CapnZapp
Legend
The bitter truth is that the designers know the player base is divided on the issue of poisons.
Some DMs and groups hate it if poison is even close to playable and useful. ("Forces my hero into using evil trickery")
Other people just want to have a clear and easy rule. This thread.
So the DMG tries to have the cake and eat it too. The way the rules CAN be interpreted as poison is automatic and easy to use... at the same they can ALSO be interpreted as basically something only monsters get to use...
...is in no way accidental, if you ask me.
This means: you won't get a straight answer out of the WotC people. Or you will get two, directly contradicting ones. So don't hold your breath.
Instead: make up your own mind. Which kind of ends the discussion.
Some DMs and groups hate it if poison is even close to playable and useful. ("Forces my hero into using evil trickery")
Other people just want to have a clear and easy rule. This thread.
So the DMG tries to have the cake and eat it too. The way the rules CAN be interpreted as poison is automatic and easy to use... at the same they can ALSO be interpreted as basically something only monsters get to use...
...is in no way accidental, if you ask me.
This means: you won't get a straight answer out of the WotC people. Or you will get two, directly contradicting ones. So don't hold your breath.
Instead: make up your own mind. Which kind of ends the discussion.