Potion Commotion looks at a few staple potions in the game and plays around with them. We’ll taking the standard abilities and offer them with either boosts or limitations, providing new versions of these old classics for all levels of play!
This time we’re looking at a fairly straightforward item: the potion of speed.
Catch up on all the other Potion Commotion articles!
Reach Escape Velocity
The potion of speed is a very rare item gives you the effects of a haste spell for 1 minute, no concentration required. Very useful—not terribly fancy. This leaves room for interesting side-effects and cosmetic differences that can make the potion more fun during play. Try one of these variations to right-size a potion of speed for your party.
POTION OF ENHANCED MOTION
Potion, Common
50 gp
Rainbow swirls are in constant motion in the oily contents of this vial. When you drink this potion, your speed increases by 10 feet for 1 hour.
POTION OF SPEED, LEAST
Potion, Uncommon
200 gp
The effervescent contents of this vial provide a brief surge of speed. For 1 minute after you drink this potion, your speed increases by 10 feet, and you can use a bonus action on your turn to take the Dash or Disengage action.
POTION OF SPEED, LESSER
Potion, Rare
1,000 gp
Swirls of bright blue spiral up and down through the clear liquid in this vial. When you drink this potion, your movements are magically expedited for 1 minute. Your speed is doubled, you gain a +1 bonus to AC, and you can roll a d4 and add the result as a bonus to your Dexterity saving throws. You gain an additional action on each of your turns, that can be used to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. When the spell ends, you can only move at half speed, and can’t use bonus actions or reactions, until after your next turn, as a wave of lethargy sweeps over you.
POTION OF FLEET FEET
Potion, Very Rare
2,000 gp
The liquid in this potion vial froths and splashes as if shaken, even when undisturbed. When drunk, it acts as a standard potion of speed, but you can move up to triple your speed on your turn, provided you do not take any actions or bonus actions (except using your bonus action to Dash or Disengage).
POTION OF SUPER SPEED
Potion, Legendary
15,000 gp
Yellow arcs of electricity seem to surge through the crimson liquid of this potion. When you drink this potion, your speed is tripled, you gain a +3 bonus to AC, you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and you gain an additional action on each of your turns for 1 minute. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object actions.
In addition, you can use your walking speed to travel over liquid surfaces, as if you were under the effects of the water walk spell. However, this effect only works while moving. If you end your movement on a liquid surface, you lose the water-walking effect and interact with the liquid as normal (i.e. sinking into the water, mud, etc.).
When the effects of the potion end, you are overcome with lethargy and weakness. You can’t move or take actions until after your next turn, and you gain one level of exhaustion until you take a short rest and eat one day’s worth of rations.
Variations on the Standard Potion of Speed
Add one (or possibly more) of these to a standard potion of speed to provide interesting variants into your campaign. You could add them to the alternate potions presented here, as well.
Potion of Blazing Speed. In addition to the standard potion effects, when you move, you leave a trail of flames behind you. These flames remain until the start of your next turn. The flame trail ignites easily flammable materials, such as paper, dry leaves and twigs, or oil and produces light equal to that of a torch. A creature that starts its turn in an area containing these flames, or one that moves into that area on its turn, must succeed on a DC 12 DEX save or take 3 (1d6) fire damage. A variant potion of this type has a rarity one category higher than normal.
Potion of Constant Speed. This acts as a standard potion of speed, except that the drinker must maintain momentum for the potion to continue working. If you do not move at least half your speed by the end of your turn, the effects of the potion end. A variant potion of this type has a rarity two categories lower than normal.
Potion of Light Speed. In addition to the standard potion effects, when you move, you leave a glowing trail of light in your wake. This 2-foot-wide trail gives off illumination equal to a candle and lasts for the duration of the potion. The light can be any color, chosen randomly or assigned by the GM. This variation does not change the potion’s rarity.
Potion of Roaring Speed. This version of the potion functions exactly as the standard potion. However, your movement is accompanied by an illusionary sound effect (a high-pitched whistle, whine, or buzz, a rushing noise like wind, or similar sound associated with high speeds). This dramatic side effect means any Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect your presence automatically succeed. A variant potion of this type has a rarity one category lower than normal.
