Ideas for Herbalism recipe

[MustaKrakish]

One of my players has a herbalism kit, and I thought that it could be cool if he could make more things other than healing potions. So I am looking for ideas for potions with minor effects that could be cool to give him as recipes that he finds on his journeys.

Each such potion will have components that players will have to look for and time and gold requirement to prepare. But, they are not magical.

So far I came with this:
- Sharpmind Potion: Smelling the acrid fumes that comes out of this vial will give a character another saving throw check against mind control and charm.

- Elixir of Vitality: Embibing this sweet liquid before a short rest will restore one hit die to a character.

- Redcap Soup: Eating this hot mushroom broth will grant a character an advantage on the first saving throw they will make against poison.

Would love to hear more ideas! :smallsmile:

[JellyPooga]

Depending on how far into alchemy you want to allow your herbalism, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to include almost any cantrip with a personal or benign effect as options, without too much trouble. For example;

Snuff of Clarity: Adds 1d4 to the result of next Ability Check the use makes within the next minute. (Guidance)

Glowshrooms: By grinding these two different species of fungus together and coating an object, you cause that object to glow brightly. For 1 hour, that object sheds bright light in a 20ft radius and dim light for a further 20ft. This effect lasts one hour. (Light)

As character level rises, I see no reason why you couldn't include more powerful magical effects, with consummate cost in rarity or gold, of course. The spell lists and magic item tables have plenty of inspiration.

[Slipperychicken]

He could make some really good teas with it, which is basically a reward in itself

[Lupine]

At my table, we created a massive amount of alchemical ingredients, each one having four effects (thats right, Skyrim style). Mixing ingredients with matching effects creates a potion with that effect. Each ingredient has a different DC to work with it, on a fail, the sample is lost. After the potion has been made, the alchemist can distill it. The DC to do so is equal to the average DC of the ingredients, with a failure ruining the potion. Successful Distillation allows the alchemist to remove an effect. (you can distill ingredients too).

Players can find ingredients, and have to first identify them, and then find the effects.

So, the checks:
Identify ingredient with intelligence check. Proficiency with herbalist kit grants proficiency to the check
Harvest with a dexterity check. Proficiency with herbalist's kit allows proficiency bonus to the check.
Make with a Potion with a wisdom check. Proficiency with Alchemist's tools give appropriate bonus to check
Distillation with an intelligence check. Proficiency with poisoner's tools, likewise to the others.

Now. This system is not ideal in all ways. Creating the potion effects that are fun and varied enough is difficult. Once you get the ingredients ready, it lets players gather every ingredient, and feel like a wise gatherer of ingredients. My players love it. But is is hard to run.

[opaopajr]

:smallcool: Awesome topic!

First, let's look at some old approaches to Poisons to diversify elements! Poisons would worry about broad categories, like: Dosage, Application Method, Onset Time, Fictional Effect (symptoms), Mechanical Effect, Fictional Cost (ingredients), Mechanical Cost (money, downtime, etc.).

There, that alone will give you a categorical structure to broaden your design while keeping clean and readable records. :smallsmile:

As a start, I know medicine comes in a variety of Application Methods. Yours are great, yet are all Ingestibles (albeit different ingestibles, so great work there!). How about poultices, lotions, baths, inhalents, injections, (suppositories! :smalltongue:), etc.?

My best design advice is do not be afraid to step on magical spells' toes AND be sure to keep many daily functions cheap. Just tamp down their function in part, and or make them multifunctional recipes. If magic is tighter worded in explicit function, herbal remedies do not have to be as such as this is your creativity. And go draw liberally from real life medicine for ideas!

[stoutstien]

I allow Prof in herbalism kit to collect raw ingredients used in other crafting. Some of those can be used/consumed on there own but almost always better in combination with an other.
-can harvest plants that is used to stabilize venoms collected. Increase shelf life.
- can restock medical kits with charges as long as you are the one who is using it.
- can find herbs to enhance healing potions. Adds dice to the total.
- can make teas to help prevent the negative effects of harsh weather or environmental conditions.
- some blacksmith formulas call for rare plants to add to the forge.

[Lupine]

I allow Prof in herbalism kit to collect raw ingredients used in other crafting. Some of those can be used/consumed on there own but almost always better in combination with an other.

The problem is, you end up with a lot of ingredients that the players can't use. Its a good idea for you give players a way to use their finds, outside of just using recipes.

[stoutstien]

The problem is, you end up with a lot of ingredients that the players can't use. Its a good idea for you give players a way to use their finds, outside of just using recipes.

They can always sell unneeded materials. Id say about 80% of the stuff harvested is usable alone just works better combined with something else. One herb consumed gives an 1d8 healing where if it distilled Into a potion it becomes a potion of healing.

I have the "crafting" druid who spends his down time collecting herbs and natural materials and using his alchemist kit to make potions and elixirs. He has quite an Enterprise going now with employees and a store front.

[Lupine]

They can always sell unneeded materials. Id say about 80% of the stuff harvested is usable alone just works better combined with something else. One herb consumed gives an 1d8 healing where if it distilled Into a potion it becomes a potion of healing.

I guess that works... Personally, I prefer my method because characters can discover rare ingredients, or use ingredients without having to know specific ingredients. I will admit, however, the massive flaw of my system, which is MAN it takes a lot of work to flesh out sufficiently.

[stoutstien]

I guess that works... Personally, I prefer my method because characters can discover rare ingredients, or use ingredients without having to know specific ingredients. I will admit, however, the massive flaw of my system, which is MAN it takes a lot of work to flesh out sufficiently.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://amp.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/3w1log/5e_herbalism_alchemy_v12_updates_fanmade/&ved=2ahUKEwjVprqts-3lAhVtU98KHXTiCegQFjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw0tKvLokAkvnQBAbzncWlE3

This one is pretty well put together but also complex for 5e.

[cullynthedwarf]

I like the idea of like morrowind, oblivion and skyrim you have various herbs that have good and negative effects. Eating it alone gives you all of the affects but distilled it heightens like affects which does mean the bad ones as well but equipment in game can reduce the penalties while enhancing the good.

As far as the game went you had 4 pieces of equipment and 5 levels of it.

The mortar and pestle, the alembic, a calcinator and a retort. I would also add a harvesting tool of some kind like a sickle or a miniature spade

Novice equipment could only be used for 1st level potions

Apprentice gear can be used up to third level potions

Journeyman 5th level potions

Master to 7th level potions

Grand master to make 9th level

Naturally each set is more and more rarified materials cause a come wooden mortar and steel sickle might be good for collecting red berries for the health potion only a mithral pestle and an adamantine mortar and a sickle of the finest moon silver can be used to cut the mandrake harvested at midnight on all souls eve that can make the potion to restore the dead. (true rez-the potion)

Also don't forget that a potion is just a one shot magic item, so having thin ceramic tiles with runic marks in an area with out much water. Or small hemp bracelets that release third energy when the tile or rope is broken is another fun way to go and can introduce a whole different system or culture to your game.

Oh and @opaopajr. Good News, Its a Suppository!

[Maelynn]

One of my players is an Alchemist (homebrew by DawnForgedCast) and I gave him a refluffed version of Augury to use. The material component is a dried Specklecap mushroom, which can be smoked and its fumes inhaled to create the effects of the spell. He loved it and immediately tested it out by going to a bar to play some Three Dragon Ante and knowing it'd go well. He won 100 gp.

Here's what I made of it:

Trippin' Balls

Augury
2nd-level divination (ritual)

Casting Time: 5 minutes
Range: Self
Components: S, M (half a dried Specklecap and a pinch of
high-quality tobacco)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

By smoking a pipe stuffed with a mixture of dried
Specklecap and tobacco, you slip into a trance for 1 minute.
During this trance, you will be able to discern a vision that
shows you an omen about the results of a specific course of
action that you plan to take within the next 30 minutes. The
DM chooses from the following possible omens:


Weal, for good results
Woe, for bad results
Weal and woe, for both good and bad results
Nothing, for results that aren't especially good or bad



The vision doesn't take into account any possible
circumstances that might change the outcome, such as the
casting of spells or the loss or gain of a companion.
If you smoke the substance again before completing your
next long rest, you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw or become stunned for 1d4 hours. Also, there is a 25
percent chance that you get a random reading. The DM
makes this roll in secret.


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://amp.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/3w1log/5e_herbalism_alchemy_v12_updates_fanmade/&ved=2ahUKEwjVprqts-3lAhVtU98KHXTiCegQFjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw0tKvLokAkvnQBAbzncWlE3

This one is pretty well put together but also complex for 5e.

Thanks for the tip, this looks very promising.