poison conversion rules

freyar

Extradimensional Explorer
A question that comes up from time to time in our conversions is what various types of poisons did in different editions of d&d/ad&d. For example, I'd love to know about type F poison in AD&D2 for the wyvern drake conversion I'm working on. Anyway, if someone has the various rule sets, I thought it would be useful to get a list for poison types, so we can work out some conversion rules (perhaps to add to the stickied thread). Any help is appreciated, since I don't have the old rules! ;)
 

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below is page 20 out of the DMG date 1975 on poisions. is this what you wanted?

Page 20, AD&D DMG, 1975.

ASSASSINS' USE OF POISON
Assassins use poison just as any other character does, according to the dictates of the DM. That is, they use the normal tables for poison types (q.v.). When an assassin reaches 9th level (assassin), he or she may opt to make a study of poisons. This decision should come from the player in the case of a player character, i.e. do not suggest it or even intimate that such a study can be undertaken. The study will require many weeks and cost from 2,000 to 8,000 g.p. per week. The assassin must find a mentor — an assassin who has already made such a study and actually has put the techniques into practice. In most cases this will be a non-player character assassin of 12th or higher level, who will charge the variable amount. The cost reflects both time and the poisons used in the training. If a player character is involved,, he or she must actually have a wide variety of animal, vegetable, and mineral poisons on hand for the training; but he or she can also set the fee as he or she sees fit.

It is not the place of this work to actually serve as a manual for poisons and poisoning. Not only is such a subject distasteful, but it would not properly mesh with the standard poison system used herein. Therefore, the assassin must spend 5-8 weeks to learn each of the following poison skills:
— proper use of all poisons effective in the blood stream only
— proper use of poisons effective through ingestion only
— proper use of contact poisons and poisons effective when in the blood stream or ingested
— the manufacture of poisons and their antidotes

Thus, after 20-32 weeks of study, the assassin will have complete knowl-edge of 90% of all poisons known. He or she can then use poisons at full normal effect and have the following options as well:
— choose to assassinate by an instantaneous poison
— elect to use a slow acting poison which will not begin to affect the victim for 1-4 hours after ingestion
— elect to use a poison which gradually builds up after repeated doses and kills 1-10 days after the final dose

The assassin must compound the poison, of course. The DM will have to adjudicate this manufacture as he or she deems best. To simulate such manufacture, h is suggested that a week of time and o relatively small out-lay {200-1,200 g.p. for materials, bribes, etc.) suffice for any poison. In-stantaneous and very slow, undetectable poisons should be more time-consuming and costly, but not greatly so.

This does not guarantee the assassin success, naturally, for he or she must stil! manage the poisoning and then escape. However, it will give a far better chance and also provide leverage with regard to a slow poison by knowing the antidote. Note that the assassin can stop his or her study at any point, knowing only the knowledge gained in the completed course of study. Also during any course of study, the assassin may not engage in any other activity, or he or she must begin studying again from the beginning of the course. This means that during from 5-8 game weeks the assassin character will be out of play.

One type of poison which assassins can learn to compound is blade venom. blade venom (always an insinuative poison; see Poison Types) evaporates quickly. For the first day after Ms application it does full damage, the second day half, and by the third day none. It is likewise removed by use; on the first hit it will do full damage, on the second hit half damage, and by the third it will be gone. Partially evaporated or used death poisons allow the victim a +4 on his or her saving throw.

Poison Types:

The poison of monsters, regardless of its pluses or minuses to the victim's saving throw, is an all-or-nothing affair. That is, either they do no damage, or they kill the victim within a minute or so. Poison potions generally do the same, although you may optionally elect to have any given one be slow-acting, so that the victim will notice nothing for 1-10 hours after quaffing it. Monster poisons are ail effective by either ingestion or insinua-tion into the body and blood stream of the victim. Poison potions must be ingested. If you allow poison use by characters in your campaign, users can purchase ingestive or insinuative poisons only, having to obtain dual-use poisons from monsters.

Purchased poisons are classified and priced as follows:

Poison : Cost/Dose : Onset time : Damage If Save : Damage If No Save
Ingestive
A* : 5 gp : 2-8 rounds : 10 hp : 20 hp
B** : 30 gp : 2-5 rounds : 15 hp : 30 hp
C*** : 200 gp : 1-2 rounds 20 hp : 40 hp
D**** : 500 gp : 1 segment 25 hp : Death
E : 1, 000 gp : 1-4 turns : 30 hp : Death

Insinuative
A* : 10 gp : 2-5 rounds : 0 hp : 15 hp
B** : 75 gp : 1-3 rounds : 0 hp : 25 hp
C*** : 600 gp : 1 round : 0 hp : 35 hp
D**** : 1,500 gp : 1 segment : 0 hp : death

*Saving throw at +4, chance of tasting/smelling/seeing poison 80%.
**Saving throw at +3, chance of tasting/smelling/seeing poison 65%.
***Saving throw at +2, chance of tasting /smelling/seeing poison 40%.
****Saving throw at + 1, chance of tasting/smelling/seeing poison 15%.

Assassins use all forms of poison, other than those listed above, at an efficiency which gives the victim +1 on the saving throw; all other character types use them at an efficiency level which allows the victim +2 on saves (in all cases). Assassins who have studied poisoning have no penalty. (See ASSASSINS' USE OF POISONS.)
 
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2nd Edition

Class Method Onset Strength
A Injected 10-30 min. 15/0
B Injected 2-12 min. 20/1-3
C Injected 2-5 min. 25/2-8
D Injected 1-2 min. 30/2-12
E Injected Immediate Death/20
F Injected Immediate Death/0
G Ingested 2-12 hours 20/10
H Ingested 1-4 hours 20/10
I Ingested 2-12 min. 30/15
J Ingested 1-4 minutes Death/20
K Contact 2-8 minutes 5/0
L Contact 2-8 minutes 10/0
M Contact 1-4 minutes 20/5
N Contact 1 minute Death/25
O Injected 2-24 min. Paralytic
P Injected 1-3 hours Debilitative
 





Along these same lines, anyone want to post the treasure type charts?

I keep meaning to do so, but I'm never around my books when I think of it.
 

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