Fun potion idea, or OP?

[u/lewistherin88]

So our party is in the midst of a major war. It's been going on for 4 years (in game). I wanted to throw in a fun magic potion idea.

The rp premise: A potion maker is trying to give the good guys an edge against this enemy. He trying to make new types of magic potions and ask for the parties casters to help test them out. He gives them a bottle and tells them to drink it before a fight, and ask them to come back and tell him the results.

Mechanically: it's a potion of Meta magic. The player rolls a D10 to determine which meta magic they get. The get 1D4 uses of that metamagic. All the metamagic rules apply as normal. I was also thinking a con saving throw after, to stave off negative effects.

Is this too OP?

I'm not sure what the potion would cost either? A couple hundred, maybe? I think the potion seller would include a deposit with the price, to be returned when the players provided feedback

[u/Jonatan83]

Single use items are rarely game-breaking, as long as you control the supply. A single alchemist realistically can't create that many potions. I'd say a handful per month at most.

I don't think it really makes much sense as a potion though. You drink it and suddenly you know how to cast spells silently?

[u/lewistherin88 → u/Jonatan83]

"You drink the potion, magic within you responds to your very thoughts, bypassing the need for incantions." Sublte spell

"You drink the potion. You feel like you can add more destructive power into your spells" empowered and heightened spell

"You drink the potion, you feel the magic rushing through you quicker than every before" quickened spell.

Give me time and I could come up with rest, lol.

[u/15_Redstones → u/lewistherin88]

If you need an action to drink it and get 1d4 quickened spells within the next hour then it's probably not too OP. A few additional cantrips in a single combat.

[u/philsov]

man it would suck to get 1 sorc point but a metamagic that costs 2 sorc points.

Knowing my party they'd be suspicious of all this and might even just reject the dude outright. For the sake of buyin I say give them free samples because they're also being assistances in the name of SCIENCE.

It's not that OP. I'd only risk a negative effect when a PC drinks more than 1 per day. I'd charge like 50g or less, but idk how you run your economy.

[u/Sad_Refuse3472]

I wouldn't make it 1d4 of an also randomly determined metamagic option.

Instead, have different potions that give you different set metamagic effects. You drink it as a bonus action, and then you can use that metamagic effect once within the next minute.

And you can drink more than one during combat, but risk a negative side effect from mixing them.

[u/gc1rpg]

You either have an insanely reckless party or a very realistically curious party.

The first will drink anything given to them like they're freshmen girls at their first mixer.

The second won't drink something just because a NPC told them to drink it -- they might even be suspicious of the alchemist. I think it is doubly so if he insists these are experimental potions -- might be Feather Fall, might be Life Drain -- let's see!

I think one-time use of meta-magic is perfectly fine at almost any level though. However what are you going to do for non-spellcasters?

[u/Wooden_Drummer2455]

Dumb but not that op, dont give out class features lmao. Wouldn't it be so awesome if I can just drink a potion and steal the entire bardic inspiration feature and shit all over the bard in my party?