Part 1 here.
While there are a number of spell failure tables and mechanics are available, I don't know if there are any for potions (or I'm just lazy and never looked).
I would theorize that, although potions are typically treated as infallible 'magic bullet' items in game-playing, that in 'reality' they may be more unreliable - concoctions brewed by sketchy alchemists, or enchanted by second-rate mage's assistants...
Additionally, if the potion is considered a distillation enchanted with a spell effect, would the fluid be susceptible to magical influences?
So... A consideration of a few things, in no particular order, that may have an effect on a lowly potion, minding its own business in its flask or vial....
- Sharp knocks or shaking
- Exposure to magical attacks on bearer
- Exposure to magic use by bearer
- Chaos forces
- Dragon fire
- Proximity of magical critters or constructs
- Environmental contamination or corruption
- Fungi
- Poor seal on container leaking fluid or magical essence
- Exposure to light
- Improper preparation
- Extreme temperatures
- Chemical/alchemical interaction with improper container
- Cross-contamination with other potions or liquids
- Fermentation
- Exposure to the aether during planar travel
- Exposure to abyssal creatures/beings
- Divine intervention
- Elapsed time since the potion was created
I'm not going to formally estimate what proportion of portions may be corrupted by one variable or another. Perhaps the potion fails a save vs the hazard.
It just depends on how scary and random magic is in the particular game-world of the players. Something to add a bit more uncertainty before quaffing that potion of cure light wounds, or fly....
Potion corruption effects (d100):
1-2: Poison (save vs death or damage, dependent on 'level' of potion magic)
3-6: Coma (1d8 days)
7-9: Paralysis (limb 80%, full 20%, save vs permanent)
10-15: Potion effect reversed (if applicable)
16-19: Light sensitivity (-1 to actions in full light, similar to goblins)
20-23: Anaphylactic shock
24-26: Blinded (save vs permanent)
27-29: Mute (save vs permanent)
24-26: Blinded (save vs permanent)
27-29: Mute (save vs permanent)
30-34: Drowsy to asleep (1d8 hours)
35-39: Sleepless, hyperactivity (1d3 days)
40-45: Hallucinations (1d6 hours)
46-49: Numbness of limb, face, lips (1d8 hours)
50-53: Sense of taste, loss or hypersensitivity (1d4 days)
50-53: Sense of taste, loss or hypersensitivity (1d4 days)
54-58: Ringing ears (1d8 hours)
59-61: Hair falls out
62-64: Hair grows everywhere
65-70: Delayed effect (1d4 hours)
62-64: Hair grows everywhere
65-70: Delayed effect (1d4 hours)
71-74: Skin becomes scaly, hardened (Improve natural AC 60%, decrease Dex 1pt 40%)
75-81: Potion ineffective/inert
82-85:Potion effect halved
75-81: Potion ineffective/inert
82-85:Potion effect halved
86-89: Potion transmuted into another potion entirely
90-94: Potion has secondary potion effect (random)
94-98: Potion effect doubled
94-98: Potion effect doubled
99-00: Permanent effect, usable once per day
(Feel free to add to or mod up the table, or simply use it as a starting point or shopping list for potion randomness...)
(Feel free to add to or mod up the table, or simply use it as a starting point or shopping list for potion randomness...)
Potions don't come with labels, and aren't color coded.
ReplyDeleteMuch like magic items require an "Identify" spell, with concomitant risk of a curse, "taste-testing" potions is similarly risky.
There's a reason Alchemists are expensive hirelings, going in as a one of patron foe them to through a sample of the unknown Potion in a gas chromatograph under a fume hood, or spin it in a centrifuge, should be costly.
I do allow the taste-test, although often with ambiguous results, and in my campaign, there is a wandering alchemist of dubious skills who the party occasionally comes across for possible IDs and sketchy potions...
DeleteWow, thanks blogspot. "...going in not as a real patron, but just a one-off customer for them to throw..."
ReplyDelete