Potions & Oils

A potion is a magic liquid that produces its effect when imbibed. Magic oils are similar to potions, except that oils are applied externally rather than imbibed. A potion or oil can be used only once. It can duplicate the effect of a spell of up to 3rd level that has a casting time of less than 1 minute.

Potions are like spells cast upon the imbiber. The character taking the potion doesn’t get to make any decisions about the effect – the caster who brewed the potion has already done so. The drinker of a potion is both the effective target and the caster of the effect (though the potion indicates the caster level, the drinker still controls the effect).

The person applying an oil is the effective caster, but the object is the target.

Physical Description: A typical potion or oil consists of 1 ounce of liquid held in a ceramic or glass vial fitted with a tight stopper. The stoppered container is usually no more than 1 inch wide and 2 inches high. The vial has AC 13, 1 hit point, hardness 1, and a break DC of 12. Vials hold 1 ounce of liquid.

Identifying Potions: In addition to the standard methods of identification, PCs can sample from each container they find to attempt to determine the nature of the liquid inside. An experienced character learns to identify potions by memory – for example, the last time she tasted a liquid that reminded her of almonds, it turned out to be a potion of cure moderate wounds.

Activation: Drinking a potion or applying an oil requires no special skill. The user merely removes the stopper and swallows the potion or smears on the oil. The following rules govern potion and oil use.

Drinking a potion or using an oil on an item of gear is a standard action. The potion or oil takes effect immediately. Using a potion or oil provokes attacks of opportunity. A successful attack (including grappling attacks) against the character forces a Concentration check (as for casting a spell). If the character fails this check, she cannot drink the potion. An enemy may direct an attack of opportunity against the potion or oil container rather than against the character. A successful attack of this sort can destroy the container.

A creature must be able to swallow a potion or smear on an oil. Because of this, incorporeal creatures cannot use potions or oils.

Any corporeal creature can imbibe a potion. The potion must be swallowed. Any corporeal creature can use an oil.

A character can carefully administer a potion to an unconscious creature as a full-round action, trickling the liquid down the creature’s throat. Likewise, it takes a full-round action to apply an oil to an unconscious creature.

The caster level for a standard potion is the minimum caster level needed to cast the spell (unless otherwise specified).

Non-Standard Potions

Standard Potions

Minor

Medium

Major

Potion or Oil

Market Price

01-10

Cure Light Wounds (potion)

50 gp

11-13

Endure Elements (potion)

50 gp

14-15

Hide from Animals (potion)

50 gp

16-17

Hide from Undead (potion)

50 gp

18-19

Jump (potion)

50 gp

20-22

Mage Armor (potion)

50 gp

23-25

Magic Fang (potion)

50 gp

26

Magic Stone (oil)

50 gp

27-29

Magic Weapon (oil)

50 gp

30

Pass Without Trace (potion)

50 gp

31-32

Protection from (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) (potion)

50 gp

33-34

Remove Fear (potion)

50 gp

35

Sanctuary (potion)

50 gp

36-38

Shield of Faith +2 (potion)

50 gp

39

Shillelagh (oil)

50 gp

40-41

01-02

Bless Weapon (oil)

100 gp

42-44

03-04

Enlarge Person (potion)

250 gp

45

05

Reduce Person (potion)

250 gp

46-47

06

Aid (potion)

300 gp

48-50

07

Barkskin +2 (potion)

300 gp

51-53

08-10

Bear’s Endurance (potion)

300 gp

54-56

11-13

01-02

Blur (potion)

300 gp

57-59

14-16

Bull’s Strength (potion)

300 gp

60-62

17-19

Cat’s Grace (potion)

300 gp

63-67

20-27

03-07

Cure Moderate Wounds (potion)

300 gp

68

28

Darkness (oil)

300 gp

69-71

29-30

08-09

Darkvision (potion)

300 gp

72-74

31

Delay Poison (potion)

300 gp

75-76

32-33

Eagle’s Splendor (potion)

300 gp

77-78

34-35

Fox’s Cunning (potion)

300 gp

79-81

36-37

10-11

Invisibility (potion or oil)

300 gp

82-84

38

12

Restoration, Lesser (potion)

300 gp

85-86

39

Levitate (potion or oil)

300 gp

87

40

Misdirection (potion)

300 gp

88-89

41-42

Owl’s Wisdom (potion)

300 gp

90-91

43

Protection from Arrows 10/magic (potion)

300 gp

92-93

44

13

Remove Paralysis (potion)

300 gp

94-96

45-46

Resist Energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) 10 (potion)

300 gp

97

47-48

14

Shield of Faith +3 (potion)

300 gp

98-99

49

Spider Climb (potion)

300 gp

100

50

15

Undetectable Alignment (potion)

300 gp

51

16

Barkskin +3 (potion)

600 gp

52

17-18

Shield of Faith (potion)

600 gp

53-55

19-20

Resist Energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) 20 (potion)

700 gp

56-60

21-28

Cure Serious Wounds (potion)

750 gp

61

29

Daylight (oil)

750 gp

62-64

30-32

Displacement (potion)

750 gp

65

33

Flame Arrow (oil)

750 gp

66-68

34-38

Fly (potion)

750 gp

69

39

Gaseous Form (potion)

750 gp

70-71

Magic Fang, Greater +1 (potion)

750 gp

72-73

Magic Weapon, Greater +1 (oil)

750 gp

74-75

40-41

Haste (potion)

750 gp

76-78

42-44

Heroism (potion)

750 gp

79-80

45-46

Keen Edge (oil)

750 gp

81

47

Magic Circle Against (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) (potion)

750 gp

82-83

Magic Vestment +1 (oil)

750 gp

84-86

48-50

Neutralize Poison (potion)

750 gp

87-88

51-52

Nondetection (potion)

750 gp

89-91

53-54

Protection from Energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) (potion)

750 gp

92-93

55

Rage (potion)

750 gp

94

56

Remove Blindness/Deafness (potion)

750 gp

95

57

Remove Curse (potion)

750 gp

96

58

Remove Disease (potion)

750 gp

97

59

Tongues (potion)

750 gp

98-99

60

Water Breathing (potion)

750 gp

100

61

Water Walk (potion)

750 gp

62-63

Barkskin +4 (potion)

900 gp

64

Shield of Faith +5 (potion)

900 gp

65

Good Hope (potion)

1,050 gp

66-68

Resist Energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) 30 (potion)

1,100 gp

69

Barkskin +5 (potion)

1,200 gp

70-73

Magic Fang, Greater +2 (potion)

1,200 gp

74-77

Magic Weapon, Greater +2 (oil)

1,200 gp

78-81

Magic Vestment +2 (oil)

1,200 gp

82

Protection from Arrows 15/magic (potion)

1,500 gp

83-85

Magic Fang, Greater +3 (potion)

1,800 gp

86-88

Magic Weapon, Greater +3 (oil)

1,800 gp

89-91

Magic Vestment +3 (oil)

1,800 gp

92-93

Magic Fang, Greater +4 (potion)

2,400 gp

94-95

Magic Weapon, Greater +4 (oil)

2,400 gp

96-97

Magic Vestment +4 (oil)

2,400 gp

98

Magic Fang, Greater +5 (potion)

3,000 gp

99

Magic Weapon, Greater +5 (oil)

3,000 gp

100

Magic Vestment +5 (oil)

3,000 gp