Fl o ra & Fa u n a Tab l e O f C o n t e n t s W h a t G o e s I n t o A P o t i o n ? 1 B a s e 1 I n g r e d i e n t s 1 A d d i t i v e s 1 R u l e s F o r Br e w i n g a n d H a rv e s t i n g 1 S t e p 1 - G a t h e r i n g C o m p o n e n t s 1 S t e p 2 - B r e w i n g 1 S t e p 3 - F e r m e n t a t i o n 2 H a r v e s t i n g I n g r e d i e n t s 2 P r o p e r t i e s 2 H o w D o I K n o w W h a t a P o t i o n’s E ffe c t W i l l B e ? 2 L i s t O f N a t u ra l I n g r e d i e n t s 3 L i s t O f M o n s t e r P a rt s 5 R e c i p e s 6 C o s t o f C o m p o n e n t s & P o t i o n s 7 T h a n k Y o u 7 A rt C r e d i t s 7 F lo w e r s A r t By: S k e tchfy
Foreword reetings reader! I hope this tome finds you well. Within the pages of this book, you will discover instructions on how you may find ingredients, the properties of those ingredients, and how you may combine ingredients into a potion. I have also taken the liberty to add a few recipes you can follow to create a functioning potion! I hope you find this guide to be helpful, and may it act as the first step of many in your journey to potion-making mastery. What Goes Into A Potion? Every potion is made up of at least three components: base, ingredients, and additives. All three of these parts are absolutely necessary. You can create a potion by combining a base, three or more ingredients, and one additive into a vial and allowing it to ferment. Base The base is the liquid that your potion will be made up of. Common bases include water, vinegar, and alcohol. Each base will have an impact on how the potion affects the consumer and should be considered when creating the potion. Water The most common base. Water is used for neutral and positive effect potions (i.e. healing potions, Potion of Invisibility, etc.). Viniger Vinegar is used as a base for poisons and harmful potions (i.e. Abjuration Poison, Fireball Potion, Blue Dragon Essence, etc.). Alcohol This base is used in potions that affect one’s mind (i.e. Potion of Divination). It is important to use liquor or spirits for this, don’t expect to achieve success if you are brewing a potion with wine or ale as a base. Ingredients There are many different ingredients that can be found around the world. They range from the body parts of magical monsters to common plants that can be found growing along a forest path. Each ingredient has properties that will affect the potion so feel free to experiment! Additives Additives are natural components that aid in the brewing process and imbue magic into the potion. Like the base, it is important to consider the additives you are using in your potion and how they will affect the potion-making process. Here is a list of the most common additives: Salt This additive is widely available and will act as a catalyst to begin the brewing process. Bonemeal This additive is made by crushing bones into a fine powder. Using bonemeal as your additive will adjust the DC of the brewing process by -1. Sulfer This additive has the possibility to make the potion more powerful or potent but is also an unstable component. Using sulfur as your additive will make your potion more effective or longer lasting but will adjust the DC of the brewing process by +2. Rules For Brewing and Harvesting There are three steps in brewing a potion and they follow this order: Step 1 - Gathering Components You will need to have access to your base, ingredients, and additives on hand and ready to be used. Rules for harvesting ingredients can be found on page 2. Step 2 - Brewing Once you have your components, you can begin brewing! Remember, this process requires one base, at least three ingredients, and one additive. You can use three of the same ingredients in a potion or mix and match them. During this process, you make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Medicine) check (adding your proficiency modifier if applicable), and compare that to a DC set by the DM. If you succeed, you can move on to Step 3 - Brewing, if you fail, all of the components are lost and you must start again. 1
A note to DMs on the Brewing DC There are many things that affect the DC of brewing a potion. As a rule of thumb, start with a DC of 14 then adjust that DC based on some factors. For example, following a recipe or having the guidance of an experienced potion maker will lower the DC by -3 but experimenting with a new set of components or attempting to create a particularly powerful or complex potion may raise the DC by +2. It is important to exercise your judgment in this process and make sure that all factors are considered before setting the DC. Step 3 - Fermentation After successfully brewing the potion, you must allow the potion to ferment. All potions must ferment for a minimum of 12 hours but stronger potions (ones made with sulfur or potent ingredients) may need to ferment for up to 5 days. When creating the potion, the DM will decide how long the potion will need to ferment. After the potion has fermented, it is ready to consume! Harvesting Ingredients There are two types of ingredients: Monster parts, and natural ingredients. Natural Ingredients Natural ingredients are plants with magical properties that can be found in all sorts of biomes around the world. To find and harvest these ingredients you must make an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check and follow the table below to see how the harvesting process turns out. Finding and harvesting ingredients takes one hour and can be done multiple times. Harvesting Check Result 0 - 5 You do not find any ingredients 6 - 11 You find 1 ingredient 11 - 15 You find 1d4 ingredients 16 - 20 You find 1d6 ingredients 21 - 25 You find 1d4 + 1d6 ingredients 25+ You find 2d4 + 1d6 ingredients Monster Parts Monster parts can only be harvested from dead or unconscious creatures, requires a Wisdom (Medicine) or Dexterity check, and uses the table below. Harvesting Check Result 0 - 5 You ruin the part you are trying to harvest. 6 - 11 You find 1 ingredient 11 - 15 You find 1d4 ingredients 16 - 20 You find 1d6 ingredients 21 - 25 You find 1d4 + 1d6 ingredients 25+ You find 2d4 + 1d6 ingredients If the part you are trying to harvest is one of a kind within the monster like a heart, stomach, or tongue, the DC for the check is 14 and is a pass/fail check. Variant Rule: Harvesting Poison Ingredients Your DM may want to introduce some risk into the process of harvesting ingredents with the poison property. If this is the case, any natural 1’s rolled while harvesting ingredents with the poison property will cause you to take on the poisoned condition for 1d4 hours. Examples: Natural Ingrednet Harvesting The characters find themselves in a forested area making camp before the sun goes down. One of the characters may want to look around for some dragonberries. The DM would call for that player to make an Intelegance (Nature) check. The check comes out to a 14. The player would then roll 1d4 to determine how many berries are found. The player rolled a 3, giving them 3 dragonberries, enough to use in a potion. Monster Part Harvesting The characters have just slain an ancient red dragon and one of the characters wants to harvest some of the scales. The DM would call for that player to make a Wisdom (Medicine) or Dexterity check. The check comes out to a 28 so the player rolls 2d4+1d6. The player harvests 13 scales and now has enough scales for multiple potions or one very potent potion. Properties Each and every ingredient will have one or more properties that have an effect on a potion. When crafting a potion, you can use these properties to create potions with straightforward effects or you can mix and match properties to make a more unique potion. For example, making a potion with three solacia roots, a plant with healing properties, makes a simple healing potion. On the other hand, creating a potion that is comprised of dragonberries, red dragon scales, and manafern, might combine the fire and magic amplification properties of these ingredients to create a potion that causes your fire spells to do more damage! Experimentation and creativity are important in making exciting potions that have powerful effects. How Do I Know What a Potion’s Effect Will Be? As mentioned above, the properties of the ingredients used in a potion will have an influence on what the potion will do but when you are experimenting, who knows how a potion will turn out? 2
If you are following a recipe that you find in-game, the recipe will list the effect. See page 6 for recipes. Without a recipe, the DM will have the ultimate decision on what a potion does. It is advised for the player to express their intention to create a potion and explain to the DM how the ingredients, base, and additives will interact and the desired potion effect. It is then up to the DM to decide what the true effect of the potion is. For example, Finnagin Glimmerweave, the sorcerer, wants to create a potion with vinegar, two giant spider fangs, one bloodpetal flower, and sulfer. Finnagin would explain to the DM that he wants this potion to be very potent and have a paralyzing effect on whoever consumes this potion. If the DM feels that the components used are sufficient to create the desired effect, the DM will then create the effect for this potion. In this case, the DM may conclude that when this potion is consumed, the drinker must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw and on a failed save, paralysis will take hold in 1d4 hours and last for 2d6 hours. On the other hand, if Finnagin wanted to try and make a paralyzing potion with water, sunburst blossom, moonflower, and salt, (components that do not have paralyzing or poisoning properties) Finnagin would still be able to make a potion but the DM would set the effect of this potion to something more inline with the properties of the components — perhaps a potion that cures blindness. List Of Natural Ingredients Below is a list of some ingredients you may find along your travels. This list is in no way comprehensive and there are many more plants with magical properties to discover. Bloodpetal Flower The Bloodpetal Flower is a rare plant that boasts snowwhite petals with deep red splotches that resemble drops of blood. The plant is highly toxic, and its petals can be used to create a potent poison that has been known to bring great creatures to their knees. Harvesting this plant requires great skill and care, as even the slightest misstep can have fatal consequences. Properties: poison, potent Dragonberry These berries are the sizes of peas and grow in clusters on a thorny bush. They have a sweet and spicy flavor that is reminiscent of cinnamon and cloves. One must be careful when harvesting Dragonberries, as the thorny bush they grow on is known to be fiercely protective of its fruit. Harvesters have reported the bush moving its own branches to deflect or scratch the hands of a creature harvesting the berries. Properties: fire Dreamshade Dreamshade is a dense bush that grows in shadowed areas on the forest floor. Its leaves are a deep shade of green so dark that it is nearly black. These leaves have been reported to induce vivid and sometimes prophetic dreams in those who consume them. The dreams can be incredibly realistic, often feeling more like a journey to another world than a simple dream. However, consuming too much Dreamshade potion can lead to dangerous hallucinations and a prolonged state of sleepiness. As a result, it is important to use this potion sparingly and under the guidance of a skilled potion maker. Properties: divination, dreams Faeriebloom This exquisite flower grows in enchanted meadows. Its petals are a brilliant shade of purple, with delicate veins of silver that seem to shimmer in the sunlight. The fragrance of the Faeriebloom is sweet and alluring and is said to attract the attention of fae creatures. This flower is highly prized by mages and healers, as it is said to be able to dispel curses and suppress other magical effects. Properties: curse removal, magic supression Forget-Me-Not Flower The Forget-Me-Not Flower is a delicate, red flower that grows in clusters with petals shaped like tiny hearts and a stem that is thin and green. Novice potion makers often tinker with this flower hoping for a love potion of some kind but end up forgetting why they started the brew in the first place. The truth is that the Forget-MeNot Flower can cause temporary amnesia. Properties: amnesia, memory Ghostfruit The fruit resembles a fig, with a slightly elongated shape and pale, almost translucent skin. The ghostfruit tree is quite rare but its white and blue leaves make it easy to spot against the surrounding greenery. Properties: invisibility Bloodpetal Flower Art By: sketchify 3
Manafern A tall, slender plant that grows in the partial shadow of towering trees. The leaves of this plant have the remarkable ability to restore magic abilities that have been lost or weakened. The Manafern is not an easy plant to find or harvest. It is often guarded by magical creatures and guardians of the forest, who are fiercely protective of its magical properties. Properties: magic ampflication Mintberry Bush The Mintberry Bush is a hardy plant that thrives in cold climates and harsh winters. Its branches are covered in tiny, white berries that have a refreshing minty flavor. When the berries are harvested and made into a potion, they imbue the drinker with a cool sensation that spreads throughout their body. Properties: cold Moonflower The Moonflower is a stark white flower that blooms under the light of the full moon. Its petals shimmer with a faint iridescence, and the flower emits a soft, otherworldly glow that attracts all manner of magical and mundane creatures. Properties: healing Nimbus Blossom The Nimbus Blossom is a delicate plant with feathery, white flowers that resemble fluffy clouds. Its leaves are thin and almost translucent, giving the plant an ethereal appearance. When the petals are gently touched, they release a faint, refreshing scent that is reminiscent of a cool breeze. These flowers are delicate and require a steady hand but will allow a potion maker to create a brew that manipulates one’s breath. Properties: breath, breathing Oak Tree Bark The bark of the oak tree is a deep, rich brown color with deep grooves and lines, and it exudes a faint, earthy aroma. This bark is known for its magical properties that enhance courage and inner strength. When mixed with other ingredients, this bark has the ability to make you strong, and resistant to harmful effects. Properties: streangth, resistantce Puffball The puffball gets its name from the round, fluffy blooms that resemble tiny balls of cotton. These flowers can be used in potions to make them turn into a plume of gas when agitated and exposed to air. Properties: splashing Seers Leaf This plant has leaves that are a deep green, with thick, red, veins running through them. One of the most peculiar plants in this guide, rumors surround the Seers Leaf that claim to give it properties of intangibility. Seers Leaf is quite rare and many potion makers have not been able to test these claims. Properties: intangibility Dubious Claims I once heard from a mage long ago that he knew a man who knew a woman who claimed that her mother’s brother’s friend knew an apothecary who used Seers Leaf to create a potion that allowed him to walk through walls. Seems like a tall tale… - Bordos Evinfire Shadowclimb The Shadowclimb is a magical plant that thrives in the darker areas of the forest. It is a climbing vine with deep green leaves. Legend has it that the Shadowclimb possesses powerful magical properties and that those who consume its leaves or flowers will be granted heightened senses and increased agility. Properties: dextarity Skybloom The skybloom grows in sunny areas and only blooms on clear days that are free from cloud cover. Its petals are a deep blue hue, resembling the color of a clear sky on a sunny day. The magical properties of this flower relate to flight and levitation, giving the consumer the ability to break free from the chains of gravity. Properties: flight, levitation Skybloom Art By: sketchify 4
Solacia The Solacia is a delicate flower with petals of all the colors of the rainbow. Despite their fantastic appearance, the petals are of no use in medicine. The roots, however, have potent healing properties that cover a wide range of maladies, from common colds to more serious ailments and injuries. Properties: dease removal, healing Sparkset Flower The Sparkset Flower is a small, vibrant purple flower that grows in clusters on long, thin stems. It this flower attracts many pollinating insects and is often eaten by grazing animals like deer and cows. Bushels of Sparkset are heavily sought after by scholars and students as they are known to give the consumer a burst of energy and focus. Properties: energy Sunburst Blossom The Sunburst Blossom is a radiant flower that can be found growing in clearings and meadows with lots of exposure to sunlight. Those who consume brews and concoctions made with the petals of a Sunburst Blossom will be granted the ability to see in the dark. Rumor has it that combining the Sunburst Blossom with another plant that amplifies the magical effects could allow one to see through illusions or even see into the ethereal plane. Properties: vision Brewer Bewear! The Sunburst Blossom is powerful! Overdosing on concoctions made with this plant can cause temporary or even permanent blindness. - Bordos Evinfire List Of Monster Parts Below is a list of a few monster parts you may find on your adventures, they are quite a bit rarer than the plants listed above but also have the ability to create much more powerful potions Dragon Scales When ground into a powder and added to a potion, they can provide the drinker with the powers that once belonged to the dragon they came from. Properties: fire, cold, acid, lightning, or poison Eagle Eye The sharp and keen sight of an eagle is coveted by many, and the eagle’s eye is a sought-after ingredient for potions that enhance vision and perception. The eye itself is small and can range in color from a bright yellow to a deep brown. Properties: vision Giant Spider Fang A long, thin, and sharp fang that is extracted from the mouth of the deadly spider. Its surface is covered in a slick, iridescent green venom that is known to be a potent paralysis poison. Properties: paralaysis, poison Griffin claw This large and powerful talon with razor-sharp tips is said to be imbued with the strength and agility of the mighty griffin. Properties: strength Mimic Tongue A long, slimy, and muscular appendage, covered in a thick layer of mucus that helps it grip onto objects. Properties: shapeshifting Kraken’s ink sac A dark, spherical organ found within the creature’s body. It is filled with a thick, inky substance that is secreted when the Kraken feels threatened or needs to make a quick escape. Properties: darkness, stealth Unicorn Horn The horn of a unicorn is a long, slender, and spiraled ivory-colored protrusion from the center of the creature’s forehead. It is said to be very strong and contains arcane knowledge. Properties: knowlege, language Sunburst Blossom Art By: sketchify 5
Rat’s Tail These fleshy tails and the vermin they are attached to are commonly found in cities or anywhere humans are creating food and garbage. Properties: poison Beholder Eyestalk The Beholder’s eyestalk is a long, thin appendage that extends from the creature’s main eye. It is covered in tiny, writhing tentacles and ends in a small, glowing orb. The eyestalk has the ability to rotate in any direction, allowing the Beholder to focus its gaze on multiple targets at once. Properties: charming, paralysis, fear, slowing, telekinesis, sleep, or petrification Fire Giant Heart This massive organ glows with intense orange light. It is said to contain the fiery essence of the giant, making it a highly sought-after ingredient for potions that imbue the drinker with strength and resilience Properties: fire, strength Recipes Here you will find some potion recipes. Feel free to follow these and try them out but it is important to remember that curiosity and experimentation are very important in the process of potion-making. Potion of Healing Base: Water Ingredents: 3x Moonflowers Additives: Salt Fermentation Time: 1 day Effect: When consumed, you regain 2d4+2 hit points. Abjuration Poison Base: Viniger Ingredents: 6x Faeriebloom, 2x Bloodpetal Flower Additives: Sulfer Fermentation Time: 4 days Effect: When consumed, you must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, you lose 1d4 spell slots of your lowest level slots available. This effect lasts until your next long rest. Fireball Potion Base: Viniger Ingredents: 3x Dragonberries, 2x Puffball Additives: Sulfer Fermentation Time: 3 days Effect: When thrown, this potion explodes upon contact with a surface into a ball of fire. All creatures within 5 ft. must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. Creatures within range take 3d6 fire damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful one. Potion of Divination Base: Alcohol Ingredents: 2x Manafern, 3x Dreamshade Additives: Bonemeal Fermentation Time: 5 days Effect: When consumed, this potion gives you prophetic dreams that give vague details about coming events in your life. Potion of Magic Sight Base: Water Ingredients: 2x Manafern, 4x Sunburst Blossom Additives: Salt Fermentation Time: 5 days Effect: When consumed, this potion gives you the ability to see through magical darkness and see illusions for what they truly are. Potion of Darkness Base: Water Ingredients: 2x Manafern, 1x Kraken’s Ink Sac, 1x Puffball Additives: Salt Fermentation Time: 2 days Effect: When thrown, this potion explodes upon contact with a surface, creating a 30-foot dome of magical darkness. A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it. Abjuration Poison Art By: Sketchify 6
Cost of Components & Potions So, how much does a potion cost? How much does vinegar cost? What is the price difference between a sparkset flower and dragon scales? What about the cost difference between a potion of darkness and a fireball potion? This is a difficult question to answer, especially because economics differ from table to table. For example, some tables use all currencies offered in the core rules, some only use gold, and others have a custom currency system that is unique to that table. That being said, I can give you a few pointers. Bases Bases are the least expensive components in a potion. Water should be essentially free and easy to find in the wild or in a town. Vinegar and alcohol should have some cost attached but it should be very inexpensive. Components Ingredients will vary based on their use and rarety. Ingredients used in healing potions like moonflower and solacia should be on the lower end of the cost scale. Ingredients that are used in spellcasting, have elemental effects, or affect one’s body and abilities (i.e. manafern, bloodpetal flower, mintberry bush, or nimbus blossom) should be towards the middle of the spectrum. And finally, monster parts and exotic plants (i.e.mimic tongue and dreamshade) will be much more expensive. Addititives Like bases, these should be fairly inexpensive. Salt, as with water, should be almost free. Bonemeal will come with a cost but should be easy to find or make. Sulfer on the other hand, might be quite expensive and would likely only be found at an apothecary. Additional Factors (optional) There are other things to consider outside the cost of material when calculating the cost of a potion. How long was the fermentation time? Is this potion legal or would selling it carry some risk? How in demand is a potion like this? How badly does the buyer need it? Examples Here are a few examples of potions with their costs attached. For this example, I will only use GP to communicate these prices but you can scale these GP values to fit the currency system at your table. Potion of Healing Component Cost Base: Water 00 GP Ingredents: 3x Moonflowers 45 GP (15GP x3) Additives: Salt 00 GP Fermentation Time: 1 Day 10 GP Total 55 GP Abjuration Poison Component Cost Base: Viniger 05 GP Ingredents: 6x Faerieblm., 2x Bp. Flower 480 GP (90x4, 60x2) Additives: Sulfer 10 GP Fermentation Time: 4 Days 40 GP Additional Factors: Illegal 100 GP Total 635 GP The example above assumes that this potion is illegal to sell or own. If you are selling it to an NPC, they may be willing to pay extra; if you are buying it from an NPC, you may be forced to cough up the extra GP. Potion of Darkness Component Cost Base: Viniger 05 GP Ingredents: 2x Manafern, 1x Kraken’s Ink Sac, 1x Puffball 230 GP (30x2, 160x1, 10x1) Additives: Salt 10 GP Fermentation Time: 2 Days 10 GP Additional Factors: Utility Potion 20 GP Total 275 GP Hopefully, these examples can serve as a general guide to understanding the cost scale for potions and components. Additionally, like with everything in this guide, it’s more important that this system feels good in your system. You may want to bump these prices way up if potion-making is a rare skill in your world. On the flip side, if you are running a high-magic game with an apothecary or two in every town, you may want to drop these prices. As for converting these prices to other currency systems or involving copper and silver coins, have an open discussion with your gaming group to find out what works best for the table. Thank You The Stitch And Sword thanks you for taking the time to look this over and we home that you and your gaming group enjoy these rules we have created for you! If you are intrested in supporting The Stitch And Sword, please consider visiting our Patreon at www.patreon.com/stitchandsword and consider joining. Art Credits This booklet was created with The Homebrewery by Naturalcrit. The art in this booklet was created by Sketchify and was licened by Stitch and Sword. 7