Stacking of Poison Ability Damage (3.5)

[lux_aeterna]

If a character is poisoned more than once by the same poison, does it stack with itself?
Example: A character is hit by two spiders (or the same spider twice) with 1d6 con/1d6 con poison. Assume that his saving throw is failed each time.

How does this play out and where can I find a book reference?

Thank you

[Dhavaer]

If a character is poisoned more than once by the same poison, does it stack with itself?
Example: A character is hit by two spiders (or the same spider twice) with 1d6 con/1d6 con poison. Assume that his saving throw is failed each time.

How does this play out and where can I find a book reference?

Thank you

1d6 Con damage for each failed save. Spider bites stack just like longsword blows do.

[lux_aeterna]

This is what I thought.. but please provide a reference for it.

[Severedevil]

Poisons do ability damage, which stacks regardless of source. Much like how damage stacks regardless of source.

[Dhavaer]

How does poisoning (or any other ability draining
effect) work, exactly? Can a character get ability damage
through poison several times from one monster in the same
encounter? Can there be more than one secondary saving
throw for poison?

First, poison causes ability damage, not ability drain. You
can heal ability damage on your own (unless you lose the fight
and become a monster snack), but you need magical
intervention to recover ability score points lost to ability drain.
In either case, there’s no limit to the number of times a
monster can beat down your ability scores with successful
ability damage or ability drain attacks. Resolve each attack and
apply their consequences separately. A monster could have an
ability drain or ability damage attack that could not affect the
same foe multiple times, but that would be a special case noted
in the monster’s description. None of the creatures in the MM
have such a limitation.
In the case of poisons that deal ability damage, you must
make a saving throw against the poison’s initial and secondary
effects each time a poisonous attack hits you. For example, if a
Huge monstrous scorpion stings you five times, you’ll have to
make five initial saves and five more secondary saves, each one
minute after the initial save for that attack. A character could
survive a long fight with a poisonous creature only to succumb
to its venom later. Smart players break out the neutralize
poison spells, healer’s kits, antitoxin, or all three after
encountering venomous foes.
In the case of poisons that have nondamaging effects, such
as paralysis or unconsciousness, the effects don’t stack, but
each one runs for its full duration.

The FAQ is here if you want to look.

[Tsotha-lanti]

It's damage, not a penalty. There's no stacking involved - you just deduct damage from the ability each time. So yes, if a spider bites you ten times, you make twenty saves and take the ability damage on each failure.

[lux_aeterna]

Thank you very much.