D&D 5E Poison Idea

[Silverborne]

I know the DMG is not out yet and i expect that it will deal with poisons. Unfortunately I cant wait that long as my group will be dealing with an assassin that uses poison before that. I have an idea for an ingested poison that is pretty vicious. It uses the exhaustion mechanics rather than hit points. Let me know what you think.

Poison: Blackgut

This is an ingested poison that is odorless and tasteless and is easily incorporated into food or drink. An Intelligence (Investigation) check DC 17 is needed to detect it in food or drink. Victims of the poison start with a cold sweat and stomach cramps that very quickly gets worse. A DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check to identify symptoms as a poison. A DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check is needed to identify the specific poison however characters have disadvantage unless they are familiar with poisons. The bowels of dead victims turns black shortly after they expire.

Primary Effect: Once ingested, the poison takes 10 minutes to affect the victim. He must make a DC 15 Constitution save. Success: Victim takes one level of exhaustion but is not otherwise effected by the poison. Failure: Victim suffers from the poisoned condition and takes one level of exhaustion. He is also effected by the secondary effect.

Secondary Effect: Every 5 minutes the victim must make another DC 15 Constitution save. Success: No further negative effect. However the secondary effect is still active. Failure: Victim takes one more level of exhaustion. The victim must continue to make saving throws every 5 minutes until he reaches exhaustion level 6 and dies or succeeds in three saving throws.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[thalmin]

I assume after a successful save normal fatigue recovery rules apply?

 

[Lancelot]

I like it, assuming your intention is that this poison has a real chance of killing a PC. From experience, a DC 15 save (of any kind) is rough stuff. If you need 3 successful saves before throwing it out, there's a real risk that a non-dwarf character without Con save proficiency is going to be in a world of trouble.

I'd also caution that the Exhaustion penalties are really nasty. Even at Stage One. Disadvantage on skill checks doesn't look serious on paper, but I've found that it's rough enough to give our berserker barbarian some real pause before incurring it due to a rage. Disadvantage Perception makes your PC much more likely to be surprised, and it can be lethal if you're fighting a monster that grapples (Disadvantage to break free; maybe Disadvantage on attacks as well, if the grapple applies the Restrained condition). Once you're down a couple more Stages (which is almost certain if you need 3 successes to end it), your PC's combat options become very limited. This can be non-fun for the player if they're expected to do multiple encounters before their next Long Rest.

So, pretty cool poison if the intention is to be a really dangerous threat, and you're not intending the PCs to have multiple combat encounters (or skill challenges) before the next Long Rest.

Otherwise, I'd consider looking at max hp reduction instead (similar to energy drain or mummy rot). Same frequency of saves, same requirement for 3 successful saves. Each failed save reduces the victim's max hp by "X" d6 (depending on target party level). If they hit 0 hp, they die. This creates a deadly and increasing threat, while still leaving the player some agency to contribute meaningfully to multiple combat encounters (i.e. without suffering disadvantage on everything, and moving at a crippling slow pace).

 

[Li Shenron]

I think this is great and will work fine. Just go easy by poisoning only one PC at a time, or there will be troubles

 

[Silverborne]

I agree the DC is pretty high. I will have to cut that back a bit. I'm thinking 12 to 13 or so. It is intended to be pretty deadly but there is a point. I plan on using it at a banquet for the PC's. It's a group of 8 and two of them will be targeted. If they can get their hands on an antitoxin or get someone to cast lesser restoration they should be ok.

My point on using the exhaustion rules is that when someone is suffering from a particularly bad poison, they are pretty much useless. My dad got bit by a black widow once and he could barely move for hours. That said, using exhaustion with the expectation of combat is pretty brutal.

I appreciate all the feedback. It helps a lot. Thanks

 

[Henrix]

I like this poison idea.

I would make it go a bit slower, perhaps every 15 or even 30 min.
Makes it a little more dramatic.

And not have a save when it is first ingested, but after half an hour or so.
Succeeding on that would not mean it is overcome - that is just the first save, and you still have to manage three saves.

As for the DC - depends on how easy it is to find the antidote. And how desperate you want them to be.