Alchemy: Vile Poisons

Alchemy: Vile Poisons

The infamous Book of Vile Darkness for D&D 3.0 has not only a section with vile diseases, but also a section with poisons of various sorts. I have to say, some of them are quite unusual, but we will get to the most unusual ones later.

Devilseye

This poison makes the subject more easily affected by magic. A living victim must make an immediate HT-3 roll or suffer 1 toxic damage. Every second for 9 more cycles he must make another HT-3 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains Magic Susceptibility 2 (p. B143) or has his Magic Resistance decreased by 2 until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gains Magic Susceptibility 4 (p. B143) or has his Magic Resistance decreased by 4 until he heals above this threshold. After losing 2/3 HP to this poison, the victim gains Magic Susceptibility 6 (p. B143) or has his Magic Resistance decreased by 6 until he heals above this threshold.

Form: Follow-Up Poison.

Cost: $210 (singular); $75 (5-batched).

Recipe: $21; 1 day; defaults to Poisons-1.

Statistics: Toxic Attack 1 (Cosmic, Compatible with Magic Resistance, +50%; Cyclic, 1 seconds, 9 cycles, Resistible, +450%; Follow-Up Poison, -20%; Resistible, HT-3, -15%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, Magic Susceptibility 2, +20%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, Magic Susceptibility 4, +25%; Symptoms, 2/3 HP, Magic Susceptibility 6, +20%) [7].

Urthanyk

This is a respiratory agent made from grave dirt and poisonous plants. This poison flask can be thrown (range is STx3.5). Hitting a hard surface, it breaks, creating a cloud of poison gas in a 2-yard radius. The cloud persists for 10 seconds and may drift with the wind. Any creature that inhales the gas must make an immediate HT-2 roll or suffer 1d-1 toxic damage. Every 2 seconds for 6 more cycles he must make another HT-2 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -2 penalty to ST until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -4 penalty to ST until he heals above this threshold. After losing 2/3 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -6 penalty to ST until he heals above this threshold.

Form: Grenade.

Cost: $600 (singular); $215 (5-batched).

Recipe: $60; 2 days; defaults to Poisons-2.

Statistics: Toxic Attack 1d-1 (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Drifting, +20%; Cyclic, 2 second, 6 cycles, Resistible, +300%; Grenade, +25%; Persistent, +40%; Resistible, HT-2, -20%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 ST, +30%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -4 ST, +40%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -6 ST, +30%) [20].

Sufferfume

This highly potent respiratory agent is alchemically synthesized from demonic ichor. This poison flask can be thrown (range is STx3.5). Hitting a hard surface, it breaks, creating a cloud of poison gas in a 2-yard radius. The cloud persists for 10 seconds and may drift with the wind. Any creature that inhales the gas must make an immediate HT-2 roll or suffer 1d-1 toxic damage. Every 2 seconds for 6 more cycles he must make another HT-2 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -2 penalty to ST, DX, IQ, and HT until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -4 penalty to ST, DX, IQ, and HT until he heals above this threshold. After losing 2/3 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -6 penalty to ST, DX, IQ, and HT until he heals above this threshold.

Form: Grenade.

Cost: $1,050 (singular); $380 (5-batched).

Recipe: $105; 7 days; defaults to Poisons-4.

Statistics: Toxic Attack 1d-1 (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Drifting, +20%; Cyclic, 2 second, 6 cycles, Resistible, +300%; Grenade, +25%; Persistent, +40%; Resistible, HT-2, -20%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 ST, -2 DX, -2 IQ, -2 HT, +180%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, -4 ST, -4 DX, -4 IQ, -4 HT, +240%; Symptoms, 2/3 HP, -6 ST, -6 DX, -6 IQ, -6 HT, +180%) [35].

Burning Angel Wing Fumes

This is a respiratory agent made from angelic feathers. This poison flask can be thrown (range is STx3.5). Hitting a hard surface, it breaks, creating a cloud of poison gas in a 2-yard radius. The cloud persists for 10 seconds and may drift with the wind. Any creature that inhales the gas must make an immediate HT-3 roll or suffer 1d-1 toxic damage. Every 2 seconds for 4 more cycles he must make another HT-3 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -2 penalty to IQ until he heals above this threshold. After losing 1/2 HP to this poison, the victim’s appearance decreases by one step. After losing 2/3 HP to this poison, the victim’s appearance decreases by one additional step. The decreased appearance persists even when the victim heals above the corresponding threshold. To remove this effect, the victim must benefit from a Remove Curse spell or a similar effect. Dispel Magic does not work.

Form: Grenade.

Cost: $690 (singular); $250 (5-batched).

Recipe: $69; 4 days; defaults to Poisons-3.

Statistics: Toxic Attack 1d-1 (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Drifting, +20%; Cosmic, Lingering Effect, +100%; Cyclic, 2 second, 4 cycles, Resistible, +200%; Grenade, +25%; Persistent, +40%; Resistible, HT-3, -15%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -2 IQ, +30%; Symptoms, 1/2 HP, Decreased Appearance, +80%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, Decreased Appearance 2, +80%) [23].

Sasson Juice

This poison is made from a plant that grows in hot jungles. A living victim must make an immediate HT roll or suffer 1 toxic damage. Every seconds for 9 more cycles he must make another HT roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim gets a -4 penalty to DX until he heals above this threshold.

Form: Contact Poison.

Cost: $180 (singular); $65 (5-batched).

Recipe: $18; 1 day; defaults to Poisons-2.

Statistics: Toxic Attack 1 (Contact Poison, -5%; Cyclic, 1 second, 9 cycles, Resistible, +450%; Resistible, HT, -30%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, -4 to DX, +120%) [6].

Eyeblast

This poison is alchemically synthesized from fungi that grow in grave dirt. A living victim must make an immediate HT-2 roll or suffer 1 toxic damage. Every second for 7 more cycles he must make another HT-2 roll to resist or take the same amount of damage. After losing 1/3 HP to this poison, the victim becomes blinded until he heals above this threshold.

Form: Follow-Up Poison.

Cost: $180 (singular); $65 (5-batched).

Recipe: $18; 1 day; defaults to Poisons-1.

Statistics: Toxic Attack 1 (Cyclic, 1 second, 7 cycles, Resistible, +350%; Follow-Up Poison, -20%; Resistible, HT-2, -20%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, Blindness, +150%) [6].