I don't remember where I picked this up,  but when I hand out potions I always only describe what you can see and/or smell.  Bubbly red potion.  Smokey blue, etc.  Players can then identify or have them identified, or do samples.  If they opt to sip it they get a one-second version of the effect, which isn't always enough to figure out what it does.  I also try to keep my potion colors the same and logical.  Healing is always red.  Necromancy effects are black.  Animal-like effects are the color of that animal.  Etc.

How do you do potions?

I generally have things I want the PCs to have given to them by trusted NPCs.  I think the most hastily accepted potion I ever saw was the disintery cure.

Otherwise all potions are foul smelling and vile.

Quote from: mcbobbo;754820I don't remember where I picked this up,  but when I hand out potions I always only describe what you can see and/or smell.  Bubbly red potion.  Smokey blue, etc.  Players can then identify or have them identified, or do samples.  If they opt to sip it they get a one-second version of the effect, which isn't always enough to figure out what it does.  

Pretty much this actually.

Quote from: mcbobbo;754820I also try to keep my potion colors the same and logical.  Healing is always red.  Necromancy effects are black.  Animal-like effects are the color of that animal.  Etc.

Not quite the same here. The color and consistency of a potion in my campaigns isn't based on the effect, its based on the formula. There are different formulas for healing potions for example, because not all ingredients for a particular formula can be found everywhere.

Potion formulas can be found as treasure much like spells. It is possible to learn multiple formulas for the same potion. This is valuable because it allows for versatility when gathering ingredients. If there aren't any of those particular wild flowers you need growing in the area (or its the middle of winter), then you can use a different formula to make what you need, provided those ingredients are more readily available.

Quote from: mcbobbo;754820I also try to keep my potion colors the same and logical.  Healing is always red.  Necromancy effects are black.  Animal-like effects are the color of that animal.  Etc.

I like that. Hmmmn, that gives me an idea for an article.

I allow alchemists and herbalists to identify most potions with a few gp worth of tests. However, my players usually opt for the "take a sip" method which produces a reduced effect for a limited duration. Had some pretty funny results from that. Still don't know why "It looks and smells like horse piss" needed a taste test though. . .

Pete

I find the very idea that you would take some random liquid from a dead enemy or an ancient treasure trove and drink it absurd that I mostly don't, except to let players buy potions from trusted alchemists in setting where that is appropriate.  I don't enjoy playing out the whole potion tasting game either, but that may be a reaction to some evil GMs early in my gaming career.

Not to say that my PCs or NPCs don't have vials of liquids on their persons, just that they are more likely to be the ingredients sold to the alchemists than the product.  I love the idea of the monster's body being the actual treasure.

I'm not saying potions as found treasure are bad, just not for me.  There are exceptions, but they are indeed exceptional.

Some of my elixirs are relatively standardized worldwide: aqua vitae has a distinctive taste and fragrance of apricots, Water of Emerald is, well, emerald-green, and the like.  

Most aren't, although regional variations are common: if you learned how to make Phoenix's Blood, and you're from the city of Warwik, either you learned the elixir from Master Malabar or you learned it from someone he trained, so most such elixirs in and around Warwik City are carmine red and smell of spruce ... except for Mistress Cyralie, who has a pollen allergy and worked out a substitute of apple blossoms.

Alchemists can readily assay them, and they're uncommon enough that players have no problem with salting the vials away until they can get to one.

I work under the assumption that different wizards (or whatever) may use very different formulas in crafting a potion.  Also, I like my potions pretty fickle so that the remain more in the 'wondrous' category and less in the 'tech' category - although I do have predictable snake-oil concoctions available for purchase from time to time, but they're never as "good" as a random potion.

The bizarre random potions are less of a concern because I allow PC wizards to identify them given time and testing.

(My current potion table is here - and conveniently turned into a one-click generator here.)

Quote from: Brander;754832I find the very idea that you would take some random liquid from a dead enemy or an ancient treasure trove and drink it absurd that I mostly don't, except to let players buy potions from trusted alchemists in setting where that is appropriate.  

Same here.

Depends on the potion.  Some are labelled/mislabelled.  The look/smell/taste can sometimes infer the potion's properties or the alchemist who brewed it.  Sometimes the inference is a misdirection.  Sometimes tasting it reveals the properties, sometimes not.

If the system has a magic skill, I will allow a roll to figure it out if some time is spent studying.  If no magic skill, then a wizard or cleric can usually figure their respective potions out given time.

Identify works as well.

Quote from: mcbobbo;754820I don't remember where I picked this up,  but when I hand out potions I always only describe what you can see and/or smell.  Bubbly red potion.  Smokey blue, etc.

Page 221 and 222 of the AD&D DMG.

I adapted it into some random descriptor tables and when a potion was discovered Id roll the elements and note it down. Thereafter, for that campaign, that was allways the elements of that potion. But two different types of potions might share one or two descriptors so you had to pay attention. So a potion of Healing and a potion of diminuition might both be fuming azure. So youd have to scrutinize it and hopefully remember that the healing potions are ribboned while this one you just found is layered.

Now on the other hand experimental potions might share some elements with their parent type. But be very different or subtly different in other areas.

Keeps em on their toes.

Quote from: Exploderwizard;754822Not quite the same here. The color and consistency of a potion in my campaigns isn't based on the effect, its based on the formula. There are different formulas for healing potions for example, because not all ingredients for a particular formula can be found everywhere.

Potion formulas can be found as treasure much like spells. It is possible to learn multiple formulas for the same potion. This is valuable because it allows for versatility when gathering ingredients. If there aren't any of those particular wild flowers you need growing in the area (or its the middle of winter), then you can use a different formula to make what you need, provided those ingredients are more readily available.

Love this idea and so I have just stolen it.
Fits into a load of other stuff as well where i had used some new age guff to map various things to "properties" now I can get formulae from those thigns combines and assign each of them an appearance flag allowing PCs to try and decypher stuff and those with the actual skills to do a far better job.

thanks

Quote from: Brander;754832I find the very idea that you would take some random liquid from a dead enemy or an ancient treasure trove and drink it absurd that I mostly don't, except to let players buy potions from trusted alchemists in setting where that is appropriate.  

Really??? In a world where people flip cards in a deck of many things, bathe  in magical fountains hoping to gain some added power, and jump off buildings because someone told you your ring made you light as a feather you find the notion of drinking potions found on an enemy absurd?

Quote from: pspahn;755062Really??? In a world where people flip cards in a deck of many things, bathe  in magical fountains hoping to gain some added power, and jump off buildings because someone told you your ring made you light as a feather you find the notion of drinking potions found on an enemy absurd?

I don't find the idea of potions absurd but I DO find some of the things players do kind of funny.

" Whew that manticore must have terrorizing the area for decades. Look at this lair!! "

" Don't know if I've seen this much poop in one place since we got rid of our 10 dogs. Lets look for treasure."

" Hey look there's a perfectly good broadsword under all this crap. Lets clean it up."

" Oooh I just dug out a bottle of liquid. Let me take a sip..."  

:rotfl:

http://m.timesofindia.com/city/hyderabad/Cure-all-cow-urine-finds-many-takers/articleshow/19421684.cms

...and that's with presumed desirable properties.   Let alone obvious magical ones.

Quote from: pspahn;755062Really???

Yes

Quote from: pspahn;755062In a world where people flip cards in a deck of many things

I avoid those like the plague too.  Might as well be called 'Deck of Russian Roulette"

Quote from: pspahn;755062bathe in magical fountains hoping to gain some added power

This too is absurd, "Fountain of Russian Roulette."

Quote from: pspahn;755062jump off buildings because someone told you your ring made you light as a feather

I'd test it on a series of shorter falls first, and hope I didn't ever have to test it on a longer one.  Or I might have seen a previous user work it.

Quote from: pspahn;755062you find the notion of drinking potions found on an enemy absurd?

I played under some truly evil GMs in my youth, like ones who consider a folder an inch thick with dead PCs a badge of honor.*  I might have gamer paranoia from it :-)


*I was young and naive once too.  And in at least one case, the evil GM was a good friend, just, well, evil.**

**Not all evil GMs are bad GMs, as long as you know they are evil in advance.