Are Drugs Poison?

[What's in the box?]

fictionfan wrote:

If Drugs addictions are a disease. Does that mean that a paladin can dope up for all the benefits he want and never become addicted? They are immune to disease at level 3.

Are there any drug that would be useful for her?

There are several drugs that would be USEFUL to a Paladin, but I think the whole: "code of conduct" thing prohibits them from using drugs. Though I imagine and enterprising rogue or alchemist might dose the paladin for the party's benefit knowing that such a being would be immune to the long term effects of drug use. Might make for an interesting concept.

I played an alchemist once and while the paladin slept I put sticky poison on his sword. :)

[Mechagamera]

Not my area of expertise, but to get a high in works of fiction, users of injection type drugs are always trying to inject a specific location (usually the arm, opposite from the elbow) to get a high. As such it would need something like a called shot (maybe a critical hit) in order for opium on a sword to affect the victim. Whereas with most poisons, it doesn't matter where you get stabbed.

[blackbloodtroll]

The Paladin Code of Conduct does not prevent the use of drugs and alcohol.

Drugs and alcohol are in no way, inherently evil.

[Malag]

@bbt

Drugs and alcohol aren't necessarily evil, but paladin's Code might restrict it. It's up to GM to decide what he believes is the most honorable way for character to act in such cases.

[blackbloodtroll]

A Paladin of Torag, that cannot drink?

A Paladin, cannot take drugs, in a religious ceremony?

Some laws may make some drugs illegal in some places, but nothing else in their use conflicts with the Paladin code.

Only cultural norms would make their use taboo, and even then, that alone, would not violate the code.

Only a DM ignoring the text of the code, and using current day, real-world cultural norms, and religious codes, would find reason to do so.

At that point, he/she is making a houserule, or ignorant of the rules, or even willfully ignorant of the rules, for personal reasons.

[Malag]

@bbt

I said it might. While drinking alcohol or using drug in religious ceremonial way might be acceptable, using opium for example while fighting only to receive benefits of it, isn't really honorable isn't it? That's why it's best left to GM to decide.

[blackbloodtroll]

Why is benefiting from spells, honorable, but drugs, are not?

Would that apply to all alchemical items?

Is the use of antitoxin, or smelling salts, "dishonorable"?

[Malag]

@bbt

Drugs are considered a negative thing because they create addictions, escapes from real world instead of facing it, physical and mental weakness, affect the personality of a person, etc. Drugs are usually things with both positive and negative effects. Antitoxin or smelling salts don't have negative side-effects. Opium for example, does.

[blackbloodtroll]

It has no negative effect on a Paladin immune to disease.

Also, that line of thought suggest that a Paladin cannot use anything that hinders him.

Would a Paladin with levels in Bloodrager, be unable to use Bloodrage, as it decreases his AC, and limits his ability to use certain skills?

Remember, the drugs of today, were the medicine of yesterday.

So, would the Paladin need to never take medicine, as some of it may have side effects?

[Malag]

@bbt

Like I said before, it's best left to GM to decide. Concept of "honor" varies from person to person and I am not too interested into another paladin thread. It's not really connected with this topic anyway.

[blackbloodtroll]

Indeed.

The honorable thing of yesterday, is the dishonorable thing of today.

[maouse33]

Necro time:

"I didn't poison her, I roofied her." - B. Cozbee, LG Paladin of Cayden Cailean

Was this ever decided? I mean, I treat them as poisons with possible positive effects for the following reasons:

1. If you replace the word "drug" with poison, it's the exact same text except the line about having positive effects.

2. Many of the "drugs" are definitely listed under the poison tag. So those are definitely poisons (too). So this implies they're all supposed to be, just lazy writing.

3. There's been no "ret-con" regarding classes of drugs / poisons and abilities. If you're immune to the disease (addiction) are you immune to the drug or poison? It's always been messy, especially with "curse" diseases thrown in the mix.

[CaptainTrips27]

Sounds like the main difference is a drug is a poison that someone can argue has some positive effect.

Here, take this poison. It causes liver failure, nerve damage, paranoid schizophrenia, and thoughts of suicide.

Here, take this medicine/drug. It causes liver failure, nerve damage, paranoid schizophrenia, and thoughts of suicide, but it also treats acne.