Potion Duration

[Reynard Loxley]

I'm looking at various potions (such as Mage Armour Potion) and have questions on their duration.

I've had a look through the PHB but couldn't find an answer. If I take the above as an example, it states that the duration is 1 hour/level. I take this to read 1 hour per character level (for a potion), however others in my group believe that it should only last one hour as Mage Armour is a 1st level spell.

I'd be interested in the communities opinion or if anyone has a link/book pages that explain this I'd be really appreciative.

[Seerow]

I'm looking at various potions (such as Mage Armour Potion) and have questions on their duration.

I've had a look through the PHB but couldn't find an answer. If I take the above as an example, it states that the duration is 1 hour/level. I take this to read 1 hour per character level (for a potion), however others in my group believe that it should only last one hour as Mage Armour is a 1st level spell.

I'd be interested in the communities opinion or if anyone has a link/book pages that explain this I'd be really appreciative.

It's only 1 hour.

The potion duration isn't set by the character level of the character taking the potion, it's set by the caster level the potion is created at. Making a potion with a higher caster level is possible, but it makes it much more expensive. (For example getting a 10hour mage armor potion would cost 500gp instead of 50gp).

[Reynard Loxley]

It's only 1 hour.

The potion duration isn't set by the character level of the character taking the potion, it's set by the caster level the potion is created at. Making a potion with a higher caster level is possible, but it makes it much more expensive. (For example getting a 10hour mage armor potion would cost 500gp instead of 50gp).

Thank you for answering! That's cleared things up for me.

[KillianHawkeye]

Some extra info: all of the standard magic items that simply reproduce a spell (scrolls, potions, wands, etc.) by default come with a caster level equal to the minimum required to be able to cast that spell. So a potion of Cure Light Wounds heals a d8+1 and a Cure Moderate Wounds heals 2d8+3. Mage Armor lasts 1 hour, but Greater Mage Armor (a 3rd-level spell) lasts 5 hours.

As seerow says, these can all be made at a higher caster level for an increased cost (as defined by the formulas for determining magic item cost; a magic potion's cost is Spell Level x Caster Level x 50 gp).

[Aletheides]

Also, don't forget that they're usually treated as having the minimum attribute score required to cast the spell in question, making save DCs generally poor. Another reason why staves, and other 'use-your-own-stat' abilities are a big deal. :smallsmile: