From herbs foraging to potions and poisons crafting

in the Forgotten Aprutium for D&D 5e

Compendio Apotecario
by u/amfiroso

3rd Edition
Compendio Apotecario
T
hroughout the world, flora and fauna grow
and weawe their genealogy with magic and
various planes of existance, whether for
good or ill, these mutations and new forms
are often extra-ordinary and awe-ispiring.
Herbalism involves the knowledge of lore
involving particular plants and animals, and
their usable, valuable parts. It requires foraging and
identifying new and old produce alike, in various
environments, harvesting them, and storing them for later
use as simple herbs and teas for quick ingestion or topical
use or to create powerful potions. Creating potions is the
simple use of a single, specific ingredient to create a
potion, poultice, or enchantment. Herbalism is the
profession behind gathering these types of natural animals
and plants to harvest their supernatural bi-products. The
poisoner's kit is used for creating simple, and often not so
simple, hindering poisons for friends and foes alike.
Herbalism Kit
This kit contains a variety of instruments such as clippers,
mortar and pestle, and pouches used by herbalists to create
natural remedies. Proficiency with this kit lets you add your
proficiency bonus to any ability checks you make to find
and identify herbs, and to craft and apply potions and
poultices. The kit contains 5 vials. Additional vials must be
purchased and secured if a character wishes to craft and
carry more products at once than these kits can hold.
Poisoner's Kit
A poisoner’s kit includes 5 vials, chemicals, and other
equipment necessary for the creation of poisons.
Proficiency with this kit allows you to find the plants
needed to create poisons and allows you to add your
proficiency bonus to any ability checks you make to search
and identify ingredients or to use them for crafting poisons.
Additional containers must be acquired if needed.
Foraging Ingredients
Make a Wisdom or Intelligence check adding your
proficiency for herbalism or poisoner's kit with a DC
determined by the location of searching as shown in the
table below. Each foraging attempt takes 1 hour of time
with the availability of ingredients in the area determined
by the DM. Foraging while traveling at a normal pace
imposes disadvantage on the check.
If successfull, roll 2d6 to identify the herb found using the
relative location table depending on whether proficiency for
herbalism (page 2) or poisoner's kit (page 4) was used.
DC Location
15 Forest, Grassland, Hill, Swamp
18 Coast, Mountain, Underdark, Underwater
23 Arctic, Desert
Harvesting from Plantlife
Make a DC20 Wisdom or Intelligence check adding your
proficiency for herbalism or poisoner's kit to the check. If
you fail the check, parts of the plant are damaged beyond
use and are rendered useless. The scale of the failure,
expressed as harvesting modifier, determines how
detrimental the loss, as shown in the table below.
Score Harvesting modifier
17-20+ 0
11-16 -1
6-10 -2
1-5 -3
Determine the final portion size according to the herb
found (see "Portion Size" column in the appropriate
location table whether you are using Herbalism or
Poisoner's kit proficiency) and apply the harvesting
modifier.
Quick rules
1. Foraging
Wisdom or Intelligence check adding your kit
proficiency, with DC determined by location.
If successful, roll 2d6 to determine the
ingredient you find based on location (see
tables).
2. Harvesting
Roll a DC 20 Wisdom or Intelligence check
adding your kit proficiency to determine the
harvesting modifier.
Determine the final portion size according to
the herb found and apply the harvesting
modifier.
3. Crafting
DC Intelligence check based on the
ingredients used. You can add kit proficiency
to this check.
1

Herbalism
Herbs Location & applications
Arctic
2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Application
2, 12 Ironwort
3, 11 Bear grapes
4, 10 Gentian root
5, 9 Mistletoe
6, 7, 8 White tear
Coast
2d6 Ingredient
2, 12 Goddess scythe
3, 11 Satyrs pepper herb
4, 10 St. John's hypericum
5, 9 Golden verbascum
6, 7, 8 Liquorice root
Desert
2d6 Ingredient
2, 12 Sulfur grass
3, 11 Goddess scythe
4, 10 Liquorice root
5, 9 Dune poppy
6, 7, 8 Satyrs pepper herb
Forest
2d6 Ingredient
2, 12 Willow bark
3, 11 Snake bread
4, 10 Nightshade
5, 9 Artemisia absinthium
6, 7, 8 Acrefojje
Grassland
2d6 Ingredient
2, 12 Black elder berries
3, 11 St. John's hypericum
4, 10 Saponaria officinalis
5, 9 Lavander sprig
6, 7, 8 Orchid scuncòrdije
Hill
2d6 Ingredient
2, 12 Acrefojje
3, 11 Stinging nettle
4, 10 Orchid scuncòrdije
5, 9 Farfarella
6, 7, 8 Elfin thyme
Mountain
2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Application
2, 12 Gentian root 3 Ingestion
3, 11 Black elder berries 5 Ingestion
4, 10 Saponaria officinalis 5 Topical
4 Ingestion 5, 9 Artemisia petrosa 2 Ingestion
4 Ingestion 6, 7, 8 Elfin thyme 4 Ingestion
3 Ingestion
Swamp
2 Ingestion
2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Application
4 Ingestion
2, 12 Red elder 4 Ingestion
3, 11 Snake bread 4 Ingestion
Portion Size Application 4, 10 Hemp-agrimony 5 Ingestion
4 Ingestion 5, 9 Marsh orchid 2 Ingestion
4 Ingestion 6, 7, 8 Stinging nettle 5 Topical
4 Ingestion
Underdark
2 Ingestion
2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Application
4 Ingestion
2, 12 Sea oak 3 Ingestion
3, 11 Sulfur grass 3 Topical
Portion Size Application 4, 10 White tear 4 Ingestion
3 Topical 5, 9 Nightshade 5 Ingestion
4 Ingestion 6, 7, 8 Willow bark 4 Ingestion
4 Ingestion
Underwater
4 Ingestion
2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Application
4 Ingestion
2, 12 Bear grapes 4 Ingestion
3, 11 Hemp-agrimony 3 Ingestion
Portion Size Application 4, 10 Sea oak 3 Ingestion
4 Ingestion 5, 9 Sea lattuce 4 Ingestion
4 Ingestion 6, 7, 8 Red elder 4 Ingestion
5 Ingestion
2 Ingestion Crafting with Herbalism
5 Ingestion Once you recover the required number of an ingredient,
you can begin the process of crafting a poultice/infusion or
a potion. Crafting requires an Intelligence check adding
your herbalism kit proficiency with a DC determined by the
Portion Size Application concoction and ingredient used. On a success, you create
5 Ingestion one product. On a failure, all ingredients lose their potency.
4 Ingestion Poultices or infusions can be prepared in the field during
short and long rests and expire after 24 hours. Potions can
5 Topical only be prepared in a safe workshop environment such as a
2 Topical room in an inn and require 3 hours (common items), 1
4 Ingestion
(uncommon), 2 (rare ) or 3 days (very rare) of work.
Some creature parts may be used as a substitute in lieu
of specific ingredients. These creature parts won't have the
herb effect but once crafted into a potion or poultice, may
Portion Size Application have amplified or additional effects. These creature parts
4 Ingestion can not be combined with the regular herb of that kind, but
rather as one portion of the creature part is enough to
5 Topical create a whole potion worth, and as such crafting a potion
4 Ingestion from these creature parts requires a DC20 Intelligence
3 Ingestion check adding your herbalism kit proficiency, unless
otherwise stated.
4 Ingestion You may use an action on your turn to apply or ingest a
concoction or to administer it to one ally.
2
Potions & Poultices Crafting
 Portions
Herb needed Poultice/infusion DC Potion Rarity DC
3
Acrefojje 5 Healear's kit-like effect 11 For 1h, a Hag takes 2d6 radiant Very rare 20
damage if she starts her turn within
15ft from you
Poisons
Poisonous herbs location & properties
Forest & Grassland
2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Effect DC
2, 12 Stramonium 2 Add 1d12 poison damage +4
3, 11 Acrefojje 3 Target is silenced +2
4, 10 Starry anemone 4 Reduce crafting DC by 1 -1
5, 9 Snake bread 2 Add 2d4 poison damage +3
6, 7, 8 Leaves of blood hilder 3 Required base for all poisons 10

Coast & Desert

2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Effect DC
2, 12 Goddess scythe 2 Target's speed is 0 for 1' +2
3, 11 Starry anemone 4 Reduce crafting DC by 1 -1
4, 10 Leaves of blood hilder 3 Required base for all poisons 10
5, 9 Little widow 5 Add 1d4 poison damage +2
6, 7, 8 Snake bread 2 Add 2d4 poison damage +3

Hill, Mountain & Underdark

2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Effect DC
2, 12 Opium poppy 3 Target is stunned +3
3, 11 White tear 4 Increases save DC by 2 +2
4, 10 Little widow 5 Add 1d4 poison damage +2
5, 9 Starry anemone 4 Reduce crafting DC by 1 -1
6, 7, 8 Leaves of blood hilder 3 Required base for all poisons 10

Swamp, Underwater & arctic

2d6 Ingredient Portion Size Effect DC
2, 12 Stinking hellebore 2 Double poison damage dice +3
3, 11 Donkeyslayer 3 Reduce target's AC by 2 +4
4, 10 Snake bread 2 Add 2d4 poison damage +3
5, 9 White tear 4 Increases save DC by 2 +2
6, 7, 8 Leaves of blood hilder 3 Required base for all poisons 10

Crafting a Poison
Once you recover an ingredient, you can begin the process
of crafting a poison. Crafting a poison requires an hour of
work followed by an Intelligence check using your
poisoner’s kit proficiency, with a DC established by the
difficulty modifiers of your added ingredients. Poisons
require one portion of Leaves of blood hilder as a base and
can include a number of additional ingredients up to your
proficiency bonus (duplicates allowed). Any poison with a
total DC less than 13 may be crafted in the field during a
short rest. Otherwise, crafting a poison must be done in a
safe environment such as a room at an inn. Crafting a
poison in a workshop grants a +2 bonus on the check.
On a effects on a success.
successful Intelligence crafting check, you can create a
number of doses of potent poison equal to your proficiency
bonus. On a failure, you do not create the poison and all
used ingredients are lost. Vials remain stable for 1 week
after crafting before becoming inert.
Using a Poison
You may use a bonus action to apply a vial of poison to a
single melee weapon or one piece of ammunition. Once
applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute or until you
hit with the weapon.
A creature hit by poisoned weapons or ammunition must
make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 10 +
the poison crafter's proficiency. On a failure, the creature is
poisoned for one minute and suffers the additional effects
of its ingredients, if any. If the crafted poison has added
damage, the creature takes half the poison damage on a
successful saving throw. A poisoned creature must repeat
the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
4
 The level of a spell potion is equal to the level of the spell
Additional Rules it reproduces.
The level of any other potion is equal to the
highest level of spell effect it reproduces, if any. If not, then
Harvesting poison from Creatures the level is based on its rarity as listed in the DMG.
The
You can attempt to harvest poison from a poisonous level for dusts, elixirs, ointments, oils, philtres, glues, and
creature, such as a snake, wyvern, or carrion crawler solvents is based on their rarity as listed in the DMG.
encountered in the wilds. The creature must be The new potions rarity and level is determined by the
incapacitated or dead, and the harvesting requires 1d6 rarity of the ingredients used.
minutes followed by a DC 20 Intelligence (Nature or adding Potion Lvl Brewing
your proficiency for poisoner's kits) check to harvest lvl Spell Rarity Cost Time DC
enough material for a single vial. Should you fail this check,
you are unable to extract any poison. If you fail this check 1 Cantrip Common 50gp 3 hours 15
by 5 or more, you rupture the creature's gland and are 1 1st Common 50gp 3 hours 16
subject to the full effects of that creature’s poison.
To turn 2 2nd Uncommon 200gp 1 day 16
these ingredients into a usable poison, you must succeed
on an Intelligence crafting check with a DC determined by 3 3rd Uncommon 450gp 1 day 17
the DM at the time of crafting (minimum DC of 15). See 4 4th Rare 800gp 2 days 18
page 258 of the DMG for details on the effects of these
poisons. 5 5th Rare 1250gp 2 days 18
Ingredients harvested from poisonous creatures cannot 6 6th Very Rare 1800gp 3 days 19
be combined with foraged ingredients. If the players find a 7 7th Very Rare 2450gp 3 days 20
deceased creature, hours or days after death, or simply slay
a creature it is up to the DM what items remain. Some 8 8th Very Rare 3200gp 4 days 21
items may have already been stolen, not remain on the 9 9th Legendary 4050gp 5 days 22
creature after death, have rotted beyond use, or through the
hack and slash of the party been generaly destroyed. Examples
Potion levels of specific items
Dust of Disappearance - 2,
Selling Crafted Items Dust of Dryness - 3, Dust of Sneezing & Choking - 2, Elixir
Although most items created works to their full intent, of Health - 4, Keoghtom's Ointment - 3, Oil of Etherealness -
many items created this way is not up to the standard of the 4, Oil of Sharpness - 6, Oil of Slipperiness - 3, Philter of
common folk, adventures guild and many merchants. Love - 3, Sovereign Glue - 9, Universal Solvent - 9.
Therefore selling crafted potions, poisons, and Potion levels of non spell potions
Climbing - 1, Fire
enchantments will need a successful Persuasion check to Breath - 3, Heroism - 4, Invulnerability - 4, Longevity - 6,
convince the merchant that it is of the highest quality (DC Poison - 3, Resistance - 3, Vitality - 6, Water Breathing - 3,
determined by the DM).
Giant Strength: Hill - 3, Frost/Stone - 4, Fire - 5, Cloud - 6,
Learning New Ingredients, Storm - 9, Healing: Basic - 1, Greater - 3, Superior - 4,
Supreme - 6.
Potions, and Poison Recipes
Many times learning a of a new ingredient or potion recipe Potion levels of spell potions
Animal friendship - 1,
will be as simple as experimenting, learning from other Clairvoyance - 3, Diminution - 2, Flying - 3, Gaseous form -
experienced alchemists, herbalists, and poison enthusiasts 3, Growth - 2, Invisibility - 2, Mind reading - 2, Speed - 3.
or reading a book on the core subject, either in the terrain
found or the potion recipes. Credits & References
Another method to discern the ingredients used in Based on Poison, Herbalism, & Alchemy v1.2 by u/nivalis3
crafting a potion is to destroy the item outright and (from /u/Shylocv's and /u/calculuschild's posts) and
examining the ingredients inside. Make an Intelligence Poisoner's kit by Morgan Boetsma. For the "guidelines for
(Nature) check to determine the ingredients with the DC new potions", a post of TrapperQ from forum.rpg.net. Art:
determined by the potion rarity as per the table below. cover by Tibor Sulyok, page 1 by F. P. Michetti, page 5 by
Agnieszka Świejkowska, pages 6 and 7 by Olda Drebas.
Recipe Made with The Homebrewery. Thanks to my players for
DC Rarity playtesting and M.Russo for revision.
15 Common
20 Uncommon
25 Rare
30 Very Rare

Guidelines for new potions

A potion has a level between 1 and 9. This defines how
complicated the potion is to make, how expensive it is and
how long it takes to brew.
5 Compendio Apotecario by u/amfiroso v3 2022