Recently while doing some research for a writing project for Planet X Games (it’s not my beans to spill on what the project is, so we’ll have to wait for Planet X’s Levi Combs to splatter those particular leguminous seeds) I did a deep dive on the various kinds of poison in the AD&D 1E Monster Manual entries.

After compiling the list, I found myself looking at it and thinking to myself, “Self, someone else could benefit from this list.”

If you’re that speculated someone, or like to look at lists of poisonous things, or maybe even just lists in general, here it is.

Some quick notes:

• If you know of an entry I missed, please let me know in the comments.
• If a monster has an attack that calls for a saving throw versus poison, but the actual source or effect doesn’t seem to be poison, they are not listed here. E.g., Sprite.
• I have an allergy to discussions of poisonous versus venomous, so let’s just have fun and avoid all that distinction with this post, shall we?

Ant, Giant: it will also attempt to sting for 3-12 points of damage. If a sting hits, a saving throw versus poison must be made; if successful the victim takes only 1-4 hit points of damage.

Centipede, Giant: injecting poison into the wound, but in many cases this poison is weak and not fatal (add 4 to saving throw die roll).

Couatl: in melee they attack… by poisonous bite (saving throw applicable).

Orcus: additionally his tail has a virulent poison sting (-4 on all saving throws against its poison), and his tail strikes with an 18 dexterity which does 2-8 hit points each time it hits.

Baalzebul: DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12 + poison.

Bone Devil: plus causing a loss of strength (1-4 points) unless a save versus poison is made; strength loss lasts for 10 melee rounds.

Erinyes: they are armed with a magical dagger which drips a caustic venom and causes terribly painful wounds (save versus poison or faint for 1-6 melee rounds).

Geryon: stabbing them with his terrible poisonous tail (save versus poison at -4 on die).

Chromatic Dragon (Tiamat): SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, poison and magic use.

Green Dragon: a green dragon can attack by a claw/claw/bite routine or by breathing a cloud of poisonous chlorine gas. The gas cloud is 5” long, 4” wide, and 3” high.

Gold Dragon: the attack of a gold dragon can be a claw/claw/bite routine or one of two
breath weapons—fire in a 9” x 3” cone, or chlorine gas in a 5” x 4” x 3” cloud.

Eel, Weed: their bite is poisonous, and unless a saving throw is made the creature bitten will die.

Frog, Giant Poisonous: it secretes a poison from its skin, so that its touch as well as its bite can prove fatal. However, as the poison is weak, all creatures gain a +4 on their saving throws.

Fungi, Violet: the excretion from these branches rots flesh in but one melee round unless a saving throw versus poison is made or a cure disease is used.

Ghast: they exude a carrion stench in a 10’ radius which causes retching and nausea unless a saving throw versus poison is made. Those failing to make this save will attack at a penalty of -2 on “to hit” dice rolls

Iron Golem: in addition to striking, an iron golem will breathe out a cloud of poisonous gas, 1” = 1” = 1”, directly before it, once every 7 melee rounds.

Imp: the imp attacks with its tail, and any creature struck by it must save versus poison or die.

Masher: the masher is able to jut these spines so as to prevent attack or be stuck with a spine (save versus poison or be killed).

Medusa: the range of such attacks is but 1’, and the victim bitten must save versus poison or die.

Mold, Yellow: any creature which is within this cloud will die, its lungs filled with yellow mold growth, unless it makes a saving throw versus poison.

Naga: all naga types have a poisonous bite. A guardian naga can also spit poison at an individual creature at up to 3” range; and if the victim fails to make its saving throw versus poison the spittle will kill.

Giant Portuguese Man-O-War, Giant: any creature which touches these appendages takes damage from their poison, and if a saving throw versus paralyzation is not made the victim is paralyzed and will be drawn up by the Portuguese man-o-war’s tentacles and devoured in 3-12 turns.

Pseudo-Dragon: any creature struck must save versus poison or go into a state of catalepsy which lasts for 1-6 days. During this time the victim appears dead and there is a 25% chance the creature will actually die.

Purple Worm: the sting causes 2-8 hit points of damage when it hits, and if the victim fails its poison saving throw it is killed by the purple worm’s poison.

Quasit: the wounds caused by its claws cause a burning itch which drain 1 from its opponent’s dexterity each time it is wounded unless a saving throw versus poison is made. Dexterity loss remains for 2-12 melee rounds.

Ray, Punji: any creature landing on a spine must save versus poison or be killed instantly.

Ray, Sting: also, any such hit necessitates a saving throw versus poison, and if the victim fails its saving throw it is paralyzed for 5-20 turns and takes a like number of hit points of additional damage.

Roper: a hit causes weakness (50% from strength in 1 -3 melee rounds), and the roper then draws its prey into its toothy maw where it is quickly devoured.

Scorpion, Giant: while its segmented tail lashes forward to sting its victim to death with poison. This latter attack inflicts 1-4 points of damage per hit and, if a poison saving throw fails, the victim dies immediately.

Giant Skunk: the skunk will loose a spray of vile musk quickly in a cloud 2” wide by 2” high by 6” long. If the opponent fails to save versus poison it will be blinded for 1-8 hours, and in any event the musk will cause the creature to retreat a full move and lose 50% of both strength and dexterity due to nausea for 2-8 turns.

Snake, Giant Amphisbaena: and victims failing to save versus poison when bitten die instantly.

Snake, Giant Poisonous: their poison is so strong that even if a saving throw is made the victim takes up to 3-18 hit points damage.

Snake, Giant Sea: have a poisonous bite.

Snake, Giant Spitting: can emit a poisonous spittle, spraying it up to 3” at any single creature. The victim must save versus poison. Naturally, the bite of these snakes is likewise poisonous.

Spider, Giant: the bite of a giant spider is poisonous. A victim must save versus poison or be killed.

Spider, Huge: all saving throws versus the poison of huge spiders are at +1 on the dice.

Spider, Large: their poison is relatively weak in most cases, so saving throws are at +2.

Spider, Phase: victims must save at -2 on their poison saving throw.

Spider, Water, Giant: they snatch passing prey, deliver a poisonous bite, and bring the victim to their lair to be drained at leisure.

Toad, Giant, Poisonous: their bite necessitates a saving throw versus poison, or the victim will die immediately.

Wasp, Giant: any victim of a sting must save versus poison or become paralyzed permanently, with death occurring in 2-5 days unless a neutralize poison spell or antidote is applied.

Wyvern: any creature struck by this tail must save versus poison or die. Even if the victim makes its saving throw, it takes 1-6 points of damage.