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Reptar
2010-02-12, 07:33 AM
So my players just bought a bunch of potions from a realy shady dealer.
In classic DM fashion I inferred as much as possible that they shouldn't buy from this guy, but my players like to test me so...

Unfortunately I'm still not sure what kind of scam the guy was running yet. I'd rather it not just be potions cut with water or poison, I want to get these guys good.

So what spell substitutes would you have your BBEG replace the party's potions with?
Mind control? Teleport? I'm open to both evil and wacky situations.

olelia
2010-02-12, 07:46 AM
Have certain potions roll under the Rod of Wonder (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#wonder) chart? I just want to see someone puke hundreds of butterflys.

Grumman
2010-02-12, 07:47 AM
I'm open to both evil and wacky situations.
If you're going for evil and wacky instead of efficient, I can't think of anything worse than a Potion of Amorphous Form (Spell Compendium) for 750 gp. That's going to freak people out.

paddyfool
2010-02-12, 08:16 AM
Baldur's gate did the cheap potions thing quite well. Spoilered for those who haven't played and want to (can't be many people, but hey):


So, a dodgy travelling trader is selling a cheap red potion, said to increase strength, alongside a cheap blue potion, said to increase intelligence. Both potions worked as advertised... but had the side effect of each also temporarily damaging some other stat (I can't remember which right now).

You could have fun with simlar idea along the following lines:
- Potions of CLW etc: grant temporary HP only.
- Potions of stat-boosting: hurt some other random stat as much as they help the one in question
- Other potions: miscellaneous side effects. Might include "drowsiness" (either will save vs sleep or fatigue depending on how evil you're feeling); "nausea", "headaches" (penalty to concentration checks), etc.
- Oils: Might make your blade stick in its scabbard once returned there, needing a craft check to get it out, do d4 acid damage to the weapon treated, or some other such business.

Gnaeus
2010-02-12, 08:36 AM
So my players just bought a bunch of potions from a realy shady dealer.
In classic DM fashion I inferred as much as possible that they shouldn't buy from this guy, but my players like to test me so...

Unfortunately I'm still not sure what kind of scam the guy was running yet. I'd rather it not just be potions cut with water or poison, I want to get these guys good.

So what spell substitutes would you have your BBEG replace the party's potions with?
Mind control? Teleport? I'm open to both evil and wacky situations.

Are you houseruling that the party can't identify the potions with a simple Spellcraft check (DC25 I think)?

paddyfool
2010-02-12, 08:39 AM
Another option: the potions could be laced with some addictive substance that the PCs get a jonesing for. I believe there are rules for this in the BoVD.

Magnor Criol
2010-02-12, 08:42 AM
As olelia suggested, do the Rod of Wonders roll (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#wonder), and/or use rules for Scroll Mishaps (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/scrolls.htm#scrollMishaps). But don't do it for all of them! Make some of the potions function perfectly normally. :smallbiggrin:

You could also make it into random potion time. Roll on the table for potions like you're trying to determine a random potion for treasure, and then have whatever you roll be the one they drank, regardless of what they thought it was.

Or, for that matter, roll on the table for scrolls - and get some spells that can't be made into potions, for the fun of it! :smallamused:

If you just want to simulate a potion being watered down, then roll a simple d%, and multiply the intended effect of the spell by that percentage.

Whatever you do, if there's an caster in your group, they should get a chance to use their Spellcraft skill to identify it - if they think of trying to identify the potions first.

frogspawner
2010-02-12, 09:17 AM
They're simply stolen, and hence mis-labelled. Contents will be random, and if the party don't identify them properly... that could be very awkward. (Being actively nasty over this might spoil the fun).

Dyllan
2010-02-12, 11:03 AM
Medical side effects.

Go to your medicine cabinet... pull everything out and read labels. Make a chart of side effects from that and roll for them...

Drowsiness, blurred vision, constipation, diarrhea, suicidal tendancies... whatever.... use your imagination.

They're just like out of date drugs.

Lapak
2010-02-12, 11:11 AM
'Unlabeled random potions' made me think of The Wizard of Wallaby Wallow (http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Wallaby-Wallow-Jack-Kent/dp/0819305138), and that led me to my idea:

The potions are the result of a wizard attempting to overcome the level 3 limit on potion creation: he was trying to create Potions of Polymorph. Each potion, when consumed, casts Polymorph on the drinker - but there is no way to tell without drinking it what the resulting form will be. Might be a dragon, might be a mouse!

Kol Korran
2010-02-12, 01:29 PM
actually that potion situation made me think of a witch selling curses/ odd stuff in bottles. i suggest you have the potion work normally (maybe even have some fairly powerfull ones for the temptation), but have some side effect to them.some ideas:
1) whomever drinks the potion falls in loves with the first person he sees
2) the same, just with deep hate.
3) a curse in SoD, i'm dying to try this in a game:

you can speak only in one word exclamations.
("Excellent!", "Wow!", "No!", "Groovy!")

4) you develop a fear of gold and shiny metals.
5) you Stink! royally stink! shoo! go away!

you get the picture. i think the cursed/ affected items has a few nice ideas as well. make things mostly funny, not necesserily hurtfull. the effect might be removed either by a remove curse (maybe with a caster levele check?) or by imbibing another potion.

if you like this idea we might try and think of amusing curses to add.

Ormagoden
2010-02-12, 02:27 PM
Curses sound fun! thats a great suggestion!

Some of the ideas that came to mind reading this thread:

*Watered down cure lights- Heals 1d4+1
*Acid (yeah thats right make them drink a flask of acid)
*Minor poisons (like centipede)
*Coughing syrup- Coughs up a random tiny creature every 1d4 rounds for 1d6 hours. (Like frogs or do it harry potter style and have them cough up slugs)
*Trippy juice- dazed for 1d6 minutes or hours
*Bee juice- Imaginary bee swarms attack the drinker causing them to flee in fear for 1d6 rounds or minutes.
*Power punch- All physical stats go up by +5 for 1d4 hours. Afterward the bonus is lost and all stats go down by -4.
*Spell brew- Arcane casters regain a spell they know (or a spell slot) or gain an extra spell or spell slot if already full. 1d6 hours later they get a scratch throat and cant speak for 24 hours.
*Holy water!- The drinker doesn't need any water for 1d4 days. Afterward they are fatigued for 1d4 days.
*Maw syrup- The drinker can eat anything for 1d4 days. Afterward the drinker has diareahha for 1d6 hours.
*Slick salve- Coating a user makes them blend in to their surroundings for 24 hours. +5 equipment bonus to hide. Afterward their skin or fur becomes some obnoxious color for 24 hours. (hot pink, dayglow orange)
*Helping hands- The drinker grows 2 extra arms and they last 1d4 weeks. Afterward the arms shrink away causing horrible discomfort and immobilizes the character with itching and pain for 1d4 days.
*Troll boil- The drinker gains a troll's regeneration permanently but looses 1d4+1 charisma permanently as their skin becomes sickly and green.
*Common cold- The drinker becomes sick for 1d4 weeks and is incurable. They have a -1 to all stats, attack rolls, saves, and skill checks. Afterwards they are immune to all diseases.
*Cancer mage in a bottle- Yeah...just like it sounds.
*Iron heart- Drinker has to make a DC 15 fort save or die. Afterward their new Iron clockwork heart causes any spell targeting the heart to fail and be lost.
*Iron lung- Drinker has to make a DC 15 fort save or die. Afterward their new iron lung protects them from the ill effects of any gas based poisons, acids, spells and effects.
Crystal eye- Drinker has to make a DC 15 fort save or become blind permanently. Regardless of the result, the drinker becomes immune to gaze attacks and gains blindsense out to 10ft. (the drinker retains normal vision if they save.)
*Mind block- Drinker has to make a DC 15 fort save or die. Afterward the user's head takes on a block shape and they gain +2 to intelligence and are immune to mind affecting effects.
*Royal jelly- Drinker gains +10 charisma. Everyone mistakes the drinker for royalty (or a god) Nothing will willingly harm the drinker (Will DC 40) and every creature will follow the drinkers command (Will DC 15) as per the suggestion spell. This last for 1d4 weeks after which the drinker is permanently invisible, silent, and cannot effect the prime material plane in any way for 1d6 months.