SRD:Potions

This material is published under the OGL

Potions and 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.

Potion Descriptions

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

Table: Potions and Oils

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 (alignment) (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	Lesser restoration (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 (type) 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 +4 (potion)	600 gp
—	53–55	19–20	Resist energy (type) 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	—	Greater magic fang +1 (potion)	750 gp
—	72–73	—	Greater magic weapon +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 (alignment) (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 (type) (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 (type) 30 (potion)	1,100 gp
—	—	69	Barkskin +5 (potion)	1,200 gp
—	—	70–73	Greater magic fang +2 (potion)	1,200 gp
—	—	74–77	Greater magic weapon +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	Greater magic fang +3 (potion)	1,800 gp
—	—	86–88	Greater magic weapon +3 (oil)	1,800 gp
—	—	89–91	Magic vestment +3 (oil)	1,800 gp
—	—	92–93	Greater magic fang +4 (potion)	2,400 gp
—	—	94–95	Greater magic weapon +4 (oil)	2,400 gp
—	—	96–97	Magic vestment +4 (oil)	2,400 gp
—	—	98	Greater magic fang +5 (potion)	3,000 gp
—	—	99	Greater magic weapon +5 (oil)	3,000 gp
—	—	100	Magic vestment +5 (oil)	3,000 gp

---

Back to Main Page → System Reference Document → Magic Items