Poisoner (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

Members of the Poisoners' Guild and aspiring hopefuls experiment with their craft constantly, creating hundreds of potent toxins either to sell or use for their own nefarious purposes.

Class Information

This is a prestige archetype.

Prestige Class: Daggermark poisoner from Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Paths of Prestige.

Build Classes: Rogue.

Role: Poisoners distribute their lethal wares, making the attacks of their allies more lethal. When they enter the fray themselves they are subtle, never letting the opponent know which hand holds the poison.

Alignment: Any. The rare good poisoner see themselves as equalizers, giving everyone an equally lethal opportunity. The far more common neutral poisoner sees herself as a craftsman and expert whose art just happens to be deadly, a more subtle weaponsmith. Evil poisoners use their abilities for their own advancement and enjoyment, not caring about the consequences.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The poisoner's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Survival (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

The poisoner has all the rogue's class features except as noted.

Hardy

The poisoner has Fortitude saving throws in the good category. Hardy, poison immunity, and immediate poisoning replaces two skill points per level.

Poison Use (Ex)

At 1st level, a poisoner is trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison herself when applying poison to a blade. This replaces the level 1 sneak attack.

Toxic Manufactory (Ex)

At 1st level, when creating poisons or antitoxins a poisoner can create a number of doses equal to her Intelligence modifier at one time (minimum 1). These additional doses do not increase the time required, but do increase the raw material cost accordingly. In addition, she uses the item's gp value as its sp value when determining progress made with her Craft (alchemy) checks. If the poisoner has the Master Alchemist feat, she may create a number of doses of poison or antitoxin at one time equal to twice her Intelligence modifier and uses the item's gp value as its sp value when determining progress with her Craft (alchemy) checks. This replaces trapfinding.

Toxic Talents

From 2nd level, a poisoner can learn toxic talents. Add the following toxic talents to the poisoner's selection of rogue talents. Toxic talents and swift poisoning replaces evasion.

Combine Poison (Ex): A poisoner can combine two different poisons without reducing their efficacy, applying them to the same weapon, object, or trap. A creature exposed to the poisons must save against both. The market price of a concentrated poison is twice the total price of the two poisons.

Delayed Poison (Ex): When crafting a poison, a poisoner may choose to create it with a delayed onset time. This delay must be at least 1 round but cannot be longer than 1 hour per class level.

Distilled Poison (Ex): The poisoner can combine two doses of the same poison to increase their effects. This requires two doses of the poison and 1 minute of work. When completed, the poisoner has one dose of poison. The poison’s frequency is extended by 50% and the save DC increases by +2. The market price of a concentrated poison is four times the price of the poison that has been concentrated.

Launch Toxic Trap (Ex): The poisoner can affix a trap made with the toxic trap ability to an arrow, crossbow bolt, or thrown weapon, allowing her to set the trap remotely. Attaching the trap to the projectile is part of the full-round action of creating a new trap. The trapped projectile is fired or thrown at a square. The trap is treated as if the poisoner had set the trap in that square, except the the poisoner's Disable Device is treated as 5 lower than normal. The attack has a maximum range of 60 feet, and range increments apply to the attack roll. The poisoner must know the toxic trap toxic talent to learn this talent.

Mutable Poison (Ex): The poisoner can use Craft (alchemy) to change the type of a poison with 1 hour of work and an alchemist's lab. If the Craft (alchemy) check (DC equals the poison's save DC) is successful, the poison's type changes to contact, ingested, inhaled, or injury; on a failed check, the poison is ruined.

Sticky Poison (Ex): Any poison the poisoner creates is sticky—when the poisoner applies it to a weapon, the weapon remains poisoned for a number of strikes equal to the poisoner’s Intelligence modifier.

Tailored Toxin (Ex): Choose one creature type (and subtype, for humanoids or outsiders). Poisons the poisoner uses are particularly effective against creatures of this type, increasing the save DC by 2. The poisoner can also chose to make a poison that either only affects creatures of the specified type, or that creatures of that type are immune to. This trick can be taken more than once; each time it applies to a different creature type (or subtype).

Toxic Grenade (Ex):' The poisoner can use a vial of poison as a grenade-like weapon. This can be a gas, contact, or injury poison, and injury poisons used as grenades only work on creatures that are at half their hit points or less. The poison has normal effect on a hit. Splash damage gives a +4 bonus on the saving throw.

Toxic Magic (Sp): Choose one of the following spells or alchemical extracts as a spell-like ability: accelerate poison, delay poison, neutralize poison, pernicious poison, pick your poison, poison, transmute potion to poison or venomous bolt. These abilities work as if cast by a wizard of the poisoner's level. This trick can be taken more than once; each time it grants a different spell-like ability. The poisoner can use any of her spell-like abilities once per day per ability she knows, plus a number of daily uses equal to her Intelligence modifier.

Toxic Smoke (Ex): The poisoner can enhance the effects of smoke pellets or gaseous poisons to fill a larger volume. Smoke pellets are alchemical items that cost 20 gp and are described in the Dungeoneer's Handbook. The poisoner throws a smoke pellet or gaseous toxin at an intersection of squares (as if targeting an area spell). This is an attack with a range increment of 5 ft. and scatters on a miss. The smoke billows out to create a cloud of toxic-looking fumes (as a fog cloud). If the poisoner uses a dose of gaseous toxin as a basis of the smoke bomb, anyone who begins or ends their turn in the cloud is subject to the poison, but gets a +4 circumstance bonus on it's saving throw since it is diluted.

Toxic Trap (Ex): As a a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity a poisoner can set up a temporary trap using a dose of contact, inhaled, or injury poison. A toxic trap fills a single 5-foot square, and cannot be placed in the same area as another mundane or magical trap such as a glyph of warding. The DCs for Perception checks to notice the trap and Disable Device checks to disable it are equal to 5 + the poisoner's Disable Device skill bonus (including the poison mastery bonus). The trap has Trigger: location, and Reset: none. The effect is the same as that of the poison. An injury trap needs to make an attack with a bonus equal to the poisoner's Disable Device bonus to inject the poison, this does not cause any hit point damage. A gas poison allows a Reflex saving throw (DC 10 + 1(/2 the poisoner's Disable Device skill bonus) to avoid becoming infected, while a contact poison requires contact with bare skin to be triggered. The poison in a toxic trap decays over 24 hours.

Poison Mastery (Ex)

At third level a poisoner gains a +1 bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks dealing with poison, on the save DC of poisons she uses, and on saving throws against poisons. This bonus increases by one for every three levels. This replaces trap sense.

Sneak Attack (Ex)

This is the same as the rogue ability of the same name, except that the poisoner gains 1d6 of sneak attack damage at third level, and that the damage increases by another d6 every four levels after level three.

Quick Poisoning (Ex)

A 4th level poisoner can draw a vial of poison from her bag and poison a weapon or unattended object or consumable as a move action. Observers need a successful Perception check against the poisoner's Sleight of Hand to notice this and any higher level poisoning ability. Note that distraction penalties often applies to such Perception checks. The poisoner can also create poisons with the Craft (alchemy) skill in half the normal amount of time. This replaces uncanny dodge.

Toxic Apothecary (Sp/Ex)

The line between medicine and poison can be thin indeed. At 5th level, a poisoner gains a bonus equal to 1/2 her class level on Heal checks, and can cast detect poison at will (range 5 feet, caster level equal to the Poisoner's class level) as a swift action. Toxic apothecary replaces the sneak attack die at level 5.

Poison Trapster (Ex)

At 8th level, a poisoner adds her poison mastery bonus on Perception skill checks made to locate and on Craft and Disable Device checks made with poisonous traps. A poisoner also adds this bonus on attack rolls, save DCs, and Perception and Disable Device DCs for permanent poisoned traps she crafts. This bonus does not apply to the toxic trap toxic talent (it is already included in that ability). Poison trapster replaces improved uncanny dodge.

Swift Poisoning (Ex)

At 7th level, a poisoner can draw a vial of poison from her bag and apply it to a weapon, object, or consumable as a swift action. This action does not provoke attacks of opportunity as long as she has at least one hand free. Toxic talents and swift poisoning replaces evasion.

Treacherous Toxin (Ex)

At 9th level, when a poisoner makes a sneak attack with a poisoned weapon, she may forgo some of her sneak attack damage to increase the save DC of her poison, increasing the poison's save DC by 1 for every 1d6 points of sneak attack damage she forgoes. This replaces the die of sneak attack damage at level 9.

Poison Immunity (Ex)

At 11th level, the poisoner becomes immune to poison. Hardy, poison immunity, and immediate poisoning replaces two skill points per level.

Instantaneous Toxicology (Ex)

At 13th level, a poisoner can create a poison as a full-round action if she succeeds at the Craft (alchemy) check and has the appropriate resources on hand to pay the creation cost. In addition, she can instead create an unstable toxin. Ingredients for an unstable toxin costs 1/10 its normal price (rather than 1/3), but is ruined if not used by the end of her next turn. Finally, she can use mutable poison as a full-round action. This replaces the die of sneak attack damage at level 13.

Instant Poisoning (Ex)

At 17th level, a poisoner can draw a vial of poison from her bag and apply it to a weapon or consumable as a free action on her own turn. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Instant poisoning replaces the die of sneak attack damage at level 17.

Immediate Poisoning (Ex)

At level 19, the poisoner can poison an unattended object within arms reach (such as a door handle or cup of wine) as an immediate action, possibly just before someone touches or consumes it. This can also be used to poison a weapon as it is being used with a successful Sleight of Hand check against the CMD of the weapon wielder (automatic if the wielder is informed and willing). Hardy, poison immunity, and immediate poisoning replaces two skill points per level.

Poison Gaze (Su)

At level 20 the poisoner can spend a standard action to consume a dose of poison while looking at a creature within 30 ft. That creature is instantly poisoned, with the saving throws and effects of the poison consumed. This is not a gaze weapon, the target need not be looking at the poisoner. Poison gaze replaces master strike.

Table: Poisoner

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+2	+2	+0	Poison use, toxic manufactory
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+0	Rogue talent, toxic talents
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+1	Sneak attack +1d6, poison mastery +1
4th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Rogue talent, quick poisoning
5th	+3	+4	+4	+1	Toxic apotechary
6th	+4	+5	+5	+2	Rogue talent, poison mastery +2
7th	+5	+5	+5	+2	Sneak attack +2d6, swift poisoning
8th	+6/+1	+6	+6	+2	Rogue talent, poison trapster
9th	+6/+1	+6	+6	+3	Poison mastery +3, treacherous toxin
10th	+7/+2	+7	+7	+3	Advanced talents, rogue talent
11th	+8/+3	+7	+7	+3	Poison immunity, sneak attack +3d6
12th	+9/+4	+8	+8	+4	Rogue talent
13th	+9/+4	+8	+8	+4	Instantaneous toxicology
14th	+10/+5	+9	+9	+4	Rogue talent
15th	+11/+6/+1	+9	+9	+5	Sneak attack +4d6, poison mastery +5
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Rogue talent
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Instant poisoning
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6	Rogue talent, poison mastery +6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6	Immediate poisoning, sneak attack +5d6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	Poison gaze, rouge talent

Note: Poison Costs

Poisons are prohibitively expensive in Pathfinder, even if manufactured by the user. As an option, the GM might rule that this cost is due to poisons being illegal, and that the actual cost of the ingredients are only 1/30 of the cost of the poison, rather than the normal 1/3 (see the Craft skill for details on raw material costs). In this case, the GM should discourage sales of poisons at market value by making it hard to find buyers and because of persecution by the law and other criminal organizations monopolizing the market. In other words this is meant to reduce overhead, not as a way to get rich quickly.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:

• Class Skills
• Sneak Attack (level 1, 5, 9, 13, 17)
• Evasion
• Uncanny Dodge
• Improved Uncanny Dodge
• Master Strike

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