Condition: Poisoned
Given their insidious and deadly nature, poisons are illegal in most societies but are a favorite tool among assassins and evil creatures such as drow.
Unless stated otherwise in the poison description, a creature that is poisoned has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Poisons come in the following four types.
Contact. Contact poison can be smeared on an object and remains potent until it is touched or washed off. A creature that touches contact poison with exposed skin suffers its effects.
Ingested. A creature must swallow an entire dose of ingested poison to suffer its effects. The dose can be delivered in food or a liquid. A partial dose may have a reduced effect (DM's discretion), such as allowing advantage on the saving throw or dealing only half damage on a failed save.
Inhaled. These poisons are powders or gases that take effect when inhaled. Blowing the powder or releasing the gas subjects creatures in a 5-foot cube to its effect. The resulting cloud dissipates immediately after ward. Holding one's breath is ineffective against inhaled poisons, as they affect nasal membranes, tear ducts, and other parts of the body.
Injury. Injury poison can be applied to weapons, ammunition, trap components, and other objects that deal piercing or slashing damage and remains potent until delivered through a wound or washed off. A creature that takes piercing or slashing damage from an object coated with the poison is exposed to its effects.
Poisons are anywhere from common to legendary in terms of accessibility; in most cases, they also describe the lethality of the poison:
Common. Common poisons can be found in the supplies of most apothecaries and alchemists, though they are unlikely to reveal such poisons except to customers that can show they won't spread word of such sales. Customers that speak in Thieves' Cant are usually able to acquire these poisons with ease. Common poisons can also be found in most wilderness environments with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Nature) check and several hours of searching.
Common poisons include Arsenic, Assassin's Blood, common serpent venom, deadly nightshade, Hemlock, Mandrake, and Slayer's Boon. Many monsters use a common venom to inflict the poisoned condition on PCs, and many spells inflict Arcanic poison upon victims.
Uncommon. Uncommon poisons can be found in the inventories of most wealthy or unscrupulous apothecaries, alchemists, and death-dealers in major cities. These poisons are not easy to craft, and their ingredients are difficult to obtain. They are usually quite illegal in most societies.
Uncommon poisons include Black Fog, Burnt Othur Fumes, carrion crawler mucus, Death's Cleansing, distilled serpent venom, Ghoulfang, Impish Delight, Oil of Taggit, Pale Tincture, Succulent Death, Torpor, Truth Serum
Rare. Rare poisons can be found in the inventories of only the most capable or nefarious apothecaries and alchemists. Some merchants who specialize in the procurement of magic items have been known to carry rare poisons, but they do not advertise such wares except to customers who have demonstrated their discretion. Rare poisons can be found in certain areas of the wilderness, where danger lurks for those who would harvest them. These poisons are highly illegal in societies that know of them, but many civilizations are not aware of their existence.
Very Rare. Very rare poisons can be found among the wares of the various immortal collectors that inhabit the Feywild, the Shadowfell, and the Outer Planes. Mortal civilizations of the Material Plane rarely even discover the existence of most of these poisons. They use ingredients that are extremely dangerous to procure, and only those with access to the forbidden knowledge lost in ancient tombs and forgotten ruins might learn how to craft them or how to identify these poisons in the wild.
Legendary. Legendary poisons can only be found in the most deadly and extreme locales, and only with a legendary amount of luck on one's side. Crafting them is nearly impossible, but legends speak of once-in-a-generation alchemists who were able to manage such feats.
Arcanic poison
(various; common)
An arcanic-poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. Generally arcanic poisoning ends with the cessation of a spell's duration.
Arsenic
(various; common)
An arsenic-poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw each 24 hours it is poisoned. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and remains poisoned. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned.
Assassin's Blood
(Ingested; common)
A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned.
Black Fog
(Inhaled; uncommon)
A creature subjected to this alchemical poison must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 5 (1d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The poison cloud is heavily obscured. It lasts for 1 minute or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. Any creature that ends its turn in the cloud is subjected to the poison.
Burnt Othur Fumes
(Inhaled; uncommon)
A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the character takes 3 (1d6) poison damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends.
Carrion Crawler Mucus
(Contact; uncommon)
This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated carrion crawler. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Common Serpent Venom
(Injury; common)
This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated giant poisonous snake. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Common Venom
(Injury; common)
This poison is often what's inflicted by a creature whose attacks render a target poisoned. A poisoned creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks until cured, but can only be cured by application of healing agents--it will not heal with time or saving throws.
Crimson Hatred
(Injury; legendary)
This poisonous herb grows only in the deepest, darkest places of the Lower Planes, such as the realms ofArchdevils and Demon Lords. 1d4 hours after a creature is subjected to this poison, it must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 52 (8d12) poison damage and is poisoned until the end of its next turn. While poisoned in this way, overwhelming pain causes it to be stunned and knocked prone. On a successful save, it takes half damage and isn't poisoned. A creature slain by this poison can't be brought back to life except by a 9th-level spell.
Deadly Nightshade
(Ingested; common)
This poisonous herb has a sweet taste. One minute after a creature is subjected to this poison, it takes 3 (ld6) poison damage and must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 hour. At the end of that hour, it takes 3 (ld6) poison damage and must repeat the saving throw. When a creature takes damage from this poison, its maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount until it is no longer poisoned
Death's Cleansing
(Ingested/Injury; uncommon)
This bitter, pungent poison must first be brewed by combining bleach and the bone dust of executed criminals. It can only be finished if the mixture is blessed in the same ritual that turns water to holy water, and only when performed in a graveyard or desecrated location. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 10 (3d6) poison damage and 9 (2d8) radiant damage, and it can't make attacks against creatures until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects. When this poison affects an undead, it ignores immunity to poison damage and to the poisoned condition.
Distilled Serpent Venom
(Injury; uncommon)
Made from venom harvested from several different dead or incapacitated giant poisonous snakes, this distillation is a potent upgrade to the snake's natural venom. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Drow Sleep Poison
(Injury; rare)
This poison is typically made only by the drow (where it is common, not rare), and only in a place far removed from sunlight. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. The creature is unconscious while poisoned. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Drow Night Poison
(Injury; rare)
This poison is typically made only for drow nobility. A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 10 (3d6) poison damage and immediately falls into a deep slumber. On a successful save, it does not take the damage but still falls into a deep slumber. It may attempt another saving throw each minute to awake. The creature may also attempt a saving throw if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake.
Duke's Betrayal
(Ingested/Injury; rare)
This rare poisonous herb is tasteless and odorless, growing only in lands that are torn apart by civil war. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 18 (4d8) poison damage and 7 (2d6) necrotic damage and is poisoned for 1d4 hours. While it is poisoned, any spells or magical effects that would restore hit points to the target instead deal it necrotic damage equal to the hit points that would have been restored On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned.
Essence of Corruption
(Injury; legendary)
This poisonous dust is created by alchemically combining rare materials from each of the Outer Planes, Inner Planes, and Elemental Planes, following an ancient cosmic formula for brewing pure corruption to all things. A creature subjected to this cosmic poison must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 55 (10d10) poison damage, it is corrupted, and it gains one level of exhaustion. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects. This poison ignores immunity and resistance to poison damage as well as immunity to the poisoned condition.
Essence of Ether
(Inhaled; rare)
A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become unconscious for 8 hours. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it awake, but will have disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks for the entire 8-hour period.
Frostbite Spider Venom
(Injury; rare)
This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated frostbite spider. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 13 (3d8) poison damage and 13 (3d8) cold damage, it has disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks for 1 minute, and if it can be poisoned and doesn't have resistance or immunity to cold damage, it is restrained until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't restrained or poisoned. If the damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, the creature is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.
Ghoulfang
(Contact/Injury; uncommon)
This poison must be brewed using elf blood and saliva harvested from a dead or incapacitated ghoul or ghast. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 11 (2d10) poison damage and 9 (2d8) necrotic damage and it is poisoned until the end of its next turn. While poisoned in this way, it is also paralyzed. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned. When this poison affects an elf or a fey, it ignores immunity to poison damage and immunity to the poisoned condition.
Hemlock
(Ingested; common)
This poisonous herb has a slightly sweet flavor. One minute after a creature is subjected to this poison, it takes 2 (1d4) poison damage and must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 hour and paralyzed while it is poisoned. At the end of that hour, it takes 2 (1d4) poison damage and must repeat the saving throw. When a creature takes damage from this poison, its maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount until it is no longer poisoned.
Impish Delight
(Injury; uncommon)
This poison must be carefully brewed by combining the tail of a dead or incapacitated imp or dire imp with rare herbal ingredients. If harvested incorrectly, it vanishes back to the imp's native plane before it can be used. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 21 (6d6) poison damage and has disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks for 1 minute. On a success, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned.
Infernal Poison
(Injury; very rare)
This poison is created by alchemically combining salamander blood with the blood of a devil. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 28 (8d6) fire damage and has disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks for 1 minute. On a success, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned.
On a success or a failure, if the creature can be poisoned, it also ignites and is ablaze. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 14 (4d6) fire damage at the end of each of its turns. When this poison affects a fey or celestial, it ignores immunity to the poisoned condition.
Malice
(Inhaled; rare)
A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. The poisoned creature is blinded.
Mandrake
(Ingested; common)
This poisonous herb has a sweet and acidic flavor. Ten minutes after a creature is subjected to this poison, it must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 4 (1d8) poison damage and is poisoned for 24 hours. While it is poisoned, it experiences vivid hallucinations, with the same effects as if it were targeted by the phantasmal force spell with a spell save DC of 15, controlled by the DM. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned.
Midnight Tears
(Ingested; very rare)
A creature that ingests this poison suffers no effect until the stroke of midnight. If the poison has not been neutralized before then, the creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 31 (9d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Necrotic Miasma
(Inhaled; legendary)
This poisonous gas can only be harvested from the Negative Energy Plane using powerful arcane magic. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 23 (5d8) poison damage and 28 (8d6) necrotic damage, it gains one level of exhaustion, and it can't regain hit points for 1 minute. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects. If the creature has no more than 50 hit points and it can be poisoned, it instantly dies instead of rolling the saving throw.
Oil of Taggit
(Contact; uncommon)
A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 24 hours. The poisoned creature is unconscious. It wakes up if it takes damage.
Pale Tincture
(Ingested; uncommon)
A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) poison damage and become poisoned. The poisoned creature must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, taking 3 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save. Until this poison ends, the damage the poison deals can't be healed by any means. After seven successful saving throws, the effect ends and the creature can heal normally.
Paralytic Fumes
(Contact/Inhaled; very rare)
A creature subjected to this alchemical poison must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 33 (6d10) poison damage and it is poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, it is also paralyzed. Once it stops being poisoned, it has disadvantage on Dexterity checks for 1 hour. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned. While poisoned, the creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Phantom Pox Fluid
(Ingested; very rare)
This poison is created using materials that must be harvested from dead bodies that carry infectious plagues. 24 hours after a creature is subjected to this tasteless, sweet-smelling poison, it must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 31 (9d6) poison damage, it gains one level of exhaustion, and its maximum hit points are reduced by the amount of damage that it took. On a success, it takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects. A creature with reduced maximum hit points repeats the saving throw with disadvantage at the end of each long rest, restoring its hit point maximum on a success. Any effect that removes a disease allows the creature's hit point maximum to return to normal without requiring a successful saving throw. Creatures that are immune to disease are immune to this poison.
Pollutoad Mucus
(Contact/Injury; very rare)
This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated pollutoad or from its eggs. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 36 (8d8) poison damage and it is poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and it isn't poisoned. At the end of each of its turns while it is poisoned, it repeats the saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) poison damage on a failed save, and ending the effect on a success.
Purple Worm Poison
(Injury; rare)
This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated purple worm. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Saint Dalor's Redemption
(Ingested/Injury; very rare)
This poisonous herb has no taste or smell and is extremely rare. According to legend, it only grows in locations where an individual once chose to relinquish great power, such as the spot of a king's abdication. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 22 (4d10) poison damage and 9 (2d8) psychic damage and it is poisoned for 1 minute. While it is poisoned in this way, it takes 9 (2d8) psychic damage at the end of each of its turns. If it remains poisoned for the entire minute, it permanently suffers the effects of the feeblemind spell and it gains two random forms of indefinite madness. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects.
Scorch Spider Venom
(Injury; rare)
This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated scorch spider. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10 (3d6) fire damage and 13 (3d8) poison damage and it is ablaze. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the poisoned target takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns. On a successful save, it takes half damage and doesn't ignite. If the damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, the creature is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.
Shadow Poison
(Injury; rare)
This poison is crafted from corrupted blood that must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated doppelganger, drider, oni, or any creature that is native to the Shadowfell (other than beasts and humanoids). A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 18 (4d8) poison damage and 10 (3d6) psychic damage, and it is poisoned for 1 minute. If the creature is in darkness, it takes an extra 7 (3d6) psychic damage. While poisoned in this way, it is also frightened of all other creatures. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned.
Sigilblight
(Contact/Ingested; very rare)
This poisonous herb only grows in distant planes beyond the Material Plane, Feywild, and Shadowfell. A creature subjected to this salty-tasting poison must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 26 (4d12) poison damage and 13 (3d8) force damage, and it is poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned in this way, its speed is halved, it can't fly, and it can't teleport or travel to other planes. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and it isn't poisoned.
Slayer's Boon
(Injury; common)
There are many different varieties of this poison that are easily created via alchemy or from certain herbs. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 hour. At the start of each of its turns while it is poisoned in this way, it takes 3 (ld6) poison damage. It repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the poison on a success.
Succulent Death
(Contact/Ingested; uncommon)
One minute after a creature is subjected to this sweet and savory herbal poison, it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it becomes poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned in this way, it feels an overwhelming joy and satisfaction, and it is charmed by any creature that it sees or hears. It regards all creatures as its close friends, as if affected by the charm person spell. At the end of the hour, it takes 22 (4d10) poison damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage instantly but is not poisoned.
Torpor
(Ingested; uncommon)
A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 4d6 hours. The poisoned creature is incapacitated.
Truth Serum
(Ingested; uncommon)
A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. During that tie, the poisoned creature can't knowingly speak a lie, as if under the effect of a zone of truth spell.
Vileseed Poison
(Ingested/Injury; rare)
These poisonous seeds can only be harvested from rare locations in deep, unexplored jungles. A creature subjected to this sour poison must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 24 (7d6) poison damage and it is poisoned for 1 minute. While it is poisoned in this way, if it can be charmed, it must spend all of its movement on each of its turns moving toward bright sunlight. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned If it dies in sunlight while it is poisoned, a bright red fruit sprouts from the corpse on a green stalk. A creature that consumes the fruit regains 4d4 + 4 hit points.
Wyvern Poison
(Injury; rare)
This poison must be harvested from a dead or incapacitated wyvern. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Yin Yang Toxin
(Ingested/Injury; legendary)
This poisonous tincture is created by alchemically combining the blood of a celestial with the blood of a fiend, and can only be created in the exact center of the cosmos. Both creatures must have had a challenge rating or level of at least 18 to make the poison. A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 27 (5d10) poison damage and 26 (4d12) force damage, it can't make attacks until the end of its next turn, and if it is native to a different plane of existence than the one it is on, it is banished with a faint popping noise, returning to its home plane. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and suffers no other effects. When this poison affects a celestial or fiend, it ignores immunity to poison damage.