Ok - just to make sure I have this right. While its active, you risk getting drunker, rather then poisoned. Once the duration ends though, you suffer all the poisoned effects that would have happened. Also, this works against all poison types, not just ingested.
Obvious, I'm sure, but I want to verify...
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Rather than start my own post I'll just respond to this for clarification on the spell.
Does "Pick your Poison" (Gods & Magic) eliminate the attribute damage you would take from a poison and provide you a penalty to your to-hit, saves, and skills, or does it simply replace the penalty from the poison until after the spell ends? If it's the former, how long does it last?
I think you're asking, "If I failed three saves against poison X, which would normally result in 3d4 Dex damage, but while PYP is in effect I just get really drunk, what happens to that 3d4 Dex damage when PYP ends?"
If that is your question, then the answer is, "Like delay poison, the true effects of the poison are merely delayed until after this spell ends, so when PYP ends, you lose the drunken penalties and immediately suffer the delayed effects of the poison in your body." Which means you'd take the 3d4 Dex damage from the poison once the PYP spell ends.
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Okay I re-read the spell and I'm still confused.
This spell does not affect any poison that occured before the spell was cast. When the spell expires, the penalty ends and the poison's normal effect applies.
So here's my confusion. Since the spell lasts for 10 minutes/level, you could easily outlast the simultaneous save requirement of most poisons. So let's say you fail your first save, but you make your second save (both while under the effect of the poison. At that point, when the 10 minute timer runs out, does this mean that you roll up stat damage like you failed a save, or does it mean that since you made your save at some point during the spell, the "normal" effect is that you've kicked the poison and you take no damage.
It's odd since it's a 3.5 era spell, but if all it does is delay the poison while giving you horrible penalties, it may not be the most spectacular of spells.
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I think you're asking, "If I failed three saves against poison X, which would normally result in 3d4 Dex damage, but while PYP is in effect I just get really drunk, what happens to that 3d4 Dex damage when PYP ends?"
If that is your question, then the answer is, "Like delay poison, the true effects of the poison are merely delayed until after this spell ends, so when PYP ends, you lose the drunken penalties and immediately suffer the delayed effects of the poison in your body." Which means you'd take the 3d4 Dex damage from the poison once the PYP spell ends.
Per my follow-up with the re-reading that's exactly what I meant Sean. So in other words, it's really just a delay poison with a pretty awful side-effect. Even if I've kicked the poison by making my required save during the spell's duration, I'm going to be saddled with some hefty stat drain for the failed saved (should I fail three saves for example) once the spell ends.
I wonder if this isn't a spell that's suffered a bit from the 3.5 caryover.
Thanks a ton for taking the time to answer though. Quite helpful.
Delay poison is a level two spell. PYP is level one. So yes it is a weaker version in a way... but it is also lower level.
Delay poison is a level two spell. PYP is level one. So yes it is a weaker version in a way... but it is also lower level.
Exactly. And at 50gp for a 1st-level potion, it's not a bad deal if you're low-level and know you're going to fight poison monsters very soon; cheaper than potions of lesser restoration or delay poison, and in some ways better than antitoxin at the same price (which gives you +5 to your save for one hour).
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Delay poison is a level two spell. PYP is level one. So yes it is a weaker version in a way... but it is also lower level.Exactly. And at 50gp for a 1st-level potion, it's not a bad deal if you're low-level and know you're going to fight poison monsters very soon; cheaper than potions of lesser restoration or delay poison, and in some ways better than antitoxin at the same price (which gives you +5 to your save for one hour).
Could somebody tell me the advantage of delay poison? I've never understood the appeal. You still get hit with the effects, you still need a lesser restore. You just get to ignore them (probably for one fight). As level 2 spell I can think of better places I'd like to be placing my resources such as for example, Lesser Restore.
A 1st level spell that provides penalties as significant as a COMBINED 4 point loss of str, dex, con, wis, and other stat loss on every single failed save (thinking of the penalties to hit, saves, and skills) is worse than pretty much any other poison I can think of short of straight CON drain (of which there's a lot less of now).
Thematically cool? Yes, but an awful spell.
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Could somebody tell me the advantage of delay poison? I've never understood the appeal. You still get hit with the effects, you still need a lesser restore. You just get to ignore them (probably for one fight). As level 2 spell I can think of better places I'd like to be placing my resources.Delay poison is a level two spell. PYP is level one. So yes it is a weaker version in a way... but it is also lower level.Exactly. And at 50gp for a 1st-level potion, it's not a bad deal if you're low-level and know you're going to fight poison monsters very soon; cheaper than potions of lesser restoration or delay poison, and in some ways better than antitoxin at the same price (which gives you +5 to your save for one hour).
when you're fighting Drow and know sleep poisons will be in evidence, these spells are a lifesaver. so some of us take a little nap after the attack - it's better than falling asleep during! :)
Minor quibble, but it's the same price as a potion of lesser restoration at 50gp (unless Paladins in your world are price fixing with the clerics out there).
Perhaps I don't think there are enough potion-making paladins in the world to significantly affect the cost of lesser restoration potions. I'm pretty sure the number of 3rd-level clerics with Brew Potion outnumbers the number of 5th-level paladins with Brew Potion by a large number. ;)
(It's this sort of thing that makes me wish the partial-casters got spell slots appropriate for their character level and didn't introduce ways to juke the costs of things just because the spell levels are different. So paladins would get 2nd-level spell slots at character level 4, 4th-level spell slots at character level 7, 5th-level spell slots at character level 10, and so on. Then lesser restoration would be a 2nd-level spell for paladins as well as for clerics.)
All spells that delay the effects of a poison allow the party time to plan for the consequences. They can maybe get to a safe place out of combat. They can maybe let the other spell casters break out potions or scrolls that will help with the saves when the time comes. If you are close to town it may give you time to get to a temple.
But you are correct. If the party has NOTHING to help with the situation... then you are just delaying the inevitable anyway.
Not all spells are perfect at all times and in every situation. If they were then you would never need more spells then the most any single character could memorize at one point.
And on the side comment of buying magic items at lower level casters. In our house a spell effect used for making magic uses the most common method to receive that spell. So lesser restoration is usually cast by a cleric so it is a level two spell when bought. If a PLAYER paladin took the feat he could make the potions as level one. He could then even sell it at half of the normal list price if he wanted... but what kind of a paladin would sell at a profit to those in need. /evil DM grin.