Poison Tracks

The poison track simulates the progressive effects of poison in the body. A character who is poisoned is attacked by the poison after the listed onset at the listed frequency. On an initial exposure to poison, regardless of whether they are hit, a victim takes an amount of poison damage equal to the poison’s attack bonus, divided by 2 (for example, 5 points of poison damage for a poison with a +10 attack bonus). This is hit point damage, not ability damage. If a victim is exposed to additional doses of the same poison, a hit progresses the poison track by one step and increases the duration by 50%.

Strength Poison Track

  • Healthy
  • Weakened: A character weakened by Strength poison suffers a –2 penalty to Strength defence and all Strength-based attack rolls, damage rolls and ability checks. Their carrying capacity is divided by 3. They are always considered to be carrying at least a medium load.
  • Impaired: A character impaired by Strength poison experiences rapid muscle atrophy. They take an additional –2 penalty on the affected Strength-based rolls and are always considered to be carrying at least a heavy load.
  • Incapacitated: A character incapacitated by Strength poison is so weakened that they suffer the effects of the incapacitated condition (except that they can take an action if it is purely mental).
  • Immobile: A character rendered immobile by Strength poison cannot move their body at all. They are helpless and can take only purely mental actions.
  • Dead: All the character’s muscles cease functioning, including the heart.

Dexterity Poison Track

  • Healthy
  • Sluggish: A character rendered sluggish by Dexterity poison has dulled reactions. They take a –2 penalty to Dexterity defence and all Dexterity-based attack rolls, damage rolls and ability checks, as well as to AC.
  • Stiffened: A character stiffened by Dexterity poison feels numb and stiff. They are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC and can’t make attacks of opportunity.
  • Incapacitated: A character staggered by Dexterity poison is so slowed and stiffened that they gain all the effects of the incapacitated condition (except that they can take an action if it is purely mental).
  • Immobile: A character rendered immobile by Dexterity poison cannot move their body at all. They are helpless and can take only purely mental actions.
  • Dead: The character’s body becomes completely incapable of movement and dies.

Constitution Poison Track

  • Healthy
  • Weakened: A character whose health is weakened by Constitution poison takes a –2 penalty to Constitution defence and all Constitution-based ability checks. Every time that they are attacked by the poison, whether it hits or misses, they take damage as on initial exposure.
  • Impaired: A character impaired by Constitution poison takes an additional –2 penalty on the above checks.
  • Incapacitated: A character incapacitated by Constitution poison gains the incapacitated condition.
  • Unconscious: A character rendered unconscious by Constitution poison enters a state of shock and can’t be woken by any means as long as they remain in this state.
  • Dead: The character’s immune system is ravaged by the poison and they expire.

Intelligence Poison Track

  • Healthy
  • Weakened: A character whose reason is weakened by Intelligence poison takes a –2 penalty to Intelligence defence and Intelligence-based attack rolls, damage rolls and ability checks. A character with spellcasting based on Intelligence decreases their DCs by 2 and can no longer cast their highest level of spells.
  • Impaired: A character impaired by Intelligence poison does not add their Intelligence bonus to the number of uses per day of pools, abilities and spells known or prepared. They takes an additional –2 penalty on the above Intelligence-based rolls. An Intelligence-based caster reduces their DCs by an additional 2, and can no longer cast their 2 highest levels of spells.
  • Animalistic: A character rendered animalistic by Intelligence poison suffers the same effects as from a feeblemind spell, except their Charisma and Charisma-based skills are unaffected.
  • Comatose: A character rendered comatose by Intelligence poison is no longer able to process thoughts. They cannot be woken by any means as long as he remains in this state.
  • Dead: The character’s brain stops functioning and they die.

Wisdom Poison Track

  • Healthy
  • Weakened: A character whose awareness is weakened by Wisdom poison takes a –2 penalty to Wisdom defence and all Wisdom-based attack rolls, damage rolls and ability checks. A character with spellcasting based on Wisdom decreases their DCs by 2 and can no longer cast their highest level of spells.
  • Impaired: A character impaired by Wisdom poison does not add their Wisdom bonus to the number of uses per day of pools, abilities and spells known or prepared. They take an additional –2 penalty on the above Wisdom-based rolls. A Wisdom-based caster reduces their DCs by an additional 2, and can no longer cast their 2 highest levels of spells.
  • Confused: A character who’s confused by Wisdom poison has difficulty processing reality and is dangerous to themselves and others. Each round, they roll on the chart from the confusion spell to determine their actions.
  • Comatose: A character rendered comatose by Wisdom poison is no longer able to experience reality or receive sensory information. They can’t be woken by any means as long as they remain in this state.
  • Dead: Forever lost in their own inner reality, the character’s brain stops working and they die.

Charisma Poison Track

  • Healthy
  • Weakened: A character whose sense of self is weakened by Charisma poison takes a –2 penalty to Charisma defence and all Charisma-based attack rolls, damage rolls and ability checks. A character with spellcasting based on Charisma decreases their DCs by 2 and can no longer cast their highest level of spells.
  • Impaired: A character impaired by Charisma poison doesn’t add their Charisma bonus to the number of uses per day of pools, abilities and spells known or prepared. They take an additional –2 penalty on the above Charisma-based rolls. A Charisma-based caster reduces their DCs by an additional 2, and can no longer cast their 2 highest levels of spells.
  • Pliable: A character rendered pliable by Charisma poison has little sense of self and will go along with nearly anything. Deception, Intimidation and Persuasion checks automatically succeed against a pliable character, except Persuasion checks to improve a pliable character’s attitude, which have the normal DC. This still does not allow characters to whom the pliable character is unfriendly or hostile to make requests of the pliable character using Persuasion.
  • Catatonic: A character rendered catatonic by Charisma poison can see, hear and process their environment, but has lost all agency and can’t interact with the world in any way.
  • Dead: The character loses even autonomic functions and dies.