Where will poison use be included?

[jeffhartsell]

So, which book or books do you think will include rules for players being able to use poison?

PHB
DMG
Martial Power
Adventurer's Vault
PHB2

I'd like to see those rules in the PHB, but I'm guessing they will debut in Adventurer's Vault.

 

[Aria Silverhands]

There will probably be some blurb about poison use in the DMG. It's a staple for cliched villains.

 

[Incenjucar]

Poison damage will, at the least, be in the PHB.

 

[jeffhartsell]

I've never been a fan of how poison worked in 3.x. I tried using it with the lizardfolk since that seemed to be their "thing" (poison dusk lizard folk). But stat damage was a huge PIA to use against players.

Poisons either were a waste of resources or grossly overpowered for players.

But poisons do have a place in a RPG, especially for unaligned players. And poisons don't have to be lethal.

Anyway, I'm curious about people's thoughts.

 

[Voss]

My guess is the DMG, its where they traditionally stuff optional things that they deem 'questionable' and not a default assumption.

 

[Mort_Q]

The only real problem with poison is balance. I suspect we'll see poison use as part of powers rather than a mundane item that can be purchased or made (unless it's a ritual thing).

[edit]

On second thought, if poison damage is a type, just like fire damage, there's no reason it can't be handled the same way alchemist's fire is handled.

When is the Alchemy preview?

 

[Cryptos]

Isn't Poison a damage type for the Dragonborn's breath? I'm sure there will be powers that cause poison damage. As such, poison damage should be handled in the PHB.

Presumably, there will also be poison traps. So, poison will also be handled in the DMG.

And then, some monsters will have poisonous bites, claws, and perhaps even poison seat cushions. So there will be some poison monster powers in the MM.

I think you're pretty well covered. There should be things relating to poison in all of the core rulebooks.

 

[jeffhartsell]

Agree that monster and trap use of poisons will be covered in the MM and DMG. However, in 3.x the use of poison by players was in the DMG and in splat books. If they make poison use a power, that is fine, but that takes a serious leap of logic to say that a vial of poison can only be added to one attack per encounter.

A player can buy poison. As a GM, I really cannot justify that a player should not be able to justify buying poison. I can justify that they are not skilled in applying it to a weapon. But if a player wants to be skilled in applying poison to multiple daggers for throwing, then that should be either a feat or skill use, and the player spends gold on the poison. Opportunity costs; fewer potions and more vials of poison.

I just hope that is in a player option book and not the DMG.