D&D (2024) What is With Poison?, and Other PHB Conundrums.

[Reynard]

I was reading through the 2024 PHB, just trying to familiarize myself with stuff, when i came across Poison in the equipment chapter. is it me, or is poison way overpriced for its effect when compared to, say, alchemist fire? it does 1d4 damage one time. There is no Poisoned condition or other additional effect. Granted, there is no save, and it can be applied with a bonus action, but it still seems overpriced. The two 150gp poisons in the DMG are much more effective.

A) What do you think about the pricing and mechanics of poison in the PHB. B) What other weird things have you discovered in the PHB?

 

[FitzTheRuke]

How terrible is Crown of Madness?

Crown of Madness. Level 2 Enchantment (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action.
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
One creature that you can see within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Charmed condition for the duration. The creature succeeds automatically if it isn’t Humanoid. A spectral crown appears on the Charmed target's head, and it must use its action before moving on each of its turns to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself that you mentally choose. The target can act normally on its turn if you choose no creature or if no creature is within its reach. The target repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the spell on itself on a success. On your later turns, you must take the Magic action to maintain control of the target, or the spell ends.

... And why doesn't it just say "One Humanoid that you can see..." like Hold Person does, if non-humanoids are immune?

 

[Charlaquin]

I was reading through the 2024 PHB, just trying to familiarize myself with stuff, when i came across Poison in the equipment chapter. is it me, or is poison way overpriced for its effect when compared to, say, alchemist fire? it does 1d4 damage one time. There is no Poisoned condition or other additional effect. Granted, there is no save, and it can be applied with a bonus action, but it still seems overpriced. The two 150gp poisons in the DMG are much more effective.

I mean, yeah, it’s wildly overpriced, but that’s been the case since 2014. In fact, the 2014 version is even worse because the target does get a DC10 save, and takes no damage on a success.

 

[Charlaquin]

How terrible is Crown of Madness?

Crown of Madness. Level 2 Enchantment (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action.
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
One creature that you can see within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Charmed condition for the duration. The creature succeeds automatically if it isn’t Humanoid. A spectral crown appears on the Charmed target's head, and it must use its action before moving on each of its turns to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself that you mentally choose. The target can act normally on its turn if you choose no creature or if no creature is within its reach. The target repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the spell on itself on a success. On your later turns, you must take the Magic action to maintain control of the target, or the spell ends.

This, too, is exactly how it works in 2014…

... And why doesn't it just say "One Humanoid that you can see..." like Hold Person does, if non-humanoids are immune?

Yeah, that’s a strange wording change.

 

[Charlaquin]

Between this thread and the other one @DarkCrisis just started, I’m starting to wonder if the meme about no one reading the DMG also applies to the PHB…

 

[Charlaquin]

Double post

 

[DarkCrisis]

Between this thread and the other one @DarkCrisis just started, I’m starting to wonder if the meme about no one reading the DMG also applies to the PHB…

Ive been playing D&D for about 25 years and play other games than 5E D&D, there is a lot of conflicting rules I have to remember. Not to mention that 5.5 again changed some things.

So forgive me for not having a photographic memory.

 

[Chaltab]

How terrible is Crown of Madness?

Crown of Madness. Level 2 Enchantment (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)
Casting Time: Action.
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
One creature that you can see within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Charmed condition for the duration. The creature succeeds automatically if it isn’t Humanoid. A spectral crown appears on the Charmed target's head, and it must use its action before moving on each of its turns to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself that you mentally choose. The target can act normally on its turn if you choose no creature or if no creature is within its reach. The target repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the spell on itself on a success. On your later turns, you must take the Magic action to maintain control of the target, or the spell ends.

... And why doesn't it just say "One Humanoid that you can see..." like Hold Person does, if non-humanoids are immune?

Crown of Madness was also ridiculously nerfed from 4E.

 

[Charlaquin]

Ive been playing D&D for about 25 years and play other games than 5E D&D, there is a lot of conflicting rules I have to remember. Not to mention that 5.5 again changed some things.

So forgive me for not having a photographic memory.

You’re forgiven.

Was not my intent to criticize, I was just making a joke.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

A) What do you think about the pricing and mechanics of poison in the PHB. B) What other weird things have you discovered in the PHB?

Alchemist's Fire is much worse than Poison so it does make sense that it is cheaper. I would say they're both WAY too expensive, but then I reduce the pricing on everything. I make Alchemist's Fire 12g and Basic Poison 20g, but then for reference I also make a +1 weapon be 100g.

Alchemist's Fire is basically never worth using, it takes your action to do 1d4 damage + Burning; if you don't have much better uses of your action in combat then... well I don't know how that could be possible. Could be worth using out of combat if you need to light an object on fire but somehow don't have anyone with Firebolt or Create Bonfire cantrips, but that's about it

Basic Poison on the other hand uses your Bonus Action to do free damage on your next attack. There are definitely cases where someone may not have a use of their Bonus Action, and in theory the poison can be applied for free before combat starts if you time it well. So it's not amazing but definitely much better than Alchemist's Fire