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Potion brewing is a unique gameplay mechanic of anyDungeons & Dragonscampaign, but takes on a whole new life in the campaign setting found in Obojima: Tales From The Tall Grass. This singular locale has a ton of different mechanics incorporated into its potion brewing system including unique ingredients, effects, and more.
But if you’re diving into this setting for the first time, you might be wondering how this system works. That’s why we’ve created this guide. Here’s everything you need to know about sourcing ingredients, brewing different kinds of potions, and more in the Obojima: Tales From The Tall Grass campaign setting.
How Potion Types Work
One of the first things you need to understand in Obojima to understand potion brewing ishow potion types work.There arethree types of potionsyou can brew:
Details
Combat
Combat potions provide buffs and special abilities that are useful for fighting.
Utility
Utility potions can prove useful within combat, but are mainly helpful outside of combat.
Whimsy
Whimsy potions are highly unique and give the drinker oddball and playful effects.
Beyond these potion types,potions also have different rarities, ranging from common to rare. This functions quite similarly to the magic item reality system in Dungeons & Dragons.
How Ingredients Work
Ingredients are the individual elements needed to brew a potioninthe Obojima campaign setting. There are 130 known ingredients on the island which can be foraged for.
Just like potion rarities,ingredients also have rarities.
How To Forage For Ingredients
While some ingredients can be bought or traded for,most ingredients on Obojima must be foragedand can be found in a variety of different places.
Ingredients can also befound in two different types of places:
When foraging for ingredients, you’llmake a Survival check to find ingredients in the wild, and conversely, you’llmake a Salvage check to find ingredients in machinery.
When searching for ingredients,your DM will set a DC based on the rarity of the ingredientand whether the ingredient is typically found in the area you’re in.
Before spending time foraging,consult the Potion Ingredient Listin the Obojima campaign setting book to determine rarity and typical locations.
How To Use Almanacs For Potion Ingredients
Beyond making foraging checks,players should also make use of Almanacs.
Almanacs are various volumes that serve as a guide to ingredientson Obojima. Overall, there areseven different Almanacsyou can find:
Players can typicallyfind copies of each of these Almanacs in shopsaround Obojima, or perhaps gifted to them by an important NPC.
Each of these Almanacs is associated with a specific region on Obojimaand a given coven on the island. Players should seek these out within those regions and covens.
While above the table, you can ask your DM if your character might know the rarity of ingredients and where they can be found;in-game, your character should consult Almanacsto learn this information.
How To Test Ingredients
The last step towards using ingredients in potions is totest their potency. To do this, players mustuse an Arcane Detection Kit, or ADK.
By using the ADK, players canspend one hour testing up to six substances, after which, their DM will tell them what the ingredients' attributes are.
Players can also consult with witches on Obojima to test ingredients, though this will often cost money or require a trade of some kind.
How To Brew Potions
Once you have foraged for and tested your ingredients,it’s time to start brewing potions. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to brew potions:
Determine Ingredient Attributes
Use your ADK kit to determine ingredient attributes, taking note of each ingredient’s scores (detailed below).
Every potion requires three ingredients; select three for your brew.
Add Up Ingredient Attributes
Add up the various attribute scores for each ingredient, determining the type of potion these ingredients will brew.
Determine Recipe
Consult the potions list in the Obojima campaign setting sourcebook to determine which potion recipe you have discovered.
Use Muk, a magical substance, to brew your potion.
As mentioned, first, you mustdetermine your ingredients' attributes; these should be given to you after you have tested the ingredient with your ADK.
There are three attributesassociated with each ingredient, listed below:
As you can see,these attributes correspond with each potion type. Each ingredient will have a number associated with it, reflecting its attribute score.
Choose Three Ingredients
Once you have your ingredients' attributes,select any three ingredients you wish to use.By selecting these ingredients, you’lldetermine what kind of potion you’ll make.
If you want to brew a specific potion type,simplyselect more ingredients with higher attribute points in the given potion type.
Once you have your three ingredients,add up the attribute scores for each attribute type: combat, utility, and whimsy, giving you three new numbers.
After adding these numbers up,take the highest numberfrom the attributes list;this determines what type of potion you will brew.
So, for example, if you add up three ingredients' combat attribute scores, and the sum is greater than both the utility and whimsy scores,you will brew a combat potion.
From there,take the sum of the highest ingredient attribute score(combat, utility, or whimsy),consult the potions list, and follow this rule:
The potions list is numbered, so simplytake the sum of your highest ingredient score and consult the potions tableto determine what potion you will brew.
So, for example, if your highest ingredient attribute score is a 19 for utility, thenyou will brew the 19th potion on the utility potion list.
Brew Potion With Muk
Now that you have your recipe, you simply have tocombine your ingredients with a magical substance found on Obojima known as Muk, which is common on the island.
You must also have proficiency with alchemy suppliesto brew potions.
To brew your potion, simplycombine your three ingredients with an amount of Mukworth a certain amount of gold based on the potion’s rarity, as detailed below:
Once you have all your ingredients and Muk combined using your alchemy supplies,the potion itself takes ten minutes to brew.
How To Use Potions
As you can see from the above steps,brewing potions can prove a bit scattershot. You will likely have to experiment with different ingredients to discover new potion recipes.
Using potions on Obojima can prove equally madcap.Here are a few basic tips, tricks, and rulesto keep in mind when using potions you’ve brewed:
Using Standard Potions
Each potion has unique rules and effects, as well as details on whether these options must be imbibed, poured, or thrown.
Consult each potion’s specific rulesetbefore using a potion.
Using Multiple Potions
When using multiple potions, it’s important to note thatpotion effects do not stack.Whichever potion was drunk last trumps previous potion effects.
However,there are some exceptionsto this rule. For example,some potions have permanent effects, meaning effects can stack.
Potion Sickness & Mishaps
Lastly,using multiple potions has risks. When a player drinks more than one potion in a day, they mustroll a DC 13 Con save or become ill.
This DC increases the more potions you drink, and additionally, when a character falls ill,DMs may use the Potion Mishaps Tablein the Obojima campaign setting book and force players to incur a mishap.
The Potion Sickness & Mishap table is an entirely optional rule; so, consult your DM when playing in Obojima to determine if they intend to enforce this rule.
