unusual_potions

untuhseuablopooktoiofns

A systemless guide to potions for fantasy
roleplaying games, written by Philip Reed.

contents

Introduction .......................... 3 Frost Potion .................................41
Almost Rules ......................... 6 Potion of Bravery ........................42
Potion Shops ....................... 10 Potion of Storms .........................43
Creators ................................. 14 Potion of Wishes .........................44
Ingredients ........................... 18 Fear Potion ..................................45
Potions ................................... 24 Potion of the Dragon’s Heart .....46
Potion of Infinite Tongues .........47
Potion of Strength .......................24 Clone Potion ................................48
Potion of Flames .........................25 Potion of Desperation ................49
Blastsong Potion .........................26 Arcaneshell Potion .....................50
Potion of Nobility .......................27 Potion of Sunburst ......................51
Potion of Healing ........................28 Potion of Daggers .......................52
Potion of Intelligence .................29 Potion of Invisibility ...................53
Timeflow Potion .........................30 Grayslime Potion ........................54
Acid Cloud Potion ......................31 Dragonflight Potion ...................55
Potion of Despair ........................32 Dreamtheft Potion ......................56
Potion of Superior Reflexes .......33 Potion of Undead Control .........57
Everlasting Love Potion .............34 Potion of Psychomtery ...............58
Potion of Undeath ......................35 Starslice Potion ............................59
Potion of Plantspeak ..................36 Ghostshift Potion ........................60
Potion of Gemsight ....................37 Potion of Screams .......................61
Starlight Potion ...........................38 Potion of Scrolls ..........................62
Potion of Destructive Rage ........39 Mimic Potion ..............................63
Potion of Boiling Souls ..............40

2 Have I missed a potion that you wish
existed? You’re the GM and can create
anything for your campaign. Do it!

introduction

Alongside scrolls, potions are one of those ubiquitous magic items that
many of us don’t give a second thought. Potions can heal, boost char-
acter attributes, and generally serve as a quick fix and a tool to over-
come in-game complications and obstacles. Some game systems apply
limits to the power of potions, while others disregard “game balance”
and approach potions as more of a video game instant enhancement.
How you personally prefer to treat potions in your campaign is far
more important than what the game’s rules may say.
Over the years, I’ve tried to make potions more than just a simple
“drink this and gain Y benefit” item. I don’t feel as if I’ve quite succeed-
ed in the past, though, in adding mystery and wonder to the magic
potions that I’ve detailed in my work.
That’s where The Book of Unusual Potions comes into frame. This is a
dedicated tome in which I try to give potions more twists, turns, and
strangeness than in my earlier projects. My attempt at making these
potions as entertaining in terms of flavor as they are in terms of in-
game bonuses.
You will find the staples of the magic potion world within these pages
– Potion of Strength, Potion of Healing, love potions, etc. – but each
will bring with it something more than the language that usually de-
scribes these classic potions.

This book exists thanks to the support 3
of the Kickstarter backers. I would have

never created this title without you.

What is the most important rule when it comes to this
book and the potions in your campaign? Make each and
every potion your own. Change them if you wish!

In addition to those routine, boring potions that we all know (and rely
on in the dungeon), I’ve also stepped outside of the 10'x10' room in
search of more unusual potions. It is these works that I think you’ll
find more inspiring and rewarding when deciding “exactly which po-
tion should the party find once they unlock that chest?”
Nothing in these pages will change your world and none of the ideas
are intended as a permanent addition to your campaign. As with many
of the near-thousand treasure items that I have written over the years,
these potions are best for one-shot events where they are introduced,
impact the adventure, and then are discarded and forgotten. I recom-
mend not allowing player character wizards to learn how to create the
potions that are new to this book.
If you have potion ideas of your own, please consider sharing them
with readers by posting a comment in the Kickstarter campaign for
this book. You never know, one of your own wild ideas may spark an-
other gamemaster’s imagination, leading to even stranger and more
entertaining potion concepts.
Thank you for your support of The Book of Unusual Potions and my
efforts to distract myself from the complexities of the office. These per-
sonal projects give me a chance to stretch my brain and unwind, and I
couldn’t continue to create these projects without you.

4 The information in this book is intended
as inspiration. These potions are not
written for a specific system.

About the Author

Philip Reed has been creating worthless and unnecessary magic items
for decades now. For a handful of years in the early and mid-2000s, he
designed hundreds of different treasures – both magical and non – and
wrote far too many words that have since been forgotten. When pub-
lishing D20 System PDFs under the Ronin Arts umbrella, Philip pro-
duced more useless content than almost any other author at the time.
These days, Philip spends his days as the CEO of Steve Jackson Games
where he does all that he can to control a tornado of creative energy.

These potions were a blast to create! I 5
hope that you find the ideas within these

pages useful for your next campaign.

almost rules

While this book focuses on providing ideas, not mechanics, there are
some details that we need to go over before we dive into the potion
descriptions. As with the rest of the book, all of these are offered as
suggestions and are not requirements or hard rules. Bend and break
everything you find here as you feel is appropriate for your campaign.
Duration: In many cases, I have avoided listing a duration for po-
tions. Exactly how long a potion should grant characters a special
ability or in-game bonus depends mostly on the effect. Combat bo-
nuses should fade quickly – say within a few rounds of battle – while
bizarre effects from love potions, transformative powers, and others
will expire within hours. And then there are the permanent potions,
like healing, that are instant and do not
have a duration of any length. As
the GM, determine a duration
that suits your needs . . . and
you certainly don’t have to
give the party any info on
duration before one of
them downs a potion. Just
let them take a chance and
learn the hard way.

6

As crafted items, the strength of a potion depends most
on the ability of the wizard or priest who created it. For
extra fun, identify the creator; see pp. 14-17.

Throwing Potions: Everyone knows that you drink potions to activate
their stated effects, right? Oils – which this book does not address – are
applied to an item, character, or creature, and potions are swallowed.
Simple enough. But what if potions could be used in a different way, a
way that allows one to activate the potion without drinking it? Throw-
ing potions should not work, but there are some potions that may
function perfectly when tossed at an opponent . . . or even a friend.
Throwing a potion takes the place of an attack and most player char-
acters can toss a potion vial or bottle 20' plus an additional 2d6'. Once
thrown, so long as the container isn’t impossibly difficult to open, the
potion bursts open and transforms into a magical cloud that may be-
stow its power on all within 5' of the target.
There is only a 5% chance that a thrown potion will act as desribed,
climbing to 25% if the potion is one that causes damage. So many
potions have so many different effects that I leave the exact way in
which a potion reacts when tossed to the gamemaster. I suggest that
all potions, regardless of their effect, reduce the duration to instanta-
neous and that any damage caused be rolled as normal and then di-
vided among the total number of affected characters and/or creatures.
Throwing a potion should not make for a more powerful result than if
the potion were consumed as directed. In fact, the effect of a thrown
potion should be less than one that is swallowed.

In most instances, throwing a potion 7
should be an act of desperation and not

a standard combat tactic.

There is no doubt that if you allow the player characters
to swallow two potions at once, and check for a special
effect, they’ll want to next try three potions. No.

Mixing Potions: In the first edition AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide
we find the “Potion Miscibility Table,” which was my first introduction
to the concept that drinking more than one potion at a time may not
be a great idea. When someone in the campaign drinks two potions at
once, simply roll 1d6 and apply the stated result as you wish.

1 Explosion! For the first few seconds, everything is okay. Both
potions activate, granting their benefits as normal, but 3d8 sec-
onds later it all goes wrong. The explosion kills instantly, and
there’s a 50% chance anyone nearby is hurt in the blast.

2 Astounding! The potions mix better than anyone could have
hoped. Both potions take effect, with all results – such as dura-
tion and damage – doubled. A lucky break!

3 Nothing! Neither potion works, but there’s also no negative ef-
fect so that’s a positive result, yes?

4 Perfect Blend! Both potions take effect as normal, granting
their standard results without any change at all. It seems that
the character has gotten off easy . . . this time.

5 Poison! Rather than activating as normal, both potions blur
together to create a magical poison than inflicts 3d6 points of
damage – instantly – as well as another 1d4 points of damage for
every hour that the poison persists. Magic or 4d4 days of bed-
rest are required to flush the poison from the victim’s system.

8 Mixing should rarely lead to reliable,
expected results . . . unless there’s a
strong story reason for consistency.

In some campaigns, mixing potions has no
special effect and both potions
behave as normal. Dull, right?

6 Reduced! Both po-
tions work, but only
at 50% of their stan-
dard effectiveness.

Tawi Dirgecrest, mistress
of death and a powerful
wizard known for her
skill in the brewing of
potions, is said to have
cataloged the reliable
combination of over thirty
different potions.

Those who understand the
complexity of magic and
secrets of potions say that
the woman lied; mixing
potions is not an exact
science.

Only the GM knows if
Dirgecrest’s catalog of
mixed potions is accurate.

Dirgecrest is not one of the creators 9
described in these pages. She is a blank
slate waiting only for your imagination.

potion shops

“In some places, potions are a common type of magic item,
available for sale in dusty alchemist shops and evil-smelling
witches’ tents.”

– The Dungeon Alphabet by Michael Curtis

10 Adding a magic shop to the game will
make an unforgettable impact on the
campaign world. Be very careful.

Potion shops (with healing potions!) are a great
addition to any campaign if you are expecting the
party to be in a lot of fights.

Windrace’s Trinkets and Charms. This shop is situ-

ated in one of the largest cities of the land and named for a long-dead
spellcaster. The owner of the shop will do all that he can to convince
others that this really was a shop owned by Windrace before her death
. . . but that is a lie. Windrace never owned a shop, and this one came
into existence shortly after her death when the previous owner thought
that appropriating her name would lend his shop a degree of class and
power that would attract talented spellcasters and adventurers.
The shop, as the wizard it is named for, specializes in potions, scrolls,
and magic rings. The shop will have other magic items in stock from
time to time – usually something accepted in trade or acquired for a
dishonestly low price – but it is potions, scrolls, and magic rings that
it keeps in ready supply. There is a 50% chance that common items –
such as healing potions, fireball scrolls, and protective rings – will be
available (and usually 2d4 or 2d6 of each at any time). Rarer items may
or may not be available at the GM’s discretion, but even if one isn’t in
stock, the shop may know where to get it . . . for a price.
The owner, Jok-Voth Goreswound, is not trustworthy and will do all
that he can to trick, cheat, and steal from his customers. How the man
has managed to go for years without being discovered and murdered is
a mystery, though maybe not a difficult one considering that the shop
owner has access to several potions, scrolls, and magic rings.

Many potion shops only stock the 11
potions that the owner – a wizard

or witch – knows how to brew.

Magic shops will, of course, be protected. A shopkeep
who specializes in buying, selling, and trading arcane
goods will have both bodyguards and magical defenses.

The Groaning Goblin’s House of Sorcery. Over

the entrance to this nondescript shop on one of the city’s side streets
hangs the battered skull of a goblin. Bleached white and picked clean
of all meat, the skull is the only identifier for the shop; there are no
signs and the door is always locked. Only those who know the secret
knock gain admittance to this crowded, dusty shop that is stocked with
spellbooks, scrolls, magic shields and weapons, and potions. Anyone
attempting to force the door or break into the shop soon find that its
magical defenses are able to resist all but the most powerful of wizardly
assaults. It is best to walk away than to press the issue of entrance.
The shop is owned by one Wetherby Fullkeep, master mage. Once in-
side the shop, customers are greeted by one of the owner’s twin sons.
Something feels off about the teens, and rumors claim that the two are
clones of the owner’s youngest son who died several years ago.
Fullkeep sells his accumulated objects for much more than his com-
petition, though he is willing to trade with adventurers who bring in
entertaining and unexpected magical trinkets. The mage is attempting
to document all of the magical items of the lands and, if asked, will
happily spend the day chattering on about the objects that have passed
through his hands over the years.
His selection of potions is unmatched. He has almost everything.

12 Have you created an unusual magic shop
for your campaign? Consider sharing
your work with the Kickstarter backers!

Some shops are only suitable to high-fantasy campaign
settings where magic items are not at all uncommon and
every adventurer owns a magical trinket or three.

The Shops of the Wood – a dozen or so establishments offering
everything from scrolls and potions to magic rings, swords,

and armors – was created in an abandoned elvish tree town.
If you needed an example of a high-fantasy approach to the

buying and selling of magic items, here it is.

Is your campaign high-fantasy? Maybe 13
there are competing shops and the PCs

can find great bargains on potions.

creators

Use these creators in your game to add a touch of story
to what would have otherwise been simple magic potions.

Gorak Zisseir. This mage is as evil as the foulest of demons,

powerful and intent on the subjugation of all those who dare to ques-
tion his right to control the world. In his youth, Zisseir was an honor-
able member of the Guards of Arcana, a good-aligned group focused
on locating magic items and hiding them safely within their castle.
Temptation overcame him; Zisseir murdered his friends and stole
what items he could carry when he fled the scene of his corrupt crime.

Potions created by Zisseir may possess the following traits:
• Only evil, and often cast an arcane shadow that cannot be hidden.
• Twice the duration of similar potions, but the user suffers permanent

hit damage when drinking the magical liquid.

Abjurakhan, Dragonsoul. A noble dragonfolk sorcerer,

Abjurakhan lives in the mountainous regions to the north of the civi-
lized lands. In the past, he visited the human and elven cities, studying
the people and learning what he could of the magic of others. For the
last few decades, Abjurakhan has chosen to remain in his tower, teach-
ing magic to those who prove their worth. The sorcerer is an expert in
the art of potions and has made trade agreements with a guild of mer-
chants who keep him supplied in exchange for magical elixirs.

14 The dragonfolk do not live on every
world: maybe Abjurakhan reached your
world through a dimensional gate?

If a potion
is correctly
identified as
one created by
Abjurakhan,
those in the
know who
trade in
magical elixirs
will triple the
price of the item.

Potions created by Abjurakhan may possess the following traits:
• They are always a shade of purple or blue.
• The vials are a distinctive teardrop shape with a gemstone stopper.
• Potion effects are often double the norm; he is a powerful sorcerer.

In a fantasy RPG campaign, the dead 15
NPC spellcasters can be as powerful
and terrifying as any living spellcaster.

Do none of these creators fit the flavor of your
campaign? Make them your own! As with everything else
in this book, they are intended to spark your imagination.

Khehnudaa Windrace. Windrace spent
years on her
This human spellcaster, dead for several art. Potions
years, was reportedly created by
married to an elven her are
ranger and the two more
of them spent years valuable.
adventuring together.
It is said that once
her husband died,
Windrace spent her
remaining years in study and
became an expert in the cre-
ation of scrolls, magic rings, and
potions. She specialized in creating
protective items, and toyed with the
creation of time-warping magics in
an attempt to change the past.
Potions created by Windrace may
possess the following traits:
• All are protective or time-based

and are weaker than normal.
• The vials are opaque, numbered,

and clearly identified.

16

While the potions that follow don’t mention creators, I
encourage you to assign a caster to some of the potions
that you share with the group. Backgrounds add depth.

Starmage. The mage calling himself Starmage always claimed

that his magic was learned from the stars, though there are many ex-
perts who believe that the human mage was simply telling stories to
attract attention. His potions always took longer to brew because he
liked to add a personal signature to every one; a shimmering sparkle
that has no impact on the strength of the potion’s magic.
Potions created by Starmage may possess the following traits:
• Sparkle and twinkle like the night sky; the liquid shimmers.
• A midnight blue liquid housed within a clear vial that is stoppered

with a silver sliver.
• Have the added benefit of granting the user the ability to see in dark-

ness as if the stars were bright.

Ehman Spellstrike. In his youth, Ehman studied as a war-

rior, but his parents discouraged him and paid for his training as a
wizard. Unfortunately, they wasted their money: Ehman was no more
talented as a wizard than he was a warrior.
Potions created by Ehman may possess the following traits:
• All have damaging effects, either bestowing the user with magical

attacks or bonuses that increase attack/damage rolls.
• All are slightly less powerful than normal; Ehman never was all that

talented of a spellcaster.

Even the thinnest of threads between the 17
player characters and your campaign’s

history can add subtle flavor to an item.

ingredients

Unusual potion ingredients assist the gamemaster in
quickly modifying the effects of an existing potion.
When selecting a potion from these pages to stat up for your preferred
game system, you may wish to select one of these ingredients to add a
slight twist to your chosen elixir. As with the creators detailed on pp.
14-17, these ingredients are designed to add more flavor to your po-
tions and further deepen your setting’s background and feel.
If you wish, you may roll 2d10 to randomly choose an ingredient.

2 – Ogre’s Eye. When a recipe calls for the eye of a beast, a wiz-

ard may choose to replace the more common eye with one cut from an
ogre. The ogre’s eye increases the potion’s duration by 2d6%, round up.

3 – Dragon’s Claw. Adding this to an attack potion doubles

the potion’s damage. If the dragon’s claw is used in a non-damaging
potion, the user gains the ability to speak the draconic tongue.

4 – Gold Pieces. When using gold pieces in a potion, increase

the effective caster level of the user by one for every 1,000 gold pieces
that the creator destroyed and infused into the magical drink. This
amplifies all of the potion’s effects. As the GM, you should adjust the
exact number of coins to suit your campaign’s economy.

18

These ingredients are the tip of the
iceberg! The only thing stopping you
from adding to this list is you.

Eyes are only one of the items wizards use when
creating potions, magic swords, and other items.

5 – Poisonous Toad. A dried, shriveled toad ground into a

powder and mixed into the arcane brew infuses the potion with a poi-
sonous aura. Regardless of the potion’s usual effect, the user also gains
the ability to exhale a poisonous cloud that fills a 10' area. The user is
immune to the cloud.

6 – Witch’s Thumb. Tossing the severed thumb of a witch

into the concoction turns the potion a dark gray and enhances the us-
er’s night vision. The potion does not grant the user magical sight, but
merely improves their ability to see in starlight and moonlight.

7 – Thirteen Teeth. The affected potion, in addition to its

primary effect, transforms the user’s teeth into vicious, razor-like in-
struments of destruction. The user gains a terrible bite attack for the
duration of the potion +1d6 rounds. Only teeth that have been ripped
from a human or half-elf impact a potion in this way.

8 –A Wooden Box. Shattering a finely-crafted wooden box

and boiling the potion over the flaming splinters of the once-attractive
box increases the potion’s strength; the potion’s effect is treated as if the
caster’s level was +2d4 higher than it actually is. The chest must have
been worth at least 500 gold for this ingredient to work as described.

Silver coins may also enhance a potion’s 19
effect, but it takes a lot of them to come

close to the strength gained from gold.

Only one drop of the caster’s blood enhances the potion
as described, below. Using the blood of others, or more
of the caster’s own blood, may produce other effects.

9 – A Drop of Blood. If the creator adds a single drop of

their blood to a bubbling potion, there is a slight chance that the po-
tion will turn black in color. This shift in color is the only indication
that the blood has changed the potion, granting the drinker the added
ability to cast magical darkness over an area for the duration of the
magical drink’s other effects.

10 – Black Candle. A wax candle, black in color and six

inches in length, may be lit at the onset of a brewing session to infuse
the concoction with power. The candle must be positioned in such a
way that the wax drips into the bubbling pot, drop by drop bringing
the potion closer to completion. If properly stirred into the potion, the
candle increases the potion’s duration and damage where appropriate.

11 – Spellbook. While rare, there are reports of wizards who

have used complete spellbooks (usually one found while adventuring
or taken from a dead competitor) when creating a potion. Burning a
spellbook and then stirring the ashes into a new brew doubles the po-
tion’s effect and duration. There is a 2d6% chance that the act of mixing
the ashes into the bubbling liquid will backfire and explode during
creation, likely killing the wizard in the process.
Destroying a spellbook to create a single
potion is a bit extreme, yes?

20 Never destroy your
own spellbook to mix
into a potion.

Secret! Using a rotting, weeks-old
jack-o’-lantern doubles the duration
of the potion’s fear resistance.

12 – Jack-o’-lantern. Smushing and

smashing a jack-o’-lantern into a messy pulp and then blendng the
goop into a boiling potion injects the ability to resist fear into the po-
tion’s usual effect. Drinking the potion grants the user a 3d10% chance
of resisting any magical fear abilities for as long as the potion’s normal
effect lasts.

13 – Obsidian Sliver. Grinding a sliver of volcanic glass

and then stirring the obsidian dust into a mystic brew imbues the po-
tion with the ability to resist fire damage. Anyone drinking the potion
is immune to the effects of fire – magical or mundane – for so long as
the potion’s core effect lasts.

14 – Owl’s Feather. Using the feather of an owl to stir the

ingredients of a potion increases the wisdom of the beneficiary of the
magical drink for 2d4 hours after the potion is swallowed. This reduces
the potion’s other effect(s) as the GM sees fit. Dropping the strength of
an attack ability is one possible reduction in power.

15 – A Fine Ring. A wizard melting down a fine ring (worth

25 gold or more) and stirring the molten metal into a defensive potion
doubles the strength of the potion. Mixing a molten ring into any oth-
er type of potion gives a user a mild protection against attacks (reduce
all damage by 1d4 points for as long as the potion is in effect).

Melting down a magical 21
ring may protect the user
against magical damage.

A bottled skull will only work
once to empower a potion. The
skull dissolves in the liquid.

16 – Magic Scroll. While not as powerful or shocking as the

destruction of a spellbook when creating potions, some casters shred
magical scrolls into tiny scraps and then toss the bits of paper into
the flames beneath their boiling work. The spell immortalized on the
parchment influences the effect on the potion. A necromantic spell
scroll, for example, grants the potion’s user the ability to command un-
dead while an illusion spell gives the drinker the ability to see through
any illusions for as long as the potion’s standard duration.

17 – Bottled Skull. The skull of a

humanoid, regardless of the exact race, in the
hands of a talented glassblower can be encased
in a potion vial which makes for a scary and un-
pleasant sight. What is worse, though, is when
an evil spellcaster uses such a bottle to store one
of the many potions that can be brewed and
bottled. There is a 10% chance that the death
of the skull blurs with the potion’s magic, both
doubling the duration and damage of the potion’s
effect.

18 – Rose Petals. Crushed into a fine dust and mixed into a

bubbling brew, rose petals turn the liquid a deep crimson and grant the
user a magical charm power when the potion is consumed.

22 Does the color of rose impact the color
of the potion and the granted effect?
No? Maybe? Yes? You decide!

Not every caster knows the secrets of
these ingredients. It takes knowledge and
skill to use these items as described.

19 – Magic Potion. Not mix-

ing two potions together (see pp. 8-9), but
tossing a potion into the flames beneath
the pot and letting the wave of magic that
is unleashed as the already-brewed potion
is destroyed wash over the new concoction.
This gives the potion a blue aura that shines
until the drink is consumed. The aura is so bright
that it can be used as a makeshift torch in the darkest
of dungeon depths.
The new potion’s damage, if any, is doubled when an older potion is
used in this way during the brewing process.

20 – Mystic Goblet. One of those rare ingredients that is

not, technically, an actual ingredient in the creation of a potion, the
mystic goblet is more a delivery device for the drink than it is a part
of the creation of the arcane brew. Pouring a potion into a mystic gob-
let and then allowing the drink to stand overnight blurs the magic of

both the goblet and the drink, creating something far more
powerful. Drinking the potion from the mystic goblet
grants the user a bonus to strength, a limited resistance
to magical attacks, and doubles the duration of the po-
tion’s power.

The most important rule 23
about magic, in my opinion,
is that it may ignore rules.

Giant strength. Ogre strength. Heroic strength. Call the
potion whatever you wish; the effect is always the same:
The character becomes stronger.

Potion of Strength

A common potion found in campaigns, the
Potion of Strength is one that fighters are
especially excited to find when poking
through the treasure haul. In fact, some
systems limit the potion to fighters,
which leads to the question: What
happens if a thief drinks one? In
my opinion, most potions should
affect all characters equally, re-
gardless of class or skill.

Benefit: The potion makes a char-
acter stronger, with the exact boost
in strength left to the GM to decide. As
with all potions, the bonus is temporary
and fades quickly.

Twist: In addition to increasing strength, the
potion transforms the imbiber’s appearance,
making them a brutish and hulking form of their
natural self. In some instances, this change could make others mis-
take the character for a horrific monster. This could be bad, yes?

24 As the GM you could, of course, make
the potion’s strength bonus permanent.
That’s not a great idea.

Will the one drinking this potion
be confused for a fire elemental?
Maybe. Good luck with that.

Potion of Flames

Once consumed, this magical elixir
instantly changes the user into a flam-
ing version of herself. As a subtype of
the fire elemental, the character taps into
the elemental plane of fire and becomes a
being of pure flame. All armor, weapons,
and gear worn/carried when the potion is used are also turned into
flaming items identical in appearance to their native form.

Benefit: As a fire elemental, the character is immune to heat and
flames – either natural or magical – and sets whatever it touches on
fire (within reason, of course, and left to the GM). The potion’s dura-
tion is determined when the liquid is brewed; low-level mages cannot
create the potion with a longer lifespan than a minute or two. It is said
that high-level wizards can create potions of flame that allow the user
to maintain fire elemental form for up to an hour.

Twist: Drinking the potion actually exchanges the character with a
creature from the plane of fire. For the potion’s duration, the charac-
ter is in a coma-like state somewhere in the cosmic sphere, unable to
communicate with others and safe from harm. In her place, a fire ele-
mental rages and attacks everyone and everything within sight.

The ability to transform into a fire beast 25
is powerful and destructive, especially
when visiting a forest or plains.

Though it may be wizards who brew this powerful
concoction, it is clearly the bard’s spellsong powers
that inspired the potion’s effect.

Blastsong Potion

The effects of this overwhelming potion can be devastating to the
GM’s plans, so be very careful about allowing this potion to fall into
the hands of a player character. The blastsong potion must be a sin-
gle-use item with an instantaneous duration.

Benefit: The user is granted an ability simi-
lar in power to the most powerful of bardic
combat songs. The potion’s creator selects
the exact effect, which should inflict
damage to opponents. This could be
a bardic shrill that fires with perfect
accuracy at the ears of an oppo-
nent, or it could be a destructive
dirge that harms anyone within
30' of the user. The only limit on
the blastsong’s effect is the GM’s
imagination.

Twist: The blastsong cannot be
directed and affects all who hear
the song, regardless of their rela-
tionship to the potion’s user.

26 Will a bard slamming down the blastsong
potion sing a more devastating spell?
Generous GMs will say “yes.”

This potion enhances a
character’s most noble-like
traits. For good or bad.

Potion of Nobility

Created thousands of years ago
at the request of a king who was
less than noble, the potion of
nobility is both a crutch for those
in positions of power who do not
possess natural abilities as well as a
powerful tool for anyone seeking to
impersonate a nobleman or noble-
woman.

Benefit: For the potion’s duration, the user gains access to memories
not his own; history or noble houses of the realm, intimate details of
great events involving nobles of the past, almost anything the GM feels
is fitting to the campaign and applicable to the potion’s purpose. Addi-
tionally, the character’s personal charisma and wisdom are amplified.
On the negative front, the user considers himself to be above most
others and develops an arrogance that may instill hatred and anger in
those around him.

Twist: Drinking the potion grants the user the positive effects for the
potion’s duration (1d4 minutes) . . . and the negative effects kick in
immediately after the potion’s benefits expire and last for 2d6 hours.

A kind gamemaster will apply 27
only the positive effects of this potion

to a player character during play.

As experienced RPG players will tell you, the healing
potion is a powerful tool and necessary to every dungeon
adventure if you wish to survive the unknown dangers.

Potion of Healing

If your game system does not include a healing potion of any sort at
all, then there’s a strong chance that the game is anti-magic potions.
Benefit: The exact type of healing as well as the strength of the potion
is a variable that must be set by the GM. In some RPGs, healing po-
tions are divided into lesser healing, greater healing, etc., which is as
good an approach as any. In the dmsguild.com PDF, Magic Potions
& Ingredients by RPGPapercrafts, healing potion strengths are di-
vided into flavors: Blimberry juice, Moonbrine, and Fey Dew. Clever!
Twist: Healing potions, unfortunately, are sometimes warped and
twisted by sorcery. Each time that a healing potion is within the blast
of a spell unleashed by an evil spell-
caster, there is a 1% chance that the
potion is fouled. A potion so affect-
ed looks unchanged, but once
swallowed, the potion is
a poison that inflicts
as much damage
as it should have
healed.

28

Every mage in the dungeon will be jealous of their
skills once one of the players drinks this potion and
boosts the power of their arcane spells!

Potion of Intelligence

The thick, pink fluid in the bottle smells like a sum-
mer breeze, the aroma so strong that you can still smell
it even with the bottle stoppered and
sealed. Bits of brain, the donor’s race
unknown, cling to the sides of the
bottle, the chunks making it diffi-
cult to swallow the potion; a cruel
GM will make the PC succeed a
constitution check to successfully
drink down this magical liquid.
Benefit: For the potion’s duration –
typically one or two hours – the user’s
intelligence score is amplified to heights
that rival the greatest minds of the realm. This boost affects any skills,
abilities, or other game mechanics that are influenced by the charac-
ter’s intelligence score.
Twist: The boost in intelligence comes at an unexpected cost: One of
the character’s other attributes – determined randomly – is decreased
by as much as the intelligence score was increased.

Never forget that potion effects expire. 29
Don’t let the PCs start a project

that they will be too dumb to finish later.

The ability to manipulate time is a powerful magical art
that takes decades to truly master. Handing control of
time to someone through a potion is dangerous.

Timeflow Potion

The timeflow potion gives the user the
ability to move through time, making
this a powerful potion. Actions taken
in other times can damage the events
of a campaign, so the GM must be
very careful when introducing this
potion into the campagn.

Benefit: Many fantasy RPG systems
include time spells of some sort, and
that is exactly what this potion rep-
resents. The potion gives the user the
ability to leap forward or backward
in time, vanishing from their current
time and instantly reappearing in the
chosen time. Items can be transport-
ed and left when moving through time. The duration is decided by the
gamemaster (recommend 1d6+1 minutes at most).

Twist: For every minute spent under the influence of this potion, the
user ages by one year. This advance in age takes effect instantly when
the potion’s power wears off.

30 Time travel and time control are tough
to add to your campaign without
disrupting everything. Be careful.

Drinking this potion grants the user with the ability to
spit an acidic cloud, much like that of some dragons. Of
course, the range is much shorter than that of a dragon.

Acid Cloud Potion

Dragons can be scary, terrible creatures who breathe any number of
different forms of attack. Fire breath is the most common, yes, but that
doesn’t make the acidic breath of a dragon any less terrifying.
Benefit: As has been stated, the potion gives a character the ability to
exhale an acidic cloud that eats flesh, bone, metal . . . it’s a nasty green-
ish cloud that you would be better off avoiding. Exactly how damaging
the cloud is will depend on the power level of the wizard who crafted
the potion, though no amount of arcane power will result in a potion
that is as destructive as the true acid breath of a dragon.

Twist: The acid cloud potion eats
away at the user’s lungs, forev-
er damaging the character and
making it more difficult for the

character to catch his breath
when winded. Overuse of
the potion can lead to death
as the acidic properties of
the magical liquid shred the

character’s lungs.

31

Whereas most potions offer a
benefit, this one is more of a
curse and should be avoided.

Potion of Despair

This cruel potion drives its victim into an
emotional state that leaves them unable
to take meaningful actions. Using the
potion on someone is a questionable act
that good-aligned characters will have
a difficult time justifying to themselves
and their closest friends.

Benefit: Benefit? No, the potion of despair does not grant the imbiber
a benefit. This cursed potion drives the victim into an overwhelming
despair that is difficult to resist without the aid of magic. How this is
reflected in play depends entirely on your chosen system’s mechan-
ics. If your game includes status conditions – such as frightened or
stunned – it will be easiest to use those rules. If your game does not
address conditions, a character under the influence of this potion can
take no action beyond retreat, incoherent rambling speech, and any-
thing that projects a sense of doom.

Twist: Drinking the potion grants the user with the ability to spread
despair at a touch. For so long as the potion remains active in their
system, someone with this power can inflict the potion’s wicked curse
on those who are successfully hit with a bare hand attack.

32 How can the player characters make
best use of this cursed potion? Trick
an enemy into drinking it!

Before the thief sets off on an adventure, buying one or
two of these potions from the local magic shop might be
a fantastic idea. Enhanced reflexes are always useful.

Potion of Superior Reflexes

In my (you don’t wanna know how deep) game collection, the majori-
ty of fantasy RPGs include a potion that increases a character’s dexteri-
ty score. These potions are a must in settings where magic can improve
game stats, perhaps even more valuable than a strength potion. After
all, dodging attacks allows someone to survive, and what hero charac-
ter won’t ask a wizard for help surviving the battle?

Benefit: This potion enhances the character’s agility by 10% to 20%
(exact number and specific statistic affected decided by the GM).

It also makes the character slightly faster, and
improves the character’s initiative ranking. The

potion’s duration depends on the strength of
the spellcaster who created it, ranging from a
combat round or two to up to twenty minutes.
Boosting a character’s dexterity score can be a

powerful benefit, so a shorter duration is
more forgiving in play.

Twist: The increase comes at a cost: There
is a 1% chance when used that this potion
permanently reduces the character’s dex-
terity score once the potion has expired.

Also known as 33
the potion of

cat-like reflexes.

There is no question that love potions are creepy,
twisted things that strip away the victim’s choice.
Only evil characters would knowingly brew this potion.

Everlasting Love Potion

In the fairy tales and fantasy stories of the past, magical love potions
were used to convince someone – typically a woman – to fall madly in
love with someone. When we stop and consider the act of charming
someone in such a way as to strip the emotion of
love from their soul, we have no choice but to
classify the classic love potion as a cursed and
evil item. No true hero would ever rely on
such a terrible elixir to force others into an
unwilling state of love.

Benefit: The user is the one who drinks
the potion, so you must trick them to
consume the liquid. The user is instantly
charmed and falls in love with the first
person he or she meets. The potion’s
duration ranges from a few hours to, in
extreme cases, eternity.

Twist: Drinking the potion creates an
aura of love that surrounds the user. Those
within its range must resist the magical
charm or fall in love.

34 Where fairy tale thinkings may suggest
that love potions are a good thing, the
reality of the concept is dark and evil.

When confronted with the threat of the undead, one way
in which to combat those evil creatures is to assume
their form and battle them from within.

Potion of Undeath

This sticky green liquid clings to flesh as it is con-
sumed and leaves the user with green lips. The
coloring will only fade after a week, or if magic is
used to remove the stain.

Benefit: Once consumed, the user is envel-
oped in an illusory haze that makes those
around him see the character as an undead
monster (usually a zombie, though more
powerful versions of the potion will
project the form of a lich, wraith, or
other undead creature). All undead
who encounter the character will ig-
nore him, treating him as one of their
own. The only thing that can break the
illusion before it expires is attacking un-
dead creatures within sight of others.

Twist: Rather than creating the illusion of
undeath, the potion is cursed and instantly
kills the user who rises 1d6 minutes later
as an undead creature.

A more powerful version of this potion 35
allows the user to project the illusion to

also cover up to six allies.

Someone drinking this magical brew gains the ability
to speak to the plants, whether they are sentient plants
or the more typical trees and shrubs of the land.

Potion of Plantspeak

A powerful magic item when used to collect information from the
plants or the world, even if you may look a little odd when you stop to
engage in chatter with a tree in the forest.
Benefit: With a duration of 4d6 minutes, this potion grants the user
the ability to speak to any plantlife, sentient or otherwise. Unintelli-
gent plants speak in single words and their “memories” go back only
a day or two. Speaking to a typical tree or
shrub through this potion can provide the
user with limited info, such as whether
or not someone walked by recently
or if it rained yesterday.
Twist: The potion’s effect only
allows the user to speak with in-
telligent plants. All other plants
are, as usual, silent and un-
speaking. In some
rare instances, the
potion turns the user’s
skin a forest green for
the duration +1d4 days.

36

The potion of gemsight is one
that is unknown to many outside
of those who raid treasure vaults.

Potion of Gemsight

The potion is not brewed, but is
crafted from magical stones and
powders that are baked to form jag-
ged, chalky crystalline rocks that are
carried in a jar or bottle. The rocks
must be ground into a fine powder
and mixed with water, then swallowed, to activate the potion. The
concoction must be swallowed within one minute of mixing; lat-
er than that and the potion has no effect and is simply a worthless,
foul-tasting drink.

Benefit: The potion both allows the user to instantly know the loca-
tion of all precious gemstones within 50' and to “see” through those
stones as if the stones were the eyes of a creature. In many instances,
such as when gems are in chests or buried underground, the sight bo-
nus has no true value. Where gemstones are lying about in the open,
though, the sight can be a valuable tool to spy on someone behind a
closed door. Dragons are very aware of this potion and destroy vials
of it whenever they are discovered.

Twist: If the mixed potion is not consumed, it solidifies after a week
and becomes a precious gem that can be sold for 100 gold or more.

The potion is prized by those who loot 37
dungeons in search of treasure. Spotting

gems at a distance is a valuable ability!

This rare magic potion grants the
imbiber with the power of starlight,
which must not be abused.

Starlight Potion

An ancient and legendary cosmic power, the
starlight force comes from realms of existence
far beyond the understanding of mortals. It is
said that millenia ago, during the dark times when
demonic creatures controlled the known lands, ac-
complished spellcasters tapped into starlight and
siphoned some of its energy to form the earliest
magics practiced by the elves.

Benefit: Swallowing the potion floods the
user’s body with the unstable, destructive
power of starlight. For the potion’s du-
ration, the user may cast fireballs and
lightning bolts at will, as if they were
a wizard, and an arcane energy field
that stops all physical missile attacks
surrounds the character.

Twist: The power of starlight can kill those who attempt to harness its
strength. Anyone drinking this potion must make a successful save vs
magic or they will die within 1d6+1 days. Only powerful counterspells
can reverse this result.

38 Rumors of dark starlight are, we must
hope, only rumors. If such a potion
exists, it would be a dangerous weapon.

Transforming into a larger, more terrifying form of
yourself is a risky choice. What if you find that you
enjoy your more violent persona?

Potion of Destructive Rage

When under the influence of a potion of destructive rage, your body
increases in size, your appearance becomes more monstrous, and your
kinder, gentler characteristics are stripped away.

Benefit: Drinking the potion, a character’s
strength and physical resistance attributes
increase in power, mental scores are re-
duced. and their personality becomes more

aggressive and violent than before.
Exact numbers are left to the game-
master to determine.

Twist: The potion does not have a
traditional duration. Instead, you
must succeed a wisdom check to
escape the potion’s power. So long
as you fail this check, you remain
in the destructive mindset and
form. Anyone trapped in this state
for more than a single day becomes
a monster and is no longer an ac-
tive player character.

Part of what makes this potion so 39
powerful is that it strips away the user’s

sense of restraint. That’s dangerous.

Personally, I have always been a fan of the “let magic be
magical” philosopy of gamemastering. It is my opinion
that the GM should never feel restricted by game rules.

Potion of Boiling Souls

This warped, evil potion injects the character with the unnatural pow-
er of the dead who eternally burn on a distant plane of existence. The
potion of boiling souls is an unspeakable brew that only the wickedest
of wizards will create . . . and what does it say about the one who know-
ingly drinks such a foul concoction?

Benefit: This necromantic elixir of terror grants the
character the life-draining touch of wraiths, allow-
ing the imbiber to steal the very life energy from any
who are unfortunate enough to fall within the evil
one’s grasp. Additionally, the drinker is enshrouded
in an evil fog, making it difficult to accurately strike
at this walking sickness that must be stopped.

Twist: The potion does not gain its power from an-
other cosmic plane. Instead, the arcane terror that
empowers the potion of burning souls reaches out
once the drink is swallowed, dark energy tapping
into the souls of all intelligent beings within hun-
dreds of miles and stealing small fragments from
each. One who is harmed by this twisted power for-
ever carries a scar over one eye.

40 Where do the souls come
from? It is best if we don’t
worry about the details.

For those days
when you need
the party to chill.

Frost Potion

A frost potion is a valuable
drink for any adventurer who
sets out into the frozen lands
of the north. While the dura-
tion isn’t long enough to pro-
tect a character for an entire
crawl, having an immunity to
cold at the ready is too good a
bonus to miss out on.

Benefit: Drinking this arcane brew
grants the character immunity to cold-based spells and attacks while
also empowering all of the character’s attacks – whether armed or
unarmed – with freezing damage. When under the influence of the
frost potion, the character’s skin turns a pale blue and the temperature
within 20 feet of him drops by 5d6+10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Twist: The potion is actually the blood of a frost giant and not a wiz-
ard’s creation. Frost giants are hunted by a powerful mage who enslave
the giants and harvest their blood to sell as a potion. If the world ever
learns of this wizard’s evil lie, the giants will no doubt seek out and
slay him.

In the wrong hands, the frost potion 41
can be a dangerous, devastating item.
Basically, don’t let the players have this.

Cursed “bravery” potions exist. They
give the user a false sense of strength,
power, and inflated courage.

Potion of Bravery

A popular arcane elixir with those weaker warriors
and fighters who are asked to do the impossible, the
potion of bravery is one of the more common brews
available in many campaign worlds. The potion may
be found in a variety of strengths, often identified as
a potion of great courage, potion of the defender’s
unwavering stance, or a stalwart potion. It is the
GM’s duty to decide the power level of each variety
as it best suits the chosen game system. I suggest
that no potion of bravery be so powerful as to make
the rest of the adventuring party feel superfluous to
the conquest of the nearest dungeon.

Benefit: The user gains immediate bonuses to strength, damage, and
hit points, as well as a 100% resistance to fear and anything that would
normally cause an otherwise sane adventurer to flee to safety.

Twist: The potion can only be properly brewed if the blood of a pala-
din or strong warrior is mixed into the pot. Without that blood – and
we’re talking about pints, not just a drop or two – the attempt at craft-
ing the potion fails; all the mage shows for the effort is a black sludge
that has arcane power.

42 The potion of bravery can turn even the
weakest and most frightened of beings
into a confident warrior.

A more powerful version of this potion transforms the
user into an unstoppable force of nature. Drinking the
potion magically changes you into a sentient storm.

Potion of Storms

Weather control bound to a magical liq-
uid is the best way to describe this un-
common potion. The potion of storms is
unstable in its liquid state; there is a 20%
chance when the potion is dropped that
the impact ignites the mystic power and
causes an explosive blast as powerful as
a fireball that harms all within 50' of the
accident. Be careful with that jar!

Benefit: Upon drinking the potion, the
imbiber gains the ability to control weath-
er and summon storms. If your chosen
game system includes weather control/storm spells, this potion mim-
ics one of those spells, as chosen by the gamemaster. Otherwise, the
potion allows the user to throw lightning, hurl overwhelming winds,
and manipulate the weather to inflict damage on opponents.

Twist: The strength of the arcane storm eats away at the user’s soul,
causing irreparable damage. Not even the blessing of a cleric or holy
warrior can heal the character after he has consumed the potion. The
character suffers permanent attribute damage of the GM’s choice.

To make this potion deadlier, extend the 43
duration from moments to hours. Then
add a negative effect to offset the power.

Wishes are powerful, with the potential to change a
game world forever if the magic falls into the wrong
hands. A potion providing this power is a ticking bomb.

Potion of Wishes

This shimmering, viscous potion is a powerful
elixir, granting the user the power of wishes. This
means that anyone, from the most inexperienced
commoner to the most powerful warrior, has ac-
cess to one of the most dangerous spells known.

Benefit: The rules governing wishes vary from
system to system, leaving it to the GM to decide
best how to execute the potion’s power within the
campaign world. If your game does not offer a wish
spell (or ring of wishes or similar item), it is
best to make this item less powerful than
you may initially feel is appropriate. It is
easier to correct the small errors than it
is those that instantly change the game
world from a fantasy setting to a sci-fi
universe of adventure.

Twist: The “wish” is an illusion and not
real. It only affects the user for the potion’s
duration (which is different in this instance
than if it were a true wish).

44 Are there cursed potions of wishes out
there? It is likely, yes, though a wish is
curse enough in the wrong hands.

One under the influence of the
fear potion radiates an unholy,
evil aura of fear and terror.

Fear Potion

Consuming this evil, noxious liquid in-
fuses the user’s blood with a toxic arcane
power that causes severe pain as it turns
the victim’s body into a weapon of terror.
For every combat round of the potion’s
duration, the user suffers 1d4 points of
damage and projects a magical fear aura
that causes those nearby to become terrified.

Benefit: Any character or creature within 30' of someone under the ef-
fects of the fear potion must make a successful will check or fall victim
to the potion’s terrible power. Those within 30' to 90' of the imbiber
must also save vs the magical fear aura, though they do so at a slight-
ly reduced chance of failure as determined by the GM. While under
the influence of the aura – which lasts for 5d6 minutes – characters
are frightened and stunned (see the potion of despair on p. 32). The
potion’s suggested duration is three combat rounds; wicked GMs will
extend this to five or six rounds to both make the user suffer more and
extend the strength of the fear aura.

Twist: Those affected by the fear potion are forever marked; some of
their hair turns an unnatural white.

Similar to the potion of despair (see p. 45
32), the fear potion is less common and

far more damaging to those affected.

Infused with the strength and mystic wonder of the
dragon, those who drink down this magical brew take on
the form and power of an ancient dragon.

Potion of the Dragon’s Heart

One of the rarest of all potions, the drag-
on’s heart is forbidden by the draconic laws
of old and anyone captured attempting to
craft – or even to use – the potion will be
put to a slow, torturous death by the council
of dragons. The potion may only be created
by infusing a dragon’s heart into
the brew (one heart per vial).

Benefit: For the potion’s du-
ration, which is best kept to
under six combat rounds, the
user becomes a dragon. Within
an instant of drinking the potion
of the dragon’s heart, the character
grows in size, shape, and power and
possesses the strength and abilities of
a dragon.

Twist: The soul of the slain dragon has a 5%
chance of taking control of the body of the
user, in which case the change is permanent.

46 If your campaign setting is populated by
dragons of different types, this potion
may be available in numerous colors.

The ability to speak all languages, known and unknown, is
one that adventurers who travel to other planes will find
necessary to avoid misunderstandings and accidents.

Potion of Infinite Tongues

This is a relatively common potion, less expensive than many healing
potions and available at any decent magic shop. Many adventuring
groups carry at least one potion of infinite tongues in their collection
of gear, keeping it close at hand for those times when a conversation is
a better solution than drawing swords and trying to skewer a stranger.
Benefit: The potion grants the user with the ability to speak and un-
derstand any language on any world. Duration, more than anything,
determines the selling price of the potion. Some wizards have creat-

ed brews of the potion of infinite
tongues that has a duration mea-
sured in weeks, rather than minutes
or hours.
Twist: A cursed form of this potion,
the potion of confused tongues, ex-

ists and can cause trouble if the
bottles are mislabeled. The
cursed potion can also be
used to trick an enemy
into a disastrous meet-
ing with others.

47

Where the mimic potion (see p. 63) copies another
magical potion, the clone potion allows the user to
transform into a copy of another character.

Clone Potion

The art of arcane cloning is considered immoral in many realms, mages
of the highest order taking whatever action they can to prevent others
from using this magic. Some go so far as to destroy writings that share
the power of cloning, burning spellbooks rather than allow the knowl-
edge to be passed on to others. Unfortunately, the presence of portals
between worlds means that the secret of cloning is
unlikely to ever be removed from the infiverse.

Benefit: Consuming this potion empowers the
user to, at will, take on the form of any individual
touched. The user must first touch the target, skin
against skin, and then may trigger the change in ap-
pearance at a thought. The duration is in two parts:
One, the user must touch someone within 1d4 min-
utes of drinking the potion and, Two, must then ac-
tivate the change before 2d4+1 days have passed.
Once the change has happened, there is a 20%
chance that it is permanent. Otherwise, the po-
tion’s user changes back after one month.

Twist: The clone is imperfect and is instead a
mirror image of the cloned subject.

48 A great magic
item for spies
and assassins!

When a character is defeated in battle
and left dying, the magical energy of
this potion may be all that saves her.

Potion of Desperation

One last chance at life is what this potion promises,
and that promise is one strong enough that many
neophyte adventurers seek out this potion before
venturing into the dungeon. When consumed, there
is a 20% chance that the potion will fail to act as in-
tended and instead instantly drive the user to a per-
manent, irreversible death.

Benefit: If swallowed by a character who is dying –
as defined by your chosen system, but usually when
a character has been reduced to zero hit points – the potion has an
80% chance of restoring the character’s hit points to 50% of maximum
and reviving the character from unconsciousness to ready-for-battle
within a few seconds. Only a cruel, twisted GM would argue that a
dying character who is unconscious is not allowed to drink down this
potion. Clearly a friend pours the drink into the dying one’s mouth.
And then hopes for the best.

Twist: The potion must be consumed by someone who then gains
the touch of healing for 1d4+1 seconds. During that time, all who are
touched by the affected character are healed by 1d6+2 hits (or more, if
the GM so wishes).

To be a true act of desperation, the GM 49
should let a dying character pull this vial

from a pack and swallow the contents.

Magic armor is a powerful tool when entering battle,
though it can be a pain to wear when traveling to the
dungeon. This potion is far less frustrating than armor.

Arcaneshell Potion

Magical defense is a valuable asset in the dungeon, and adventurers
since the dawn of time have taken every opportunity they find to
equip themselves with more powerful protective spells, scrolls, and ar-
mors. Not surprisingly, the arcaneshell potion is in great demand and
demands a premium price at all magic shops.

Benefit: For the potion’s duration, which should range anywhere from
1d4 combat rounds to 2d6+2 minutes, the imbiber’s flesh hardens and
forms interlocking mystic plates that pro-
vide as much protection as the finest of
elvish chainmail. The arcaneshell defense
extends to every inch of the user; cutting
the hair of someone under the effects of
this potion would be very difficult.

Twist: The potion has a negative re-
action to other defensive magics.
If used when a character is al-
ready wearing magic armor,
the potion is a poison that in-
flicts damage to the user. This
should be a very rare variant.

50 A greater arcaneshell potion may exist.
If it does, it will have a longer duration
and may provide better protection.