Poison - Technology or Natural?

Suppose I'm making a poisoning MM (Ninjas/Poison) who is considered to be using poisons that she has either made or purchased. Would that make her natural or tech? I can't decide!!!!!!

I mean, poison making is a technology, right?

I just can't seem to draw a clear line between technology and natural. Arachnos Soldiers are considered natural, even though some of them use those crab backpacks. Maybe I should be asking this on another thread?

I too had the same problem when I made my nin/poison.

The way I thought of it was literally back in the day with real ninjas and samurai. They trained naturally, and used nature for their poisons.

So I just went with natural.

Keep in mine that SOA are listed as Natural despite them geting there powers from there armor and guns the only "Natural" part of there powers is there leadership and fitness. All the rest is Guns, Traps, and Armor/Power Armor. (Widows are different matter many of there skills are based on there psychic ability's and all tho they seam to be treated as normal in Paragon/RI I would consider them a mutation.)

That is if you want to go by a Semi-cannon reference point



In my honest opinion however You would be a Technology origin if with out your Tec your powerless. If this toon your making, was put in a jail cell with nothing could they get out without help? Or if they were stranded on an island with Canables could she mix local plants into a poison with out help from things like a lab or advanced equipment? (I would assume you would have simple things like a mortar and pestlel)

The best way to decide is to put your toon into various settings and then RP in your head. How would she get out of it?

Then objectively look back and see how she dealt with the problems at hand and what she used to make it so.

My Ninja/Poison MM is a normal human with some faithful followers and chemistry skills, and I use the Natural origin.

Poison would sit under the Science origin, if you're considering the chemistry side of it

My general rule on the line between "Natural" and "Technology" is whether you can buy it in a store. If it's available for general purchase, or otherwise somehow widely available (black market, for villains, would qualify), you're still "Natural". If it's high-tech stuff you have to make/repair yourself or some gadget you stole/were given by someone else who likewise made it themselves, it's "Technology".

So it's mostly a matter of degree. Mundane Technology is "Natural". Sci-Fi Technology is "Technology".

Poison is a "natural" for Mutation or Science. Look at the animations: you spit, barf and toss the poison from within your own body. It's a very Mutant/Science feeling set.

Personally I made my Thugs/Poison a Science Origin hyper-intelligent gorilla. All the spitting and flinging goes perfectly with the ape theme.

WARNING: I bold names.

You're buying chemical compounds and toxins and liberally applying them to your targets?
Try SCIENCE!

So, what if I take Mace Mastery as her ancillary/patron? I'm starting to consider it strongly, since the power boost has good synergy with lots of poison powers. Otherwise I'd go electric, because of the semi-melee thunder strike attack. (Want it for thematic correctness, being a ninja and all.)

I'm not sure that Mace automatically makes you tech either, but it seems like it would move you in the tech direction.

I went technology ultimately for my Mercs/Poison. But the animations for poison are generally awful. You shoot some stuff out your sleeve like a gun (paralytic poison) then barf out poison in another animations. Its just awful. I'm hoping the alternate animations now present eventually reach poison so its possible to theme without being totally garbage.

EDIT: of course, this will probably never happen since Poison is purely the realm of MM's.

Rule of thumb to consider: Could any average (but physically fit) human off the street do what you're doing with nothing other than physical training? Natural.

Do you need a degree in handling complex machinery and gadgets, or do you use powered armor? Tech. Oh, wait, are the gizmos you're using generic enough to not need an engineer's degree? Natural. This includes guns, as they're considered generic enough (unless of course you -want- to think of the Frankengun as a technological miracle).

Do your powers originate from your body in a manner unnatural to humans, that you can't just do through training? Were they there when you were born, latent or otherwise? Mutant. Got them from an outside source? Science. Psionics is up for debate, as in the CoX universe all humans have latent psionic powers that can be unlocked through rigorous training, thus you can get away with a natural psionic human.

And of course, casting spells or using magic items is magic origin. Yes, even if it's just an item, the powers your using originate from a magical source.


Of course, this is all considering -humans-. Aliens get to be Natural even if they can shoot fireballs out of their ears.

And, of course, the disclaimer: All of the above is subjective.


tl;dr does your character have a degree in chemistry/toxicology?