Chapter 1: Crafting

Combat Poison

T
his document is introduces a combat
focused poison system which can be
included in your D&D 5e world to give some
depth and excitement to the creation and
use of poisons. It includes a crafting system
to create poisons and a list of poisons that is
similar to the spell list in Chapter 11 of the
player's handbook. Like spellcasting, characters access
poison crafting through class features and feats.
The poison system introduced here uses the abstract
idea of extracting poisonous essences, the building blocks
of poisons. Any character can start making poisons with
the Poison Training feat, but only characters specialized in
poisons through a poison focused subclass can use them to
their fullest extent.
Table of Contents
Crafting Combat Poison Page 01
Poison Crafter's Features Page 04
Combat Poisons Page 05
Character Options Page 09
Appendix - Tables and Terminology Page 12
Basic Crafting Steps
The basic steps for crafting a combat poison are as follows:
Essence
Color Effect
Purple A purple essence can affect the psychology of
a creature, inducing erratic behavior or strong
emotion.
Green A green essence is toxic to bodily functions,
attacking or disrupting the processes which
keep a body running.
White A white essence affects the senses of a
creature, dampening or amplifying their ability
to perceive the world around them.
Yellow A yellow essence corrupts the bond between
the spirit and the body, causing harm to the
astral self and impeding magical ability
Black A black essence exploits malignant external
forces on a creature, inducing rot and decay.
.
Changes Happening!
As of 12/1/18, I'm working on new poisons so
the poisons section is in flux.
Please comment on this reddit post with
feedback.

First. Find poisonous materials in the environment or

harvest them from monsters. These are the raw
material that you will refine into poisonous essences.
Second. Extract poisonous essences from the
poisonous material during a long rest.
Third. Craft poisons by combining poisonous essences
following a recipe after a short or long rest.
Last. Expose your target to the poison by applying it a
weapon or utilizing other pathways to exposure.
The Five Poisonous Essences
Poisonous essences are the main ingredient in making a
poison. They are extracted from poisonous materials.
Each poisonous essence has a color and grade. There
are five essence colors (purple, green, white, yellow, and
black) and three grades (simple, superior, and pure). The
five colors of poisonous essence each have a particular
range of effects, described in the table below:
Chapter 1: Crafting Combat Poison
1
Poisonous Materials This document explores only combat
poisons, which are fast-acting short
Poisonous materials are found in the environment or lifespan poisons intended to be
collected from poisonous monsters and creatures. used in combat situations. This
Poisonous materials come in four rarities (common, system could be modified to
uncommon, rare, very rare) and each produce a specific include other types of poison.
number, grade, and color or colors of poisonous essences. _
The Dungeon Master should add poisonous materials to
the loot dropped by monsters or found in the environment,
also deciding the rarity and color(s) produced by the
material as the players collect it. The player can also forage
for poisonous materials in the environment if they do not
find any during the adventure.
Poison crafters have access to the Forage Poisonous
Material feature, detailed in Chapter 2, to search for
poisonous materials in the environment. A poisonous
material loot table is provided in the Appendix for DMs
wishing to randomize their poisonous material loot drops.
Extracting Poisonous Essences Types of Poison
Extraction is an alchemical process which reduces a There are three types of combat poisons; contact, injury,
poisonous material to its essence, which you store in your and inhaled. A creature exposed to a contact poison in any
poisoner's kit. Essence extraction is time consuming, way suffers its effects, while an injury poison must be
requiring a long rest to perform. applied to a wound (typically using a weapon) and an
A poison crafter can initially extract simple essences inhaled poison is a special type of contact poison that
using a simple extraction. Later, a poison crafter can learn cannot be applied to weapons.
superior and pure extractions to extract superior and pure
essences. Each poisonous material is suited to produce a Recipe
particular essense color or colors. Attempting to extract an All poisons have a recipe which describe the number, color,
essence color not present in a material is far less and grade of essences needed to make the poison. Some
productive, so identification of essence color is important. recipes can scale to make additional doses. Recipes cannot
Poison crafters gain the features Extract Poisonous scale unless indicated in the recipe. If the grade is not
Essence and Identify Color Essence. Both features are specified, then the effect scales with grade in some way.
detailed in Chapter 2.
Doses
Essence Management Once made, a poison has a set number of doses. Often, the
Once an essence is extracted, a poison crafter stores it in a number of doses will scale with the recipe.
poisoner's kit, and uses the essences in their kit to make Duration
combat poisons. A poison's duration refers to the duration of the poison's
Essence Storage effect. Follow the same rules as spell durations from
Storing poisonous essences in a useful state is very Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook.
difficult. A poison crafter can sustain storage of no more Poison Expiration
than ten poisonous essences. At the start of a long rest, if a Once created, all poisons have a brief window in which they
poison crafter has more than ten essences, they must are effective. At the start of a long or short rest, each dose
choose ten and get rid of the rest. of an unused poison becomes a single essence of the same
Dilution grade and color used to create the poison.
A poisonous essence can be diluted at any time to create
two essences of the same color but one grade lower.
However, this process is irreversible.
Combat Poisons
A poison crafter can make the poisons described in
the "List of Combat Poisons" section of this docu-
ment. Each poison description begins with a
block of information, including the poison's
name, type, recipe, doses, duration, and save
DC. The rest of a poison's entry describes
the poison's effect.
 Chapter 1: Crafting Combat Poison
2
Making a Poison
A poison crafter can make any poison for which they know
the recipe and have the poisonous essences. They know a
set number of recipes, indicated by Recipes Known.
Creating a poison consumes the poisonous essences listed
in the recipe.
A combat poison is crafted over a short or long rest. A
poison crafter can make a set number of combat poisons
during the rest, called the Crafting Limit, however, scaling
up a recipe does not count against the limit.
The Recipes Known and Crafting Limit are both listed in
the poison crafter's Class or Sub-Class description. Poison
crafters gain the Make a Poison feature, described in
Chapter 2.
Using a Poison
A creature that is exposed to a poison suffers its effects,
making a save as appropriate based on the poison's
description. There are many ways to expose a creature to a
poison: striking it with a poisoned weapon, splashing it
with the poison, making it consume the poison, and some
class features allow special ways of poisoning.
Applying Poison to a Weapon
With the Use an Object action, a poison crafter can apply a
contact or injury poison to a weapon. Application of a
poison consumes a number of doses of the poison based on
the weapon's damage, as specified in the Weapon Dosing
table.
Weapon Dosing
Weapon Damage Number of Doses Used
1, 1d4 1 Dose
1d6, 2d4, 1d8, 1d10 2 Doses
1d12, 2d6 3 Doses

A poisoned weapon exposes the first creature it hits to

the poison's effects. The poison must be re-applied after the
weapon hits a creature.
Thrown Vial of Poison
A dose of a contact or inhaled poison can be stored in a
small vial and thrown at a creature. As an Attack action,
you can throw a poison vial (range 20/60). Make a Dexterity
attack roll against a single target. If it hits, the attack deals
no damage but the creature is exposed to the poison.
Other Pathways to Exposure
The poisons introduced in this document are all short-term
combat poisons. As such, they aren't as efficient for use in
covert applications, such as dosing food or an object with
which someone may come into contact. Regardless of the
pathway to exposure, once exposed to a poison a creature
needs to make saves or suffer the poison's effect.

Check Poison Types

Carefully read the poison descriptions for their
poison type. Only a contact poison can be both
applied to a weapon and thrown in a vial. An
injury poison must be applied to a weapon, and
an inhaled poison must be thrown in a vial.
Chapter 1: Crafting Combat Poison
3
Chapter 2: Poison Crafter's Features

C
rafting a poison is a skilled task that rewards Extract Poisonous Essence
an intelligent mind. When you take a level in a
poison crafting sub-class or take the Poison Extracting essences is a time consuming process. Over a
Training feat, you gain access to the following long rest, you can attempt one extraction on a poisonous
features which are used in the process of material, destroying the material in the process.
creating and using poisons. Most of these To do so, choose a poisonous material, an essence color
features require use of a Poisoner's Kit (with to attempt to extract, and an extraction process which you
which you will have proficiency) and an Intelligence check. know: simple, superior, or pure. At the end of the long rest,
you make an Intelligence check using the poisoner's kit
Forage Poisonous Materials against the extraction DC in the Essence Extraction table.
You can forage for poisonous materials if you do not find On a success, you extract the indicated number of
enough during your adventure. To forage for poisonous essences for the chosen extraction level. On a failure, you
materials, you must spend at least 1 hour foraging, then extract the number of essences in the failure column.
make an Intelligence (Nature) check and compare your The color of essence extracted is always the chosen
result to the Foraged Material Check Result table. You color. If the color chosen isn't one normally found in the
cannot forage the same area twice in 24 hours. material, the essences you extract are one grade lower than
listed. If those essences would have been simple, instead
Foraged Material Check Result you extract two fewer essences (minimum of one).
Check Essence Extraction
Result: 1-9 10-15 16-20 21-25 26+
Material DC 10 DC 15 DC 20
Material No Common Un-   Rare   Very Rarity Failure (Simple) (Superior) (Pure)
Rarity: Material common Rare
Common 1d4 2d4+1 2d4+1 2d4+1
Identify Color Essence simple simple superior pure
essences essences essences essences
Extracting an essence is more effective when you properly
identify which essence color(s) can be extracted from a Uncommon 1d6
simple
2d6+2
simple
2d6+2
superior
2d6+2
pure
particular material. essences essences essences essences
As an action, you can attempt to identify which color
essences can be extracted from a poisonous material. Make Rare 1d8 2d8+3 2d8+3 2d8+3
an Intelligence check using the poisoner's kit against the simple simple
essences essences
superior pure
essences essences
DC listed in the Color Identification table, identifying the
color on a success, and learning nothing on a failure. You Very Rare 1d10 2d10+4 2d10+4 2d10+4
cannot repeat this check for the same poisonous material. simple simple superior pure
essences essences essences essences
Color Identification
Material Rarity: Common Uncommon Rare Very Rare Make a Poison
Difficulty Class: 10 15 20 25
At the end of short or long rest, you can make a number of
poison recipes equal to your Crafting Limit. To craft the
poison, you can use your stored essences, as well as any
new essences you may have extracted during the rest. All
essences used to craft a poison are consumed.
 Chapter 2: Poison Crafter's Features
4
Chapter 3: Combat Poisons

T
his chapter describes the most common The exposed creature is exposed to the effect of a
combat poisons in the worlds of Dungeons random poison. Use this poison's save DC. Roll on the
& Dragons. The poison descriptions are following table. The dice you roll depends on the grade of
grouped by lowest grade required and then essence used to craft this poison. Roll a d6 for simple, a
in alphabetical order within those sections.
All colors have a basic poison which can be d10 for superior, and a d12 for pure. On a roll of 1, re-roll
created with essences of any grade, as well using two dice and choose one result.
as some more specialized poisons, and some poisons Roll Combat Poison Exposed
require essences of multiple colors to craft. 2 Duplicative Hallucination Agent
How to Read Poison Recipes 3 Noxious Oil
4 Numbing Agent
The recipe of a poison lists the required number, color, and 5 Gravitational Distortion Poison
grade of essence(s) to make the poison. The number of
essences required can scale, changing the number of doses 6 Vile Serum
created. A recipe which requires multiple colors always 7 Insatiable Fury Toxin
requires equal portions of each color. 8 Bella Donna
The effect or difficulty class of poison sometimes scales 9 Equilibrium Bane
with the grade of essence used to create it. If no grade is 10 Pain Blossom Poison
specified in the recipe, any grade can be used. If a grade is
specified, the poison can only be created with the listed 11 Touch of the Gorgon
grades. A recipe never uses two different grades at the 12 Icy Specter's Breath
same time.
Noxious Oil
Simple Poisons injury poison [♦]
Simple poisons can be made with simple, superior, or pure Recipe: 1 / 3 / 5 green essences
essences. They have the most basic effect of all the Doses: 1 / 2 / 3
poisons. Duration: 3 successful saves
Save DC: 10 (simple), 13 (superior), 17 (pure)
Duplicative Hallucination Agent An exposed creature makes a Constitution saving throw
injury poison [♦] at the start of each of its turns. On each failed save, the
Recipe: 1 / 3 / 5 purple essences creature takes 1d6 poison damage. After three successful
Doses: 1 / 2 / 3 saves, the poison ends.
Duration: 3 successful saves
Save DC: 10 (simple), 13 (superior), 17 (pure) Numbing Agent
This poison causes the exposed creature to see contact poison [♦]
hallucinations of multiple foes. The exposed creature Recipe: 1 / 3 / 5 white essences
makes a Wisdom saving throw at the start of each of its Doses: 1 / 2 / 3
turns. On each failed save, it gains disadvantage on attacks Duration: 3 successful saves
for that turn. After three successful saves, the poison ends. Save DC: 10 (simple), 13 (superior), 17 (pure)
An exposed creature makes a Constitution saving throw
Gravitational Distortion Poison at the start of each of its turns. On each failed save, the
contact poison [♦] creature drops one rank in initiative instead of taking its
Recipe: 1 / 3 / 5 yellow essences turn (it goes after the next creature). After three successful
Doses: 1 / 2 / 3 saves, the poison ends.
Duration: 2 successful saves
Save DC: 10 (simple), 13 (superior), 17 (pure) Vile Serum
This poison causes the forces of gravity to double on a injury poison [♦]
creature. It makes a Strength saving throw at the end of Recipe: 1 / 3 / 5 black essences
each of its turns. If it fails, it becomes prone at the end of Doses: 1 / 2 / 3
the turn. After two successful saves, the poison ends. Duration: 3 successful saves
Save DC: 10 (simple), 13 (superior), 17 (pure)
Mysterious Concoction If an exposed creature would take damage, it makes a
injury poison [♦♦♦♦♦] Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it takes 1d4 additional
Recipe: 2 / 5 essences; at least two different colors necrotic damage. After three successful saves, the poison
Doses: 1 / 2 ends.
Duration: Varies
Save DC: 12 (simple), 14 (superior), 18 (pure) Vulnerability Exposer
contact poison [♦♦♦♦♦]
Recipe: Up to 1 essence of each color
Doses: 1
Duration: 1 round
Save DC: 12 (simple) 14 (superior) 18 (pure) Save DC: 12 (simple), 14 (superior), 18 (pure) Th
Chapter 3: Combat Poisons
5
throws. The save types affected depend on the essence This poison causes pods of necrotic spores to sprout
color(s) used to create this poison, as follows: from wounds. The exposed creature makes a Constitution
Color Ability Save Type
saving throw. If it fails, it takes 1d4 poison damage and is
Green Strength poisoned (the condiiton). At the end of each of its turns, it
Black Dexterity makes another saving throw against this effect. Each time a
Yellow Intelligence
creature fails the saving throw, it takes 1d4 damage and
remains poisoned. This effect ends on a success.
White Wisdom If the creature dies while under the effect of this poison,
Purple Charisma all creatures within 5 feet of it are exposed to the same
poison and must make a save against this effect.
Superior Poisons
Superior poisons can only be made from superior or pure Equilibrium Bane
essences. Their effects are far more varied than simple injury poison [♦]
poisons. Recipe: 2 purple essences; all superior or pure
Doses: 1
Astral Schism Poison Duration: Up to 3 rounds
injury poison [♦] Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
Recipe: 2 yellow essences; all superior or pure A creature exposed to this poison makes a Constitution
Doses: 1 saving throw. If it fails, the creature perceives the ground as
Duration: 1 successful save waving terrain. At the end of its next 3 rounds, if the
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure) creature used any of its movement speed that round, the
This poison causes an exposed creature to disconnect creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or
from its astral self, causing the body to lag behind the mind. become prone.
The exposed creature makes a Charisma saving throw at Fear Inducer
the start of each of its turns. If it fails, it must take the same injury poison [♦]
action as the previous turn to the extent possible, including
continuing to move in the same direction, casting the same Recipe: 3 / 5 purple essences; all superior or pure
spell at the same area, or attacking the same space. The Doses: 1 / 2
poison ends on a success. Duration: Up to 3 rounds
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
Bella Donna A creature exposed to this poison makes a Wisdom
injury poison [♦] saving throw. If it fails, the creature becomes frightened of
Recipe: 2 / 5 green essences; all superior or pure the closest foe at the start of each of its turns for its next 3
Doses: 1 / 2 turns.
Duration: 3 rounds
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure) Insatiable Fury Toxin
An exposed creature makes a Constitution saving throw. inhaled poison [♦]
If it fails, its body becomes overwhelmed as its metabolic Recipe: 1 / 3 purple essence; all superior or pure
rate doubles. For its next 3 rounds, the creature takes 2d10 Doses: 1 / 2
poison damage at the end of any turn in which it moves and Duration: Instantaneous
attacks, attacks more than once, or uses a bonus action. It Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
also takes 2d10 poison damage if it uses a reaction. The exposed creature is overcome with mindless rage. It
must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or it makes a
Blinding Powder single reckless attack against a random creature within 5
inhaled poison [♦] feet of it with its primary weapon. The attack has
Recipe: 2 white essences; both superior or pure advantage, and attack rolls against the creature have
Doses: 3 advantage until its next turn.
Duration: 1 successful save
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
A creature exposed to this poison must succeed on a
Constitution saving throw or become Blinded. The creature
can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success.
Death Spore Mutation
contact poison [♦]
Recipe: 2 / 5 black essences; all superior or pure
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: Up to 1 minute
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
 Chapter 3: Combat Poisons
6
Orator's Curse
injury poison [♦]
Recipe: 2 green essences; all superior or pure
Doses: 1
Duration: 2 successful saves
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
An exposed creature makes a Constitution saving throw
at the start of each of its turns. On each failed save, it
cannot speak intelligibly until its next turn. After two
successful saves, the poison ends.
Pain Blossom Poison
injury poison [♦]
Recipe: 2 / 5 / 8 black essences; all superior or pure
Doses: 1 / 2 / 3
Duration: 1 successful save or 3 rounds
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
This poison takes a few moments to set, then causes
immense pain. A creature exposed to this poison makes a
Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns. If
it succeeds, this poison ends. On the third failure, it takes
6d6 poison damage, is paralyzed until the start of its next
turn, and the poison ends.
Pyrosensitivity Stimulant
contact poison [♦]
Recipe: 3 white essences; superior or pure
Doses: 2
Duration: 3 rounds
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
An exposed creature makes a Constitution saving throw.
If it fails, it becomes extremely sensitive to heat. Any fire
damage it takes in the next three rounds causes it to be
frightened until the end its next turn. Additionally, it is
vulnerable to the first instance of fire damage it takes
during this time.
Sensory Overload Toxin
contact poison [♦]
Recipe: 2 white essences; all superior or pure
Doses: 1
Duration: Up to 3 rounds
Save DC: 15 (superior), 18 (pure)
A creature exposed to this poison makes a Constitution
saving throw. If it fails, the creature becomes hyper-
sensitive to pain. For the next 3 rounds, each time the
creature takes damage, it must make a Wisdom saving
throw or become stunned until the end of its next turn.
Slumber's Kiss
contact poison [♦]
Recipe: 2 / 5 yellow essences; all superior or pure
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: Up to 1 minute
Save DC: none
An exposed creature is drawn into a magical slumber.
Roll a number of d8s based on the grade of the poison; 5d8
for simple, 9d8 for superior, or 13d8 for pure. If the
exposed creature has fewer hit points than the total rolled,
it falls unconscious until the poison ends, the sleeper takes
damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the
sleeper awake. Roll twice as many dice if the exposed
creature has one or more levels of exhaustion.
Pure Poisons
Poisons which can only be made with pure esseences have
the strongest and most varied of effects.
Icy Specter's Breath
injury poison [♦♦♦]
Recipe: 3 / 9 pure essences; equal parts purple, white and
yellow
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: Up to 2 consecutive successful saves
Save DC: 19
An exposed creature's blood runs cold. It makes a
Wisdom saving throw. A creature that fails the save feels
hallucinates a cold mist around it. While the creature sees
the mist, the creature's speed is reduced to 10 feet, and
everything beyond 10 feet around the creature is heavily
obscured. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the
creature sees an illusory specter attack it from mist, taking
4d6 cold damage.
At the end of each turn, the creature repeats the Wisdom
saving throw. On a failure, the creature sees the specter
rise from the mist and attack it, dealing 4d6 cold damage.
On a success, the specter is banished if the creature can
see it, and the effect ends if the creature cannot see it.
Green Fatigue Poison
contact poison [♦]
Recipe: 3 / 7 pure green essences
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: Instantaneous
Save DC: 17
An exposed creature makes a Constitution saving throw.
If it fails, it gains one level of exhaustion.
Open Mind Poison
injury poison [♦♦]
Recipe: 4 / 10 pure essences; equal parts white and purple
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: Instantaneous
Save DC: 16
The exposed creature makes an Wisdom saving throw.
On a failure, the creature becomes open to a suggested
course of activity (limited to a sentence or two). The
suggestion must be worded in such a manner as to make
the course of action sound reasonable. The creature will
Chapter 3: Combat Poisons
7
not stab itself, throw itself onto a spear, immolate itself, or
do some other obviously harmful act, but it can be persu-
aded to hurt its friends if it has reason to be suspicious.
It pursues the course of action you described to the best
of its ability until they complete the suggested action or a
minute has passed. If the suggested activity can be finished
in a shorter time, the poison's effect ends when the subject
finishes what it was asked to do.
Great pain can jolt the creature back to focus. Whenever
the creature takes damage, it makes a Constitution saving
throw as if making a concentration check. On a failure, the
poison's effect ends.
Reality Acid
contact poison [♦]
Recipe: 3 pure yellow essences
Doses: 1
Duration: 2 successful saves
Save DC: 17
An exposed creature makes a Charisma saving throw at
the start of each of its turns. If it fails, it is transported to a
dimensional pocket until the start of its next turn. The
poison ends on two successful saves.
Shallow Grave Blight
injury poison [♦♦]
Recipe: 6 pure essences; equal parts purple and black
Doses: 1
Duration: Instantaneous
Save DC: 17
An exposed creature makes a Constitution saving throw.
On a success, this poison ends. It continues to make a
Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the poison on a success.
If a creature dies under the effect of this poison, it
returns as a ghoul (superior essences) or a ghast (pure
essences). After a minute, the creature returns to a state of
death.
Shriveling Eye Powder
inhaled poison [♦♦]
Recipe: 3 / 9 pure essences; equal parts green and white
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: 3 successful saves or 3 failed saves
Save DC: 16 (superior), 19 (pure)
An exposed creature eyes begin to dry out. They must
make a Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its
turns. On each failed save, the creature takes 1d8 poison
damage and is blinded until its next turn. After three
successful saves, the poison ends. After three failures, the
poison ends and the creature is permanently blinded until
magic such as the lesser restoration spell removes the
blindness.
Spatial Anchor
contact poison [♦]
Recipe: 3 pure yellow essences
Doses: 1
Duration: Up to 3 rounds
Save DC: 18
This poison anchors a creature to a space. For its next 3
rounds, an exposed creature makes a Charisma saving
throw at the end of each of its turns. If it fails, it teleports
back to the exact location (and plane) where it was exposed
to the poison.
Touch of the Gorgon
contact poison [♦♦]
Recipe: 4 pure essences, equal parts green and yellow
Doses: 1
Duration: Up to 2 consecutive successful saves
Save DC: 19
The exposed creature must make a Constitution saving
throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is
petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save is
restrained. The creature must repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns. On a failure, the creature
becomes or remains petrified. On a success, the creature
becomes restrained if it was petrified, and the effect ends if
it was restrained.
The petrification caused by this poison doesn't effect this
poison.
Vampiric Virus
injury poison [♦♦]
Recipe: 2 / 6 pure essences; equal parts yellow and black, a
drop of your own blood
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: Instantaneous
Save DC: 18
An exposed creature must make a Charisma saving
throw at the start of each of its turns. This poison ends on a
successful save. Whenever a creature affected by this
poison takes damage, you can roll a 1d8 and then choose to
gain that many temporary hit points.
Writhing Scarab Curse
contact poison [♦♦♦]
Recipe: 3 / 9 pure essences; equal parts green, yellow, and
black
Doses: 1 / 2
Duration: Instantaneous
Save DC: 14
An exposed creature experiences writhing flesh, as if a
few insects are crawling just beneath its skin. At the end of
each of its turns, it makes a Constitution saving throw. On a
failure, the number of insects seems to double, and the
creature takes Xd6 damage, where X is the number of
failed saving throws for this dose of poison. On two
consecutive successes, the poison ends.
The creature can also attempt to touch another creature
to rid itself of the curse. To do so, it makes an unarmed
melee attack against another creature. If the attack hits, the
attacked creature makes a Constitution saving throw. If it
fails, the effect of Writing Scarab Curse transfers to them
(the failure adds to the failure count). If it succeeds, the
effect does not transfer.
 Chapter 3: Combat Poisons
8
Chapter 4: Character Options

T
his chapter provides a small variety of new extraction, and at 13th level you can attempt a pure
options for players who want to use poisons extraction.
in combat, including two new subclasses and
a feat that gives any character access to Poisoner Poison Crafting
poisons. Each subclass and the Poison Rogue Level Recipes Known Crafting Limit
Training feat gives access to the poison 3rd-4th 4 2
crafting features described in Chapter 2, and 5th-8th 5 3
the subclasses give the Rogue and the Sorcerer unique 9th-10th 6 3
ways to craft and apply poisons. 11th-12th 7 4
13th-14th 8 4
Roguish Archetype 15th-16th 9 4
At 3rd level, a rogue gains the Roguish Archetype feature. 17th-20th All 5
In addition to those in the Player's Handbook, the following
Roguish Archetype is available to a rogue: the Poisoner. Poisoner's Hands
Starting at 3rd level, you can use the bonus action granted
Poisoner by your Cunning Action to take apply poison to a weapon.
Poison Crafting
At 3rd level, you learn to create poisons. You gain Deep Wound Exposure
proficiency in the poisoner's kit, and you have all of the At 9th level, whenever you expose a creature to a poison
Poison Crafter's Features. See Chapter 1 for the general with a sneak attack, it has disadvantage on the first saving
rules of poison crafting, Chapter 2 for a list of the poison throw against that poison.
crafter's features, and Chapter 3 for the list of combat Improvisational Poisoncraft
poisons. At 13th level, as you make a poison or poisons at the end of
Recipes Known. You know the recipe for four combat a short rest, you can use up to three poisonous essences as
poisons of your choice from the combat poison list in if they were an essence of any color.
Chapter 3. The Recipes Known column of the Poisoner
Poison Crafting table shows when you learn more combat Master of Poisons
poison recipes. At 17th level, you have mastered poisons. The Difficulty
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace Class of poisons you create are increased by 1. Additionally,
one of the combat poison recipes you know with another you know all combat poison recipes.
recipe of your choice.
Crafting Limit. The Poisoner Poison Crafting table
shows how many combat poisons you can make at the end
of a short or long rest. You can use the same recipe
multiple times if desired.
At the start of a long or short rest, each dose of any
unused poison becomes a single simple essence of a color
used to create that poison.
Extractions Types. At 3rd level, you can attempt a
simple extraction. At 9th level, you can attempt a superior
Chapter 4: Character Options
9
Sorcerous Origin
At 1st level, a sorcerer gains the Sorcerous Origin
feature. The following option is available to a sorcerer,
in addition to those in the Player's Handbook: Calypso's
Chosen.
Calypso's Chosen
Your bloodline has ties to the sea goddess Calypso. A
tempestuous divinity, Calypso has sway over tides and
storms, as well as the crustaceans and plants which
live on the sea bottom. She dwells in brackish swamps at
the edge of seas, where an occasional mortal will the risk
poisonous swamp creatures and toxic reefs to make her
acquaintance. Legends tell that Calypso would have
dalliances with mortals she found worthy, and her blood
has entered mortal lines.
You are one of Calypso's Chosen, the few in her bloodline
for which her blood manifests as arcane power. The sea
goddess's touch bestows not just a stormy demeanor, but
also a gift for magic and a knack for poisons.
Brackish Affinity
You find yourself at home in Calypso's favorite habitat. At
1st level, you gain a swim speed equal to your movement
speed, can open your eyes and see underwater even in salt
water, and you can hold your breath for up to 5 minutes.
Poison Crafting
At 1st level, you have learned Calypso's favorite art of
creating poisons. You gain proficiency in the poisoner's kit,
and you have all of the Poison Crafter's Features. See
Chapter 1 for the general rules of poison crafting, Chapter
2 for a list of the poison crafter's features, and Chapter 3
for the list of combat poisons.
Recipes Known. You know the recipe for two combat
poisons of your choice from the combat poison list. The
Recipes Known column of the Calypso's Chosen Poison
Crafting table shows when you learn more combat poison
recipes.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace
one of the combat poison recipes you know with another
recipe of your choice.
Crafting Limit. The Calypso's Chosen Poison Crafting
table shows how many combat poisons you can make at
the end of a short or long rest. You can use the same recipe
multiple times if desired.
At the start of a long or short rest, each dose of an
unused poison becomes a single simple essence of a color
used to create that poison.
Extractions Types. At 1st level, you can attempt a simple
extraction. At 6th level, you can attempt a superior extrac-
tion, and at 14th level you can attempt a pure extraction.
Calypso's Chosen Poison Crafting
Sorcerer Level Recipes Known Crafting Limit
1st-2nd 2 1
3rd-5th 3 2
6th-8th 4 2
9th-11th 5 3
12th-13th 6 3
16th-17th 7 3
18th-20th 7 4
 Chapter 4: Character Options
10
Exposing Poison Spray
At 1st level, you learn the poison spray cantrip. It doesn't Feat
count against your number of cantrips known. When a The following feat allows characters of any class to use
creature fails to save against your poison spray, you can poisons.
choose to expose the creature to one poison for which you
have a dose. If you do so, roll d6s instead of d12 for Poison Training
damage. This expends the dose.
Prerequisite: Intelligence 13
Poisonous Spell You gain the poison crafters features listed in Chapter 2
At 6th level, when one or more creatures fails a saving and have proficiency with the poisoner's kit. You have three
throw for a spell you cast, you can spend 1 sorcery point to Poisons Known and your Crafting Limit is one. You can
add combat poisons to the spell. To do so, choose up to perform simple extractions.
three creatures which rolled a saving throw for the spell. Each time you take this feat after the first, you learn two
Each of those creatures is exposed to one poison for which poisonous recipes and your Crafting Limit increases by
you have a dose. This expends the doses. one. The second time you take this feat you can perform
At 14th level, up to four creatures can be exposed. At superior extractions, and the third time you can perform
18th level, up to five creatures can be exposed. pure extractions.
Crustaceous Swarm
At 14th level, you can become a swarm of crustaceans to
escape bondage and harm. Whenever you suffer a critical
hit, take damage that leaves you below a quarter of your
maximum health, or spend 2 Sorcery Points as a bonus
action, you can choose to explode into a swarm of
crustaceans for up to a minute.
If you do so, you gain the benefit of the freedom of
movement spell, and all attacks against you have
disadvantage. While under this effect, you cannot cast
other spells or attack. At any time, you can reform your
body and end this effect early.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you
finish a long rest.
Sorcerous Essence Creation
At 18th level, as you create a poison, you may use spell slots
in place of poisonous essences. A spell slot used in this way
can be any color of poisonous essence. The Flexible Poison
Crafting table shows the number and quantity of essences
produced depending on the spell slot(s) expended. You can
expend any number of spell slots in this way, and these
essences can be diluted as normal.
Flexible Poison Crafting
Spell Slot Poisonous Essences Produced
1st 3 simple essences
2nd 4 simple essences
3rd 2 superior essences
4th 3 superior essences
5th 4 superior essences
6th 2 pure essences
7th 3 pure essences
8th 4 pure essences
9th 5 pure essences
Chapter 4: Character Options
11
Chapter 5: Appendix
DMing with Poisonous Materials
As a Dungeon Master, you should include poisonous
materials in your loot drops and you should encourage
players to have their characters try to harvest poisonous
materials from monsters and the environment. Don't worry
about giving too many materials, the player is limited to just
one extraction per long rest.
When a character finds a poisonous material in the
course of adventuring, you should decide its rarity and
what color(s) it can produce. You can also roll on the
Poisonous Material tables below. Tell the player the rarity.
You can tell the player the color or let them use an Identify
Color Essence check to determine the color(s) that can be
extracted from their poisonous materials (see Chapter 2).
When a character tries to extract poisonous essences
from a poisonous material, make sure to ask which color
they are extracting and what type of extraction they are
performing (see Essence Extraction table in Chapter 2). If
they attempt to extract the wrong color, they will get lower
grade or fewer essences, but they still get the color they
attempt to extract.
Typical Poisonous Materials
Here is a list of example sources of poisonous materials, in
case a Dungeon Master needs a little creative motivating.
This list should not be seen as a restriction, but instead a
guide for those who might need it.
Essence
Color Category Source
Purple (mental) Mushrooms and mosses, exotic
beasts or fey creatures.
Green (bodily Foliage and berries, poisonous non-
function) magical beasts, some poisonous
magical beasts.
White (senses) Flowering plants, geologic mineral
formations, metals, oozes and fey
creatures.
Yellow (astral) Elemental and aberration creatures,
crystalline features in a magic cave,
an old wizard's hat often exposed to
magic.
Black (rot or Mushrooms, mosses, fungi,
parasitic) venomous beasts, some undead
creatures, oozes, materials exposed
often to necrotic energy.
Poisonous Material Tables
As a Dungeon Master, you may want to randomize the
rarity and color(s) of poisonous materials found by players
while adventuring or foraging for poisonous materials. Use
these tables to provide a random color and grade for
poisonous material.
Poisonous Material Color
Roll 1d6: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Color(s): Purple Green White Yellow Black Roll x2
Poisonous Material Rarity
Roll 1d20: 1 - 12 13 - 17 18 - 19 20
Grade: Common Uncommon Rare Very Rare
Terminology
Color: a quality of poisonous essences, there are five
colors. Each color covers a certain type of effect. A
poisonous essence is always one of these five colors. A
poisonous material contains essences of one or more
colors, in a sense having one or more colors itself.
Crafting Limit: the maximum number of combat poisons
recipes a poison crafter can make at the same time (ie. at
the end of a short rest). One recipe can create more than
one dose. Combat poisons have a limited shelf life, so
this number ends up limiting the number of doses of
poison a character can have available to them.
Dose: a dose is one unit of poison. When you make a
poison, you create one or more doses, determined by the
recipe. Doses are expended when poison is applied to a
weapon, thrown in a vial, or used in another way. Some
weapons require more doses to fully coat with poison.
Grade: a quality of poisonous essences, the grade
describes the purity of a poisonous essence. There are
three grades: simple (lowest), superior, and pure
(highest). Higher grades make more potent poisons.
Extraction: the process by which poisonous material is
turned into a poisonous essences. There are three
difficulties of extractions, which correspond to the grade
of essence they produce: simple, superior, and pure.
Poisonous Essence: the building block of a poison, these
are used in poison recipes to create poisons. Each
poisonous essence has a grade and a color.
Poisonous Material: the source of poisonous essences,
these are found in the environment or harvested from
monsters. They have a rarity and produce poisonous
essences of a particular color.
Rarity: a quality of poisonous materials, the rarity effects
the number and grade of poisonous essences that can be
extracted from the material. There are four rarities:
common, uncommon, rare and very rare.
Recipe: the number, grade and color of essences needed to
create a poison. Note that most recipes create more
doses if more essences are used, but this isn't linear. The
recipes suffer from diminishing returns. A character
would still want to create more doses with one recipe
because they are limited in the number of recipes they
can make by their Crafting Limit.
Recipes Known: the number of different recipes a
character knows.
Artwork Credit (by appearance)
JJcanvas - "Swamp"
Charlie O'Shields - "A Magic Potion"
Kev Walker - "Cystbearer"
Hyeon Gwan Nam - "Desert Thief"
Tyler Jacobson - "Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons"
Randy Vargas - "Necrotic Wound"
Joe Slucher - "Hired Poisoner"
apfelgriebs - "Swamp"
Matt Stewart - "Hooded Assassin"
Ze CarnevilCat - "Pirate Voodoo queen Orma"
 Chapter 5: Appendix
12
Poison Crafting Visual Guide:
.

Poisonous Materials
The source of poisonous essences, these are found in the
environment or harvested from monsters. They have a
rarity and produce poisonous essences of a particular color.

Extraction
The process by which poisonous material is turned into a
poisonous essences, done over a long rest. There are three
difficulties of extractions, which correspond to the grade of
essence they produce: simple, superior, and pure.

Poisonous Esssences
The building block of a poison, these are used in poison
recipes to create poisons. Each poisonous essence has a
grade and a color.

Recipe
The number, grade and color of essences needed to create
a poison. Poisons are made at the end of a short or long
rest. Your Crafting Limit is the number of recipes that you
can make at the same time.

Combat Poisons
Fast-acting, short lifespan poisons intended to be used in
combat situations.

Artwork
123RF - "Poisonous Mushrooms"
Boneblogger - "Eastern Coral Snake"
Gelatinous Cubes Twitter - "Gelatinous Cubes"
Charlie O'Shields - "A Magic Potion"
IconFinder - "Fantasy Alchemy"
Chapter 5: Appendix
13
Changelog
Version 1.3
3/1/19
Updated the poison list. Improved visuals. Added new
poisons. Modified some older poisons.
Version 1.2
12/1/18
Reworked Essence Extraction numbers. Expected value
is 6 (common), 9 (uncommon), 12 (rare), 15 (very rare)
Added new poisons: Mysteroius Concoction, Vampiric
Virus, Reality Acid.
Moved Equilibrium Bane to purple poison list
Added seeing in salt water to Brackish Affinity (which I
don't think has real rules implications).
Version 1.1
9/20/18
Rebalanced the Essence Extraction table which shows
the number of essences extracted. The number of
essences extracted was increased and the difficult class
of extraction was decreased.
If you guess the color wrong and are extracting simple
essences, you now extract two fewer essences instead
of extracting a single essence.
Changed Foraging Poisonous Materials. Players now
make a check, the result of which determines if any
material is found and the rarity of the poisonos material
foraged.
Identify Color Essence is now an action instead of 10
minutes.
14
About Me & Additional Homebrews
I'm fascinated by ways that the flavor of playing a class or
sub-class can express itself both in-game and out of game
at the same time, bringing you closer to your character. I've
brewed up an Artificer class that lets the player create
inventions that cast spells, and the Gambler sub-class that
allows the player to take risks on rolling dice, hoping to hit
it big!
Other than that, I like to homebrew rules and whatever
comes to mind. Brewing is a creative challenge - how to
best fit cool ideas into the 5e System.
Reddit handle: u/sonaplayer
Content
-Classes-
The Artificer
A Customizable Short-Rest Full Caster
Build your own inventions as the Artificer. Quite different
than Wizards of the Coast's version, this Artificer allows you
to allocate resources into spells and class features to build a
character with unique inventions and play styles.
Personal Credits
Special thanks to:
The Homebrewery, for making homebrewing
fun, visually appealing, and professional.
r/UnearthedArcana for taking the time to read
and review what I write.
Anyone using my content! Thank you for
making all this time even more worthwhile.
-Rules-
Variant: Jumping Rules
For Jumping Higher and Longer
The Rules As Written let you jump a fixed distance based
on your strength score and modifier. These rules let you
jump a little further with a Strength (Athletics) check.

Combat Poison System

-Sub-Classes-
For Crafting Poisons and Using Them in Combat
These rules introduce a crafting system to create poisons
The Gambler from materials you find in the environmental, and a combat
A Roguish Archetype
poison system that allows you to choose for a list of
Take risks and roll big with this sub-class for the Rogue
poisons and use them like spells.
which goes all-in for big payouts!

Path of the Brawler

A Primal Path
This Barbarian sub-class let's you get close and personal
with new and improved ways to use grappling and shoves.

Path of the Fury Shaman

A Primal Path
Fuel magic by channeling your rage. By entering a unique
rage called a trance, the Fury Shaman casts spells.

Arcane Descendant
A Sorcerous Origin
Your ancestor was a powerful wizard. Your blood was
marked with an affinity for their school of magic.
About Me
15