bshugg
Underboss
1833 Posts
    
 | | 09/26/2005 10:45 AM |
| | recovered topic 9179 | |
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bshugg
Underboss
1833 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 10:45 AM |
| Right now my group is swelling (8 maybe 9 players) and Im under a general time crunch. I used to give each one a color and taste/smell that the players could identify but lately they have been just potions.
Theres a really cool chart in one of the recent Dungeon Magazines that can be used for rolling these at random. Its got just about every trait you could think of. You could then write them down and reuse them in the future. Im not sure what issue it was but it was one of the last 3. | |
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Master Peon
spikegif
Warlord
5699 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 11:28 AM |
| So far we have done the following
If they are in the same general area (same module, session, DM turn, adventrue) they are all the same, once id they you know what the rest are.
Potions out side of that need to be ided again, not very hard with a good spellcraft check.
side note, potions are 1 oz viles. if you keep tasteing them, you will eventuall run out of it. I have to do alot of tasteing and sampling in my job and to get a good taste you need almost 1/2 oz.
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Malin Lug
Sergeant
742 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 11:35 AM |
| In our current campaign we have done that potions manufactured from the same place... potions of cure mod from the same temple all look, smell and taste the same. Considering one temple holds a near monopoly on them, it is a safe bet the a smell will tell you what you need to know. There is also a potion master who makes alot of the potions for people and can identify potions for a nominal fee. Our wizard could, but in our game it takes time in the lab and time is much more valuable than a few coins.
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Grim
Sergeant
482 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 11:41 AM |
| | In my game, the vials bear the marks of the maker and are usually a clue to the potions function and I keep colors consistant. If my players find a potion marked with the White dove of Gallendell (the goddess of healing in my campaign) that isn't blue-white they get skeptical that that's what it really is. | |
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nyjastul69
Commander
2712 Posts
Rhode Island
| | 09/26/2005 1:58 PM |
| | I don't get into colors or textures of them, but I allow a taste test followed by a spellcraft check to identify them. I of course would allow Identify to work as well. | |
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gregreid
Warrior
276 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 3:17 PM |
| One taste is allowed of each potion.
I have a list of the potions each player has taken.
Spellcraft and Identify by the book.
Greg | |
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glumag
Warlord
5968 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 4:13 PM |
| | Identify it once and I allow for the same type to be identified at ¾ the time and so on until it is automatic by smell, sight and (if daring) taste. The player keeps track of the count and I roll a percentile dice to justify the chance he is just not as sharp that day and might have to go thru the motions, of course I don't ever let him know if he got it right or not [}:)] | |
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taliesin
Underboss
1113 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 4:24 PM |
| | Commercially purchased potions are labeled somehow, even if its just a symbol on the stopper. Stuff taken from slain enemies or plundered wizard's labs is unlabeled. Regardless of source, all of my potions somehow reflect the spells purpose. Cure potions smell of nutmeg and cinnamon, or other comforting smells. Bull's Strength or Bear's Endurance would smell strongly of musk. Animate dead would be oily and black, and smell of decomposing flesh. Of course, spellcraft dc 20+ spell level after a taste works, or an identify spell as well. | |
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jgsugden
Commander
4320 Posts
Walnut Creek, CA
| | 09/26/2005 7:33 PM |
| There are a lot of labels in my games. It seems to me that if every bottle in my home has a label, it might make sense for people to keep labels on bottles that cost the equivalent of the most expensive wines in existence.
In other words, unless there is a reason for it to not have a label, I stick one on. Of course, not all labels are correct, or are in common ... | |
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madda
Sergeant
714 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 10:24 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by jgsugden
There are a lot of labels in my games. It seems to me that if every bottle in my home has a label, it might make sense for people to keep labels on bottles that cost the equivalent of the most expensive wines in existence.
In other words, unless there is a reason for it to not have a label, I stick one on. Of course, not all labels are correct, or are in common ...
That is correct only if you have multiple bvottles.
Consider an orc that have but one precious potion. He need not label it. It is his postion. He know it. He guards it. Same reason works with only a few potions (assuming the bottles are not identical).
Do you label the can of cold in the refrigerator ? No, you know what it is.
Now, if you had a shop, or you're into collecting them, by all means there are a lot of reasons to label them. So I agree that any sane wizards/alchemist (yes, yes I know they're rare) labels his potions. | |
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megamadrat
Sneak
126 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 11:48 PM |
| The system I tend to use for potions is a different color for every school of magic, increasing sizes for each level of the spell in the potion and spellcraft DCs for detect magic at 20+spell level. I tend to stay away from taste and smell testing. This does make potions slightly harder to identify and means that sometimes a potion will be taken at a point where the drinker does not know the effect but is just taking on the hopes it is the right potion for the situation.
On a similar note, like some other games i know of, the cure chain of spells are Necromancy[healing], not conjuration. | |
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Testament
Underboss
1397 Posts
| | 09/26/2005 11:54 PM |
| Small taste test, and the spellcraft check from RAW. Divine potions are consistent to a degree: a Sirbati cure potion is always a blood red, coppery tasting (like blood) thick liquid, while ANY potion from Armisaelites is made from tears. Most potions from civilised manufacturers will be labelled though.
On a side note, does anyone use variant style potions? In my homebrew, for example, the Elves rarely make liquid potions, most of the time they'll be an enspelled and preserved food. A cure light, for example, is a wedge of apple. The Duregar use ceramic tiles, since making a potion is just a huge waste of water in the middle of the desert. | |
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jgsugden
Commander
4320 Posts
Walnut Creek, CA
| | 09/27/2005 6:08 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by madda
That is correct only if you have multiple bvottles.
Consider an orc that have but one precious potion. He need not label it. It is his postion. He know it. He guards it. Same reason works with only a few potions (assuming the bottles are not identical).
Do you label the can of cold in the refrigerator ? No, you know what it is.
Now, if you had a shop, or you're into collecting them, by all means there are a lot of reasons to label them. So I agree that any sane wizards/alchemist (yes, yes I know they're rare) labels his potions.
Where do the potions come from? Someplace where they only make one potion? Or someplace where a lot of potions are made? If the answer is that the potions probably came from someplace where a lot of potions were made (a local alchemist, the tribe shaman, etc ...), then it consitnues to make sense for the potion to be labeled. If, OTOH, the potion comes from a source where only one potion is made (a magic fountain, a factory devoted to making that potion, etc ...), then the label may or may not be as likely. This is just a guide. In my world, it tends to make sense for the potions to be labeled. | |
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ilarue
Underboss
1259 Posts
| | 09/29/2005 11:31 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by jgsugden
quote:
Originally posted by madda
That is correct only if you have multiple bvottles.
Consider an orc that have but one precious potion. He need not label it. It is his postion. He know it. He guards it. Same reason works with only a few potions (assuming the bottles are not identical).
Do you label the can of cold in the refrigerator ? No, you know what it is.
Now, if you had a shop, or you're into collecting them, by all means there are a lot of reasons to label them. So I agree that any sane wizards/alchemist (yes, yes I know they're rare) labels his potions.
Where do the potions come from? Someplace where they only make one potion? Or someplace where a lot of potions are made? If the answer is that the potions probably came from someplace where a lot of potions were made (a local alchemist, the tribe shaman, etc ...), then it consitnues to make sense for the potion to be labeled. If, OTOH, the potion comes from a source where only one potion is made (a magic fountain, a factory devoted to making that potion, etc ...), then the label may or may not be as likely. This is just a guide. In my world, it tends to make sense for the potions to be labeled.
If Mr. Orc has been holding onto this potion for several years and carries it with him everywhere he goes, I could see the label falling off really quickly. Mr. Orc knows what the potion is, so no need to put the label back on. | |
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Malin Lug
Sergeant
742 Posts
| | 09/29/2005 12:12 PM |
| quote:
If Mr. Orc has been holding onto this potion for several years and carries it with him everywhere he goes, I could see the label falling off really quickly. Mr. Orc knows what the potion is, so no need to put the label back on.
Actually , Mr Orc would have forgotten what the potion was after 3 - 4 days and probably couldn't read anyway.
When I was playing a wizard/bard that did make a good number of potions, I actually paid a little extra to have symbols put into the glass when the flasks were created. A glyph impressed into the glass itself was never a bad thing.
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kyrin
Commander
3168 Posts
| | 09/29/2005 12:15 PM |
| This thread has motivated me to finally put together the ideas that have been swirling around in my head for alternate identifies. I will write it up and post it for critique.
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aka kyrin | |
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Cthulhufnord
Warlord
10990 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 09/29/2005 12:48 PM |
| | mis-labeled potions are the best thing ever. [}:)] | |
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PatEllis15
Commander
4463 Posts
| | 09/29/2005 1:53 PM |
| I had a player drain 4 potions in 7 rounds last sessions... I DO miss the old Potion Miscability tables... Should have had those handy, just for fun!
Thanks for all the comments.... I kind of like the school/domain grouping...
Pat E | |
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jgsugden
Commander
4320 Posts
Walnut Creek, CA
| | 09/29/2005 4:12 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by ilarue
If Mr. Orc has been holding onto this potion for several years and carries it with him everywhere he goes, I could see the label falling off really quickly. Mr. Orc knows what the potion is, so no need to put the label back on.
'You could see'? That seems kind of a stretchy statement.
My point: Often, when a wizard/priest/shaman/etc ... makes a potion, they have a *reason* to put a label on (or otherwise identify) it. As long as this is true, it makes the game a lot smoother to see a lot of potions labelled ...
... and it opens up the door to mislabeled potions. | |
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rhane
Underboss
1412 Posts
| | 09/29/2005 4:40 PM |
| | We use Alchemy (Craft: Alchemy) to determine what a potion does, with a base DC of 25 (like in the 3.0 PHB). If its fairly common, then the DC is lower. If its a cure potion, we typically use DC 5-10. | |
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Pale Rider
Underboss
1023 Posts
London, Ontario, Canada
| | 10/03/2005 9:49 AM |
| | I just use the rules as written - DC 25 Spellcraft check to identify a potion. I used to get into the colours, smells etc of each potion but it gets kind of boring after about 7th level (when Spellcraft skills are getting into the +15 range). | |
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ilarue
Underboss
1259 Posts
| | 10/03/2005 5:42 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by jgsugden
quote:
Originally posted by ilarue
If Mr. Orc has been holding onto this potion for several years and carries it with him everywhere he goes, I could see the label falling off really quickly. Mr. Orc knows what the potion is, so no need to put the label back on.
'You could see'? That seems kind of a stretchy statement.
My point: Often, when a wizard/priest/shaman/etc ... makes a potion, they have a *reason* to put a label on (or otherwise identify) it. As long as this is true, it makes the game a lot smoother to see a lot of potions labelled ...
... and it opens up the door to mislabeled potions.
As a chemist, I know how easy it is for labels to fall off of vials, and this is in a well controlled environment. I'm just saying that labels would fall off pretty easily, especially if they were sitting around in a musty dungeon for a while. Now I agree that a good potion maker would label his potions in some way or another, but I think adventurers are justg as likely to come across an unlabeled potion as one that is labeled. | |
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reezel
Sergeant
555 Posts
| | 10/05/2005 4:59 PM |
| | At one point I made an attempt to actually make fake potions and require people to drink them when they drank a potion in game, and it allowed them to define a potion by it's taste and look. While this was a bust due to being a logistical nightmare, it was soo much fun to watch someone going to drink a potion when they had no idea what it would taste like. I also found salt was the best ingredient to add to most potions. Guaranteed to get that ewwww face from the drinker. | |
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jgsugden
Commander
4320 Posts
Walnut Creek, CA
| | 10/05/2005 8:07 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by ilarue
As a chemist, I know how easy it is for labels to fall off of vials, and this is in a well controlled environment. ...
Now, imagine you're a chmist who was working with chemicals he paid for which cost somewhere around $1,000.00. You think you're going to have the same issues? Besides, D&D worlds usually don't have label makers lying around. I often see wizards use wizard mark, write, or other magics to label their potions ... | |
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MerricB
Underboss
2353 Posts
Australia
| | 10/05/2005 9:52 PM |
| DC 25 Spellcraft checks for each and every potion.
Occasionally I'll be nice and allow id of potions in batches.
Cheers! | |
Merric Blackman
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