Calen
2022-07-06, 03:44 PM
Premise
My goal for this was to create a simple crafting system that is A. more robust than the standard 5e crafting and B. simple enough for anyone to drop into a game. I used numbers with DnD 5e in mind however I think that it could be fairly easy to adapt it to other systems. Please let me know if it is too complex, too simple or too crazy. :smallsmile:
Ingredients
Retrieved from bodies, or plants, or alchemy labs etc. Would require a skill check and/or the proper tools to retrieve. Instead of requiring the GM or player to track components and their attributes by a name each component is assigned to a type as determined by the DM or the dice. The types of components that can be retrieved are:
Toxin
Venom
Catalyst
Magic
Reagent
Draught
Infusion
[As an aside I am not a fan of the names Draught and Infusion but I could not think of another word for something that is natural, and benign or beneficial. I think it is also important for the players note taking that each of the component types starts with a different letter.]
Each item retrieved would have a Potency score. The range could vary by gaming system. 5e would work ideally with 4-5 potency levels. [5 being a Potency that is pretty powerful, Legendary item or from a very dangerous source.]
Brewing
As a short rest or brewing action [Adjust time required to fit game theme. Something that should be allowed with high frequency.] the player selects two ingredients. May require a skill check to succeed. When items with different Potencies are mixed the result has a potency equal to the lesser of the two items. Skill checks could also be made to maintain Potency or lose less Potency.
Sample DC Chart
Increase DC by 3 for each level of potency beyond 1.
1-5 - One of the items is destroyed.
6-10 - The recipe fails.
11-15 - The recipe succeeds with the lower of the two potencies.
16-∞ - The recipe succeeds with the higher of the two potencies.
Recipes
[For Imbue and Magic components in general I wanted to the Magic items to be a slightly rarer type than the other ingredients as they produce more valuable items.]
Distill - Two items of the same type are converted into one with a Potency value 1 higher.
Imbue - When combining a Catalyst and a Reagent roll a d6, 1: The mix fails and items are destroyed. 2-3 create Venom, 4-5 create Draught, 6 create Magic.
Catalyze - Any other item plus a Catalyst converts the item into an item that is directly below the first ingredient on the lists. (Toxin plus a Catalyst would become a Venom.)
Reaction - Any other item plus a Reagent converts the item into an item that is directly above the first ingredient on the lists.(Toxin plus a Reagent would become an Infusion.)
Brew - Combining ingredients of the following types produces an item of the listed type, detailed below.
Toxin + Venom = Inhaled poison
Toxin + Draught = Ingested poison
Toxin + Infusion = Acid
Toxin + Magic = Alchemist Fire
Venom + Draught = Injury poison
Venom + Infusion = Antitoxin
Venom + Magic = Contact Poison
Draught + Infusion = Regeneration Potion
Draught + Magic = Healing Potion
Infusion + Magic = Mana Potion
Items
Levels of Potency: 1=Regular, 2=Greater, 3=Superior, 4=Supreme
For each level of Potency use that number as indicated in the description.
(Pd6 for a regular potion equals 1d6 dice)
[Several if these items are as found in the regular gear of the PHB with the strength of a Regular item. Holy Water was not included as an option on purpose. The poisons are different from the DMG poisons in case there is also a poisoner aficionado among the players that is trying to retrieve specific poisons.]
Acid Vial: As an action you can splash the contents of the vial on a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case make a ranged attack against the creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes (2*P)d6 acid damage.
Alchemist Fire: This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an Action, you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an Improvised Weapon. On a hit, the target takes Pd4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its Action to make a DC 8+(2*P) Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
Antitoxin: A creature that drinks this vial of liquid gains advantage on saving throws against poison for 1 hour. It confers no benefit to undead or constructs. A poison that requires no saving throw or has a saving throw less than Px4 automatically succeeds on the save and is removed.
Contact Poison: A creature that comes into contact with this poison must succeed on a DC 8+(P*2) Wisdom saving throw or be poisoned for Pd6 minutes. While poisoned, this creature hallucinates vividly and will treat any creature that is not hostile towards it as Charming it. The effect ends if the poisoned creature takes damage.
Healing Potion: A creature who drinks this potion restores (2*P)d4+(2*P) hitpoints. Undead and constructs receive no benefit from drinking this potion.
Inhaled Poison: A creature that inhales this poison must succeed on a DC 8+(P*2) Constitution saving throw or become overcome with terrible coughing dealing Pd6 poison damage. Until the end of their next turn they are Stunned.
Ingested Poison: A creature that consumes this poison is unaffected for 1d8-P hours (minimum one hour). At the end of that time the creature must succeed on a DC 8+(P*2) Constitution saving throw or be poisoned, taking Pd12 damage, or half as much on a success. The creature makes a new saving throw at the end of every hour, taking Pd12 damage on a failure or half as much on a success. If the creature is not cured of poison the effect lasts for 12 hours after the poison was ingested.
Injury Poison: You can use the poison in this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of Ammunition. Applying the poison takes an Action. A creature hit by the Poisoned weapon or Ammunition must make a DC 8+(P*2) Constitution saving throw or take Pd4 poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.
Mana Potion: A creature who drinks this potion restores one spell slot equal to the maximum level of spell that they could cast at P level. A creature must complete a long rest before they can benefit from drinking one of these potions again.
Regeneration Potion: A creature who drinks this potion regains P*2 hitpoints at the start of their turn for the next minute as long as they are not incapacitated. Undead and constructs receive no benefit from drinking this potion.
My goal for this was to create a simple crafting system that is A. more robust than the standard 5e crafting and B. simple enough for anyone to drop into a game. I used numbers with DnD 5e in mind however I think that it could be fairly easy to adapt it to other systems. Please let me know if it is too complex, too simple or too crazy. :smallsmile:
Ingredients
Retrieved from bodies, or plants, or alchemy labs etc. Would require a skill check and/or the proper tools to retrieve. Instead of requiring the GM or player to track components and their attributes by a name each component is assigned to a type as determined by the DM or the dice. The types of components that can be retrieved are:
Toxin
Venom
Catalyst
Magic
Reagent
Draught
Infusion
[As an aside I am not a fan of the names Draught and Infusion but I could not think of another word for something that is natural, and benign or beneficial. I think it is also important for the players note taking that each of the component types starts with a different letter.]
Each item retrieved would have a Potency score. The range could vary by gaming system. 5e would work ideally with 4-5 potency levels. [5 being a Potency that is pretty powerful, Legendary item or from a very dangerous source.]
Brewing
As a short rest or brewing action [Adjust time required to fit game theme. Something that should be allowed with high frequency.] the player selects two ingredients. May require a skill check to succeed. When items with different Potencies are mixed the result has a potency equal to the lesser of the two items. Skill checks could also be made to maintain Potency or lose less Potency.
Sample DC Chart
Increase DC by 3 for each level of potency beyond 1.
1-5 - One of the items is destroyed.
6-10 - The recipe fails.
11-15 - The recipe succeeds with the lower of the two potencies.
16-∞ - The recipe succeeds with the higher of the two potencies.
Recipes
[For Imbue and Magic components in general I wanted to the Magic items to be a slightly rarer type than the other ingredients as they produce more valuable items.]
Distill - Two items of the same type are converted into one with a Potency value 1 higher.
Imbue - When combining a Catalyst and a Reagent roll a d6, 1: The mix fails and items are destroyed. 2-3 create Venom, 4-5 create Draught, 6 create Magic.
Catalyze - Any other item plus a Catalyst converts the item into an item that is directly below the first ingredient on the lists. (Toxin plus a Catalyst would become a Venom.)
Reaction - Any other item plus a Reagent converts the item into an item that is directly above the first ingredient on the lists.(Toxin plus a Reagent would become an Infusion.)
Brew - Combining ingredients of the following types produces an item of the listed type, detailed below.
Toxin + Venom = Inhaled poison
Toxin + Draught = Ingested poison
Toxin + Infusion = Acid
Toxin + Magic = Alchemist Fire
Venom + Draught = Injury poison
Venom + Infusion = Antitoxin
Venom + Magic = Contact Poison
Draught + Infusion = Regeneration Potion
Draught + Magic = Healing Potion
Infusion + Magic = Mana Potion
Items
Levels of Potency: 1=Regular, 2=Greater, 3=Superior, 4=Supreme
For each level of Potency use that number as indicated in the description.
(Pd6 for a regular potion equals 1d6 dice)
[Several if these items are as found in the regular gear of the PHB with the strength of a Regular item. Holy Water was not included as an option on purpose. The poisons are different from the DMG poisons in case there is also a poisoner aficionado among the players that is trying to retrieve specific poisons.]
Acid Vial: As an action you can splash the contents of the vial on a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case make a ranged attack against the creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes (2*P)d6 acid damage.
Alchemist Fire: This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an Action, you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an Improvised Weapon. On a hit, the target takes Pd4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its Action to make a DC 8+(2*P) Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
Antitoxin: A creature that drinks this vial of liquid gains advantage on saving throws against poison for 1 hour. It confers no benefit to undead or constructs. A poison that requires no saving throw or has a saving throw less than Px4 automatically succeeds on the save and is removed.
Contact Poison: A creature that comes into contact with this poison must succeed on a DC 8+(P*2) Wisdom saving throw or be poisoned for Pd6 minutes. While poisoned, this creature hallucinates vividly and will treat any creature that is not hostile towards it as Charming it. The effect ends if the poisoned creature takes damage.
Healing Potion: A creature who drinks this potion restores (2*P)d4+(2*P) hitpoints. Undead and constructs receive no benefit from drinking this potion.
Inhaled Poison: A creature that inhales this poison must succeed on a DC 8+(P*2) Constitution saving throw or become overcome with terrible coughing dealing Pd6 poison damage. Until the end of their next turn they are Stunned.
Ingested Poison: A creature that consumes this poison is unaffected for 1d8-P hours (minimum one hour). At the end of that time the creature must succeed on a DC 8+(P*2) Constitution saving throw or be poisoned, taking Pd12 damage, or half as much on a success. The creature makes a new saving throw at the end of every hour, taking Pd12 damage on a failure or half as much on a success. If the creature is not cured of poison the effect lasts for 12 hours after the poison was ingested.
Injury Poison: You can use the poison in this vial to coat one slashing or piercing weapon or up to three pieces of Ammunition. Applying the poison takes an Action. A creature hit by the Poisoned weapon or Ammunition must make a DC 8+(P*2) Constitution saving throw or take Pd4 poison damage. Once applied, the poison retains potency for 1 minute before drying.
Mana Potion: A creature who drinks this potion restores one spell slot equal to the maximum level of spell that they could cast at P level. A creature must complete a long rest before they can benefit from drinking one of these potions again.
Regeneration Potion: A creature who drinks this potion regains P*2 hitpoints at the start of their turn for the next minute as long as they are not incapacitated. Undead and constructs receive no benefit from drinking this potion.