D&D 5E (2014) Applying Poison

[Sacrosanct]

I've been giving this some thought, and the current rules around poison don't really sit well with me. I understand why and how the damage is mitigated (for ease of mechanics), but I think going forward I'm going to do the following. Instead of applying damage immediately, only 1 point of damage will be inflicted at the start of each turn until the damage rolled is reached.

So if you roll 2d10 and get a 9 for damage, rather than 9 points right off, it's 1 point per round until 9 points is reached. I know this adds more bookwork, but for me, it closer mirrors realism, and gives a chance to apply neutralize poison to also save damage.

 

[discosoc]

That would render poison useless. Most fights aren't going to last more than 5 or 10 rounds, max, from my experience. About the only way I could see that working and still being somewhat useful, would be to make it so that instead of 1 damage per round up to the damage rolled, you do 1 damage per dice rolled, up to the damage. So if the poison is 3d6 and you rolled 14, you would do 3 damage per round until 14.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Um, how would it be worthless? Poison is used probably just as much if not more OUT of combat than in. You still suffer the damage, and unless you have a way of neutralizing it (via potion, spell, or maybe class ability), you'd still suffer the whole effect. It just never sit well with me that poison was APPLY > INSTANT DEATH like something out of a comedy movie or something. And it makes neutralizing worthless if you don't have a chance to apply it before the full affects take place.

 

[CapnZapp]

Um, how would it be worthless?

It would be worthless in combat.

Let me rephrase: It would relegate poison to "story mode" and not something you would use as an adventurer.

Any "kick in the door" adventurer, or, as the technical term has it, murderhobo; has no need for anything that does not turn monsters into dead monsters in 3 rounds, tops.

As long as everyone is clear on this, your house rule will be fine. Just don't add this to an ongoing campaign featuring a "poison assassin" type of combat character.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Sacrosanct]

It would be worthless in combat.

Let me rephrase: It would relegate poison to "story mode" and not something you would use as an adventurer.

Any "kick in the door" adventurer, or, as the technical term has it, murderhobo; has no need for anything that does not turn monsters into dead monsters in 3 rounds, tops.

As long as everyone is clear on this, your house rule will be fine. Just don't add this to an ongoing campaign featuring a "poison assassin" type of combat character.

Guess I'm glad I've never played with players who view poison as just another elemental damage type like a video game. And lucky my players place theme over min/maxing, so no one looks at poison use as a way to maximize DPR. Rather they look at it thematically. I.e., something someone uses when they want to kill someone quietly and deviously.

I very much would NOT want to play in a campaign where pretty much everyone has poison coated weapons because MOAR DPR

 

[discosoc]

Guess I'm glad I've never played with players who view poison as just another elemental damage type like a video game. And lucky my players place theme over min/maxing, so no one looks at poison use as a way to maximize DPR. Rather they look at it thematically. I.e., something someone uses when they want to kill someone quietly and deviously.

I very much would NOT want to play in a campaign where pretty much everyone has poison coated weapons because MOAR DPR

There's an absolutely huge difference between someone who wants poison to be effective in combat and the person you just described.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I've been giving this some thought, and the current rules around poison don't really sit well with me. I understand why and how the damage is mitigated (for ease of mechanics), but I think going forward I'm going to do the following. Instead of applying damage immediately, only 1 point of damage will be inflicted at the start of each turn until the damage rolled is reached.

So if you roll 2d10 and get a 9 for damage, rather than 9 points right off, it's 1 point per round until 9 points is reached. I know this adds more bookwork, but for me, it closer mirrors realism, and gives a chance to apply neutralize poison to also save damage.

You do realize that there is no neutralize poison in 5E. Lesser restoration can end the poisoned condition. If you notice in the DMG there is also no poison with an onset time listed. Finally, many monsters depend on poison for their damage output. Without such damage being a real factor in a short term fight, the CR of these monsters will be way more than they are worth in XP.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Sacrosanct]

There's an absolutely huge difference between someone who wants poison to be effective in combat and the person you just described.

A poison that imparts disadvantage on attack rolls and checks isn't effective to you?

Guess we have wildly different opinions.