D&D 5E (2014) Thoughts on bonus action potions?

[Pale Violet Light]

A smaller but more common problem with bonus action potions is they effect maritals much more. Martials use many more bonus actions than casters, giving casters an advantage in the potion department.

Indeed. Especially the poor, ever-neglected rogue.

 

[Horwath]

I looked up some examples on Amazon, and a 1 oz perfume bottle weighs about 5 ounces. So it is actually accurate for ounce of liquid in a bottle to weigh half a pound.

yes, bottle needs to be thick glass to not break from "adventuring lifestyle" probably with leather casing around glass container to further dampens blows.

 

[Tessarael]

It depends how the glass vials are stored, but yes, there could be some risk of breakage. I would have them stored in padded little boxes in a potion bandolier for easy access and to reduce that problem. In settings with more advanced technologies than the Renaissance period, you could potentially have tin-plate vials (1800s) or plastic (bakelite was invented in 1907). It depends how wide-spread magic usage is in manufacturing and what is the tech level (e.g., stone age, bronze age, iron age, dark ages, medieval, renaissance, pre-industrial, industrial).

For example, are there magically reinforced ceramic vials (pottery kiln-fired) with spells that prevent/protect breakage? If yes, the vials can be lighter weight.

 

[NotAYakk]

My favorite mechanic is that people in the world have figured out ways to make potion injectors; one on each arm.

These let you "drink" a potion as a bonus action. But only 2, and reloading each of them is an action.

This makes expensive potions well worth considering, spamming cheap potions less of a problem, and doesn't make the healing potion the only fast-drink option.

 

[Seramus]

Joke: What if there was a potion that gives you a bonus action when you drink it? A literal bonus action potion?

 

[James Gasik]

Joke: What if there was a potion that gives you a bonus action when you drink it? A literal bonus action potion?

I've had players asking if they could turn their action into a second bonus action for quite awhile now, lol. It's something you could do with 4e's Minor Action. I'm loath to allow it because while it doesn't look problematic, it would be my luck that they'd find some way to break it.

 

[AlViking]

My character wants something like this

 

[AlViking]

It depends how the glass vials are stored, but yes, there could be some risk of breakage. I would have them stored in padded little boxes in a potion bandolier for easy access and to reduce that problem. In settings with more advanced technologies than the Renaissance period, you could potentially have tin-plate vials (1800s) or plastic (bakelite was invented in 1907). It depends how wide-spread magic usage is in manufacturing and what is the tech level (e.g., stone age, bronze age, iron age, dark ages, medieval, renaissance, pre-industrial, industrial).

For example, are there magically reinforced ceramic vials (pottery kiln-fired) with spells that prevent/protect breakage? If yes, the vials can be lighter weight.

But then you still need to account for the weight of the container for the vial, the end result is the same.