Poisons? You're kidding right?

[ForbidenMaster]

As suggested by someone above perhaps setting up poisons to follow the damage track like diseases do might make them a bit more lethal.

Then why dont you just use a disease instead of a poison?

 

[Cadfan]

It's precisely because of balance and fairplay that I bring the point up. I want the most powerful poison in the book which as other posters said you have to go to some secret place on another plan, to even find to strike fear in the hearts of the players. That seems balanced, that seems fair.

And seriously this is a ridiculously over the top straw man...

Its not a strawman. Its in response to people who want to know why poison isn't more realistic. The reason poison isn't more realistic is because realistic poison automatically kills you, no save.

 

[FadedC]

Eh by the time your buying something like this your not spending gold pieces, your spending astral diamonds. And this poison only costs 3 astral diamonds.

Comparing astral diamonds to gold pieces is like comparing the peso to the british pound. When you get to the city of brass you may find that your local currency isn't worth that much any more....

 

[direkobold]

Its not a strawman. Its in response to people who want to know why poison isn't more realistic. The reason poison isn't more realistic is because realistic poison automatically kills you, no save.

Of course it is. Because no one was wondering that. You assumed people care about realism, but the first time that word is even used is by you.

 

[Obryn]

I'll just note that I love many things about 4e, but the way poison works is not one of them.

I love the minor, guaranteed effects... but really, I think the better ones need a Disease-like track.

-O

 

[WheelsOnMeals]

I'll confess to not having the books yet (crossing my fingers that Amazon actually ships tomorrow as I haven't gotten the Dear John letter yet), but it seems like people are complaining that the save will be too easy to make at epic levels, no?

Granted I'd like to see how it works out in actual play before tinkering with anything, but a potential solution would be to require 1 successful save for heroic poisons, 2 for paragon, & 3 for epic. That way this puppy would deal at least 45 hp of damage with one use. Still too expensive, broken the other way, or too much to track?

 

[Sylrae]

Keep in mind that the economy in 3e/3.5e was also absurd.

Dwarves make money from mining. Particularly gold, which was supposedly rare and valuable. but a wizard could cast a spell to spontaneously make walls of any material they wanted, and the wall would be permanent, and non magical afterwards.

I removed the spell when a player made a wall of platinum then broke it up and smelted it into coins from a mould he made of the one platinum he saved up for.

but yeah. 15 damage a round that can wear off, isn't worth the title of epic, or the price attached to it. Maybe 40 per round.

3.5 poisons or disease rule based poisons for the win.

 

[Otterscrubber]

The D&D economy has always been odd, but over 150,000 gold? I don't even want to think about characters having that much wealth at their fingertips.

Instead, maybe create a short adventure to find the poison 'in the wild', (or to steal it from somewhere)? Or, given they have access to a lab and/or raw materials, perhaps a skill check to create the poison?


MrG

When prices get that high, ya, i have to assume it is more to give you an idea of how rare or hard to get it is. I mean, Pit Poison sounds like it would be fun to get, no?

 

[keterys]

So make some poisons that inflict diseases, as well.

You can also do interesting things by giving penalties to saves, aftereffects, and triggers on the 1st-3rd and/or every failed save.

Balor Blood (150k)
Ongoing 15 fire and poison damage (save ends, at -2 penalty). Failed Save: Target contracts Balefire disease.

Level 28 disease:
Cured <- Vulnerability 5 poison and fire <-> Vulnerability 10, whenever critically hit gain ongoing 15 fire (save ends, -2 penalty) -> Final State: Vaporize in a fiery explosion

 

[mattdm]

but yeah. 15 damage a round that can wear off, isn't worth the title of epic, or the price attached to it. Maybe 40 per round.

Or, have such rare and expensive poison confer a penalty to saves.