Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lux72 07-18-07, 10:29 AM	One of my players wants to use Herbalism (profession: herbalist) to use plants, herbs, roots, etc. for some in game benefit. I can't see how having a few poltices or salves would hurt the game but +1 or +2 to heal checks seems too simple and boring. However, I'm not sure how to set up an herbalism system. Does anyone have any ideas? Is this something that's already been discussed or in a sourcebook somewhere that someone can point me to? Thanks for any help in advance.
tarkin 07-18-07, 10:46 AM	If he wants to heal he should be using the Heal skill, not Profession Herbalism. The skill Profession Herbalism teaches him how to collect, process the herbs, and sell them. It would not teach him how to use them. As a DM I might House Rule to allow 5 or more ranks in Knowlege (Nature) to grant a +2 circumstance bonus to the Heal skill and/or the Profession (Herbalism) skill.
KoraktheBarbarin 07-18-07, 10:59 AM	There is a d20 book named Alchemy & Herbalists you should be able to find on most game store websites even Amazon.com has it I believe. The book has quite a bit of decent info and Alchemical Items (poultices, salves, etc...). It's a paperback about the size of The Sword and Fist & Defenders of the Faith sourcebooks. I also agree with Tarkin, to do what your character wants, he would need both the skills Profession (Herbalist) & Alchemy, but that's just my 2 c.p.:)
Traverse 07-18-07, 11:21 AM	You could always just do something simple like this. You allow a Profession (Herbalist) check every so often, and the character would roll against a table such as this: 0-5 Nothing 6-12 Poultice (+2 to any one Heal Check) 13-18 Ingredients for Minor Potion* 19-25 Poultice (+4 to any one Heal check) 26-31 Ingredients for Medium Potion* 32-38 Poultice (+6 to any one Heal check) 39-44 Ingredients for one Major Potion* *Roll on the Potions and Oils table. Then for the Herbalism/Alchemy/Heal/??? check the DCs to create the potion/poultice would be the base number of the category the character got the ingredients from (13 to create a minor potion), with a +2 to the check for a MW pestle and mortar or somesuch. This might be a bit unbalanced, as I did just throw it together, but it's an easy start.
Bihlbo 07-18-07, 11:51 AM	There's a d20 setting called Midnight (it's awesome) that has detailed rules for Herbalism. [[The following links are to a fan's website that prints the open content material from Midnight, so it's legal for it to be posted here.]] First off, you need the item creation feat Herbalist (http://darknessfalls.leaderdesslok.com/character_feats.htm). The rules (http://darknessfalls.leaderdesslok.com/magic_herbalism.htm)are detailed and somewhat complicated, but they are because they need to be. Herbalism allows a character to make infused oils that slowly add a minor bonus that lasts a full day, gnaw roots that last about half a day but that can give a respectable boost to ability scores and such, and salves which can produce healing and curative effects. I've used these rules in a couple of Midnight campaigns and they not only work really well, but it's fun to get to play a non magic-user and get to make pseudo-magical effects like this.
NeueRegel 07-18-07, 12:33 PM	Bihlbo, I found that to be quite useful, and kudos for contributing something so directly helpful and on-topic. It's usable, not broken, and pretty well thought out, for all that it has a few typing errors and things. In fact, I think I'm going to offer it to my players that have druids as a "free" class ability. Give them something to do for those low levels before wildshape. *wink* Neue
Amaril 07-18-07, 02:07 PM	IIRC, Masters of the Wild (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dndacc/881640000) covered this somewhat.