How much poison does a spider have?

[Hannibal King]

or for that matter any poisonous creature/monster? I have a player who wants to start harvesting poison from slain poisonous monsters and I was wondering if anyone has a house rule (or official rule) as too how many doses of venom would a typical monstrous spider would have for example?

Any ideas? How about as a rule of thumb one dose per hit die?

HK

 

[Jdvn1]

I don't think this is covered anyway. I'd say 1 dose per HD of the spider is fair, which means most spiders dont' have enough for one full dose. This probably should be in Houserules, though.

 

[Rkhet]

There are rules for poison creation in BoVD. You can't just harvest directly from creatures - the chemicals lose potency when exposed to air, apparently. Having the original material reduces the component cost.

 

[Bront]

Generaly, most creatures don't have more than a few doses available at any point in time. In particular, the best way to harvest it is from a live creature, by having it bite a wax sealed bottle and inject it's poison into it. This keeps the air away from the poison, and allows you to get a few doses a day from the creature (best done with snakes). However, in order to actualy extract and use this poison, you still have to alchemicaly distill it and fix it, but it should bring the cost down immensely, and in a pinch, you could probably use is straight.

 

[Land Outcast]

Well, for the sake of the smallest spiders I'd call a 4 dose per HD, then you have your player eager to go and milk a purple worm.

 

[Tatsukun]

I like one per HD, in fact, I think that's what I'll use.

The animal can use more than that in a fight, it is always making more, but it has one dose per HD 'stored up'.

Of course, what you get from a dead monster needs to be refined to be usable (so the total value is low). I don't want to add a lot of treasure to these monsters (but a little's ok).

-Tatsu

 

[Storyteller01]

Don't have access to my copy at the momment, but HohF: Half Orcs has rules for harvesting venom the Wilderness Lore Skill. It's 3.0, but it converts easily enough.

 

[kolikeos]

also note that harvesting poison from a poisenous creature might get the charcter himself poisoned if he's not careful.
imo, just like poisening ones weapon has a 5% to poison oneself so should harvesting it from a creature.

 

[Storyteller01]

alright, have my book.

Looks like (for this source) it's one dose for a Tiny creature, and 'this amount doubles with each size increase'. Direct quote, so interpret it as you will. The poison keeps for a week, but it has a reduced potency: -5 to the DC, and reduce any Attribute effects by half (this looks more like a game balance mechanic rather than a realistic account, although it assumes your harvesting from a dead critter). Each skill check harvests one dose, with a risk of poisoning yourself on a failed check.


Interesting side note: This skill checlk also allows you to harvest venom from plants. Outsiders too, with a HUGE DC for the check. Mandrake anyone?

Question for you Hannibal; Have any of your players thought of raising and harvesting live monsters? Seems like the next logical step, and we all may need to be prepared...

 

[Storyteller01]

I like one per HD, in fact, I think that's what I'll use.

The animal can use more than that in a fight, it is always making more, but it has one dose per HD 'stored up'.

Of course, what you get from a dead monster needs to be refined to be usable (so the total value is low). I don't want to add a lot of treasure to these monsters (but a little's ok).

-Tatsu

There's also the idea that venomous critters can control their output. Rattlesnakes don't always poison if biting defensively, and the older ones control how much they use per strike while hunting. A dose for a mouse isn't thre same as a dose for a human...