Non-magical poison's effects

[Jotun]

In the Player's Handbook on page 130, the rules discuss how hit points gained from increased constitution are not treated the same as temporary hit points. Damage taken is first taken from the normal hit points and then, when those are all gone, these hit points are removed.

I would imagine that the same thing would be true for the opposite effect. A poison spell reduces Consitution. An example would explain it well.

Helga the 6th level dwarven fighter has a consitution of 16 and 40 hit points. She takes 10 points of damage. She then gets poisoned and loses 6 points of consitution. Her hit points went from 40, to 30, and then to 12.

Do the effects of poisoned attacks stack? If Helga is poisoned again, and loses 6 more points of Constitution loss, is she now at 4 Con score?

Magical poison spell would not stack with itself, but do mundane poisons act the same way? What if the poison was magical?

Thanks for all the help in advance. It's really important to me to be able to site DND published material when making a case for the correct answer. If you could tell me where you're reading the rules that helped you form your answer, I'd be extremely grateful.

 

[dr_nukem]

Poison damage stacking?

From SRD: http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/SRDSpecialAbilities.rtf

Poison:
When a character takes damage from an attack with a poisoned weapon, touches an item smeared with contact poison, consumes poisoned food or drink, or is otherwise poisoned, he must make a Fortitude saving throw. If he fails, he suffers the poison's initial damage (usually ability damage). Even if he succeeds, he typically faces more damage 1 minute later, which he can also avoid with a successful Fortitude saving throw.

Ability Score Loss:
Various attacks cause ability score loss, either temporary ability damage or permanent ability drain. Points lost to temporary damage return at the rate of 1 point per day (or double that if the character gets total rest) per each damaged ability (in other words, if you have lost both Strength and Dexterity, you naturally regain 1 point per day of both ability scores), and the spells lesser restoration and restoration offset temporary damage as well. Drains, however, are permanent, though restoration can restore even those lost ability score points.

It really doesn't say whether or not it stacks...it simply says what happens. I would say that you take damage every time, not just once per type of poison. That's how we have been running it in our campaign.

In other words, non-magical poison ability loss damage stacks.

 

[hong]

All temporary ability damage is cumulative, just like hit point damage. This would include the effects of the poison spell as well.

What you may be thinking of is an enhancement _penalty_ to an ability score, which would not stack with itself. Certain spells deal enhancement penalties rather than ability damage, eg ray of enfeeblement. Multiple RoEs don't stack, you just take the largest penalty of the lot.