Free tables Wild magic & potions
Potion Side Effects Table — d20 for 5e
A free d20 table of potion side effects for 5e: cosmetic, inconvenient and now and then helpful, each with a clear duration.
A potion bought from a back-street alchemist, found in a dead wizard's cupboard, or gulped two at a time mid-fight should taste of where it came from. A side effect makes the potion memorable without taking anything away from what it does: the healing still heals, and the character's tongue is purple for an hour.
Roll d20 after the potion takes effect. Results 1–8 are cosmetic, 9–16 are an inconvenience, and 17–20 are a small bonus. Every result has a duration, so nobody has to ask how long it lasts.
Severity tiers
Each result names its tier, so you can see at a glance how a roll went without decoding a colour.
- Cosmetic 1–8
- Inconvenient 9–16
- Beneficial 17–20
The table
20 results. Roll d20.
| d20 | Result | Tier | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stained Tongue | Cosmetic | Your tongue and lips turn the colour of the potion for 1 hour. |
| 2 | Fizzing Ears | Cosmetic | For 10 minutes, a faint fizzing comes from your ears. Anyone who leans close can hear it. |
| 3 | Aftertaste | Cosmetic | Everything you eat or drink for the next 24 hours tastes slightly of the potion. |
| 4 | Flushed | Cosmetic | Your cheeks go bright pink for 1 hour, as if you've just been caught at something. |
| 5 | Aniseed Breath | Cosmetic | Your breath smells strongly of aniseed for 8 hours. Not unpleasant, but anyone you talk to notices. |
| 6 | Curls | Cosmetic | Your hair curls tightly, or straightens if it was already curly, until you finish a long rest. |
| 7 | Glittering Sweat | Cosmetic | For 1 hour, your sweat glitters faintly in daylight. |
| 8 | The Burp | Cosmetic | Ten minutes after drinking, you let out a long, loud burp that tastes of the potion and smells worse. |
| 9 | Hiccups | Inconvenient | You hiccup for 10 minutes. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks until they stop. |
| 10 | Urgent Business | Inconvenient | Within 10 minutes you badly need to relieve yourself. Until you do, or for 1 hour, you have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. |
| 11 | Heavy Eyelids | Inconvenient | For 1 hour, you have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. |
| 12 | Queasy | Inconvenient | For 1 hour, the smell of food turns your stomach. Eating anything takes a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. |
| 13 | Squeak | Inconvenient | Your voice goes high and squeaky for 1 hour. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. |
| 14 | Butterfingers | Inconvenient | For 10 minutes, you have disadvantage on Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks and on checks with thieves' tools. |
| 15 | The Shivers | Inconvenient | You shiver hard for 1 minute as the potion settles. You have disadvantage on ranged attack rolls until it passes. |
| 16 | Giddy | Inconvenient | For 1 hour, you're cheerful, chatty and prone to laughing at the wrong moment. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Deception) checks. |
| 17 | Warm Belly | Beneficial | For 8 hours, you're comfortable in freezing weather and ignore the effects of extreme cold. |
| 18 | Clear Head | Beneficial | For 1 hour, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed. |
| 19 | Wide Pupils | Beneficial | For 1 hour, you have darkvision out to 30 feet, but disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks in bright light. |
| 20 | Lingering Dose | Beneficial | If the potion has a duration, it lasts twice as long. If it doesn't, you also gain 1d4 temporary hit points. |
Questions
Do potions have side effects in 5e?
Not by the rules. A potion does what its description says and nothing else. Side effects are a house rule, and a popular one for potions from a doubtful source, potions past their best, or two potions drunk close together.
When should I roll on this table?
Not every time, or every healing potion becomes a chore. Roll when the potion was cheap, found in a dungeon, brewed by a player, or drunk straight after another one. A side effect is most fun when the players can trace it back to a choice they made.
Do side effects replace the potion's normal effect?
No. The potion works as written, and the side effect happens as well. Nothing here cancels a potion or causes damage, so it's safe to roll on a healing potion in the middle of a fight.