Pretty Poisons

 

Let me begin by stating that this section will not cover every possible poison recipe.  There are hundreds (if not thousands, by now) of these, and a far better resource for the seriously poison-minded rogue is EQ Traders.  Nor will this section be any sort of diary of my own journey in learning the crafting of poisons; I won't inflict upon anyone else my chosen path of collecting and storing ingredients for months in advance.

What I will cover here are the basics.

 

Beginning

As stated on the FAQ, a young rogue may begin his poison-making career at level 20.  (He may apply poisons made by others as early as level 18, however.)  In order to create a vial of poison, he must first obtain the appropriate container.  His choices here are:

  • Mortar and Pestle - vendor purchased
  • Collapsed Mortar and Pestle - player made (tinkering, trivial 207)
  • Marble Mortar and Pestle - player made (pottery, trivial 335)

The rogue will then need to decide whether to make or purchase his poison vials.  For the sake of comparison, I'll list the pottery trivials and vendor costs for each type:

  • Poison Vial - trivial 148, vendor cost 1.6 pp
  • Lined Poison Vial - trivial 168, vendor cost 3.2 pp
  • Sealed Poison Vial - trivial 188, vendor cost 6.3 pp
  • Advanced Poison Vial - trivial 196, not vendor sold

 

Making Poisons

Once in possession of some type of mortar and pestle, the rogue need only open this container and combine 1 vial, 1 suspension, and any other ingredients called for by the recipe.

 

Skilling Up without Farming

For rogues who are thin on time and fat of purse, the following is a suggested skill-up path:

Spine Break

Trivial:  32
Effect:  Paralyze I (decrease movement 95%, decrease attack speed 50%)
Duration:  42 seconds
Cost per attempt:  5.7 pp
Recipe:

  • Lined Poison Vial - 3.2 pp
  • Constrict Suspension - 1.1 pp
  • Delphinium - 0.9 pp
  • Thorny Ergot - 0.5 pp

Anti-Element

Trivial:  76
Effect:  Poison Summoned I (decrease hitpoints by 16 [level 1] - 250 [level 40])
Duration:  Instant
Cost per attempt:  6.1 pp
Recipe:

  • Lined Poison Vial - 3.2 pp
  • Suspension - 0.5 pp
  • Ground Garlic - 0.6 pp
  • Red Hellebore - 1.8 pp

Atrophic Sap

Trivial:  98
Effect:  Weaken II (decrease STR by 2 [level 1] - 34 [level 33])
Duration:  1 tick per level
Cost per attempt:  6.5 pp
Recipe:

  • Lined Poison Vial - 3.2 pp
  • Constrict Suspension - 1.1 pp
  • (2) Alocasia Root - 1.1 pp (each)

Aching Blood

Trivial:  108
Effect:  Contact II (decrease hitpoints by 5 [level 1] - 177 [level 44])
Duration:  Instant
Cost per attempt:  8.5 pp
Recipe:

  • Lined Poison Vial - 3.2 pp
  • Constrict Suspension - 1.1 pp
  • (2) Lactera - 2.1 pp (each)

Brain Freeze

Trivial:  130
Effect:  System Shock (decrease hitpoints by 5 [level 1] - 181 [level 45], knockback stun [1 foot])
Duration:  Instant
Cost per attempt:  12.4 pp
Recipe:

  • Sealed Poison Vial - 6.3 pp
  • Constrict Suspension - 1.1 pp
  • (2) Gelsemium Root - 2.5 pp (each)

Powdered Banality

Trivial:  140
Effect:  Feeble Mind II (decrease mana by 7 [level 1] - 265 [level 44])
Duration:  Instant
Cost per attempt:  15.5 pp
Recipe:

  • Sealed Poison Vial - 6.3 pp
  • Constrict Suspension - 1.1 pp
  • (3) Gelsemium Petals - 2.7 pp (each)

Calcium Rot

Trivial:  172
Effect:  Liquid Silver II (decrease all resists except poison by 3 [level 1] - 15 [level 24])
Duration:  180 seconds
Cost per attempt:  10.2 pp
Recipe:

  • Sealed Poison Vial - 6.3 pp
  • Constrict Suspension - 1.1 pp
  • (2) King's Thorn - 1.4 pp (each)

Cyclic Vertigo

Trivial:  258
Effect:  Lower Resists III (decrease all resists except poison by 3 [level 1] - 20 [level 34])
Duration:  180 seconds
Cost per attempt:  16.2 pp
Recipe:

  • Sealed Poison Vial - 6.3 pp
  • Larent Suspension - 2.1 pp
  • Crystal Nightshade - 1.5 pp
  • Snowcap Amanita - 6.3 pp

Spirit of Sloth

Trivial:  275
Effect:  Muscle Lock IV (decrease movement by 31% [level 1] - 60% [level 30])
Duration:  1 tick per level
Cost per attempt:  11.5 pp
Recipe:

  • Sealed Poison Vial - 6.3 pp
  • Ethereal Suspension - 2.6 pp
  • (2) Creeper Ivy - 1.3 pp (each)

Beyond 275, all poison recipes require at least one dropped item.

The rogue who is slightly more frugal but still wishes to avoid farming ingredients may prefer to take the following path:  "Help Uiyaniv" quest in Abysmal Sea (NPC to contact:  Uiyaniv Tu`Vrozix) to 54; Anti-Element to 76; Atrophic Sap to 98; Aching Blood to 108; Calcium Rot to 172; Spirit of Sloth to 275.  He should, however, bear in mind that an increased failure rate may negate his initial savings.

 

Applying Poisons

Once the rogue has created a vial of poison, he may apply it to his weapon by sitting down, placing the poison in a main inventory slot, and clicking on it.  This will only work with a piercing weapon equipped in the primary hand, and will last until the rogue logs off or zones.  Poisons thus applied will be used the next time he pierces (not backstabs) a foe with his main hand.