested and distilled from the oozing sap of the Weeping Cactus that dwells in the most desolate deserts in the world, this oily poison dissolves organic material upon contact. Assassins often utilize the poison on their blades as it has a high enough viscosity not to drip onto their own exposed flesh, plus the rarity often causes medical aid to be less than effective, as healers are unaware of a cure.

Knowledge Check: DC 20

Category: Injury

Saving Throw: DC 16 Constitution

Frequency: one Minute

Primary Effect: 5 (1d6+1) acid damage

Secondary Effect: 5 (1d6+1) acid damage

Cost: 250 gold pieces

Tyrants Mercy

ACoP

Well known and suspected as the cause of several nobles to slowly lose their minds and slip into throes of insanity, this salve often carries a death sentence for those caught with possession of such a toxin. Those suspected in dealing in this poison are often executed, as nobles fear that such horrid concoctions would be turned upon them. When utilized, the white paste is often applied to locations that the victim’s flesh would have repeated contact with, to ensure that the toxin took hold of the victim’s mind. Tales of drawer handles, undersides of chair arms, the interior of crowns and hats, and even the lip of privies have been told about the nefarious poison.

Knowledge Check: DC 10

Category: Contact

Saving Throw: Constitution DC 12

Frequency: one Day

Primary Effect: 2 (1d3) Wisdom damage

Secondary Effect: 2 (1d3) Wisdom damage

Cost: 150 gold pieces

Witchbane

ACoP

A creation that seems to have been specially devised just to hamper arcane spellcasters, this poison is often reviled and feared by the magically enlightened. The blue jelly is often smeared upon blades wielded by assassins seeking to end the life of a wizard or sorcerer, and is quite easily identified by those familiar with the effects.

Once injured by a weapon slathered in the poison, the toxin goes to work by first destroying the knowledge of the highest level spell slots remaining in the caster’s repertoire. After stripping away the most potent spells from their mind, the poison then begins to inflict damage upon the victim’s psyche.

Knowledge Check: DC 12

Category: Injury

Saving Throw: DC 15 Wisdom

Frequency: one Round

Primary Effect: Lose highest 1d4 Spell Slots

Secondary Effect: 4 (1d6) psychic damage

Cost: 750 gold pieces

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