Unlabeled Poison

[Fauchard1520]

Do you guys ever run into trouble identifying potions and poisons? Is there a better method of identification that the extremely risky taste test?

Comic for illustrative purposes.

 

[jaelis]

Well, the good old identify spell usually does the job.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

This is where the party's henchmen shine.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Do you guys ever run into trouble identifying potions and poisons? Is there a better method of identification that the extremely risky taste test?

Comic for illustrative purposes.

The comic illustrates the wisdom of labeling potions that the party has already identified. Unknown potions are the problem, and yes licking it is generally not the wisest option. Its hilarious to watch cop dramas on TV every time they find a suspected drug stash. All these cops must be hapless adventurers because almost every one of them sticks their finger into the unknown substance and tastes it.

 

[Fauchard1520]

Well, the good old identify spell usually does the job.

There's a question of volume though, you know? When you find a cash of a half dozen vials, it begins to feel a lot less like treasure when you've got to blow a 100 gp pearl with every casting.

 

[jaelis]

There's a question of volume though, you know? When you find a cash of a half dozen vials, it begins to feel a lot less like treasure when you've got to blow a 100 gp pearl with every casting.

Ah but you are mistaken. The pearl is not consumed in the casting; material components are consumed only if the spell specifically says so. So it is just a one-time investment, and then 10 minutes of your time to cast the spell as a ritual.

 

[iserith]

Although I don't like to spend a lot of time on this sort of thing in-game, this is actually a good place for languages or knowledge of history to come into play. If you label the bottle in a language other than Common, PCs with the corresponding language proficiency (or a comprehend languages spell) can figure out what it is. You might also describe the potion bottle as having been designed in a particular way or perhaps it bears a heraldic symbol. PCs trying to recall lore on such designs or symbols might be able to figure out what the potion is.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Alchemist's toolkit.

 

[Fauchard1520]

Ah but you are mistaken. The pearl is not consumed in the casting; material components are consumed only if the spell specifically says so. So it is just a one-time investment, and then 10 minutes of your time to cast the spell as a ritual.

The perils of converting from 3.X. Cheers!

 

[Satyrn]

Alchemist's toolkit.

And a poisoner's kit. And an herbalism for poisons derived from plants and potions pf healing (you need proficiency withthe kit to make the potion, it makes sense to me it ought to be used to identify it).

It might also make sense that merchants will sell field identification kits like get used in today's world by cops to id cocaine, etc. So if an adventurer finds something he thinks might be a potion of enlarge, he pours a drop into the test kit, which changes color (or expands!) if the test is positive, and wasted if negative.

You might create test kits that are broader than that. Maybe showing positive on a whole school, or positive if the potion is beneficial, positive if it's a plant-based poison, etc, etc.

. . . And I think this idea is gonna find its way into my game very soon.