[Basic] Skill of the week: Herb Lore

[johndallman]

Herb Lore/TL is the IQ/VH ability to make magical compounds and mixtures out of herbs. It functions much like Alchemy, except that it doesn't provide the ability to analyse elixirs. However, its ingredients can be found for free in nature with Naturalist rolls. Herb Lore has no default, and a prerequisite of Naturalist. Pharmacy (Herbal) defaults to Herb Lore-5.

Third Edition and earlier had several skills in different books dealing with herbs. At 4e, much of this material became Pharmacy (Herbal), which is used at TL4 and below in place of Physician, sometimes in combination with Esoteric Medicine. The rest became this skill, which could be considered as Alchemy (Herbal).

Herb Lore is reasonably common on templates for fantasy healers. Banestorm healers use it, and DF Druids, and other characters with druidic lenses, major in Herb Lore. Fantasy expands on what is and isn't possible with Herb Lore. Locations: The Tower of Octavius has several characters with this skill, and Worminghall has more, and locations where it's useful. Magic offers Herb Lore as a core skill for ritual magic, and explains its use as an alternative to Alchemy. PU2, PU3 and PU7 all have examples for this skill. Powers: Enhanced Senses has an ability to boost it, and Thaumatology has supporting material and a critical failure table. Age of Gold concentrates on traditional Alchemy, but Alchemical Baroque and Chinese Elemental Powers have plenty of uses for Herb Lore. Ritual Path Magic can use Herb Lore as a core skill in place of Thaumatology, and you can use it to make Zombies.

It's another one of those skills I've never seen used. I've played Banestorm and Witch World campaigns that could have had it, but used spells for healing instead. I'd like to play an Alchemy-based campaign sometime, and this skill could sensibly fit in there.

What have you cooked up with Herb Lore?