Poison Reference Guide

Poison Reference Guide that revisits poisons from the DMG adding variant rules for play.
(Used primarily as handout for the players)

by Walter Srebalus

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 Poison Guide
Most societies consider the use of poisons illegal, which makes it difficult to locate and purchase.
Poisons can be obtained through a Thieves’ Guild, Blackmarket or custom crafted with proficiency with a
Poisoner’s Kit.

A poison is any substance that can deliver injury or interfere with a creature’s abilities (Imposing the
Poisoned Condition). There are 4 types of poisons with a multitude of uses and proficiency to handle
them safely.

Types
Contact. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its effects.
Ingested. A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its effects. You might
decide that a partial dose has a reduced effect, such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or
dealing only half damage on a failed save.
Inhaled. These poisons are powders or gases that take effect when they are inhaled. A single dose fills a
5-foot cube.
Injury. A creature that takes slashing or piercing damage from a weapon or piece of ammunition coated
with injury poison is exposed to its effects.

Poisoner’s Kit Utilization

Proficiency in a Poisoner’s Kit allows the crafting of poisons (DMG-p.258), treating poisons and the
ability to handle them safely. (XGtE – p.82)

Application/ Handling
Being proficient in a Poisoner’s Kit, also means that you are comfortable on handling and applying
poisons to weapons or objects. Creatures handling poisons that do not have proficiency must make a
Dexterity Skill Check, DC-8 to avoid exposing themselves to the harmful effects.
It takes an action to apply one dose of injury poison to a weapon that does slashing /piercing damage or
3 pieces of ammunition that does piercing damage.
A poisoned weapon or object retains its poison until it causes damage, touched or removed.

Poisoned Condition
A poisoned creature has disadvantage on ability and attack rolls

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 Common Poisons

Assassin’s Blood (Ingested) Crawler Mucus (Contact)

Price per Dose: 150gp Price per Dose: 200gp
A creature subjected to this poison must make a This poison must be harvested from a dead or
DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed incapacitated carrion crawler. A creature
save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC
Poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the 13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for
creature takes half damage and isn’t Poisoned. 1 minute. The Poisoned creature is Paralyzed.
The creature can repeat the saving throw at the
Black Lotus Paste (Contact) end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
Price per Dose: 1,200 gp itself on a success.
There are many versions of this poison and
depending on the harvesting of the flower it can Centipede Poison (Injury)
have different effects on its victim. A creature Price per Dose: 200gp
subjected to this poison must make a DC 15 This poison must be harvested from an
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it incapacitated Giant Centipede by removing its
takes 24 (7d6) poison damage. On a successful gland behind the fangs. A creature subjected to
save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t this poison must succeed on a DC 11
Poisoned. Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6)
poison damage on a failed save, or half as much
Nightshade Powder (Inhaled) damage on a successful one. If the poison
Price per Dose: 200gp damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the
Leave material dried and ground into a fine target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even
powder can cause it’s intended victim to after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while
become poisoned when exposed. A creature poisoned in this way.
subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC
13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for Drow Poison (Injury)
1 hour. Price per Dose: 200gp
This poison is typically made only by the drow,
Burnt Othur Fumes (Inhaled) and only in a place far removed from sunlight. A
Price per Dose: 500gp creature subjected to this poison must succeed
A creature subjected to this poison must on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be
succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw Poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by
or take 10 (3d6) poison damage and must 5 or more, the creature is also Unconscious
repeat the saving throw at the start of each of while Poisoned in this way. The creature wakes
its turns. On each successive failed save, the up if it takes damage or if another creature
character takes 3 (1d6) poison damage. After takes an action to shake it awake.
three successful saves, the poison ends.

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Essence of Ether (Inhaled) Oil of Taggit (Contact)
Price per Dose: 300gp Price per Dose: 400gp
A creature subjected to this poison must A creature subjected to this poison must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw
or become Poisoned for 8 hours. The Poisoned or become Poisoned for 24 hours. The Poisoned
creature is Unconscious. The creature wakes up creature is Unconscious. The creature wakes up
if it takes damage or if another creature takes if it takes damage.
an action to shake it awake.
Pale Tincture (Ingested)
Price per Dose: 250gp
Fungus Poison (Inhaled) A creature subjected to this poison must
Price per Dose: 500gp succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw
Harvested from fungus in deep caves, a or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become
creature subjected to this poison must succeed Poisoned. The Poisoned creature must repeat
on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 10 the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6)
(2d6) poison damage, no effect on a successful poison damage on a failed save. Until this
save. poison ends, the damage the poison deals can’t
be healed by any means. After seven successful
Imp Poison (Injury): Saving Throws, the effect ends, and the
Price per Dose: 200gp creature can heal normally.
This poison must be harvested from a dead
Imp’s poison gland. A creature subjected to this Purple Worm Poison (Injury)
poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution Price per Dose: 2,000gp
saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on This poison must be harvested from a dead or
a failed save, or half as much damage on a Incapacitated Purple Worm. A creature
successful one. subjected to this poison must make a DC 19
Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6)
Malice (Inhaled): poison damage on a failed save, or half as much
Price per Dose: 250gp damage on a successful one.
A creature subjected to this poison must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw Scorpion Poison (Injury)
or become Poisoned for 1 hour. The Poisoned Price per Dose: 250gp
creature is Blinded. This poison must be harvested from a dead or
incapacitated Giant Scorpion. A creature
Midnight Tears (Ingested): subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC
Price per Dose: 250gp 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8)
A creature that ingests this poison suffers no poison damage on a failed save, or half as much
effect until the stroke of midnight. If the poison damage on a successful one.
has not been neutralized before then, the
creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution Serpent Poison (Injury)
saving throw, taking 31 (9d6) poison damage on Price per Dose: 200gp
a failed save, or half as much damage on a This poison must be harvested from a dead or
successful one. incapacitated Giant Poisonous Snake. A
creature subjected to this poison must succeed
on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10
(3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one.

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Spider Poison (Injury) Wyvern Poison (Injury)
Price per Dose: 250gp Price per Dose: 1,200gp
This poison must be harvested from a dead or This poison must be harvested from a dead or
incapacitated Giant Spider. A creature incapacitated Wyvern. A creature subjected to
subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC this poison must make a DC 15 Constitution
12 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on
poison damage on a failed save, or half as much a failed save, or half as much damage on a
damage on a successful one. If the poison successful one.
damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the
target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even
after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while
poisoned in this way.

Torpor (Ingested)
Price per Dose: 600gp
A creature subjected to this poison must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw
or become Poisoned for 4d6 hours. The
Poisoned creature is Incapacitated.

Truth Serum (Ingested)

Price per Dose: 150gp
A creature subjected to this poison must
succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw
or become Poisoned for 1 hour. The Poisoned
creature can’t knowingly speak a lie, as if under
the effect of a Zone of Truth spell.

Wasp Poison (Injury)

Price per Dose: 150gp
This poison must be harvested from a dead or
incapacitated Giant Wasp. A creature subjected
to this poison must succeed on a DC 11
Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6)
poison damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. If the poison
damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the
target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even
after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while
poisoned in this way.

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