Is it possible to make healing potions using herbalism kit 5e?
The PHB description of herbalism kit 5e states that it is required to create Potions of Healing. The tradition says that we should start on page 82. Xanthar’s guide to everything:
Rules for Healing Potions dnd 5e
The official rules for dnd 5e healing potion are straightforward. On page 150 of the Player’s Handbook, you can find:
Potion of Healing. Drinking the magic red fluid from this vial gives a character 2d4 + 2 hit points. A potion can be administered or drank. When you consume this potion, you will gain hit points. The potion’s rarity (as shown in the Potions of Healing Table) determines how many hit points you get. The potion’s red liquid glows when it is agitated, regardless of its potency. As you can see, price differences can be significant. It does show how wide a range of rarity, price, and significance potions of healing can be.
| Potion of | Rarity | HP Regained | Price |
| Healing | Common | 2d4 + 2 | 50 gp |
| Greater healing | Uncommon | 4d4 + 4 | 100 gp |
| Superior healing | Rare | 8d4 + 8 | 500 gp |
| Supreme healing | Very rare | 10d4 +20 | 1350 gp |
Potion of Greater Healing = [1d6 x 50] gp |
Potion of Superior Healing = [2d10 x 500] gp |
Potion of Supreme Healing = [1d4+1 x 50000] gp |
Using Potions
While the rules clearly state that drinking a potion constitutes an action, there are other rules and ways that people approach it at their tables. Although it seems obvious that using a healing potion should be considered a full action in the rules, many issues can arise during play.
Does it make sense to take a potion for healing? Do you think it is more difficult to feed your friend who has died with a potion of healing?
There are many ways to approach it.
- A potion of healing is a means of healing yourself or another willing creature.[Action – Action]
- A potion of healing is considered a bonus action while using it on yourself is considered an action.[Bonus Action – Action]
- Bonus actions include using a potion to heal yourself or another willing creature.[Bonus action-Bonus action]
Because combat economics is deeply embedded in combat economics, a slight change in outcome can make a big difference. Before deciding on the matter in your game, there are some elements that I recommend you consider. Option number one, which is the closest to the rules for most DMs, would be the ‘canon.
- Dynamics. The dynamics of your adventure will determine how many fights you have to put in. The ability to summon a healing potion at the right time can make a difference in players’ lives if they have more than two encounters during short-rest.
- Team composition. It would be wonderful if all groups had a healer druid or cleric, but that’s not always possible. They might need to rest or use a healing potion to help them recover from any trauma.
- Numerical number of PCs. It’s easier to use an action for healing when there are 7-8 characters on the map than when there are 2-3 PC. Every moment is important, and falling unconscious is more fatal.
- Rare. Potion of healing is easily available everywhere, and players have some money to spend on their supplies. PoH is not a good idea if it’s an expensive action in the combat economy.
Let’s now look at the bonus Action – Act Model and bonus action – Bonus action.
Bonus Action – Act The only place where a PC can take Action and consume PoH is. This rule increases the tactical value of the healing potion by ensuring a good rarity balance and allowing for a longer period between short rests.
Similar Bonus Action – Bonus Action: The model is valid but lacks an element of drama when someone is fed a potion. It is usually useful to keep someone alive or bring back the fight, making more sense to make it meaningful with Action.
On the Potion of Healing Creation table, you can find the times and costs involved. As with any druid, you will be able to use the herbalism kit with proficiency. If you are willing to spend the time and money and get an herbalism kit, healing potions can be possible.
OP, The homebrew was pretty good, and our group had a lot of fun with it. But there are some things you should know.
- It is insane to allow poison damage per round. You should limit it to 1 round or two maximum.
- These potions are great for making a variety of different kinds of remedies.
- STABLE. Do not allow your character to make powerful supplementary items if you’re not ready. My character just made a few 16d6 healing potions. The poisons are the same.
What is Herbalism kit in 5e?
An herbalism kit in 5e is a tool that allows you to identify and collect useful elements from plants safely.
Components. An herbalism kit contains pouches for herbs, clippers, leather gloves for collecting plants, and a mortar and pestle. There are also several glass jars.
Arcana. Your magical studies can be enhanced by your knowledge of the uses and nature of herbs. That will help you identify potions and improve your magic.
Investigation. Your ability to spot details and clues in an overgrown area with plants can make you a better inspector.
Medicine. You can improve your ability to heal wounds and illnesses by learning herbalism.
Nature and Survival. Your ability to recognize plants and find food sources when you are out in the wild makes it easier for you to travel.
Identify the Plants. Most plants can be identified by a quick inspection of the appearance and the smell.
An herbalism kit allows you to see more in an overgrown area. I don’t know how, but you will be able to see through plants. It comes down to being able to distinguish between what is and what isn’t a plant. All these descriptions seem to be grasping for straws, in reality. It is also a problem that “herbalism,” instead of “a,” has an “an,” but it could be a dialect thing. Many people use the term “ERB-alism” instead of “HER-balism “…. Maybe I’m just weird.
The Idea of Herbalism
No matter how you pronounce it, herbalism is the study and application of plants in medicine. A herbalist is a person who has a deep understanding of the various uses of plants. The idea of being a herbalist matches my experience as a ranger. Most of us have seen movies such as Lord of the Rings. A rugged adventurer goes into the forest for an entire hour, returning with the essential plants that will heal Frodo of his injuries (spoilers?). That is a common scene in fantasy movies and books. It’s a popular choice for people who work with herbs and poultices.
Herbalism Kit is the most used kit, with many game systems trying to make it work in 5e. I’ve seen ones that are more like minigames, but that stops the adventuring from producing specifically what they want. I’ve also seen ones that go deep into the many different components and have 100s of recipes. And that comes with the problem of just too much to work with. There are various systems, but I like the idea of simplicity in my systems. I stumbled on Angry Herbalism before I ever decided to do this blog, so that’s the basics of what we are working on.
The Herbalism Kit should highlight the abilities of the character who uses it. For example, they should travel into the forest to gather their herbs and return quickly to their party. They may attract unwanted attention, run away from their party, or get attacked, but this shouldn’t be a daily occurrence. If they worry about being attacked each time they use it, they should not be allowed to take the spotlight.
Making Items ( Herbalism Kit 5e recipes)
Our adventurers will need first to choose the Recipe for which herbs they want. Once they have chosen the Recipe, they will need to head out into the wild and begin looking for ingredients. It takes them an hour to locate enough ingredients for one Recipe. Then they make a Wisdom and Proficiency bonus check. They roll against the Potency DCs in the Recipe. Usually, DC 10, 15, or 20 is useful to determine the potency of their Herbal Item.
Failure to pass the test means that the ingredients they found were not as potent, and they cannot make the item. They have 24 hours from when they locate their ingredients to use the item before its potency begins to decrease.
After they have completed their check, they can quickly craft the item without any additional checks, and then they are ready to give it to someone. You can use this to do minor healing, poison a weapon, or disadvantage certain abilities to other creatures. These little boons can be helpful to provide alternative healing for your party if you don’t have a dedicated healer. Many of the recipes can restore HP or provide Temporary HP, or even regain lost Hit Dice.
5e Herbalism kit for party members
Herbalism can be a useful tool for party members, particularly those who want to add some utility. That could be easily picked up by a barbarian and used to become more than a tank. A druid could also use it to expand their abilities to assist the party.
Best uses of Herbalism Kit 5e
The Player’s Handbook states that proficiency with an herbalism tool can increase your proficiency bonus for ability checks to identify and apply herbs. The herbalism kit is considered a tool and not an adventuring gear like the healers. This tool can help to create potions for healing and antitoxin. However, there are no rules. The PHB has downtime crafting rules that can be applied to the kit, which is obvious since it’s a tool.
Antitoxins and potions for healing both have a 50gp listed value. Therefore, we can extrapolate that it will take ten days to craft one of these (50gp / 5 a day of work). Each unit of crafted potion would cost 25gp for the rare herbs and other materials needed to prepare them and brew them. Each additional herbalist can make 5gp per day. That means that two herbalists can reduce the time by five days. Three herbalists can reduce the time further to 4 days. (50 / 15, = 3.333).
Herb Gathering
A house rule states that a proficient character in herbalism can make one Intelligence check or Wisdom check. (player’s option), It includes their proficiency bonus for each day they travel overland through the wilderness and Underdark. It is to find and collect rare herbs useful in crafting antitoxins or healing potions (player’s option). This check has a base DC of 10 and results with 5gp of herbs that are 1/10th of one pound in weight. The player should keep track of their herb value on the character sheet. Each point above ten results in 5gp additional herbs.
Crafting costs
You can reduce the cost of crafting an antitoxin or potion by using herbs gathered by a character or an ally. Each gold-priced herb used to create the potion will reduce the cost by one gp. That is the price of a vial that can help to store the finished product.
Crafting while adventuring
A character who is proficient in herbalism and has an herbalism kit can make one Intelligence check or Wisdom check while resting to progress on antitoxin or potion creation. Each successful creation adds one day/5gp to the cost of creating an item.
Potions for healing
An herbalist can create potions for healing that are identical to the magical potions of health listed in the Dungeon Masters Guide. However, they do not follow the rules of magical item creation. This crafting method can only create the base potion for healing (2d4+2 returned hit points). You can create stronger healing potions (superior) using the magic item crafting rules in DMG.
Antitoxin
Antitoxin can’t remove poison damage that a poison attack has already caused before it is consumed. It can allow for a second saving throw (with benefit) against the ongoing poisoning condition when consumed. Suppose the save succeeds, the poisoned condition and any side effects such as ongoing damage. In that case, paralyzing or immobilizing conditions are both removed.
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Is it possible to make healing potions using herbalism kit 5e?
The PHB description of herbalism kit 5e states that it is required to create Potions of Healing. The tradition says that we should start on page 82. Xanthar’s guide to everything:
Rules for Healing Potions dnd 5e
The official rules for dnd 5e healing potion are straightforward. On page 150 of the Player’s Handbook, you can find:
Potion of Healing. Drinking the magic red fluid from this vial gives a character 2d4 + 2 hit points. A potion can be administered or drank. When you consume this potion, you will gain hit points. The potion’s rarity (as shown in the Potions of Healing Table) determines how many hit points you get. The potion’s red liquid glows when it is agitated, regardless of its potency. As you can see, price differences can be significant. It does show how wide a range of rarity, price, and significance potions of healing can be.
| Potion of | Rarity | HP Regained | Price |
| Healing | Common | 2d4 + 2 | 50 gp |
| Greater healing | Uncommon | 4d4 + 4 | 100 gp |
| Superior healing | Rare | 8d4 + 8 | 500 gp |
| Supreme healing | Very rare | 10d4 +20 | 1350 gp |
Potion of Greater Healing = [1d6 x 50] gp |
Potion of Superior Healing = [2d10 x 500] gp |
Potion of Supreme Healing = [1d4+1 x 50000] gp |
Using Potions
While the rules clearly state that drinking a potion constitutes an action, there are other rules and ways that people approach it at their tables. Although it seems obvious that using a healing potion should be considered a full action in the rules, many issues can arise during play.
Does it make sense to take a potion for healing? Do you think it is more difficult to feed your friend who has died with a potion of healing?
There are many ways to approach it.
- A potion of healing is a means of healing yourself or another willing creature.[Action – Action]
- A potion of healing is considered a bonus action while using it on yourself is considered an action.[Bonus Action – Action]
- Bonus actions include using a potion to heal yourself or another willing creature.[Bonus action-Bonus action]
Because combat economics is deeply embedded in combat economics, a slight change in outcome can make a big difference. Before deciding on the matter in your game, there are some elements that I recommend you consider. Option number one, which is the closest to the rules for most DMs, would be the ‘canon.
- Dynamics. The dynamics of your adventure will determine how many fights you have to put in. The ability to summon a healing potion at the right time can make a difference in players’ lives if they have more than two encounters during short-rest.
- Team composition. It would be wonderful if all groups had a healer druid or cleric, but that’s not always possible. They might need to rest or use a healing potion to help them recover from any trauma.
- Numerical number of PCs. It’s easier to use an action for healing when there are 7-8 characters on the map than when there are 2-3 PC. Every moment is important, and falling unconscious is more fatal.
- Rare. Potion of healing is easily available everywhere, and players have some money to spend on their supplies. PoH is not a good idea if it’s an expensive action in the combat economy.
Let’s now look at the bonus Action – Act Model and bonus action – Bonus action.
Bonus Action – Act The only place where a PC can take Action and consume PoH is. This rule increases the tactical value of the healing potion by ensuring a good rarity balance and allowing for a longer period between short rests.
Similar Bonus Action – Bonus Action: The model is valid but lacks an element of drama when someone is fed a potion. It is usually useful to keep someone alive or bring back the fight, making more sense to make it meaningful with Action.
On the Potion of Healing Creation table, you can find the times and costs involved. As with any druid, you will be able to use the herbalism kit with proficiency. If you are willing to spend the time and money and get an herbalism kit, healing potions can be possible.
OP, The homebrew was pretty good, and our group had a lot of fun with it. But there are some things you should know.
- It is insane to allow poison damage per round. You should limit it to 1 round or two maximum.
- These potions are great for making a variety of different kinds of remedies.
- STABLE. Do not allow your character to make powerful supplementary items if you’re not ready. My character just made a few 16d6 healing potions. The poisons are the same.
What is Herbalism kit in 5e?
An herbalism kit in 5e is a tool that allows you to identify and collect useful elements from plants safely.
Components. An herbalism kit contains pouches for herbs, clippers, leather gloves for collecting plants, and a mortar and pestle. There are also several glass jars.
Arcana. Your magical studies can be enhanced by your knowledge of the uses and nature of herbs. That will help you identify potions and improve your magic.
Investigation. Your ability to spot details and clues in an overgrown area with plants can make you a better inspector.
Medicine. You can improve your ability to heal wounds and illnesses by learning herbalism.
Nature and Survival. Your ability to recognize plants and find food sources when you are out in the wild makes it easier for you to travel.
Identify the Plants. Most plants can be identified by a quick inspection of the appearance and the smell.
An herbalism kit allows you to see more in an overgrown area. I don’t know how, but you will be able to see through plants. It comes down to being able to distinguish between what is and what isn’t a plant. All these descriptions seem to be grasping for straws, in reality. It is also a problem that “herbalism,” instead of “a,” has an “an,” but it could be a dialect thing. Many people use the term “ERB-alism” instead of “HER-balism “…. Maybe I’m just weird.
The Idea of Herbalism
No matter how you pronounce it, herbalism is the study and application of plants in medicine. A herbalist is a person who has a deep understanding of the various uses of plants. The idea of being a herbalist matches my experience as a ranger. Most of us have seen movies such as Lord of the Rings. A rugged adventurer goes into the forest for an entire hour, returning with the essential plants that will heal Frodo of his injuries (spoilers?). That is a common scene in fantasy movies and books. It’s a popular choice for people who work with herbs and poultices.
Herbalism Kit is the most used kit, with many game systems trying to make it work in 5e. I’ve seen ones that are more like minigames, but that stops the adventuring from producing specifically what they want. I’ve also seen ones that go deep into the many different components and have 100s of recipes. And that comes with the problem of just too much to work with. There are various systems, but I like the idea of simplicity in my systems. I stumbled on Angry Herbalism before I ever decided to do this blog, so that’s the basics of what we are working on.
The Herbalism Kit should highlight the abilities of the character who uses it. For example, they should travel into the forest to gather their herbs and return quickly to their party. They may attract unwanted attention, run away from their party, or get attacked, but this shouldn’t be a daily occurrence. If they worry about being attacked each time they use it, they should not be allowed to take the spotlight.
Making Items ( Herbalism Kit 5e recipes)
Our adventurers will need first to choose the Recipe for which herbs they want. Once they have chosen the Recipe, they will need to head out into the wild and begin looking for ingredients. It takes them an hour to locate enough ingredients for one Recipe. Then they make a Wisdom and Proficiency bonus check. They roll against the Potency DCs in the Recipe. Usually, DC 10, 15, or 20 is useful to determine the potency of their Herbal Item.
Failure to pass the test means that the ingredients they found were not as potent, and they cannot make the item. They have 24 hours from when they locate their ingredients to use the item before its potency begins to decrease.
After they have completed their check, they can quickly craft the item without any additional checks, and then they are ready to give it to someone. You can use this to do minor healing, poison a weapon, or disadvantage certain abilities to other creatures. These little boons can be helpful to provide alternative healing for your party if you don’t have a dedicated healer. Many of the recipes can restore HP or provide Temporary HP, or even regain lost Hit Dice.
5e Herbalism kit for party members
Herbalism can be a useful tool for party members, particularly those who want to add some utility. That could be easily picked up by a barbarian and used to become more than a tank. A druid could also use it to expand their abilities to assist the party.
Best uses of Herbalism Kit 5e
The Player’s Handbook states that proficiency with an herbalism tool can increase your proficiency bonus for ability checks to identify and apply herbs. The herbalism kit is considered a tool and not an adventuring gear like the healers. This tool can help to create potions for healing and antitoxin. However, there are no rules. The PHB has downtime crafting rules that can be applied to the kit, which is obvious since it’s a tool.
Antitoxins and potions for healing both have a 50gp listed value. Therefore, we can extrapolate that it will take ten days to craft one of these (50gp / 5 a day of work). Each unit of crafted potion would cost 25gp for the rare herbs and other materials needed to prepare them and brew them. Each additional herbalist can make 5gp per day. That means that two herbalists can reduce the time by five days. Three herbalists can reduce the time further to 4 days. (50 / 15, = 3.333).
Herb Gathering
A house rule states that a proficient character in herbalism can make one Intelligence check or Wisdom check. (player’s option), It includes their proficiency bonus for each day they travel overland through the wilderness and Underdark. It is to find and collect rare herbs useful in crafting antitoxins or healing potions (player’s option). This check has a base DC of 10 and results with 5gp of herbs that are 1/10th of one pound in weight. The player should keep track of their herb value on the character sheet. Each point above ten results in 5gp additional herbs.
Crafting costs
You can reduce the cost of crafting an antitoxin or potion by using herbs gathered by a character or an ally. Each gold-priced herb used to create the potion will reduce the cost by one gp. That is the price of a vial that can help to store the finished product.
Crafting while adventuring
A character who is proficient in herbalism and has an herbalism kit can make one Intelligence check or Wisdom check while resting to progress on antitoxin or potion creation. Each successful creation adds one day/5gp to the cost of creating an item.
Potions for healing
An herbalist can create potions for healing that are identical to the magical potions of health listed in the Dungeon Masters Guide. However, they do not follow the rules of magical item creation. This crafting method can only create the base potion for healing (2d4+2 returned hit points). You can create stronger healing potions (superior) using the magic item crafting rules in DMG.
Antitoxin
Antitoxin can’t remove poison damage that a poison attack has already caused before it is consumed. It can allow for a second saving throw (with benefit) against the ongoing poisoning condition when consumed. Suppose the save succeeds, the poisoned condition and any side effects such as ongoing damage. In that case, paralyzing or immobilizing conditions are both removed.
Read Other D&D articles in our website:
Grimoire 5e dnd vs Grimoire Infinitus | Interesting facts & uses
Are Bracers of Archery & Magic Bows the best magic items in D&D 5E?
15 best druid spells in dnd 5e, every Dungeon Master recommends
