Poisons

 The character must keep the scrolls for the staff to reference when using this skill.

The Poisons skill allows a character to produce single use items with an array of detrimental effects.

Description
A poison maker can gather and implement recipes that use herbs for the creation of oils or gases. There is one recipe for the creation of oils, one for gases and one for each of the various effects that can be generated. A poison maker of the appropriate level can learn these recipes from magical scrolls. Once a scroll is used the scroll disintegrates but the character has the recipe memorized forever.

Each production batch creates two oils or gasses depending on the delivery method used.

A character with level one poisons can apply any oil or use any oil that has been applied to a weapon. A character without level one poisons cannot apply an oil or use an oil that has been applied to a weapon but instead nullifies the poison if he/she uses the weapon. It takes three seconds for an oil to be applied to a weapon and the character performing the application must make an audible count of "Applying One, Applying Two…" The effect lasts for one attack.

A character with level three poisons can use any gas. The effect of a gas must be called as a packet is thrown. If a target is struck on the weapon or shield by a gas, he/she takes the effect.

Each of the effect recipes will have a list of the herbal components that must be used to create the poison. The recipes for Oils or Gases augment the effect recipes by a designated modifier.

For example: The recipe for a Snare poison calls for 1 Pine Sap.

The recipe for making an Oil requires x1 the original recipe so it would take 1 Pine Sap to make a Snare Oil. The poisoner must also have memorized the Oil Scroll and the Snare Scroll.

The recipe for making a gas requires x2 the original recipe so it would take 2 Pine Sap to make a Snare Gas. The poisoner must also have memorized the Poison Scroll and the Snare Scroll.

Any character with the appropriate level of Appraisal or Poisons can recognize an oil or gas he/she examines for three seconds. The character must be holding the item and cannot move, speak, activate a feat with a type other than "Negate" or sustain any hit point damage during the examination or he/she must begin again. Appraisal can identify any poison oils or gases up to level four. Poisoners can identify oils and gases of their Poison level or below. The general level of an oil or gas is based on the highest recipe required to create it. For example, a Charm Oil would be a level three poison because the Charm recipe is level three. However a Bind Gas would also be a level three because all gases are a minimum of level three based on the gas recipe level.

Oil
This recipe can be combined with any poison effect recipe to create an oil. A character with level one poisons can apply any oil or use any oil that has been applied to a weapon. It takes three seconds for an oil to be applied to a weapon and the character performing the application must make an audible count of "Applying One, Applying Two…" The tagline of the effect replaces the typical damage tagline for the next use of the imbued item. The effect lasts for one attack which can be blocked as any melee or ranged attack would but bypasses armor if the attack is successful. How the effect can be removed is dependent on the effect type.

Snare
This concoction creates a sticky paste that anchors a target's right foot to the ground for thirty seconds. The target can pivot on the foot but cannot lift, drag or move it from the location in any way. The tagline "Snare" must be called as the attack is made. The effect can be diffused by any Evade, Negate or Shield effect that can target a Confining ability or Any ability. If the target reaches dying or dead status the effect will dissipate. Also, a character with six points of strength can break out of the effect on a six second count (Breaking One, Breaking Two…).

Weaken Five
This concoction reduces a target's strength and combat power. The target's strength will be reduced first, followed by his/her attribute levels until he/she is calling five less damage. This effect can reduce a creature's damage to zero but no lower. The tagline "Weaken Five" must be called as the attack is made. This effect can be diffused by any Evade, Negate or Shield effect that can target a Metabolic ability or Any ability. If the Clash ends or the target reaches dying or dead status the effect will dissipate. The effect can also be removed with a "Cure Metabolic" or "Cure All" effect.

20 Acid
This concoction does twenty acid damage. The character using the concoction must call the tagline "20 Acid" when the attack is made. If the spell packet or weapon fails to make contact with another creature, the poison has no effect but is still spent. The damage does not stack with typical weapon damage if used as an oil. This effect can be diffused by any Evade, Negate or Shield effect that can target an Elemental ability or Any ability.

Shatter
This concoction will break one item in the target's possession. The tagline "Shatter X" or "Shatter" must be called as the attack is made. If the concoction is a gas, the character must include the general name or description of the item he/she wishes to destroy. If the concoction is an oil, whatever the imbued weapon strikes will be the target so no description is necessary. This effect can be diffused by any Evade, Negate, or Shield effect that can target a Force ability or Any ability. Items that have been Empowered or Enchanted are not protected from this effect but neither is the magical bonus removed. A shattered item will need to be mended before it can be used again and when it is mended, all enchantments and empowerments return as they were.

Gas
This recipe can be combined with any poison effect recipe to create a gas. A gas is a bottled poison kept in a fragile vial that breaks when thrown and instantly affects the target creature. A character with level three poisons can use any gas. It is a packet delivered attack and therefore will affect a target even if it hits the target's shield or weapon. The user must call the tagline of the effect as the packet is thrown.

Drain 20
This concoction causes the target lose twenty health points and restores up to twenty health to the character. The character cannot gain more than his/her maximum health from this attack. The tagline "Drain 20" must be called as the attack is made. The health points received by the character do not change even if the target has fewer than 20 points available or if he/she takes more than 20 points of damage due to some additional effect. This feat cannot be used on an inanimate, unconscious, dying or dead target. It does steal and transform undead and construct life engergies just as well as the lifeforce of living creatures.

Bind
This concoction prevents the target from using his/her arms for thirty seconds. This restriction includes the use of weapons, physical shields, items and the activation of feats. The target is not made to drop any held items but his/her arms must be held down by his/her sides for the duration of the effect. The tagline "Bind" must be called as the attack is made. This effect can be diffused by any Evade, Negate or Shield effect that can target a Confining ability or Any ability. If the target reaches dying or dead status the effect will dissipate. Also, a character with ten points of strength can break out of the effect on a ten second count (Breaking One, Breaking Two…).

Poison
This concoction will poison the blood of the target making them unable to participate in combat. The tagline "Poison" must be called as the attack is made. A poisoned creature cannot run, activate a feat, attack or block attacks but can defend against a killing blow or use a potion. A poison can be diffused by any Evade, Negate or Shield effect that can target a Metabolic ability or Any ability. If the target reaches dying or dead status the effect will dissipate. The effect can also be removed with a "Cure Metabolic" or "Cure All" effect.

Shatter Armor
This concoction will destroy all the armor worn by a target. This does apply to physical armor and magical bonuses. The tagline "Shatter Armor" must be called as the attack is made. This effect can be diffused by any Evade, Negate or Shield effect that can target a Force ability or Any ability. The armor may be recovered by Recuperating or the use of a "Mend Armor" feat and will return to its original form with all of its original properties when repaired.

Poison Scroll Making
A Grand Master of Poisons has thoroughly learned the craft to the point where he/she can scribe the magic scrolls that are imbued with recipes other poisoners need to memorize to create poison concoctions. Scribing scrolls requires a great deal of concentration from the poisoner, the willpower to imbue the scroll with magic and a certain combination of components capable of holding the magic. A Grand Master can create a scroll for any recipe he/she knows from levels one to four but may not create scrolls for unique recipes he/she may have developed. For information on component requirements, see the Scroll Scribing page.

Poison Research
A Grand Master has moved beyond what he/she can learn from others but can now begin to create rare or even potentially unique concoctions. Generating these proprietary concoctions take a period of research and experimentation. If the concoction a character is attempting is fairly common and easy to generate, it may not take very long to perfect the recipe. However if he/she is trying to generate a high level effect or something beyond the range of typical magical practices, it may take a lot of time to create something stable and effective. It should also be noted that some things simply cannot be created do to lack of a component that generates the necessary magic or because it is simply beyond the boundaries of magical law. You can learn more about the specifics of the process on the Research page.