# ⚗️ Potion Crafting in the Nine Hells > *"Every alchemist who has tried to brew in the Nine Hells has learned the same lesson. The Hells do not care about your formula."* This handout covers the official D&D 5e (2024) rules for potion crafting, and the special modifications that apply while descending through the Nine Hells. Read the standard rules first, then the Infernal Modifications that apply to this campaign. --- ## Part 1 — Standard Crafting Rules (2024 PHB & DMG) ### Who Can Craft Potions? Any character can attempt to craft potions, provided they meet **two requirements**: 1. **Proficiency** with a relevant tool 2. **Proficiency** in the **Arcana** skill *(for magic potions only)* **Tools that apply to potions:** | Tool | What You Can Craft | |------|--------------------| | **Herbalism Kit** | Potion of Healing, Antitoxin, Healer's Kit, basic curative preparations | | **Alchemist's Supplies** | Alchemist's Fire, Acid, and other alchemical items; magic potions when combined with Arcana proficiency | | **Poisoner's Kit** | Poisons and toxic preparations | > **Note on Potion of Healing:** This is the one exception in the rules — it requires only a Herbalism Kit and 1 day's work. It does *not* require Arcana proficiency. All other magic potions require Arcana. --- ### Crafting a Potion of Healing (Simple) The simplest case. No Arcana required. | Requirement | Detail | |-------------|--------| | Tool | Herbalism Kit (proficiency required) | | Materials | 25 gp of raw materials | | Time | 1 day (8 hours of work) | | Result | Potion of Healing (restores 2d4+2 HP) | > **Bonus Action:** In the 2024 rules, drinking a potion — or administering one to an adjacent creature — is a **Bonus Action**, not an Action. --- ### Crafting Magic Potions (All Other Potions) Magic potions follow the general Magic Item Crafting rules from the 2024 DMG. **Requirements to craft any magic potion:** - Proficiency in **Arcana** - Proficiency with the **required tool** (usually Alchemist's Supplies or Herbalism Kit) - If the potion allows the user to cast a spell, you must have **that spell prepared** every day you work on it - The **recipe** — either found, purchased, or researched - The required **raw materials** (cost = half the potion's value) --- ### Crafting Time & Cost (2024 DMG) Potions are **consumable magic items**, so their crafting time and cost are **halved** compared to permanent magic items of the same rarity. | Rarity | Item Value | Crafting Cost (½ value) | Crafting Time (approx.) | Character Level | |--------|-----------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------| | Common | 100 gp | 50 gp | 1–3 days | Any | | Uncommon | 500 gp | 250 gp | 5–10 days | Any | | Rare | 5,000 gp | 2,500 gp | 25–50 days | Any (high skill) | | Very Rare | 50,000 gp | 25,000 gp | Months | Expert crafter | | Legendary | 500,000 gp | 250,000 gp | Years | Master crafter | > **Work per Day:** You must work 8 hours per day. Days do not need to be consecutive. > **Assistants:** Another character with the same tool proficiency can assist, halving the time. Normally only one assistant is allowed, though the DM may permit more. --- ### Getting Raw Materials Raw materials must be sourced — they don't appear from nothing. | Location | Availability | |----------|-------------| | City or large settlement | 75% chance materials are available | | Small settlement or outpost | 25% chance materials are available | | Wilderness / hostile environment | DM determines — often requires active foraging or monster harvesting | | If unavailable | Wait 7 days before checking again | Materials are often harvested from **monster components** — the more powerful the potion, the more dangerous the creature whose parts are required. --- ### Learning Recipes You cannot craft a magic potion without knowing the recipe. Recipes can be: - **Found** as loot (scrolls, journals, alchemical notebooks) - **Purchased** from alchemists, merchants, or infernal vendors *(in the Nine Hells, expect inflated prices and strings attached)* - **Researched** — the DM sets a cost and time requirement - **Reverse-engineered** from a sample of the potion — DC 15 Arcana check; failure means the attempt consumes the sample with no result - *** Alchemists May Study for 4x the potion crafting time to learn the recipe --- ## Part 2 — Potion Crafting in the Nine Hells > *The Nine Hells are not a natural environment. The weave is thin, warped, and contaminated with infernal and demonic energy. Standard alchemical principles apply — but with modifications.* Crafting potions while descending through the Nine Hells is possible, but the environment introduces unique complications and unique opportunities. --- ### The Infernal Environment — What Changes **The Weave is distorted.** Magic crafted in the Nine Hells is influenced by the dominant sin of the layer you're on. This can affect the final product unpredictably. **No standard supply chains.** You are not in a city. The standard 75% availability check does not apply. All raw materials must be found, foraged, or harvested from what the Hells provide. *** Unless your group patron can locate supplies for you *** **Time is unreliable.** The Nine Hells warp time perception. The DM may rule that long crafting projects (multiple days) are subject to the Escaping the War-Slough rules if brewed in particularly corrupted locations. --- ### Sourcing Ingredients in the Nine Hells Standard alchemical ingredients don't exist down here. Substitute materials must be found and the DM determines what works as a substitute for each potion type. The general guide: | Ingredient Type | Found In | Used For | |----------------|----------|----------| | **Demon ichor** | War-Slough, ichor lakes, defeated demons | Potion bases — volatile, unpredictable. Always roll on [[Potion Mixing Table]] when ichor is a primary ingredient. | | **Devil's bile** | Harvested from defeated greater devils (CR 9+) | Damage-dealing or enhancement potions | | **Soul residue** | Soul Coins (expended), phylactery proximity | Potions with death, resurrection, or soul effects | | **Infernal flora** | Phlegethos (fire plants), Malbolge (decay fungi), Stygia (ice moss) | Layer-appropriate healing and resistance potions | | **Styx water** | Any layer where the river runs | Dangerous — see Styx Rules below | | **Condensed Order** | Rexlexkala (purchased), W1 reward | Stabilising agent — reduces infernal volatility | --- ### The Condensed Order Stabiliser **Condensed Order** is the key crafting ingredient in the Nine Hells. It is a refined substance that imposes lawful structure on chaotic infernal energies. When used as part of a crafting batch, Condensed Order provides these benefits: - Reduces the chance of an ingredient contamination roll by half - Allows potions brewed with ichor to **skip** the Potion Mixing Table roll - Reduces crafting time by 1 day (minimum 1) - Cost: 50 gp per vial at W1 from Rexlexkala; may be found elsewhere in the Hells > **One vial** is sufficient for one batch (one potion of up to Uncommon rarity, or one day's work on a Rare or higher). --- ### Infernal Contamination When crafting potions in the Nine Hells **without** Condensed Order as a stabiliser, roll on the Infernal Contamination table at the end of each day of crafting. #### Infernal Contamination Table (d6) | d6 | Result | |----|--------| | 1 | **Pure.** No contamination. The batch is unaffected. | | 2 | **Tainted.** The potion works, but the drinker must succeed a DC 13 Con save or be Poisoned for 1 minute after drinking. | | 3 | **Sin-Touched.** The potion takes on a property of the layer's dominant sin (DM's discretion). A healing potion brewed in Avernus might cause brief uncontrollable anger. A resistance potion from Dis might make the drinker compulsively honest. | | 4 | **Volatile.** The finished potion, if shaken or struck, has a 25% chance of exploding as a Tier 1–2 effect on the [[Potion Mixing Table]]. | | 5 | **Corrupted.** The potion appears normal but has the opposite of its intended effect. Detected with DC 16 Arcana check before consuming. | | 6 | **Infernal Surge.** Brewing is interrupted — an infernal or demonic entity in the area is drawn to the magical activity. The DM introduces an encounter or complication. | --- ### Layer Modifiers Each layer of the Nine Hells imparts its dominant sin onto the crafting process. Skilled alchemists can use this to their advantage. | Layer | Sin | Modifier | |-------|-----|----------| | **Avernus (1)** | Anger | Damage-dealing potions are 25% more potent. Healing potions risk causing rage (DC 12 Wis or attack nearest creature for 1 round after drinking). | | **Dis (2)** | Murder | Potions with attack or damage effects gain +1 to hit or +1d4 damage. Contract-binding magic can be brewed here. Binding Words apply — spoken recipes become enforceable. | | **Minauros (3)** | Greed | Potions of wealth detection or item enhancement are available here. Ingredient costs increase by 50% — the Hells demand more than they give. | | **Phlegethos (4)** | Jealousy | Fire-based potions crafted here last twice as long. Potions of resistance are unreliable — roll d6: on a 1, resistance applies to the wrong damage type. | | **Stygia (5)** | Betrayal | Cold-based potions are highly effective. Any potion that affects Charisma or trust has a 50% chance of reversing its intended effect. | | **Malbolge (6)** | Oppression | Potions crafted here that suppress, restrain, or incapacitate a target are maximised in effect. Healing potions heal only half. | | **Maladomini (7)** | Deceit | Any potion brewed here looks like a different potion — the DM secretly determines the apparent vs. actual effect. *Identify* spell still works. | | **Cania (8)** | Harm | The most potent environment for toxic and damaging potions. Cold-based and necrotic potions cost half normal materials. Healing potions must succeed a DC 14 Arcana check or fail entirely. | --- ### Using Soul Coins in Crafting Soul Coins contain trapped souls — infernal energy in its most concentrated form. A Soul Coin can be **expended** (saving ... destroying? the soul within) as a crafting component. | Use | Effect | |-----|--------| | Substitute for 100 gp of raw materials | The soul's energy replaces costly physical ingredients | | Stabilising agent (replaces Condensed Order for 1 batch) | Less reliable — roll d6: 1–2 = contamination roll as normal, 3–6 = stabilised | | Boost a potion's potency | Add +1d4 to any numerical effect of a Common or Uncommon potion (once per potion) | | Power a Rare or higher potion | 3 Soul Coins may substitute for 500 gp of materials — but always triggers a Contamination roll | > **Moral Note:** Expending a Soul Coin frees the soul trapped within or does it? This may or may not weigh on your character. --- ### Potion Crafting During a Rest Crafting requires 8 hours of uninterrupted work. In the Nine Hells, this typically means **using a long rest** for crafting instead of sleeping. - **Short rest:** Not enough time for any crafting. - **Long rest + crafting:** You gain the benefits of a long rest AND make progress on your potion — but you must still deal with any effects of the area and you must make the Demon Blood Mechanic save after any long rest in a corrupted area. - You **cannot** also attune to magic items during a rest spent crafting. - You may still utilize infusions and other long rest benifits --- ### A Note on Mixing Finished Potions If you attempt to mix two finished potions — whether you brewed them or found them — the result is unpredictable. See the [[Potion Mixing Table]] for full rules. Results become permanent campaign canon once rolled.