Aericsteele’s D&D 5e RPG Main Thread SRD
Players will notice that healing potions and poultices are fairly weak overall compared to healing spells. This is because I did not want alchemy to replace magic; I want magic to continue to be more potent than natural remedies, but at the same time one can have several healing potions available while a cleric may only have a few spell slots to work with. So while a healing potion may heal fewer HP than the cure wounds spell cast at 1st level, it would potentially be more readily available to those with an herbalism kit.
Gathering the herbs and components necessary for an item requires proficiency in the nature skill as well as a successful survival check representing the characters ability to scavenge the area for the necessary components. The character need not be proficient in the survival skill but proficiency in the nature skill is necessary for them to identify the components needed. A character who is not proficient in the nature skill would have no working knowledge of the properties and effects of various plants/herbs and would not know what to look for.
Crafting generally requires an herbalism kit though there are some exceptions
Availability DC: How easy the components are to find represented as Survival DC; check may be different based on the region and unavailable in certain regions. Wastelands/badlands will have a standard DC of 20 for most items
Crafting: The Nature DC to craft the item using an herbalism kit, and how long it takes to craft
Effect: The effect created by the item
Healing Poultice
A basic healing salve made by utilizing a large variety of components that can be found in nearly every region.
Availability DC: 14 Desert; 12 Forest; 10 all other regions; 8 Scolandi Forest
Crafting: Automatic with herbalism kit and standard action otherwise DC 10; Full round action
Effect: heal 1d4 HP; requires a short rest before another may be used.
Simple Anti-toxin
Basic antitoxin that will alleviate the effects of most non-lethal venoms and toxins
Availability: 10 most regions;
Crafting: Automatic with herbalism kit, standard action otherwise DC 10, full action
Effect: Removes poisoned status for non-magical and non-crafted poisons; ineffective against poisons that have been crafted using an herbalism kit.
Healing Potion
Availability DC: 14 most regions; 12 Forest; 10 Scolandi Forest
Crafting: 12, 10 minutes
Effect: Heal 1d6hp.
Simple Vaccine
Basic remedy for disease
Availability: 12
Crafting: Automatic with herbalism kit, but kit is required to craft
Effect: When administered to someone infected with a disease the disease must make a fortitude/CON save against DC 10; if the disease fails the check then the person is no longer infected.
DISEASE
Certain spell descriptions in the PHB such as lesser restoration or the Paladins lay on hands ability reference the ability to cure disease through magic. In this setting, however, diseases are not so easily cured and continue to represent a significant threat to civilization. Some diseases in fact cannot be cured through natural means and some are even resistant to magical healing.
Most common, non-life threatening diseases are not resistant to magical cures (the common cold for instance can be readily cured through the use of the lay on hands ability, as can minor infections). A disease like the Black Death, however, is not only very resistant to natural remedies but is not automatically cured by casting a spell like lesser restoration. Despite having access to clerics capable of casting these spells, wealthy merchants and nobles are not entirely safe from the ravages of such plagues.
Lay on Hands: The paladins lay on hands ability allows the paladin to cure disease. Unless otherwise stated in the disease description, Lay On Hands may be used to cure any disease. The disease DC to resist healing is 8 + 1/2 Paladin Level (min. 1) + Charisma modifier. When used to cure a disease the lay on hand ability does not replenish hit points.
Greater/Lesser Restoration: Lesser Restoration can be used to cure most common, non-magical diseases. Greater Restoration provides an advantage on all non-magical diseases and can be used to cure most magical disease. Resistance DC of lesser restoration is 8 + caster level (min. 1) + spell casting modifier. Greater Restoration DC is 8 + caster level + spell casting modifier
Cure Wounds: Cure wounds does not cure or treat disease; lesser restoration or similar spell is required to cure disease. Cure wounds does, however, restore hp lost to disease.
Herbal/Natural Cures: The use of herbal and other natural remedies may be used to cure a disease unless otherwise stated in the disease description or fortitude listing. Some diseases cannot be cured through natural means. The use of an herbalist kit is required to craft natural and herbal remedies for disease.
Transmission: The manner in which the disease is spread. The DC that must be met on a constitution save by the character to avoid contracting the disease
Fortitude: Essentially the diseases Constitution modifier to resist a spell or herbal healing; if two numbers are listed the first is the resistance the disease has to natural cures and the second number is the resistance the disease has to magical effects and cures. For example +4/-1 means that the disease is fairly resistant to natural/herbal cures, gaining a +4 on its Con save but is fairly weak against magical cures suffering a -1 penalty to Con rolls against magical cures. If only one number this applies to all forms of healing.
Frequency: how often the effects of the disease are applied to the person who has contracted it; this also represents the disease onset time.
Effect: The effect or damage that the disease causes
Cure: The check or checks that must be made to cure the disease naturally
Beckers Rot:
Debilitating disease that causes internal organs to rot often leading to death
Transmission: DC 10 Bloodborne, often spread through mosquitoes or other insects. The disease is particularly prevalent in hot humid regions and rain forests.
Fortitude: +0
Frequency: once every five days
Effect: reduce maximum hp by 1d6 and gain level of exhaustion
Cure: One successful Con Save DC 15; regain 1d6 max hp every day and regain exhaustion per short/long rest rules
Gygaxian Gangrene
An extremely potent and virulent form of gangrene often contracted by those delving into the deep reaches of the Underdark.
Transmission: DC 12 normally but DC 15 if in the Underdark; Fungal infection through open wounds make a check if reduced to 0 HP through some form of wound/combat when in an environment that is conducive to fungal growth (humid climates, dungeons, forests, etc)
Fortitude: +4/+2
Frequency: Daily
Effect: Loss of the use of the infected body part or appendage and max hp reduced by 1d8
Cure: Two consecutive successful DC 17 CON saves; regain 1d8 max hp every 5 days
Crimson Fever
Characterized by a dark red rash that often begins on the extremities and quickly spreads to cover the majority of the victim's body. The rash is accompanied by a high fever, sweating, and chills. The disease is generally non-fatal but has been known to cause brain damage in some cases.
Transmission: DC 11; waterborne bacterial infection
Fortitude: +1
Frequency: Once every three days but will run its course after three checks
Effect: Disadvantage on charisma checks involving social interaction; +1 level of exhaustion; if the disease is allowed to run its course roll a d20 and on a roll of 1 reduce the victim's Intelligence attribute by half (rounding up)
Cure: One successful DC 12 CON save
The Black Death
Your standard, deadly bubonic plague
Transmission: DC16; Possibly spread through fleas carried by rats...maybe not. Could be spread through other means in this setting.
Fortitude: +6/+3
Frequency: Daily
Effect: -1d12 mad hp; disadvantage on Charisma checks and gain one level of exhaustion
Cure: Three consecutive DC 15 CON saves
Gathering the herbs and components necessary for an item requires proficiency in the nature skill as well as a successful survival check representing the characters ability to scavenge the area for the necessary components. The character need not be proficient in the survival skill but proficiency in the nature skill is necessary for them to identify the components needed. A character who is not proficient in the nature skill would have no working knowledge of the properties and effects of various plants/herbs and would not know what to look for.
Crafting generally requires an herbalism kit though there are some exceptions
Availability DC: How easy the components are to find represented as Survival DC; check may be different based on the region and unavailable in certain regions. Wastelands/badlands will have a standard DC of 20 for most items
Crafting: The Nature DC to craft the item using an herbalism kit, and how long it takes to craft
Effect: The effect created by the item
Healing Poultice
A basic healing salve made by utilizing a large variety of components that can be found in nearly every region.
Availability DC: 14 Desert; 12 Forest; 10 all other regions; 8 Scolandi Forest
Crafting: Automatic with herbalism kit and standard action otherwise DC 10; Full round action
Effect: heal 1d4 HP; requires a short rest before another may be used.
Simple Anti-toxin
Basic antitoxin that will alleviate the effects of most non-lethal venoms and toxins
Availability: 10 most regions;
Crafting: Automatic with herbalism kit, standard action otherwise DC 10, full action
Effect: Removes poisoned status for non-magical and non-crafted poisons; ineffective against poisons that have been crafted using an herbalism kit.
Healing Potion
Availability DC: 14 most regions; 12 Forest; 10 Scolandi Forest
Crafting: 12, 10 minutes
Effect: Heal 1d6hp.
Simple Vaccine
Basic remedy for disease
Availability: 12
Crafting: Automatic with herbalism kit, but kit is required to craft
Effect: When administered to someone infected with a disease the disease must make a fortitude/CON save against DC 10; if the disease fails the check then the person is no longer infected.
DISEASE
Certain spell descriptions in the PHB such as lesser restoration or the Paladins lay on hands ability reference the ability to cure disease through magic. In this setting, however, diseases are not so easily cured and continue to represent a significant threat to civilization. Some diseases in fact cannot be cured through natural means and some are even resistant to magical healing.
Most common, non-life threatening diseases are not resistant to magical cures (the common cold for instance can be readily cured through the use of the lay on hands ability, as can minor infections). A disease like the Black Death, however, is not only very resistant to natural remedies but is not automatically cured by casting a spell like lesser restoration. Despite having access to clerics capable of casting these spells, wealthy merchants and nobles are not entirely safe from the ravages of such plagues.
Lay on Hands: The paladins lay on hands ability allows the paladin to cure disease. Unless otherwise stated in the disease description, Lay On Hands may be used to cure any disease. The disease DC to resist healing is 8 + 1/2 Paladin Level (min. 1) + Charisma modifier. When used to cure a disease the lay on hand ability does not replenish hit points.
Greater/Lesser Restoration: Lesser Restoration can be used to cure most common, non-magical diseases. Greater Restoration provides an advantage on all non-magical diseases and can be used to cure most magical disease. Resistance DC of lesser restoration is 8 + caster level (min. 1) + spell casting modifier. Greater Restoration DC is 8 + caster level + spell casting modifier
Cure Wounds: Cure wounds does not cure or treat disease; lesser restoration or similar spell is required to cure disease. Cure wounds does, however, restore hp lost to disease.
Herbal/Natural Cures: The use of herbal and other natural remedies may be used to cure a disease unless otherwise stated in the disease description or fortitude listing. Some diseases cannot be cured through natural means. The use of an herbalist kit is required to craft natural and herbal remedies for disease.
Transmission: The manner in which the disease is spread. The DC that must be met on a constitution save by the character to avoid contracting the disease
Fortitude: Essentially the diseases Constitution modifier to resist a spell or herbal healing; if two numbers are listed the first is the resistance the disease has to natural cures and the second number is the resistance the disease has to magical effects and cures. For example +4/-1 means that the disease is fairly resistant to natural/herbal cures, gaining a +4 on its Con save but is fairly weak against magical cures suffering a -1 penalty to Con rolls against magical cures. If only one number this applies to all forms of healing.
Frequency: how often the effects of the disease are applied to the person who has contracted it; this also represents the disease onset time.
Effect: The effect or damage that the disease causes
Cure: The check or checks that must be made to cure the disease naturally
Beckers Rot:
Debilitating disease that causes internal organs to rot often leading to death
Transmission: DC 10 Bloodborne, often spread through mosquitoes or other insects. The disease is particularly prevalent in hot humid regions and rain forests.
Fortitude: +0
Frequency: once every five days
Effect: reduce maximum hp by 1d6 and gain level of exhaustion
Cure: One successful Con Save DC 15; regain 1d6 max hp every day and regain exhaustion per short/long rest rules
Gygaxian Gangrene
An extremely potent and virulent form of gangrene often contracted by those delving into the deep reaches of the Underdark.
Transmission: DC 12 normally but DC 15 if in the Underdark; Fungal infection through open wounds make a check if reduced to 0 HP through some form of wound/combat when in an environment that is conducive to fungal growth (humid climates, dungeons, forests, etc)
Fortitude: +4/+2
Frequency: Daily
Effect: Loss of the use of the infected body part or appendage and max hp reduced by 1d8
Cure: Two consecutive successful DC 17 CON saves; regain 1d8 max hp every 5 days
Crimson Fever
Characterized by a dark red rash that often begins on the extremities and quickly spreads to cover the majority of the victim's body. The rash is accompanied by a high fever, sweating, and chills. The disease is generally non-fatal but has been known to cause brain damage in some cases.
Transmission: DC 11; waterborne bacterial infection
Fortitude: +1
Frequency: Once every three days but will run its course after three checks
Effect: Disadvantage on charisma checks involving social interaction; +1 level of exhaustion; if the disease is allowed to run its course roll a d20 and on a roll of 1 reduce the victim's Intelligence attribute by half (rounding up)
Cure: One successful DC 12 CON save
The Black Death
Your standard, deadly bubonic plague
Transmission: DC16; Possibly spread through fleas carried by rats...maybe not. Could be spread through other means in this setting.
Fortitude: +6/+3
Frequency: Daily
Effect: -1d12 mad hp; disadvantage on Charisma checks and gain one level of exhaustion
Cure: Three consecutive DC 15 CON saves