Poison Damage. Venomous stings and the toxic gas of a green dragon’s breath deal poison damage.
Poisoned Condition. A poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
The
5E Player’s Handbook also contains an example poison and kit which are available
for purchase by adventurers as follows:
Poison, Basic. You can use the poison in
this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. Applying the poison takes an
action. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
take 1d4 poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute
before drying.
Poisoner’s Kit. A poisoner’s kit includes the
vials, chemicals, and other equipment necessary for the
creation of poisons. Proficiency with this kit lets you
add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you make to craft or use
poisons.
Now while I think this is a good start it leaves poison
as a tool relatively weak and not overly useful. Especially when you consider
the second level spell Protection
from Poison which makes it a non-issue for prepared
adventurers.
Protection from Poison
2nd-level abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hour
You touch a creature. If it is poisoned, you neutralize
the poison. If more than one poison afflicts the target, you neutralize one
poison that you know is present, or you neutralize one at random. For the duration, the target has advantage on saving throws
against being poisoned, and it has resistance to poison damage.
So what can we do to kick poison up a notch and give it
some O5R feel? I think the answer is to look at our own world's poisons and get creative. For example Curare
has been used in tropical South America as an extremely deadly missile poison
for ages. The resin like sap is harvested primarily from the genus Strychnos.
It is then boiled and
reduced to a thick, black paste into which arrows and darts are dipped.
Interestingly, Curare is only hazardous in the bloodstream, not swallowed by
mouth. That being said, users of this poison must be careful not to cut or poke
themselves with the poisoned tips of arrows or darts, lest they become the
victims.
So how does it work?
Curare is absorbed by the skeletal muscles and then interrupts them causing
complete paralysis. Since those muscles are also needed for respiration the
target eventually dies from asphyxiation. Death by curare is described as slow
and dreadful, as the victim is awake and aware but cannot move or even speak.
 |
| Curare poison paste |
Curare is a very popular
poison used still in the Amazon basin for hunting since a well-placed shot will
paralyze an animal quickly. Most importantly it has no effect on the meat of the animal so
it remains a fantastic tool for any hunter to use. The poison emulates scorpions,
spiders, and venomous snakes in that it paralyzes prey so it may be
consumed.
When reading about
Curare all I could think about was a tribe of kobolds or goblins dipping their
arrows, javelins and spears in a similar substance. With Curare as inspiration I
present to you Black Root Poison. Your players will never underestimate kobolds
and goblins again!
Black Root is a very rare flowering plant which can be found in warm to temperate climates. It is not unusual for it to be mistaken for a common weed and only the most learned rangers and druids will recognize it. The plant is most famous for its spongy deep roots which are filled with a chewy tar like substance. Black Root is sometimes relied upon as a teething cure for children as it has no effect when ingested. However if collected and boiled down it reduces into a foul black paste. Kobold and goblin tribes have been known to use this extract as a vile paralyzing poison.
One dose of Black Root can be used to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of ammunition. Applying the poison takes an action and once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 day before flaking off. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC10 Constitution saving throw or become instantly paralyzed for 1d6 turns. Subsequently the victim must continue to make this constitution saving throw for 1d6 rounds or until paralyzed. Once paralyzed the victim takes 1d4 constitution damage per round as the poison asphyxiates them to death.
If a victim is hit with multiple black root poisoned weapons or missiles increase the paralyzation saving throw DC by +1 per successful attack.
Another player may make a DC15 Medicine check to assist a paralyzed target with breathing. This is considered an action every round and does not cure the victim’s paralyzation but stops ongoing constitution damage. The medicine check will also reveal that only time or a magic cure will make the poison pass.
Black Market Price: 500 GP per dose
