Multiple Potion Drinking

[Harold as a Verb]

Herremann,

I'd allow option #2 or #3, with the corollary that the character is Nauseated for the round following the imbibing.

Justification: There's a reason these potions are carefully crafted in the dose/potency categories available, namely that all drugs - even magical - have a degree of side effect that is compensated for within it's preparation - a counterforce equal to the dose's specific potency to offset it's "upset" on the system. Forcing multiple potions down faster than was intended in their manufacture means there's an awful lot of to-and-fro-ing taking place in the effect-vs-countering_side_effects battle ... and that takes its toll, temporarily, on the character's ability to act.

 

[ElectricDragon]

I think the big thing is that the player avoided two attacks of opportunity by doing this. Why should he get so much benefit without any drawbacks? 3x potion-use in one round and avoid two attacks of opportunity while doing so? That is munch.

The archer ties three arrows together and fires them at the giant. Does he do three times damage (with a possibility of 9 times with a crit) and only draw one attack of opportunity?

I would maybe have the player come up with a prestige class that can do this stuff. IMC, I wouldn't allow it without some special training. Even the Swallow Whole creature takes potions at the normal speed, because the ability is for swallowing creatures whole not magical effects stored in liquid.

Ciao
Dave

 

[LostSoul]

I'd just say that none of them work.

 

[Henrix]

I'd go for no.4, only the most powerful works.

 

[Staffan]

The issue is what would happen when you drink multiple potions; my own thinking is that healing potions would just be additive, you get 2d8 + x + 1dx + x + 1d8 + x (x is the xaster level bonus for each potion).

In your interpretation, what would be the reason anyone would pay 300 gp for a potion of cure moderate wounds that heals 2d8+3, when they could pay 150 gp for three potions of cure light wounds and be able to heal 3d8+3 by chugging them at once?

 

[dagger]

The 1st Edition DMG had a random percentile chart for this very thing, you should check it out. It has many different effects from bad things like poison, to good things like an increase in potion effectiveness. Maybe someone can post the chart here; I don't have my book handy.

 

[pbd]

In your interpretation, what would be the reason anyone would pay 300 gp for a potion of cure moderate wounds that heals 2d8+3, when they could pay 150 gp for three potions of cure light wounds and be able to heal 3d8+3 by chugging them at once?

Why not?

First off, full-round to drink three versus standard action for just one.

Secondly, just because the rules don't explicitly allow it doesn't mean you should disallow a good idea. Give the player a break for thinking of something different. So it may make potions of cure moderate less useful, oh well.

And just for the record I think his should only be usable for healing potions, for other potions only one should be effective.

My suggestion:

Potions are not roughly the density of water. They are magical after all. One of these properties is that they are unnaturally light - about 1/10th the density of water.

Which means that instead of being about 28 millilitres, they're 280 millilitres.

Or a bit more than a cup of liquid.

And you need to drink and swallow the whole thing for it to take effect.

An ounce is both a weight and volume measure. Usually with liquids an ounce refers to volume; so 3, 1 ounce potions should add up to 3 ounces total liquid volume.

pbd

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

The Balance Nazi in me say #5 (random one works). The rules are not really balanced if you allow mass potion drinking as is.

My personal interpretation of the rules are that potions are not passive substances. They are really a class of "one-charge anyone-can-use" magic items*. In general, you must use a degree of concentration to invoke any magic item. In mechanical terms, that means:
Action + Magic Item ==> Result
If you do not spend the action, you do not get a result.

Fundamentally, this is not different than bundling 20 Wands of Magic Missile that have the same command word together.

If I were a DM, I would allow the creation of a Super Potions that you can scarf down by the handful as a Full Action, but that would require another craft feat (with Brew Potion as a prereq) and cost about double the usual to make.



* BTW, I see nothing wrong with allowing more flexible potions rules. Frex, I would allow a "Potion" of Fireball -- a one-shot item that anyone can use to toss a Fireball. Or even allowing higher levels spells as potions (with DM oversight, of course). Potions for spells above 1st/2nd level are balanced by their cost.

 

[kenobi65]

Fundamentally, this is not different than bundling 20 Wands of Magic Missile that have the same command word together.

For some reason, this made me think of a 20-potion-capacity beer bong.

 

[LostSoul]

In your interpretation, what would be the reason anyone would pay 300 gp for a potion of cure moderate wounds that heals 2d8+3, when they could pay 150 gp for three potions of cure light wounds and be able to heal 3d8+3 by chugging them at once?

Because, as any suave adventurer knows, only commoners drink potions of cure light wounds. The big boys only drink the good stuff. If you want to impress the ladies, pony up the cash for potions of cure critical wounds.