D&D 5E Applying Poison?

[Athinar]

Monsters (like assassins and spiders) are irrelevant I think. They've been designed with infinite poison for simplicity's sake and because they're not supposed to last more than 3 rounds.

Where did you get the 3 Rounds, I have seen nothing about 3 rounds in any books, but coating a weapon lasts 1 minute before drying

 

[Athinar]

Saying that an assassin has unlimited poison, given that fights never last more than three rounds

Not all combats last only 3 round, many have gone 7 to 8 rounds in my games

And coating a weapon and using it does not mean the weapon poison was removed with that hit, but maybe it did

I agree the assassin's - Poison and Assassinate get a F- for a grade

 

[Athinar]

or evil. Even an evil character can't afford good poison for every fight.

Poison is not evil just like a gun does not kill people, people kill people

So a person using poison to kill rats that carry the plague are not evil nor are people using poison to kill evil were rats
People in the Amazon use the poison from the poisonous dart frogs to kill animals to eat, not evil
Rangers can use poison to kill an animal that has rabies- Not evil
A Good Paladin can coat it's weapon with holy water to kill evil undead, not evil

so the use of poison is not evil, but my evil Halfling assassin using poison to kill every one in a inn just to kill one person in the inn is evil

 

[ExploderWizard]

I would say that since one can coat one melee weapon or three projectiles with a single dose of poison, that the poison stays active for one minute or until three hits with a melee weapon are delivered. This will put melee and ranged weapons in the same boat with regard to poison. Use the same rules for NPCs that use poisoned weapons.

 

[MechaPilot]

Basic poison is even worse then that, you only take the 1d4 poison damage on a failed save.

I included that in the calculation by assuming a 50% chance of passing/failing the save. That's why I halved the initial 2.5 average of the d4 roll.

 

[Minigiant]

Poison stinks in 5th if you buy it. If it doesn't last the whole minute, it is just not worth the money.

Poison s only good if you are a beast master ranger and thus can milk jars of poison for combat during downtime.

Note: The magic item dagger of venom takes an action to coat, lasts 1 minute once a day, and is DC 15 or take 2d10 poison damage.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Poison is not evil just like a gun does not kill people, people kill people

That's something to take into consideration, and I'd need to consult the books on the topic.

In previous editions, the use of Poison was Always Evil and only an Evil character would even consider it. That may no longer be the case in 5E. Remember, in the D&D cosmology, absolute Good and Evil are tangible quantities. An action can be objectively Good or Evil, regardless of context.

 

[FuelDrop]

Fun thought about using poison being evil: Several poisons are nonlethal, making them a very practical solution to taking out hostiles who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. For instance, during a heist when heroic characters are trying not to murder guards who are just doing their jobs. Is being merciful evil?

 

[abirdcall]

Poison stinks in 5th if you buy it. If it doesn't last the whole minute, it is just not worth the money.

Poison s only good if you are a beast master ranger and thus can milk jars of poison for combat during downtime.

Note: The magic item dagger of venom takes an action to coat, lasts 1 minute once a day, and is DC 15 or take 2d10 poison damage.

It does last the full minute, it is just good for 1 dose, not unlimited.

I don't think your beast is going to appreciate you abusing it like that every night.

If you think poison is too weak, the solution is to up the damage, the save DC, or have it apply the poisoned condition or similar.

Unlimited doses is just weird, so a thousand cuts will dead 1000d4 damage on failed saves, but pouring the whole vial at once into a wound just does 1d4? That makes no sense.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Fun thought about using poison being evil: Several poisons are nonlethal, making them a very practical solution to taking out hostiles who are in the wrong place at the wrong time. For instance, during a heist when heroic characters are trying not to murder guards who are just doing their jobs. Is being merciful evil?

Yes, using poison is inherently evil (if poison is Evil, as with traditional D&D worlds). Anything other than a straight-up, stand-there-and-swing-at-each-other fight is dishonorable, and putting something on your blade that isn't just your own fighting ability is the height of dishonor. The world of D&D is not a subtle or nuanced one. There are omnipotent beings that watch your every movement and hold judgment over you. If poison is Evil, then no technicality will allow you to bypass Cosmic Law.

If you wanted to incapacitate a guard, you could do that by simply striking to KO rather than kill.