Additionally is there any kind of errata or updated material for this?
Essentially it's a grenade-like weapon that doesn't splash. Any creature coming into contact or inhaling it must succeed on a DC 19 fort save or be unable to breath air for the next 3 hours. Then it refers to the suffocation sidebar in DMG.
It costs a whopping 20gp.
It also neglects to mention any cures for it.
It doesn't mention what effect it has on aquatic creatures that breath water, though I'd play it safe and say it doesn't effect them, unless they also breath air and are in an air environment.
Finally it doesn't mention the duration of the airborne effect, if used as an inhilation "poison" (though that may be under poison rules somewhere else).
So, for 20 gp, you effectively get a save-or-die type "poison" that can kill via contact or inhalation. Granted the affected creature has some time while suffocating. It seems very out of whack, particularly for its price. For example, I could certainly see a small group of 1st level kobolds/goblins whiping out a whole party with these. On the other hand, I can see a 1st level party knocking out a mid CR creature or two, with this - completely out of balance.
Comments are appreciated, or clarifications if I'm reading it wrong, or reference to an update are appreciated.
Doesn't say it creates a mist of the stuff in air though, and I believe the Aboleth monster only does so in water. So the only way you're getting an air-breathing creature to inhale it is by shoving it up their nose. Still, contact should work for a grenadelike.
That's a good point. The text does say inhaling it requires the save, however, causing my confusion. I agree that it is unlikely to be in mist form, considering it is a "mucus like substance".
I'm looking at it as a grenade-like weapon (per the intended use), but I'm also looking at it like a poison for use in traps/assassination in part due to the inhilation thing, but contact is just as bad.
I also looked at the Aboleth monster, and the mucus is much different for the creature vs. the alchemical item.
Unfortunately the whole entry is very vague - which is why I'm hoping it was updated elsewhere.
Another question: I wonder if it can be used like a poison to coat a surface such as a sword blade or needle trap like other contact poisons. I don't see any reason it can't, but for the fact that it's way too cheap.
It just seems the authors kinda oopsed on this one.
wow .... i love it ... will look it up to see the specs again ... if it is like you say, its Awesome ... nice find
Yeah, but it's a bit waaaaaaaaaaay too awesome. I wonder if it's a simple typo on the price part. IF it can be used in similar ways to other contact or inhalation poisons (even if it can't), it's as powerful as some of the best poisons out there but like one percent of the cost. I wonder if the author's typo'd, and meant $2000 gp or $200 gp instead of 20.
From a DM perspective, I'll probably have to figure a way to balance it, by either not allowing it (I hate doing that as a general rule), or jacking the price up dramatically to compare with other poisons.
I think the authors simply dropped the ball, and didn't finalize the description/price. The no cure part, for example, is clearly missing. Can remove disease cure it, or Heal, etc? Dunno. Clearly the DC 19 save alone is extremely hefty for a $20 item, let alone a save or die.
By the way, suggestions for balancing it are also definitly welcomed. My initial thoughts on balancing it are much higher price, and also allowing some cure spells to work on it such as remove disease, heal, miracle, etc., or spells that work on poison.
wow .... i love it ... will look it up to see the specs again ... if it is like you say, its Awesome ... nice find
Even if I gimp it (via price and a few cures), I still like the idea (from a role playing perspective) of a poison that instantly puts you into suffocation, in turn allowing you very limited time to cure yourself. I can see the lord of a castle picking up his favorite robe, and being poisoned by it from contact during an assassination attempt, and running around with x rounds to cure it or die, while quickly suffocating.
Additionally, that brings another question to mind. If you're suffocating, can you cast spells with verbal components? I'd have to check the suffocation rules, but that's one more reason the item is interesting.
I AM thinking that the amount of the substance would have to be substantial. In other words, putting the "poison" on a blade or needle probably wouldn't work, but other delivery methods (grenades, pouring it on a sleeper, dropping it from above, covering a floor tile with it, etc. would probably work. I'll have to look at the Aboleth monster entry more to figure it out.
www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheet...
The "other notes" section has some other really tricky tips for other undervalued items.
That is a marevelous link. I especially like the idea of using Shapesand as armor. In addition to being much cheaper than full plate, you can also presumably remove or don it as a standard action, simply by shaping it onto yourself directly (or unshaping it if you're already wearing it). I have a desert dwarf cleric that I'll be sticking this on immediately, I think.
I agree! I believe those tricks are a compilation from another fairly compact thread at giant tips or somewhere, that has additional tricks. I have that link somewhere.