Pale Violet Light
Adventurer
Indeed. Especially the poor, ever-neglected rogue.
D&D 5E (2014) Thoughts on bonus action potions?
- Thread starter Sword of Spirit
- Start date
Horwath
Legend
yes, bottle needs to be thick glass to not break from "adventuring lifestyle" probably with leather casing around glass container to further dampens blows.
Tessarael
Adventurer
It depends how the glass vials are stored, but yes, there could be some risk of breakage. I would have them stored in padded little boxes in a potion bandolier for easy access and to reduce that problem. In settings with more advanced technologies than the Renaissance period, you could potentially have tin-plate vials (1800s) or plastic (bakelite was invented in 1907). It depends how wide-spread magic usage is in manufacturing and what is the tech level (e.g., stone age, bronze age, iron age, dark ages, medieval, renaissance, pre-industrial, industrial).
For example, are there magically reinforced ceramic vials (pottery kiln-fired) with spells that prevent/protect breakage? If yes, the vials can be lighter weight.
For example, are there magically reinforced ceramic vials (pottery kiln-fired) with spells that prevent/protect breakage? If yes, the vials can be lighter weight.
My favorite mechanic is that people in the world have figured out ways to make potion injectors; one on each arm.
These let you "drink" a potion as a bonus action. But only 2, and reloading each of them is an action.
This makes expensive potions well worth considering, spamming cheap potions less of a problem, and doesn't make the healing potion the only fast-drink option.
These let you "drink" a potion as a bonus action. But only 2, and reloading each of them is an action.
This makes expensive potions well worth considering, spamming cheap potions less of a problem, and doesn't make the healing potion the only fast-drink option.
James Gasik
We don't talk about Pun-Pun
I've had players asking if they could turn their action into a second bonus action for quite awhile now, lol. It's something you could do with 4e's Minor Action. I'm loath to allow it because while it doesn't look problematic, it would be my luck that they'd find some way to break it.Joke: What if there was a potion that gives you a bonus action when you drink it? A literal bonus action potion?
But then you still need to account for the weight of the container for the vial, the end result is the same.
Tessarael
Adventurer
A quick internet shows glass vial weight of 27g for a 30mL (i.e., 1 oz) container. 27 grams is 0.95 oz. So for a potion vial with 1 oz of liquid, the weight of the vial itself is 1 oz, total weight of 1/8 lb (0.12 lb).
Similarly, the glass vial weight is 108g for a 120mL (i.e., 4 oz) container. 108 grams is 3.8 oz. So for a potion vial with 4 oz of liquid, the weight of the vial itself is 4 oz, total weight of 1/2 lb (0.5 lb).
That's a whole lot of assumptions when we know that potions are 1 ounce. There are many reasons the potion is listed as 1 pound which has been listed before. The most likely one is to keep the math simple, healing potions arr one of the few potions you're going to carry enough of that weight is going to potentially be a consideration.
What's the alternative? That there is so much liquid in them that you couldn't drink it in one round much less as a bonus action? Except the rules tell us that a character can ... so what's the point? Either the potion is the default ounce and it's a single swallow and the rules make sense (as much as D&D rules ever make sense) or you can't drink the one potion the majority of characters will actually use on a fairly regular basis in combat. Which would be silly.
As the DMG says "The rules of the game are meant to provide a fun game experience, not to describe the laws of physics in the worlds of D&D, let alone the real world." If you have to jump through hoops, ignore the default rule that is not explicitly overriden, the problem is not with the rules. The problem is that you're trying to make an issue where there isn't one.
