D&D 4E D&D 4E: Who can use poisons and how often?

[AbdulAlhazred]

I just checked ... there are also some poisons (many out of the DMG) that are basically just a consumable item. They don't have associated recipes like the alchemy items, but they have a level and price, so they can be purchased. Some give a special condition that limits how the poison can be applied, but otherwise they are either applied to a weapon (if you hit and deal damage with the weapon you can make the poison attack roll to get it's effects), put into food, drink or inhaled. In terms of in combat usage, they only mention that applying it to a weapon is a standard action, and that it goes away after 5 minutes if the weapon hasn't hit and delivered the poison yet. No mention on what sort of action it would be to scatter the powder to be inhaled, so presumably that's not meant to occur in combat (or I guess just make it a standard action, and probably make it close blast 1 (i.e. target 1 adjacent square/enemy). They are priced the same as other leveled consumable goods (like alchemy items, potions, etc).

Yeah, my approach has been to consider all of them to be Alchemical formulae you could learn. DMG1 predates AV1, so they didn't have explicit alchemy rules at that point. This leaves the assassin able to do something very similar but a bit better and free. Of course it would probably be fairly thematic to also pick up alchemy as an assassin and learn to brew those types of poisons as well. They could be more useful for some situations, though they don't tend to be devastatingly effective.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Also note that the alchemist theme gets a free alchemy item (which may well include those poisons) a day, plus some bonuses to their use.

 

[Obryn]

Also note that the alchemist theme gets a free alchemy item (which may well include those poisons) a day, plus some bonuses to their use.

Per encounter, actually.

-O

 

[vaticanassassin]

Thanks guys.
insightful, that helps a lot.