Chewing Potions...Would you DMs allow?

[Girshtop]

One of my rl buddies loves playing the "run in, blind rage, and when you come to, everything's dead" type of barbarians. As such, he's not keen on wasting standard actions to stop fighting and drink a potion.

So I proposed that before he charges in, pop a potion (glass vial and all) into his mouth, and when he needs it, take a free action to chew it, take some damage, and gain the effect of the spell.

Would you allow this? and what do you guys think of it? I would say 1d6 damage for the glass in the mouth. Considering being stabbed by a sword is 1d8, that's a fair bit for damage from glass.

Plus he should definitely gain a circumstance bonus to intimidate checks. Anyone frothing from the mouth and chewing glass for fun would scare the s*** out of me.

[Greenish]

He needs one of these: http://www.gd-wholesale.com/userimg/1/3436i1/belly-wash-cap-43.jpg

[Apophis]

Complete Arcane has rules for different kinds of healing items, such as tiles that must be broken to get the effect of the spell. It also mentions Spell Wafers. I'd suggest just using those.

[beyond reality]

It's one of those things like shooting yourself in the eye with a crossbow to prove how tough you are. Technically something the rules should allow but also ridiculous from the perspective of any attempted realism. If for no other reason than the significant risk of swallowing shards of glass (which would probably kill you).

That said, as a DM, I would definitely not allow a player to bend the rules (in this case the amount of time it takes to drink a potion) with something like this from a balance standpoint if nothing else.

[Gnaeus]

Would you allow this? and what do you guys think of it? I would say 1d6 damage for the glass in the mouth. Considering being stabbed by a sword is 1d8, that's a fair bit for damage from glass.


I think it is overpowered. It lets every PC get a free buff at beginning of combat (or at will during combat) for a mere 1d6 (average 3.5) damage. Considering how powerful 2-3 level spells are, every PC should then be chewing potions.

Make it 2d10 damage, with a fort save or die DC of 10+ damage taken.

He should take the Delay Potion feat from complete mage instead.

[JonRG]

This situation came up when I played Eyes of the Lich Queen in college. Someone mentioned that you really should be able to chug a potion as part of a move. The DM liked the idea but wasn't sure it was feasible.

The paladin's player stands up, puts a bottle of Diet Pepsi between his teeth, and runs 20-30 feet across the room (sizable student lounge). Bottle went from half-full to empty with barely a sputter.

Thus a new house rule was born. :smallbiggrin:

[Darrin]

So I proposed that before he charges in, pop a potion (glass vial and all) into his mouth, and when he needs it, take a free action to chew it, take some damage, and gain the effect of the spell.


This is sounds similar to the Capsule Retainer and Alchemical Tooth (Complete Adventurer p. 120). The rules don't state if you can use potions with them, but it would be easy to handwave that in.

Or you could buy a Glyph Seal instead (1000 GP, MIC p. 161). Attach it to a pouch where he keeps his spell-storing shurikens. When he opens the pouch (free action to draw ammo), it triggers the spell automatically. Reusable, too.

There's a masterwork Potion Belt in FRCS (p. 97). Holds up to 10 potions, retrieve a potion as a free action once per round. Also, the Potion Bracer in Sharn City of Towers can hold up to 3 potions, doesn't provoke AoOs. Both still require a standard action to drink, though.

So... buy a monkey, train it to use a Mister (Drow of the Underdark p. 92) and it can apply the potion to a creature as a standard action, either as a ranged touch attack within 5' (unwilling target) or automatically (willing target).

[Diarmuid]

If you'd put him in a suit of armor with a sword and had people trying to kill him while he was trying it and it still went fine...then you can make a rule.

Otherwise you're just breaking action economy for no good reason.

[Morph Bark]

This is sounds similar to the Capsule Retainer and Alchemical Tooth (Complete Adventurer p. 120). The rules don't state if you can use potions with them, but it would be easy to handwave that in.

IIRC, Alchemical Tooth is for poison only.

Also, why doesn't he just put the potion in his mouth, but wait with swallowing it? He'd probably need to pass Concentration checks when he takes damage to prevent swallowing it prematurely, but hey.

[Greenish]

This is sounds similar to the Capsule Retainer and Alchemical Tooth (Complete Adventurer p. 120). The rules don't state if you can use potions with them, but it would be easy to handwave that in.

Or you could buy a Glyph Seal instead (1000 GP, MIC p. 161). Attach it to a pouch where he keeps his spell-storing shurikens. When he opens the pouch (free action to draw ammo), it triggers the spell automatically. Reusable, too.

There's a masterwork Potion Belt in FRCS (p. 97). Holds up to 10 potions, retrieve a potion as a free action once per round. Also, the Potion Bracer in Sharn City of Towers can hold up to 3 potions, doesn't provoke AoOs. Both still require a standard action to drink, though.

So... buy a monkey, train it to use a Mister (Drow of the Underdark p. 92) and it can apply the potion to a creature as a standard action, either as a ranged touch attack within 5' (unwilling target) or automatically (willing target).DotU also has potion bladder. It's still standard action that provokes to drink, but you don't need to dig it up from a bag or to have a free hand.

[HappyBlanket]

Seconding the suggestion to use alternative potions from Complete Arcane. Magic Tiles or Skull Talismans work nicely; unfortunately, CA supports using the exact same mechanical restrictions, so it won't change the action economy. But t does fix the problem from a fluff perspective.

That said, if you trust your players not to spend their gold to purchase a billion potions, it won't be terribly broken.

[Acanous]

I'd allow spending a standard to put a potion in your mouth, then have to pass a concentration whenever you take damage to avoid spitting it out prematurely. The Zulu did this with poison spit, so it should work with potions. If you already spent your standard in a prior round to set this up, it doesn't break the economy, and it'd come with the restriction of "You can't talk or use any verbal components while doing this".

[ericgrau]

Then you hit problems with downing multiple potions at once and such. Even doing a potion and something else at the same time is way stronger than normal. I'd make them a standard action regardless simply from activating the spell. It's also so much better than any other option that everything in the world should have already been doing it millenia ago. Heck potions would come in chewable vials by now.

[jguy]

I don't recommend it at all. It sets up a horrible precedent that can screw over the action economy. I will give you an example from a game I was in.

I had a NPC necromancer with some potions on her for backup buffing. I used the Skull Talisman theme to keep the flavor up. Players won then looted the potions. I explained it to them that they were potions and you crushed the skull instead of drinking it.

A player immediately suggested that they hang the talisman from their breastplate and belly flop forward, crushing them all at the same time and gaining the benefit of as many potions they had on them at the same time. Since its a free action to fall prone and a move action to stand up, they could still have a standard action left. I squashed that idea immediately.

[Runestar]

There's a feat which lets you drink a potion and let you delay the effect by up to 1 hour (or let you then activate the effect as a free action). Complete arcane or mage? Perhaps he might want to use this instead?

This reminds me of my friend who likes to walk around while carrying his platypus water bag. What if the fighter had a similar bag filled to the brim with healing potions? :smalltongue:

[Greenish]

This reminds me of my friend who likes to walk around while carrying his platypus water bag.Is that something you use to take your pet platypus with you everywhere you go?

[Worira]

Well, you wouldn't want your platypus to get dehydrated.

[Luckmann]

I'm inclined to say.. no.

If it's entirely a fluff thing, let him "drink" the potion as usual, in the middle of battle, by smashing it violently against his face.

Because, you know, ANGER.

[flumphy]

I'd allow spending a standard to put a potion in your mouth, then have to pass a concentration whenever you take damage to avoid spitting it out prematurely. The Zulu did this with poison spit, so it should work with potions. If you already spent your standard in a prior round to set this up, it doesn't break the economy, and it'd come with the restriction of "You can't talk or use any verbal components while doing this".


Except you can't make concentration checks while raging.

Because the action economy is probably the last thing you want to have a bunch of crazy houserule exceptions for, I'd make him spend the feat if he wanted to use a potion as a free action. He could fluff it however he wanted, but he couldn't get something for nothing.

[Worira]

Considering that potions are generally not an especially strong tactic, I don't really think it would hurt to allow drinking a potion as a swift action. You can't chug 20 in one turn, but you can reasonably use them in combat without wasting your turn.

[ericgrau]

That's why generally you chug a potion before combat rather than during, or in dire emergencies to heal or escape rather than paying 5000 for a rez later. Once you allow it every round it'll add up by round 3. +2 to everything and you might as well be 2 levels higher. Or even effectively fast heal 5 from CLW if you're on a tight budget. Heck protection from evil, enlarge person every fight on the cheap, plus a bunch more from spell compendium I bet.

[TwylyghT]

A player immediately suggested that they hang the talisman from their breastplate and belly flop forward, crushing them all at the same time and gaining the benefit of as many potions they had on them at the same time. Since its a free action to fall prone and a move action to stand up, they could still have a standard action left. I squashed that idea immediately.

You could always let it fly and revive the old "Potion Miscibility" system.

"Well lets see, you activate the 14 potions as a free action and suddenly something starts to fell... wrong... *DM rolls dice* ...You can feel the magical energies you activated meet, mix, and become turbulent within the fabric of your being. You take (Spell levels of all the potions *MULTIPLIED* together)d6 damage, with no save and everyone within 10 feet gets to make a reflex save at 10+(spell levels added together) for half damage."

:belkar:

[Tvtyrant]

Make it a maximum of one potion that has a slightly higher price (potable glass or some such), and invent a "wide mouth" feat that allows you to do it with two at a time. Potions are expensive and not particularly effective, so I say go for it and if it becomes a problem introduce enemies casting quickened Shatter.

[Gnome Alone]

The paladin's player stands up, puts a bottle of Diet Pepsi between his teeth, and runs 20-30 feet across the room (sizable student lounge). Bottle went from half-full to empty with barely a sputter.

Thus a new house rule was born. :smallbiggrin:

Wow, and that's even factoring in the -4 circumstance modifier for how gross Diet Pepsi is.

[Psyren]

Complete Arcane has rules for different kinds of healing items, such as tiles that must be broken to get the effect of the spell. It also mentions Spell Wafers. I'd suggest just using those.

The problem is that those items, though they are different flavorwise, follow all the same mechanics as potions - including the standard-action consumption and the AoO. Logically, popping a magic cookie in your mouth should take less concentration than uncorking a bottle and keeping it from spilling during a fight, but the rules don't account for that - which is what the OP's friend wants.

[Zaq]

Very few things that tip the action economy one way or another end up being good things.

I have heard a discussion about making drinking (maybe including drawing) a potion a move action, thereby making them a little bit more competitive for your precious action attention. Their cost and inherent limitations keep them a little bit more on the sane side . . . but you pretty much have to make full attacking a standard action as well, or else you shaft fightin'-men even more.

Overall, though, I don't think it's a good road to go down.

[Serpentine]

This is sounds similar to the Capsule Retainer and Alchemical Tooth (Complete Adventurer p. 120). The rules don't state if you can use potions with them, but it would be easy to handwave that in.That's what I was thinking. Don't see why it couldn't work for potions as well as poisons, and I think it'd be a pain enough to refill it each time that it could make up for the action economy thingy.
This situation came up when I played Eyes of the Lich Queen in college. Someone mentioned that you really should be able to chug a potion as part of a move. The DM liked the idea but wasn't sure it was feasible.Wait... That's not in RAW?! :smalleek:

[Ravens_cry]

No I wouldn't allow it. Potions in alternate forms, like, say, a gelatin capsule, or even a beer-hat or camelbak, maybe, but chewing on glass vials? That's pretty nuts in my opinion.

[Psyren]

The Tooth/Retainer sound perfect balance-wise, with the one problem that he'd have to have them installed ahead of time and refill them between fights. I don't think they're quite what the player has in mind though.


No I wouldn't allow it. Potions in alternate forms, like, say, a gelatin capsule, or even a beer-hat or camelbak, maybe, but chewing on glass vials? That's pretty nuts in my opinion.

In fairness, if any class can do it it would probably be the Barbarian. Does DR apply to the inside of your mouth?

[Rimeheart]

In fairness, if any class can do it it would probably be the Barbarian. Does DR apply to the inside of your mouth?
I believe their DR does apply. Since I thought their fluff reason for DR was simply being tough.

[Garwain]

I'm always a fan of cinematic scenes. A raging barbarian who chews potions for breakfast? That's seriously cool. Then again, we must conclude it should come with a price.

Keeping the potion in your mouth while raging seems too clumsy, I'd propose the following feat:

Potion Bite
Using a potion becomes a move action instead of a standard action. Instead of uncorking and downing the content, you can hold it by the cork and crush the bulb and content with your teeth. Provokes AoO. Add +2 to an intimidate check in the same round.

[Othniel Edden]

hmm, I must be playing my angry drunk beer caused swarrey barbarian auxiliary wrong then if chugging during rage is not allowed.

[Runestar]

Is that something you use to take your pet platypus with you everywhere you go?

Heehee...:smallredface:

But in case that wasn't meant in jest, this is what I meant.

http://cascadedesigns.com/platypus/hydration-systems/big-zip-sl/product

[Thiyr]

Honestly, I'd go with it, though probably as a swift action instead of a free. You're getting a benefit (faster potions) for a drawback (damage, investing in potions in the first place). It's somewhat flavorful, and (obviously the most important point), it wouldn't bother my sensibilities unless it became something that happened every fight or across a majority of games in the group.

Perhaps, if this still bothers you, implement a miss chance for too much of the potion spraying from the mouth after the first chomp? But still, I figure potions are cost-prohibitive enough that unless he's in the mood to have some damage with his insignificant healing, it won't be particularly nutty.

And if your group doesn't identify potions much, or doesn't quite think through the ramifications of what a potion does, "cursed" potions of, say, touch of idiocy, slow, or (if you're willing to bend the rules), polymorph (into a harmless woodland creature). Because unconventional spells in potions are just plain fun.

[Fitz10019]

I would say 1d6 damage for the glass in the mouth. Considering being stabbed by a sword is 1d8, that's a fair bit for damage from glass.
And then a PC with 10 ranks of Profession (Chocolatier) comes up with chocolate potion bottles that don't melt in your mouth, leading to mass action economy hysteria.

[Gnaeus]

There's a feat which lets you drink a potion and let you delay the effect by up to 1 hour (or let you then activate the effect as a free action). Complete arcane or mage? Perhaps he might want to use this instead?


You mean this one?



He should take the Delay Potion feat from complete mage instead.


Potions are expensive and not particularly effective, so I say go for it and if it becomes a problem introduce enemies casting quickened Shatter.

For muggles without UMD, or with UMD in a game without wand chambers and swift action wands, potions are the best way to buff yourself before combat. Need to be large for your chain tripper? Potion of enlarge. Need to charge a flying guy? Potion of fly. Need to tank for a few rounds? Potion of Shield or Displacement. Need to lay down hurt? Potion of Haste. Potions can be VERY effective.

They aren't even THAT expensive. Certainly, scrolls are better for those who can use them, and wands are better for those who can use them IF you are likely to use all the charges in the wand before that spell becomes obsolete. But if you aren't a scroll user, potions are already very viable for self buffing. Using them as a free action will have EVERY character chewing a potion in the first round of important combats, and that seems silly to me. Even a second level wizard would often be willing to take 1d6 damage for a quickened shield or invisibility that could protect him from a lot more damage than that.

[Acanous]

Except you can't make concentration checks while raging.


Exactly.
He best not take damage, then, eh?

[Tvtyrant]

For muggles without UMD, or with UMD in a game without wand chambers and swift action wands, potions are the best way to buff yourself before combat. Need to be large for your chain tripper? Potion of enlarge. Need to charge a flying guy? Potion of fly. Need to tank for a few rounds? Potion of Shield or Displacement. Need to lay down hurt? Potion of Haste. Potions can be VERY effective.

They aren't even THAT expensive. Certainly, scrolls are better for those who can use them, and wands are better for those who can use them IF you are likely to use all the charges in the wand before that spell becomes obsolete. But if you aren't a scroll user, potions are already very viable for self buffing. Using them as a free action will have EVERY character chewing a potion in the first round of important combats, and that seems silly to me. Even a second level wizard would often be willing to take 1d6 damage for a quickened shield or invisibility that could protect him from a lot more damage than that.
So the group with the most to gain from it (mundanes) are outweighed by the group that can already use cheaper magic items (magic users)? IMO this simply makes potions on par with wands rather then better; you get a free action spell once in combat, and then have to use a standard action to reset it.

[Tvtyrant]

For muggles without UMD, or with UMD in a game without wand chambers and swift action wands, potions are the best way to buff yourself before combat. Need to be large for your chain tripper? Potion of enlarge. Need to charge a flying guy? Potion of fly. Need to tank for a few rounds? Potion of Shield or Displacement. Need to lay down hurt? Potion of Haste. Potions can be VERY effective.

They aren't even THAT expensive. Certainly, scrolls are better for those who can use them, and wands are better for those who can use them IF you are likely to use all the charges in the wand before that spell becomes obsolete. But if you aren't a scroll user, potions are already very viable for self buffing. Using them as a free action will have EVERY character chewing a potion in the first round of important combats, and that seems silly to me. Even a second level wizard would often be willing to take 1d6 damage for a quickened shield or invisibility that could protect him from a lot more damage than that.
So the group with the most to gain from it (mundanes) are outweighed by the group that can already use cheaper magic items (magic users)? IMO this simply makes potions on par with wands rather then better; you get a free action spell once in combat, and then have to use a standard action to reset it.

[Gnaeus]

So the group with the most to gain from it (mundanes) are outweighed by the group that can already use cheaper magic items (magic users)? IMO this simply makes potions on par with wands rather then better; you get a free action spell once in combat, and then have to use a standard action to reset it.

Magic users gain more benefit from scrolls than potions when they are both a standard action. If chewing a potion is a free, it benefits EVERY character to walk into EVERY room with a glass vial in their mouth after about level 5. 3 points of damage and 50 gp per fight is less harmful than a Sanctuary or Protection From Evil is helpful. Blur or Invisibility or Haste or Displacement even more so. For something like a melee cleric, it is one less round of buffs before they can enter the fight. For something like a battlefield control wizard, it is an extra layer of defenses that the opponent has to penetrate to disrupt his spell. The wizard, for example, could then become invisible (eaten potion), cast a spell (swift action wand), cast another spell (standard action) and move all in one round. Easily worth 300 gp and 3.5 damage.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Honestly, I thought this was a thread about converting potions into chewable tablets instead of restricting them to liquid form. :smallconfused:

[Fitz10019]

Honestly, I thought this was a thread about converting potions into chewable tablets instead of restricting them to liquid form. :smallconfused:

You missed the part where the OP suggested that it be a free action to activate the chewable. That makes it an action economy discussion.

[Psyren]

Not just the action economy, but the AoO is an issue as well. It makes no sense that popping a wafer/cookie (or a vial) into your mouth should take as much concentration as trying to uncork a bottle while not spilling the contents. Yet that is exactly what the rules indicate.

[The Cat Goddess]

I have always ruled that it is basically the effects of the magic running through one's body that take up the Standard Action. Like that half-second of "Yuck!" you feel when you drink a bad-tasting medicine.

You're basically defenseless for a moment... not completely, obviously, since you still get your full AC. But it's enough for someone to try to get a cheap shot in.

[NecroRick]

Yeah, because the sacred action economy isn't regularly and thoroughly violated like the tart that it is.

Also, masterwork potion belt. Doesn't that ravish the decaying corpse of action economy? For a paltry handful of gold?

Anyway, I also thought along the lines of converting the potion into something chewable, like chewing toacco. And given the rules about using other stuff ( such as pottery shards ) for the potions, I don't see any reason not to.

Chewing on the potion container strikes me as ... less than wise. However in the real world gourds were used as a way of carrying water, so in theory you could hoolow out something similar ( a carrot perhaps ), but anything more edible than a gourd would be a less 'permanent' solution, and would deteriorate after days or perhaps a week.

Potions are already so expensive that most players don't use them, cutting them a break (and perhaps if potions are not limited to level 3 or less in your game, then impose some low level limit to prevent it from getting out of hand...)

I can go open up the MIC at random and find half a dozen magic items in that many pages, which I'd happily spend 1000gp on, but there are very few level 2 potions (300gp a pop) that I'd spend my own money on.

[LaughingRogue]

No, I simply wouldn't allow it ... i'm generally lenient but I don't like attempts to skirt around the rules ...

[sengmeng]

I'd have it cause a 1 hitpoint per round wounding effect. Seriously, if it's technically possible, a player can attempt it. Losing 1 hit point per round until healed might seem worth it, although I'd call it balanced. Obviously, a healing potion would be abuse, but it should be: if you chomp down on glass and immediately flood your mouth with healing liquid, it would counteract most of the damage.

Also, there's been precedent in a Forgotten Realms book, one in the Drizzt series. An ogre was chomping potions in ceramic vials, so it's merely a bit eccentric, not totally crazy.

[CTrees]

I'd just like to point out these (http://www.oryans.com/nik-l-nips-wax-bottles-candy.html). Make it oversize (big enough for a potion), and I could see a raging barbarian not caring about (or being terribly hurt by) swallowing the excess wax.

[Cerlis]

its certianly different if you think about whats suppose to be happening verses what it just says. In the case of a waffer, if its a highly potent alchemical magical device that releases its magic as it melts in your mouth then you'd need a sturdy, alchemically treated wrapping for it, and of course taking it out of that wrapping would be the same as grabbing and uncorking and chugging a potion.

As you see with the tablets, shes letting the magic released by breaking the tile bake over her. If another character knocked away the pieces while she was absorbing it she would gain nothing

The point of keeping the rule is whether or not potions are great or not, what you are basically doing is giving someone the ability to cast a spell without knowing it(in regards to potion use), so, hell if you are in a high magic game and got spell casters breaking your game, sure do it. but in a normal balanced game it would be like giving all casters the ability to cast all their low level spells as free actions through blood magic. (very weak blood magic, damage wise).

So its a question of if you want to do that. I really think a potion of vigor (or whatever that heal over time spell is) would be best. Or just have the cleric actually cast a healing spell in combat (god forbid) if things get crazy.

The whole point of the potion is to be the thing that gets between him and death. That is a powerful action there, so that is at least a feat.

Also i guess i'm the only one who always imagined Potions in glass containers to big to put in your mouth . but thats just me.

[Psyren]

I have always ruled that it is basically the effects of the magic running through one's body that take up the Standard Action. Like that half-second of "Yuck!" you feel when you drink a bad-tasting medicine.

You're basically defenseless for a moment... not completely, obviously, since you still get your full AC. But it's enough for someone to try to get a cheap shot in.

I like this explanation, it makes sense. And for the tablets, it could be a tingle that dulls your senses momentarily or something.

[TwylyghT]

This has all made me consider a 5 level "Master Imbiber" Prc.

d6 hd
medium BAB
fortitude good
1/3/5 casting
4 skill points

1. Avoid AoOs for drinking potions. A x/class level discount to brew potion if you have it
2. May treat an imbibed potion as extended.
3. May treat an imbibed potion as empowered.
4. May treat an imbibed potion as maximized.
5. May imbibe a potion as a swift action.

And I had forgotten nik l nips!!! I'm running to the candyshop to buy back my childhood!

[Tvtyrant]

Magic users gain more benefit from scrolls than potions when they are both a standard action. If chewing a potion is a free, it benefits EVERY character to walk into EVERY room with a glass vial in their mouth after about level 5. 3 points of damage and 50 gp per fight is less harmful than a Sanctuary or Protection From Evil is helpful. Blur or Invisibility or Haste or Displacement even more so. For something like a melee cleric, it is one less round of buffs before they can enter the fight. For something like a battlefield control wizard, it is an extra layer of defenses that the opponent has to penetrate to disrupt his spell. The wizard, for example, could then become invisible (eaten potion), cast a spell (swift action wand), cast another spell (standard action) and move all in one round. Easily worth 300 gp and 3.5 damage.

And it equally benefits the none casters, so for balance purposes between members of the party its a net change of 0. The casters will still get all of the same buffs they would otherwise, and the melee still won't be able to swift action buff themselves. So instead of melee +0 buffs to self, caster +2 the amount is melee +1, casters +3.

Making the drinking of the potion a swift action makes that melee +1, caster +2. This is actually a beneficial rule for interparty balance issues when it comes to buffing.

[flumphy]

Also i guess i'm the only one who always imagined Potions in glass containers to big to put in your mouth . but thats just me.

According to the SRD:

A typical potion or oil consists of 1 ounce of liquid held in a ceramic or glass vial fitted with a tight stopper. The stoppered container is usually no more than 1 inch wide and 2 inches high. The vial has AC 13, 1 hit point, hardness 1, and a break DC of 12. Vials hold 1 ounce of liquid.


You could fluff it any way you wanted with little impact on the game, but if you go by RAW, a single dose is pretty small.

[Haldir]

I'm sure a blacksmith could make you a helmet with a watertight chamber for holding a potion and a tube for running to your mouth. I'd probably make the tube so that biting the end allowed an opening through which I could slurp up my potion-y goodness as a free action whenever you're not speaking.

Action economy can suck my potion helmet!

[Flickerdart]

There's a PrC in some Eberron book that can brew Spellvials - potions that can be thrown. These potions to nothing when drunk, but must be broken - so the Barbarian could activate these as an attack action, by throwing it at himself - essentially smashing his face into it. It still costs him an action and still draws an AoO, but he can do it as part of a full attack if he has Quick Draw or uses a one-handed weapon.

[Callista]

You could always let it fly and revive the old "Potion Miscibility" system.

"Well lets see, you activate the 14 potions as a free action and suddenly something starts to fell... wrong... *DM rolls dice* ...You can feel the magical energies you activated meet, mix, and become turbulent within the fabric of your being. You take (Spell levels of all the potions *MULTIPLIED* together)d6 damage, with no save and everyone within 10 feet gets to make a reflex save at 10+(spell levels added together) for half damage."

:belkar:Good point, though. Activating multiple potions at once has got to mess with the magical energy. It would be like trying to make an appliance work better by running more electricity through it--most likely, you'd just blow a fuse, and you could start a fire.

Re. Digging out the potion: Putting them in a belt pouch or in a Handy Haversack is a good solution. The belt pouch has the drawback that the potion's easy to damage; but it's also cheaper. Either way, move action to retrieve it, standard action to drink it. Most of my characters keep a healing potion in a belt pouch at low level--you never know when you're going to have to chug it or pour it down the cleric's throat.

[TwylyghT]

Yeah thats how it was up to 2nd edition. If you mixed potions you could blow up, save vs poison or die, save or vomit for quite awhile, just fizzle the potions, ect.

Guess they thought it was too harsh for the young crowd when they were making 3rd lol.

They did do a 3rd edition update for it for april fools day a while back
Potion Miscibility (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20060401b)

[Psyren]

Yeah thats how it was up to 2nd edition. If you mixed potions you could blow up, save vs poison or die, save or vomit for quite awhile, just fizzle the potions, ect.

Guess they thought it was too harsh for the young crowd when they were making 3rd lol.

They did do a 3rd edition update for it for april fools day a while back
Potion Miscibility (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20060401b)

I find it ironic that their April Fools' articles are often better-written than their books :smalltongue:

[faceroll]

It's one of those things like shooting yourself in the eye with a crossbow to prove how tough you are. Technically something the rules should allow but also ridiculous from the perspective of any attempted realism. If for no other reason than the significant risk of swallowing shards of glass (which would probably kill you).

That said, as a DM, I would definitely not allow a player to bend the rules (in this case the amount of time it takes to drink a potion) with something like this from a balance standpoint if nothing else.

Potions aren't really balanced. They're rather expensive gp-wise, and in combat a bummer use due to their action cost. I think using a potion should cost a swift action and not provoke AoOs. This way, fighters and rogues, etc., could get a lot of mileage out of their swift actions and have access to desperately needed protections vs. monsters that their class doesn't provide and are otherwise exorbitant to acquire through permanent magical effects.


No I wouldn't allow it. Potions in alternate forms, like, say, a gelatin capsule, or even a beer-hat or camelbak, maybe, but chewing on glass vials? That's pretty nuts in my opinion.

It's badass, too.
I was in a game once where we fought a boss. It was a barbarian Athach. He chewed his potions. That was awesome. I thought it was totally appropriate.