Poison use by characters in low points Hero?

[Demonsong]

Poison use by characters in low points Hero?

How do all you GM’s out there handle this. I am mainly going to use it in my Fantasy Hero setting. But it’s a good question for any setting lower points setting, form ninja hero to commando hero. The creation and application (or other use) of poisons. And I don’t mean a character that uses poisons once in a while. I mean a character that carries half a dozen poisoned darts and 2 poisoned daggers with him at all times.

1-Would you just make it a skill the players buys and them have them roll for it, with various modifiers depending on the poison type and use? And if a char buys his lethal poisons how much of a Perk is that connection worth?


2-Or actually as a power of some type? Although this option could be almost prohibitively expensive for a lot of poisons. If this is your option could you post an example please?

As always thanks for the input?

[Hugh Neilson]

I'd be inclined to treat poison as equipment - find someone who makes it and go purchase it. Alternatively, the character culd take a skill enabling manufacture of poisons, but they would still need appropriate raw materials. That skill would likely assist in knowing where to locate such materials.

While this carries no character point cost, the GM keeps the hammer of price and availability of materials. It also permits the GM, if desired, to decide what poisons are actually available, much like deciding what spells can be learned by a wizard in some campaigns.

And I wouldn't want to be the guy who rolls an 18 using his poisoned weapon...

If the character wants greater certainty of a poison supply, perhaps he could be permitted to buy a VPP for this purpose - but that's pretty point-prohibitive. Perhaps he could purchase a Contact who has access to, and will sell, poisons.

[TheEmerged]

Originally posted by Hugh Neilson
I'd be inclined to treat poison as equipment - find someone who makes it and go purchase it. Alternatively, the character culd take a skill enabling manufacture of poisons, but they would still need appropriate raw materials. That skill would likely assist in knowing where to locate such materials.

While this carries no character point cost, the GM keeps the hammer of price and availability of materials. It also permits the GM, if desired, to decide what poisons are actually available, much like deciding what spells can be learned by a wizard in some campaigns.

That's how I've always handled it in NCM-default campaigns (lower-point campaigns where PC's have Normal Characteristic Maxima by default). Works reasonably well, IMO.

[Talon]

I would also make some rulings / house rules on the effectiveness and reliability of poisons: how long they stay on a weapon, etc. If you don't want poisons in your game, moving away from cinematic poison rules (where poison is applied instantly, always works when hitting an opponent, etc.) is a good start.

[Korvar]

My campaign has a character of a race that can develop a paralysing bite. Currently I'm trying to find a reasonably cheap way of creating it - don't think I can justify treating a poison bite as equipment :)