Book of Vile Darkness Drugs for D&D 5e
Drugs as a Story Element
Although I will never support or condone the use of drugs, they can make for some awesome tragic story arcs or flawed characters. A character that uses drugs is potentially missing something else in their life that can only be filled with the drug. Reasons a character might take drugs:
To deal with strife, stress, or grief
To deal with mental illness
To fill their boredom; recreational use
To chase the high (whether or not they are addicted)
To fit in with others that do it (perhaps family or a social group)
Religion/magic (especially in the world of D&D)
Try to tie the drug use to your character’s story, whether through their flaws, traits, bonds, or their ideals. If you plan for your character to tragically fall, their spiral into addiction can be a real mechanical way to track that and roleplay accordingly. The process of withdrawal can also be treated as a path to redemption in your story arc. The temptation of drugs after freeing oneself from addiction can be used to represent the character’s past, bringing up memories when that temptation arises once more.
As a DM, introducing a character that uses or abuses drugs can hint that something in that NPC’s past might be the culprit. It adds a layer of depth ranging from a hint of mystery to a sea of tragedy. Offering drugs to player characters (through NPCs or simply acknowledging their existence in your setting) could be symbolic of temptation or looming evil. Any player that takes this offer is giving you, as a DM, a great opportunity to tilt that PC’s story arc. Single out that character for moral decisions or climactic moments and see whether the player’s choices or die rolls cause them tragically fall or be redeemed. It sounds sadistic, but it will add drama to your story.
From a symbolic standpoint, drugs represent evil, vice, and pleasurable temptation. Throughout history, they have also come to be associated with magic and witchcraft. The visions presented through hallucinogens, the euphoria of uppers, and the meditative state of downers could often be seen as magic. Weaker drugs might be used by religious figures in your campaign world. Stronger drugs are more likely to be used in evil rituals to dark or forbidden gods. The use of drugs in magic, metaphorically, represents that magic is greater than mortals. The drugs help the caster reach an “enhanced” mental or physical state to be able to channel the magic. Thus, drugs in magic in D&D heightens the drama of particularly meaningful or powerful spells. Again though, this is usually associated with evil. I mean, it’s from the Book of Vile Darkness, after all.
Addiction Table for D&D 5e
Addiction Rating: How addictive the drug is.
CON DC: The Difficulty Class of the Constitution saving throw made to resist addiction and withdrawal symptoms. When resisting withdrawal, this DC increases by 3 every day after the first satiation period.
Satiation: How much time can pass without the drug before an addicted character must make a saving throw to resist withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal Effects: When the character fails their first withdrawal saving throw, they become affected by the effects here until they can get access to the drug once more. For effects that grant multiple levels of exhaustion, this only counts for the first failed withdrawal save. After that, each failed save only imparts one level of exhaustion.
Using Drugs in D&D 5e
Taking a Drug: When a creature takes a drug, they must make a CON saving throw with a DC based on the drug’s Addiction DC as listed in the drug entry. On a failed saving throw, the creature becomes addicted. After this roll is made, the creature automatically becomes affected by the Side Effects of the drug. The creature may also make a CON saving throw to resist the primary effects of the drug, but the creature may opt to voluntarily fail this save if they wish.
Withdrawal: When a character becomes addicted to a drug, they must make a CON saving throw with a DC based on the drug’s addiction rating (see the table above) at the end of the drug’s listed satiation period. On a failed saving throw, the character suffers symptoms of withdrawal based on the drug’s addiction rating. Every day thereafter that the character does not take the drug, the character must make another saving throw. Each new saving throw that the character makes has its DC increased by 3 each day, regardless of a previous roll’s success or failure. Withdrawal symptoms and saving throws end once the character takes another dose of the drug.
Recovery: If a character makes two successful saving throws in a row for withdrawal saves, the character overcomes the addiction. However, the drug leaves a lasting impression on the character. The addiction rating for all drugs increase by one level permanently (just for that character). This represents how dangerous relapses can be, even if the character finds a new addiction.
List of Drugs
All drugs here are taken from the D&D 3e Book of Vile Darkness (I didn’t add any new ones). I basically scaled their DCs down the higher they were and replaced ability damage with more 5e-friendly concepts. Drugs count as poisons for the purposes of determining immunity or resistance. Drugs can be crafted by spending half the drug’s price in materials and making an INT check using Alchemists Supplies. See a drug’s description for its crafting DC.
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