Poison - fun, balanced, and deadly - is it possible?

[Stalker0]

Agreed...it just means those kind of classes need to seek medical help, as any character with a decent Heal check can stop poison in its tracks.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I don't think the disease rules are appropriate - they're too "weak".

PS what prevents a spell from undoing the plot?

 

[Cartigan Mrryl]

Umm.... I'm confused. Poison can lower Constitution, right? If the person's Constitution hits 0, they die. I'm sorry, I'm not very experienced so I'm not quite sure how there's a difference between HP damage and Con damage...

 

[JimAde]

Umm.... I'm confused. Poison can lower Constitution, right? If the person's Constitution hits 0, they die. I'm sorry, I'm not very experienced so I'm not quite sure how there's a difference between HP damage and Con damage...

Well ability damage (like Con damage) is harder to fix with magic. You need at least a Lesser Restoration spell (which I think is 3rd level) while if a poison does HP damage you can fight it with Cure Light Wounds.

Also, Con damage affects all classes equally. A 6th-level sorcerer and a 6th-level barbarian might both have a 14 Con, but they would have radically different HP totals.

 

[genshou]

I think a poison dealing Con damage is appropriate if it affects a character's overall health. Constitution affects hit points, Concentration checks, physical endurance checks, and Fortitude saving throws, so if taking a nasty dose of nerve gas makes a person more vulnerable in this way, that's the perfect way to describe the damage.

Also, given the many things about D&D-style hit points that are broken already (a 200+ foot cliff? Bah, I have 240 hp), I think it's odd anyone is suggesting poison should be dealing hp damage in the first place. A peasant will die within moments; a hero will survive without any medical aid. I think I understand why they used Con damage instead.

 

[Cartigan Mrryl]

Thanks, Sesshoumaru-like friend. I like how poison is dealt with already. I mainly like to use poison as a way of dealing Con damage to lower-leveled heroes (I'm USUALLY a DM) so when the group of Kobolds poison them THEN run in, the Kobolds (if they're outnumbered) stand a better chance, and makes the players become cautious about running around with their pants down. SPeaking of which... I should probably throw in my house rules for Poison-using Vagrants...
... nothing personal, guys, but if you could find SOME way of dealing damage in a fair way I'd be happy to agree that it is the equivalent of WIS or CON damage, but I still LOVE poisoning the HELL out of my little brothers Cleric then running in with a mildly strong monster, my brother BARELY wins (I'm STILL trying to kill him without making it obvious) and he feels like he accomplished something, even though (in affect) he just pounded the hell out of some poor monster(s) with his +5 Warhammer of Light (DON'T ASK! Errr... DMing mistake #1) and walked away. Anyways, I have a question, I'm too lazy to look it up (I'm not even sure if it's in the Player's Handbook) is there any poison that affects CHA? Because I really need to disable a bloody Paladin... (ANOTHER Dming mistake...)

 

[Aust Diamondew]

In my games most poisons are save for half damage making them more deadly.