Potions (healing, invisibility, flying, and so on) do not all need to be the same. Instead, they can be tailored for specific species/races... and if used by other beings, they can have unexpected side effects. This little article provides some random tables GMs can use to make looted potions more interesting in the game. (It adds a little more bookkeeping and complexity that will need to be kept track of, but if some of the burden is shifted to the PCs--like requiring them to note where particular potions were looted from--it shouldn't be overwhelming.)
WHO IS THE POTION INTENDED FOR? (Roll 1d20)This is revealed along with the nature of the potion when it is identified via magic or the application of appropriate skills. (The GM should feel free to replace any result with species/races relevant to the campaign.)
1-2. Humans
3-4. Elves
5. Dwarves
6. Halflings
7-8. Gnomes
9. Tieflings
10. Unidentifiable Alien Creature
11. Half-Elves
16. Goblins
17. Kobolds
18. Ogres
19. Dragonborn
20. Amazons
WHAT IS THE SIDE EFFECT? (Roll 1d20)
This is discovered when a character not of the correct species/race drinks the potion. It is in addition to the potion's regular function, unless otherwise noted under the result. If the generated result doesn't seem to apply in any way to the basic effect of the potion, there are no side effects from consumption.
1. No side effect.
2. The potion's effect is delayed for 1d4+1 rounds.
3. The potion's effectiveness/duration is doubled.
4. The character enjoys a Damage Reduction of 1 against all sources.
5. The character is healed of all injuries.
6. The character is healed of all injuries and gains 10 temporary hit points.
7. The character's eyes are like bottomless pools of darkness for 24 hours.
The character has lowlight vision for that time.
8. The character gains a +2 bonus to all saving throws for 24 hours.
9. The character gains a +2 bonus to all skill checks for 24 hours.
10. The character becomes 2d20 years (2d20x10 for long-lived beings)
younger. Only physical age is impacted and the character retains all
levels and learned skills. The character cannot become younger than
infancy. The age reversal is permanent unless reversed by a wish spell
or the direct intervention of a god or some other powerful being.
11. The potions effectiveness and/or duration is halved.
12. The character suffers a -2 penalty to all skill checks for 24 hours.
13. The character suffers a -2 penalty to all saving throws for 24 hours
14. The character's skin starts to burn if he or she ventures into the sunlight
for 24 hours. He or she suffers 1d6+2 points of damage for each round
of exposure.
15. The character's STR and CON attributes are reduced by 2 for 24 hours.
16. The character's eyes glow with a brilliant green light for 24 hours,
even through his or her eyelids..
17. All of the character's hair falls out. It will regrow naturally, or can be
restored by a wish spell or the direct intervention of a god or some
other powerful being.
18. The character and all items carried at the time of consuming the potion
become insubstantial for 24 hours. The character appears normal,
but he or she can move through walls, cannot pick up any items etc.
and can only be harmed by magic and magic weapons.
19. The character's INT and WIS attributes are reduced by 2 for 24 hours.
20. No side effect.
(All text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2021 Steve Miller.)
