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Jarquafelmu
2012-06-26, 02:28 AM
Hi guys,

I have been trying to figure out how useful the poison from say a level 7 monitor lizard is. I've been looking around, google, d20pfsrd, the pathfinder core rule book. But I haven't really been able to figure out why should even be bothered with. That's the crux of my question. It stems from the fact that it is so hard already to find enough documented information on it that it almost feel like an afterthought.

Injury poisons are cool. They have a frequency of 1/round according to the pathfinder rule book. However an animal companion gains poison with its attack that has a frequency of 1/hour. frequency 1 hour (6), effect 1 Dex damage, cure 1 save, Con-based DC Monitor Lizard Info (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/druid/animal-companions#TOC-Monitor-Lizard)

So the question is, why have a frequency of once per hour? A monster isn't going to last that long and its not like your going to let him flee. Also, If a monster fails his saving throw so he contracts the poison, and gets bitten again, does 1) the poison effects stack?, so if he lost 1 dex from the first poison and fails from the second bite does he lose another dex? And 2) do the save DC's increase by 2 like they do with other poisons?

I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I am thoroughly confused and I've been frequenting this board for a long time so I know you guys have good answers. Thanks.
Vizzerdrix
2012-06-26, 04:03 AM
I'm not sure how it is with Pathfinder, but in 3.5, with a bit of investment you can make poison viable for animal companions. I'd built a watch spider that was tossing out dex damage in a 30 foot cone. (I wonder what I did with that build :smallconfused:)
LordBlades
2012-06-26, 04:24 AM
In 3.5 at least, the best use for ACs with posion is Venomfire (Serpent Kingdoms). It makes a creature's poison do 1d6 damage/CL.
Diovid
2012-06-26, 04:27 AM
This might help (although it is 3.5): http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2714.0
TuggyNE
2012-06-26, 05:05 PM
In 3.5 at least, the best use for ACs with posion is Venomfire (Serpent Kingdoms). It makes a creature's poison do 1d6 damage/CL.

In fact, it's so good it's often considered pretty broken. Keep that in mind.
Jarquafelmu
2012-06-27, 12:07 AM
Very helpful responses so thanks. But my question still stands, why have a poison with a frequency of 1/hour? It would never come up. It just doesn't make sense.
eggs
2012-06-27, 12:34 AM
A lizard bit a Paizo writer as a child. The crappy stats are the writer's revenge.
Jarquafelmu
2012-06-27, 04:50 AM
A lizard bit a Paizo writer as a child. The crappy stats are the writer's revenge.

haha that's pretty good
HunterOfJello
2012-06-27, 10:26 AM
I assume the frequency part means that you take that penalty every 1 hour that you're poisoned and fail your save(s)?

If that's the case, then it's designed that way in order to harm PCs who avoid treating the poison or removing it from themselves. A penalty of -6 to dexterity is pretty damn harsh.
stack
2012-06-27, 10:41 AM
Additional applications up the save (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/afflictions/poison). The frequency is still garbage, though.

"Each additional dose extends the total duration of the poison (as noted under frequency) by half its total duration. In addition, each dose of poison increases the DC to resist the poison by +2. This increase is cumulative. Multiple doses do not alter the cure conditions of the poison, and meeting these conditions ends the affliction for all the doses."
Jarquafelmu
2012-06-28, 01:01 AM
I assume the frequency part means that you take that penalty every 1 hour that you're poisoned and fail your save(s)?

If that's the case, then it's designed that way in order to harm PCs who avoid treating the poison or removing it from themselves. A penalty of -6 to dexterity is pretty damn harsh.

Yes, it would be harsh if it were to attack players. But the thing is that normal monsters have injury poisons which affect once every round. And this is an animal companion which means it would pretty much only be fighting monsters not players. So it affecting players is moot.


Additional applications up the save (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/afflictions/poison). The frequency is still garbage, though.

"Each additional dose extends the total duration of the poison (as noted under frequency) by half its total duration. In addition, each dose of poison increases the DC to resist the poison by +2. This increase is cumulative. Multiple doses do not alter the cure conditions of the poison, and meeting these conditions ends the affliction for all the doses."

Yeah so it looks like the only saving grace is that the DC goes up every time and it would last for say 9 hours instead of 6.