Bardic Poisons as an Arcane Background

After some discussion on the subject of poisons in the Dark Sun setting over on the Pinnacle forums, it occurred to me that an Athasian Bard's assassin qualities might best be written as a tightly-controlled version of the AB: Alchemist Edge from the Fantasy Companion

Many Athasian Bards double as assassins by means of poison. These Bards employ the Arcane Background: Poisoner and the Arcane skill Poisons (Smarts). Like an Alchemist, a Poisoner’s Power Points are invested in doses of his wears and can only be recovered after the toxins are discharged.

AB: Poisoner
Starting Powers: 3
Power Points: 10
Power List: Blind, Bolt*, Confusion, Curse, Curse (from Deadlands)*, Drain Power Points, Draining Touch, Drain Life (Horror Toolkit), Fear, Lower Trait, Puppet, Sluggish Reflexes, Slumber, Strength of the Undead (Horror Toolkit as “Wight Poison”)*

Bolt
Rank: Novice
Power Points: 2-6
Range:
Duration: Instant
Trappings:
This is one of the handful of Powers a poisoner can use to create multiple doses of a poison. Each dose of the poison does 2d6 or 3d6 damage, depending on how many Power Points are put into it.

Greater Curse
Rank: Seasoned
Power Points: 5
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Trappings:
As “Curse” in Deadlands: Reloaded.


The following Power is based on “Strength of the Undead” as written in the Horror Toolkit, only this spell resumes the user has acquired the poison of a Wight. The “Death Touch” is employed exactly like the Wight’s power. I bumped the Rank up to "Heroic" given that the Poisoner (or Necromancer) doesn't have to be touching a Wight in order to put the power into the poison.

*Death Touch (Strength of the Undead: Wight Poison)
Rank: Heroic
Power Points: 6
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
Trappings: Hand of Death, Poisoned Claws
Arcane Skill vs. Vigor -2. On a success, the victim suffers “the shakes” for 24 hours and has a -1 penalty to all trait rolls. Failure means the victim is incapacitated and will die in 2d6 hours unless he receives a Healing -2 roll.

Poison Trapping:
Minor: A Raise with a detrimental power leads to gas that burns the eyes, nose, and throat. This distracting effect results in a -2 penalty to Parry (for the duration of the spell or until the victim’s next action).
Major: The victim must make a Vigor check (at -2 on a Raise) vs. Poison-based Fatigue. The downside is that the range of the spell is halved. For poisoners however, this is often meaningless as they deliver their wears with the use of a blade, needle, or some other subtle means.