Alchemy, Herbalism, & Poisons

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Alchemy, Herbalism, & Poisons

Disciplines

Medicine

Medicinal products typically function to heal a character back up to peak form when they are injuried. This can come in the form of topping off hit points with standard healing potions, but is also extended to other effects like cleansing harmful conditions or tending to battle wounds.

Poison

Poisons are typically used to apply debuffs or harm to enemies. A potent poison can easily turn the tide of battle by dealing a powerful dose of damage, inflicting harmful conditions, or even replicating the effects of harmful spells.

Enchantment

The Enchantment discipline covers all types of potions and oils that give a positive buff to a character, bringing them above and beyond their normal abilities. These range in form from a lowly Potion of Climbing to rarer items like Oil of Sharpness. Many of these items replicate magic effects and are considered "magical" in their use.

Alchemy

Through the aid of magic, Alchemy allows characters to create a variety of alchemical products, from soaps and oils to rudimentary explosives.

Tools

Each discipline requires proficiency in specific tool(s) to properly harvest, store, and create their products.

  • Medicine. Herbalism or Apothecary's Kit
  • Poison. Poisoner's or Apothecary's Kit
  • Enchantment. Alchemist's Supplies
  • Alchemy. Alchemist's Supplies

Apothecary's Kit

An apothecary's kit can be utilised as both a herbalism and poisoner's kit in one, though proficiency with both would be required to use it effectively. The herbalism kit and poisoner's kit each contain 5 vials in which to properly store and preserve medicines and poisons for use.

Apothecary's Kit
Tools
65gp, 4 lb.

This kit contains the necessary tools, chemicals and containers for the crafting of medicinal remedies or poisons from raw harvested materials. This includes supplies such as safety gloves, clippers, mortar and pestle, binding agents, distillation equipment, and a small cauldron. It also includes up to 8 containers for the safe storage and preservation of medicines or poisons created using the kit.
Proficiency with herbalism kit and poisoner's kit lets you to add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks made to craft or identify medicines or poisons using this kit. Expertise in one of the prerequisite kits grants expertise on all checks made with this kit.

Storage

Each product must be stored safely. In most instances, this means a vial secured in a holster or bag. Additional storage bags are required if you wish to carry more products than your kits allow. Alternatively if realism is not a concern, an extra dimensional space like a Bag of Holding would suffice.

Part 1 | Tools and Resources

Foraging

You may spend time during rest, travel, or downtime between adventures foraging for plants, animals, or minerals from which remedies or toxins may be derived. Different ingredients may only be found in a handful of environment types and have varying levels of difficulty to successfully find and harvest.

Resources

A relevant tool in which you are proficient. Characters with proficiency in Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Nature) may assist the check without the tool proficiency. As the primary forager, you may only forage reagents for your proficient tool(s).

Foraging Proficiencies
Proficiency Medicine Poison Enchant. Alchemy
Alchemists' Supplies ⚫ ⚫
Apothecary’s Kit ⚫ ⚫
Herbalism Kit ⚫
Poisoner’s Kit ⚫
Wisdom (Survival) ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫
Intelligence (Nature) ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫

During a full downtime workday, you may forage for 6 hours, but while traveling, you may only forage for 2 hours.

Resolution

First, your GM will determine the Foraging DC for the environment and season, as outlined in the Calculate Foraging DCs page.

Foraging Check

Choose up to two Disciplines from which your tools allow you to forage, as referenced in the Foraging Proficiencies table.

Roll a skill check using your chosen proficiency - this becomes your Foraging Check. The goods you may forage are based on your owned tools and proficiencies or those of the character you are assisting.

When spending a downtime workday foraging, your minimum possible roll is the minimum Foraging DC in the chosen environment. After three hours of foraging, you may choose to reroll your skill check and/or change environments, but you must keep the new roll.

Harvesting

Meeting or surpassing the Foraging DC results in increasing Harvest yield, with more reagents found the more successful the roll. Subtract the Foraging DC from the Foraging Roll, referencing the Harvest Yield table to determine how many reagents, if any, were found. Failure to meet the Foraging DC results in an unsuccessful forage.

Harvest Yield
Difference Yield
below 0 0 reagents
0-2 1 reagent
3-5 2 reagents
6-8 3 reagents
9+ 4 reagents

If proficient in multiple Disciplines, you may choose which discipline each reagent will belong to. For example, a character trained in poisons and medicine whose Foraged Check allows to harvest 3 reagents, they could choose two poison and one medicine. When proficient in only one discipline, all reagents will be from that discipline.

For each reagent in the yield:

  • Roll a d12 and pair it with the discipline selection(s) above
  • Your GM will determine your chosen environment's Harvest Tier in the Environment Modifier table - the higher the tier, the greater chance of rarer reagents
  • Your GM will consult the Harvest Tiers table, using the d12 roll and the Harvest Tier to determine the rarity of the reagent harvested.

Once each rarity and discipline pairing has been determined, roll a random foraged reagent that qualifies.

Success is Relative

A 10 on your d12 represents a great roll, however it resolves to an Uncommon reagent in a Tier 2 environment (Mountain), and a Very Rare reagent in a Tier 7 environment (Wetland). Travel to more reagent-rich areas for better results!

Part 2 | Foraging

Calculate Foraging DCs

Modifiers allow dynamic and semi-realistic variations in the foraging process. Following these modifier tables, the power of the effect, the environment you forage in, and the current season dramatically change the DCs.

The DC is calculated as follows:

Foraging DC

25 - Season Modifier - Environment Modifier
Location, Location, Location

Searching a Wetland in the Summer would have a DC of 11 with a 50% chance of finding a Rare or rarer reagent, but only a mere 1/12 chance with a DC of 22 in the Mountains during Winter!

Environments

Areas that are harsh for one type of reagent may be perfect for others. Different reagents have degrees of rarity in different environments.

Environment Modifier
Environment Modifier Tier
Arctic 1 Tier 1
Coast 5 Tier 5
Desert 3 Tier 3
Forest 6 Tier 6
Grassland 4 Tier 4
Hill 3 Tier 3
Jungle 8 Tier 8
Mountain 2 Tier 2
Underdark 8 Tier 8
Wetland 7 Tier 7

Seasons

Due to the life and behavior cycles of plants and animals, seasons have a large impact on the availability of different reagents.

Season Modifier
Season Modifier
Spring 5
Summer 7
Fall 3
Winter 1

Harvest Tiers

Different environments have different levels of richness when it comes to foraged goods. The higher the tier, the more likely it is that the character will find rarer reagents.

Harvest Tiers
1d12 Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 Tier 6 Tier 7 Tier 8
1 Common Common Common Common Common Common Uncommon Uncommon
2 Common Common Common Common Common Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
3 Common Common Common Common Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
4 Common Common Common Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
5 Common Common Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
6 Common Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Rare
7 Common Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Rare Rare
8 Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Rare Rare Rare
9 Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Rare Rare Rare Very Rare
10 Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Rare Rare Rare Very Rare Very Rare
11 Uncommon Uncommon Rare Rare Rare Very Rare Very Rare Very Rare
12 Uncommon Rare Rare Rare Very Rare Very Rare Very Rare Very Rare
Part 2 | Foraging

Crafting

Medicine

Components

The following is required to create functional medicinal remedies:

  • An Herbalism Kit or Apothecary’s Kit
  • Proficiency with the provided tool
  • One vial
  • One or more foraged reagents

Reagents

Adding reagents with different effects but the same application method allows one item to have multiple effects. Each unique effect increases the crafting DC by its determined modifier. Duplicate reagents with the same effect can be added, lowering the crafting DC by 1 for each.

Time

One or more hours of time. If more than one hour is spent, the brewing DC is lowered by the total crafting hours (ex. Crafting for 2 hours reduces the DC by 2)

Resolution

After declaring which reagents you use and how many hours you spend, roll an Intelligence or Wisdom check using your chosen tool.

The base DC is 10, adjusted based on effects chosen, additional reagents used, and/or time spent, as outlined above. The minimum adjusted DC is also 10.

A successful check provides a medicine of the desired effect (of which the ingredients are capable). An unsuccessful check expends the time and materials with the outcome often a useless vial of greeny-brown water.

An item successfully crafted with two or more unique effects may result in additional effects beyond the expected. You will know of the existence of this additional effect at the end of the crafting process, though its nature may remain unknown until it is used.

Part 3 | Crafting

Poison

Components

The following is required to create functional medicinal remedies:

  • A Poisoner's Kit or Apothecary’s Kit
  • Proficiency with the provided tool
  • One vial
  • One or more foraged reagents

Reagents

Adding reagents with different effects but the same application method allows one item to have multiple effects. Each unique effect increases the crafting DC by its determined modifier.

Duplicate ingredients with the same effect can be added. They increase likelihood of success but decrease its potency. For each qualifying reagent added:

  • The brewing DC is lowered by 1
  • The Constitution saving throw DC to resist the poison is lowered by 1

Time

One or more hours of time. If more than one hour is spent, the brewing DC is lowered by the total crafting hours (ex. Crafting for 2 hours reduces the DC by 2)

Resolution

After declaring which reagents you use and how many hours you spend, roll an Intelligence or Wisdom check using your chosen tool.

The base DC is 10, adjusted based on effects chosen, duplicate reagents used, and/or time spent, as outlined above. The minimum adjusted DC is also 10.

Products

A successful check provides a poison of the desired effect (of which the ingredients are capable). An unsuccessful check expends the time and materials.

On a success, you determine the Constitution saving throw DC to resist its effects. The maximum is 20 and minimum is 10. It can be calculated as:

10 + (Minimum of 5 and the SUM of all unique effect modifiers)) + # hours spent [If more than one]

An item successfully crafted with two or more unique effects may result in additional effects beyond the expected. You will know of the existence of this additional effect at the end of the crafting process, though its nature may remain unknown until it is used.

Using Poison

As part of a long rest, you may prepare up to 5 individual poisons that will be accessible during initiative. You may alter your prepared poisons at any time outside of initiative. All other poisons are considered inaccessible until initiative concludes.

A creature appropriately subjected to a poison must succeed a Constitution saving throw equal to the DC calculated by the brewing process. On a failure, the creature takes all listed effects of the chosen poison. On a success, the target takes half as much damage that turn, shrugs off all other effects. The saving throw ability versus poisons made this way is Constitution regardless of whether the effect would ordinarily call on a different ability save.

Poison Forms

Different poisons have different application methods. A player must administer the poison appropriately for its effects to manifest.

Contact

As an action, you can smear this poison on an object. It remains potent until it is Touched or washed off. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its effects.

Ingested

As an action, you can apply this poison to an object. Common methods of delivery are food and drink. A partial dose may have reduced efficacy, allowing advantage on the saving throw or reducing the damage, even on a failed save.

Inhaled

As an action, you can blow or release this poison, subjecting creatures in a 5-foot cube to its effect. The resulting cloud dissipates immediately afterward. Holding one’s breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.

Injury

As an action, a vial of this poison can be applied to either

  • One weapon
  • One ammunition
  • Components of a Trap
  • Any other singular object that deal piercing or slashing damage

The poison must be delivered through an attack or object that deals piercing or slashing damage. The poison remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off.

Part 3 | Crafting

Enchantment

Components

The following is required to create magical concoctions:

  • Alchemists' Supplies
  • Proficiency with the provided tool
  • One vial
  • One or more foraged reagents
  • One dose of Elemental Water

Reagents

More potent potions require more reagents to retain efficacy through the brewing process. The quantity is dependent on the rarity of the potion being crafted. Provide a number of reagents equal to the required number for the effect's rarity.


Rarity Quantity
Common 1
Uncommon 1
Rare 2
Very Rare 2
Legendary 3

Adding reagents with different effects but the same application method allows one item to have multiple effects. Each unique effect increases the crafting DC by its determined modifier. Duplicate reagents with the same effect can be added, lowering the crafting DC by 1 for each full quantity.

Elemental Water

To the keen eye of the alchemist, Elemental Water can be found anywhere natural water is. It is an essential base required for the brewing of all magical or alchemical potions. It may be foraged the same as reagents, but many alchemists choose to pay for it and focus their foraging on rarer ingredients instead. A vial is required to store and transport Elemental Water safely.

Time

One or more hours of time. If more than one hour is spent, the brewing DC is lowered by the total crafting hours (ex. Crafting for 2 hours reduces the DC by 2)

Resolution

Once you have decided the materials and time you wish to spend, roll an Intelligence or Wisdom (Alchemist’s Supplies) check. The DC begins at 10, increased by the modifiers of the unique effects and lowered as outlined above. A successful check provides a product of the desired effect(s) (of which the materials are capable).

Products

A successful check provides a product of the desired effect(s) (of which the materials are capable). An unsuccessful check expends the time and materials, producing a useless vial of magically and alchemically inert liquid.

An item successfully crafted with two or more unique effects may result in additional effects beyond the expected. You will know of the existence of this additional effect at the end of the crafting process, though its nature may remain unknown until it is used. When used, you will be prompted to roll on the Wild Mixing table.

Part 3 | Crafting

Alchemy

Alchemy is the door to scientific innovation and magical potioncraft.

Components

The following is required to create functional alchemical creations:

  • Alchemists' Supplies
  • Proficiency with the provided tool
  • One vial
  • At least 1gp of alchemists' materials

Reagents

Provide enough alchemists' materials for the item you intend to craft. Every additional full cost worth of material used while crafting lowers the DC by 1 (ex. spending 60gp on a 30gp cost item).

Time

One or more hours of time. If more than one hour is spent, the crafting DC is lowered by the total crafting hours (ex. Crafting for 2 hours reduces the DC by 2)

Resolution

Once you have decided the materials and time you wish to spend, roll an Intelligence or Wisdom (Alchemist’s Supplies) check. The DC begins at 15, lowered as outlined above.

Products

A successful check provides a product of the desired effect (of which the materials are capable). An unsuccessful check expends the time and materials with no product.

Given the purchase of enough materials, you may attempt to craft the following items: Acid, Alchemist’s Fire, Smoke Powder, Smokestick, Thunderstone, Truth Serum, Oil, Perfume, and Soap.

Part 2 | Crafting

Wild Mixing

An item successfully crafted with two or more unique effects may result in additional effects beyond the expected. You will know of the existence of this additional effect at the end of the crafting process, though its nature may remain unknown until it is used. When used, you will be prompted to roll on the Wild Mixing table.

Wild Mixing Table
Roll Effect
1 - 5 Roll on the Wild Magic Surge Table (d100)
6 - 14 Only one effect manifests.
14 - 44 The item works as expected.
45 - 74 A new effect manifests, as determined by the DM.
75 - 94 The numerical effects and duration of one effect are doubled.
If neither effect has anything to double in this way, they work normally.
95 - 99 The numerical effects and duration of all effects are doubled.
If no effect has anything to double in this way, they work normally.
100 Only one effect works, but its effect is permanent.*
The GM will choose the simplest effect to make permanent, or the one that seems the most fun.
An appropriate spell, such as dispel magic or remove curse, might end this lasting effect.

Homebrewing Reagents

Foraged reagents represent an individual effect, spell, or replicate the functionality of an established item. Each effect has a modifier that not only makes it harder to find, but also harder to create a functional product.

This modifier is typically anywhere from 0 to 15. A good rule of thumb is to follow the Rarity Modifier table and choose a modifier within the range recommended by the rarity of the item or an item that would cause that effect.

Rarity Modifier
Rarity Modifier Range
Common 0-2
Uncommon 3-5
Rare 6-8
Very Rare 9-11
Legendary 12-15
Part 3 | Reference

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