When a character comes into contact with poison, they must make an immediate Vigor roll minus the Strength of the poison (if listed). Failure means the character is Distracted in addition to any specific effects caused by its listed type below.

• Disabling: These poisons dull one of the victim’s attributes and all linked skills (chosen at the time of creation) by creating hallucinations, inhibiting nerve function, causing euphoria, etc. The affected attribute and skills are reduced a die type (two with a Critical Failure on the Vigor roll) for 30 minutes.
• Knockout: The victim is knocked out (Incapacitated and unconscious) for 2d6 hours (twice that with a Critical Failure).
• Lethal“ The victim is Stunned, takes a Wound (two with a Critical Failure), and perishes in 2d6 rounds.
• Mild” The victim suffers Fatigue or Exhaustion with a Critical Failure. This cannot cause Incapacitation.
• Paralyzing“ The victim is Incapacitated for 2d6 minutes, or twice that with a Critical Failure.

Poisons are delivered in several ways. In all cases, a being can’t be forced to resist the same type of poison more than once per round.

• Contact poisons must touch bare skin. They can also be applied to a weapon and remain effective for four hours.
• Inhaled poisons are released by breaking their container. They form a Medium Blast Template cloud and affect everyone within.
• Ingested poisons must be consumed. The target may make a Notice roll to detect the poison’s smell or taste before consuming.
• Injury poisons must be applied to a piercing or cutting weapon, and are delivered when an attack isn’t Soaked and results in Shaken.

These are basic and simplified poison effects that can be altered as needed to suit specific creatures or hazards.

Characters can make their own poisons for half the cost listed below. Doing so uses the Alchemy, Healing, or Survival skill and d6 hours of preparation per dose. A Critical Failure during this process results in the poisoner poisoning himself!

Strength: The crafter can make the potion stronger (resisted at Vigor −2) by increasing the time to 2d6 hours and paying the full cost listed below.

Antidotes for poisons use the same crafting rules. An antidote only works against the specific type of poison for which it is created, and gives the user a Vigor roll minus the strength of the poison to recover completely from its effects (including removing Hindrances for addictive substances).

A character may make a Healing roll minus the strength of the poison (if any modifier is listed) to stop its effects. If this action is successful, the victim’s life is saved and the poison no longer has any ill effects—paralyzed victims can move and those rendered unconscious wake.

Each character may only attempt one Healing roll per incident to cure the poison, but another character with Healing may make a second attempt, and so on.