[Grim Tales] Poison and poison-use rules?

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I was curious if anyone had done some detailing of poison usage rules for Grim Tales? In a Low Magic system, things like poisons can take on greater value.

Are there any guidelines for designing poisons that would be fit Grim Tales goals?

What got me thinking about all this was thoughts about Assassin-type classes in D&D. Most have features like "Poison Use" that grants ability to apply poison without chance of harming themselves. Got me thinking about transfering this into Grim Tales terms... like "would this be a feat or a talent" type of thing. Then I started looking for more stuff on poisons in the book and came up unsatisfied.

Maybe something worth a new accessory?

 

[Kirin'Tor]

Hmm...Poisons aren't some directly covered by GT, are they...I hadn't thought about that, and I agree that in a Low-Magic (or Dark-Magic, as I run GT) World, poison is much more prominent....

Wulf, do you have any plans to include poison\poison use (EG assassin powers) in a GT supplement?

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

Leaving all humility at the door, you can't talk about poison in d20 without mentioning Poisoncraft: The Dark Art by yours truly. It's not specifically written for GT, but because it offers a skill-based poison creation system, it would be a snap to incorporate. And if the syrallax wasn't meant for a GT game, I don't know what would be. And, if you're so inclined, you can pick up Poisoncraft in print format through Indie Press Revolution for a paltry $12.95, which also carries Bad Axe's GT line, including the hard-to-get Slavelords of Cydonia. And, what's more, FREE U.S. SHIPPING over $25.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I'll just second the recommendation to use Poisoncraft.

Remember, folks, one of my design goals with Grim Tales was to keep it as true to "core" d20 as possible, so that you could feel comfortable picking up and "plugging in" more stuff from outside.

Grim Tales is what you make it.

For what it's worth, I think poison use is actually best represented with a skill-- Craft or Knowledge.

The only reason to use a feat or a talent is to act as a "gatekeeper" on the amount of poison used in the campaign-- and ultimately that's just going to bleed off a feat or talent and nobody will ever think about it again.

My personal feeling is that it's probably better to use story-based deterrents to poison use. It should be illegal to make for all but licensed apothecaries, and illegal to use by all but licensed poisoners-- say, rat catchers-- and the penalty for using poison against another person should be very, very severe. We're talking downright "medieval." That penalty would apply to any apothecary or approved vermin-poisoner who let his supply get out of his control.

That would be my low magic solution for poison.


Wulf

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I'll just second the recommendation to use Poisoncraft.

With that recommendation, I'll have to keep it in mind. Gotta gather my monthly allotment of RPG fund from the wife again...

Remember, folks, one of my design goals with Grim Tales was to keep it as true to "core" d20 as possible, so that you could feel comfortable picking up and "plugging in" more stuff from outside.

Yup, I'm prepared to grab from anywhere I can find things.

For what it's worth, I think poison use is actually best represented with a skill-- Craft or Knowledge.

I figured as much, and I was prepared to do something along those lines, but wanted to fish around for options that may have already been done.

I've been thinking of adding a something like having some Allegiances grant access to a single skill. Something like, joining an Assassin's guild (a new Allegiance), would grant access to the Craft or Knowledge related to poisoncrafting... just something I'm thinking of. The details of what that would entail seems far beyond my simple DM skillz.

I certainly don't want to bleed off feats or talents. I'm noticing that there is a strict economy of them. Waste not.

My personal feeling is that it's probably better to use story-based deterrents to poison use. It should be illegal to make for all but licensed apothecaries, and illegal to use by all but licensed poisoners-- say, rat catchers-- and the penalty for using poison against another person should be very, very severe.

As I mentioned in a past thread, I'm trying my shot at bringing Grim Tales into a Dark Sun setting. In Dark Sun, the old bard PC class had spells stripped from them, and they pretty much now are the secret brokers of information and have a monopoly on poisoncrafting. So in that regard, there is a story-based deterrent to mass usage of poison. Only bards make it, and only bards sell it. There are other story/setting based deterrents I'm implementing, like a crime family monopoly mentality about the misuse and improper exposing of their secrets... expect a visit by a master poisoner in the imminent future upon those who violate "the code" of the poisoncrafter... etc...

[/end ramble]