Information on poisons

tennyson · Dec 3, 2003

Hi Everyone,

A PC in a game I run is looking to make his character into a poison expert. Are there any resources that pertain to 3.5e (or 3e) poisons and information on them? Thanks!

johnsemlak · Dec 3, 2003

Philip Reed has published a short free PDF called the 'assassins guide to poisons' It's avaiable at Ronin Arts website. It has a short list of poisons and a few supplementary feats and skills on using poisons. It provides minimal detail but is quite adequate, and free.

Bastion Press's Pale Designs: A Poisoner's Handbook I believe is the most authortitative work.

Poisons are covered by a number of splattbooks for Rogues and Assassins:

I don't own all of the below, but I believe they all have info on poisosn:
Song and Silence
Traps and Treachery
The Assassin's Handbook
Crimson Contracts

d20Dwarf · Dec 3, 2003

johnsemlak said:
Philip Reed has published a short free PDF called the 'assassins guide to poisons' It's avaiable at Ronin Arts website. It has a short list of poisons and a few supplementary feats and skills on using poisons. It provides minimal detail but is quite adequate, and free.

Bastion Press's Pale Designs: A Poisoner's Handbook I believe is the most authortitative work.

Poisons are covered by a number of splattbooks for Rogues and Assassins:

I don't own all of the below, but I believe they all have info on poisosn:
Song and Silence
Traps and Treachery
The Assassin's Handbook
Crimson Contracts

Traps & Treachery II has a number of new poisons as well as new types of poisons.

The article on assassins I wrote for Dragon a few issues back featured a prestige class called the Poisoner, and had an updated poison table featuring craft DCs and such.

Bloodstone Press · Dec 3, 2003

The Primal Codex contains a chapter on all sorts of naturally occurring poisons such as nightshade, toadstools and oleanders. It also has expanded rules for the Profession (herbalist) skill for brewing poisons from these sorts of plants.

A 3.5 version of the Codex will be out soon and I’m thinking about breaking out the poisons and disease chapters as a separate product so folks who are interested in poisons or diseases don’t have to buy a whole book of other rules too.

Ghostwind · Dec 3, 2003

Pale Designs: A Poisoner's Handbook (Bastion Press) is the most comprehensive d20 book on poisons to date. When we created it, we used nearly every open game content poison and several others that we received permission to use to make the collection as large as it is. Pick up the book and look at the Section 15 in the back and you will notice the names of many books including Quintessential Rogue, Traps and Treachery, Alchemy & Herbalists, Occult Lore, Creature Collections I and II, just to mention a few.

There is very little that needs updating to 3.5 other than some adjustments to the PrC and skill names. The book also contains a variant game mechanic that makes poisons much more deadly, especially when your players reach higher levels and start making their Fort saves without effort under normal conditions. There are also some PrCs that may appeal to your player as an alternative to the standard assassin/poison expert. You will find the links to several thorough reviews on Bastion's site.