How does poison actually hurt characters?

[TremorFang]

I am not uber familiar of the rules as far as death is concerned. Due to my wanting to create my own prestige class for my DMs review, it would be much appreciated if I can get some clarification on poison. Since the prestige class idea is based around poison.

So here they are.

Can damage to your attributes (namely Con) kill a character?

Are there any poisons that actually do HP damage and not just attribute, or paralysis?

Is there a suggested format for creating new poisons? as well as a format for creating feats / abilities that could amplify poisons?

Any other useful info on poison would be very helpful for the possible prestige class. Thanks.

 

[Dandu]

Check your DMG. There's a list of poisons and poison rules there if I remember correctly.

 

[HoboGod]

Dropping CON to 0 is death. Dropping every other ability to 0 renders you helpless and coup de grace vulnerable. I know of no poison that deals hit point damage but dealing CON damage is in 80% of all cases, better than dealing hit point damage. For every 2 points of Con damage, they're guaranteed to lose 1 hp per hit dice. Also, it's easier to kill certain creatures through ability drain than any other method. If you can do minor intelligence drain, a legendary tiger becomes a legendary vegetable.

 

[TremorFang]

Good to know. Thanks. I have just recently found the poison craft "book". What are your thoughts on making an actual custom class, as opposed to a custom prestige class?

 

[HoboGod]

On one hand, it sounds cool, but it would be a class that relies almost completely on fortitude saves. There'd be a LOT of monsters who, if not already immune to poison, are never going to get poisoned because their fortitude save is nearly unbeatable without level draining them. It's a prestige class because it's a specialist thing. If you're in a cityscape world where your enemies are mostly humanoids with class levels, a poison class would be as devastating as a wizard. If you were dungeon crawling in a temple of undead and aberrations, you'd be just as devastating as a bard.

 

[radmod]

If you were dungeon crawling in a temple of undead and aberrations, you'd be just as devastating as a bard.

Hey, don't dis the bard! They don't really deserve ... hmm, maybe you're right.

This gave me an idea for the PrC. Just like Swift Hunter allows you to skirmish non-critables (like undead) what about essentially creating a feat (or ability) that allows you to poison undead, etc. It would, of course, require something like a favored enemy, IMO.

 

[frankthedm]

If you were dungeon crawling in a temple of undead and aberrations, you'd be just as devastating as a bard.

Aberrations are not default immune to poisons. Plus they tend to have low fort saves.

 

[TremorFang]

I see your point. Though if my DM gives the thumbs up for the use of the poison craft book, there are feats that make achieving fortitude saves against poison harder. I know that there are poisons that can hurt undead (shown in Libris Mortis).

Thanks for the info though.

 

[Khazan]

..... If you can do minor intelligence drain, a legendary tiger becomes a legendary vegetable.

I enjoy the place my mind went with that line...

(make it bigger!)

 

[TremorFang]

So suggestion wise, since I am getting ready to build a level 13 or 14 character. Should I go for a:

(1) - Lich - Whose phylactery was put inside a adamantine box that is somewhat heavily enchanted, put inside a bag of holding and the bag was purposefully torn so that the phylactery is in a pocket dimension. Which means that the Lich will need to be level 14 to use plane shift if he dies. (The DM said he would allow the pocket dimension thing)

or

(2) - Rogue / Master Poisoncraft - I love the flavor of a person who sneaks poisons in and outside of combat. He challenges an entire bar to a drinking contest, pity they didn't notice him lacing a poison into the wine barrel that he created and has become immune to. (He would use feats from the poisoncraft book, making the DC more difficult)

So what do you think between these? I can make decent background stories off of both of them.

Thanks.