Saturday 19 January 2013

New Potions

Consumables are the primary commodity that PCs in 13th Age will spend most of their gold on, and yet the selection in the core book is extremely limited.  Healing Potions are always useful (and will likely be the most commonly-purchased item for most group), but it gets boring if that's what you're almost always buying.  Potions of Energy Resistance will be very situational and adventure-dependent, and that's the only other option for potions!  Sure, most players will also stock up on Oils and Runes, but Oils suffer from blandness and the extra effect of Runes is random. 

Sometimes it's fun for the party to walk into an alchemist's shop and find a wealth of flavorful options.  Or to find a mystery potion in a dungeon, and have to figure out what it does.  If GMs find that their players are hoarding too many of one kind of potion to power-game, feel free to implement a "magical overdose" effect (the exception being Healing Potions). 

I expect more potions to be officially provided in a future supplement, but until then give these homebrewed versions a try.

Potion of Aptitude
Cost:  150 gp (A), 300 gp (C), 600 gp (E)
You can re-roll your next attack or skill check and choose the better result.  If the potion's tier is lower than your character level then it has no effect (your own aptitude is greater than the potion's). 

Potion of Clarity
Cost:  200 gp
When faced with a decision, drinking this potion will produce an emotional reaction to the different options.  These reactions should be based on likely consequences of pursuing those options.   The result shouldn't be as simple as "good vs bad," and it's also not intended to be a divination that produces very specific answers or visions.  Perhaps the character briefly shivers if an ice elemental lies ahead, or feels safe if s/he is likely to cross paths with a close friend.  Beware similarities with the Potion of Confusion.

Potion of Confusion
Cost:  150 gp
Sometimes this potion results from a botched attempt at a Potion of Clarity, but more likely it was brewed with an intentional negative affect.  Either way, it closely resembles the Potion of Clarity in appearance, aroma, and taste.  The drinker becomes immediately Confused (Normal Save 11+ ends), and enters a compulsory aggressive state while Confused (even if out of combat, the drinker will attack).  

Potion of Darkvision
Cost: 100
The drinker can see perfectly in the dark for 5 minutes.  Drinking multiple potions within a short time frame (within an hour or so of each other, but the exact amount of time is up to the GM) has a negative side effect, however.  The second potion will require an Easy Save (6+), and with a failure the drinker is instead blind for 5 minutes (treats everything as Invisible).  The save increases to Normal (11+) with the 3rd potion drunk, and Hard (16+) if 4 or more are drunk. 

Potion of Death Rot
Cost:  200 gp (A), 300 gp (C), 400 gp (E)
The drinker immediately takes 15 Negative Energy damage (the Champion version deals 25 damage, the Epic version deals 45 damage).  This potion closely resembles a Potion of Regeneration.

Potion of Disguise
Cost:  100 gp
You can change your appearance in minor ways such that you're nearly unrecognizable, though you cannot take a specific form.  The changes last 1d4 hours.  Close friends, family, or other people very familiar with you are entitled to a Wisdom roll (Perception or Insight) to recognize you. 

Potion of the Doppelganger
Cost:  300 gp
A more potent version of the Potion of Disguise, this potion lets you take the form of a specific individual, provided you first mix in a shed part of their body (hair, nail clippings, etc.).  The changes last 1d4 hours.  Those familiar with the subject are entitled to an Insight roll (Wisdom), since you may look like them but won't necessarily mimic their mannerisms perfectly.  Alternatively, you may be required to make a Charisma check (Bluff or Deceive) vs their Mental Defense.

Potion of Dragon's Breath
Cost:   150 gp (A), 300 gp (C), 500 gp (E)
Immediately after drinking this potion you can make a breath weapon attack as a free action.  Make the attack using your Str, Con, or Dex (plus level) to affect 1d3 nearby enemies in a group.  You deal 3d10 fire, cold, acid, poison, or lightning damage to each target on a hit, and half damage on a miss.  Damage increases to 5d10 for the Champion version, and 10d10 for the Epic version.  It's said that dragon saliva is the secret ingredient for these potions. 

Potion of Invisibility
Cost:  400 gp
Drinking this potion renders you invisible for about 5 minutes (give or take).  Attacking or taking any other strenuous action ends the effect prematurely.  Imbibing these too often is said to adversely affect the drinker's sanity.

Potion of Levitation
Cost:   400 gp
Drinking this potion allows you to spend your move action to levitate an object or creature (including yourself) weighing up to 250 lbs.  The object will float about 5 ft off of the ground or a liquid (water, lava, etc.) for about 5 minutes.  If you spend your Standard action you can move the target vertically to a nearby spot, and the effect immediately ends.  The object moves through the air slowly enough that any creature aware of it is unlikely to be caught beneath it when it drops (unless they're Stuck or otherwise restrained).

Potion of Love
Cost:  600 gp
Potentially the most dangerous potion of all.  It's also notoriously tricky to brew, so beware the "discount" flasks, as they probably won't work entirely correctly.  A properly brewed Love Potion causes the drinker to fall madly in love with the subject for 1d4 days.  In order to designate a subject, simply add a shed part of their body (hair, nail clippings, etc.).  

Potion of Regeneration
Cost:  100 gp (A), 200 gp (C), 400 gp (E)
Less common than the ubiquitous Healing Potion, the intent is similar.  Drink this potion to automatically gain HP equal to your Con modifier (2x Con for the Champion version, 3x Con for Epic) at the beginning of every round for the rest of the battle.  The first round you spend Dying while under this effect you are stabilized but gain no HP.  The next round, you regain HP starting from 0 HP.  Beware its similarities in appearance, aroma, and taste to the Potion of Death Rot.

Potion of Remove Affliction
Cost:  50 gp (A), 100 gp (C), 200 gp (E)
Drinking this potion will immediately end all conditions you are suffering from regardless of their normal duration.  Potions 1 tier lower than the creature that caused the condition(s) require a Normal Save (11+) in order to work.  The save is Hard (16+) if the potion is 2 tiers lower than the creature that caused the condition.  Creatures higher than level 10 count as Epic.

Potion of Sleep
Cost:  300 gp
Only a small amount of this odorless, colorless, and tasteless potion needs to be ingested in order for it to take effect.  The drinker will immediately fall asleep for 1d6 hours, though they can be woken up normally (if they're normally a light sleeper, they're easier to wake up). 

Potion of Speed
Cost: 50 gp
Drink this and twice during this battle (or the next 5 minutes) you can take a second Move action immediately after taking a Move action.

Potion of Spirit
Cost:  100 gp (A), 200 gp (C), 400 gp (E)
You can drink 1 of these potions per Full Heal Up, and it will come into effect during your next battle (this means you don't have to spend a Standard Action drinking it during battle).  Before you Rally make an Easy Save (6+).  If you succeed, your Rally only uses up a Quick Action and your next attempt to Rally only requires an Easy Save (though it still uses a Standard Action, as usual).  If the potion's tier is lower than your character level, the save is Hard (16+). 

Potion of Water Breathing
Cost:  300 gp
Drinking this potion allows you to breath underwater for 1d4 hours.  You can sense when you have only 1 hour left.

Potion of Weakness
Cost:  200 gp
This insidious potion can be brewed to look, smell, and taste like any other type of potion.  Except a Potion of Sleep.  For some reason, it can never be made undetectable, no matter how good it is at imitation.  Drinking it causes you to be Weakened until the next Full Heal Up.  The easiest way to end the effect prematurely is to drink a Potion of Remove Affliction (Adventurer tier will suffice), though rituals or other magical effects might work as well.

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