Craft Skill Help (D&D 3.5)

[Brom]

I have a pair of players in my game who both like Craft skills a lot. One wants to take Craft (Explosives) and another wants to take Craft (Drugs).

The proposed use of Craft (Explosives) was the ability to make different types of charges and ''grenade-like'' weapons that could be fired from a Satchel Crossbow (homebrewed exotic weapon, it's like a sling mounted on a crossbow that can fire alchemists fire, acid vials, and other small objects.) I'd like to have a well made mechanic for it, but I don't know where to start.

The proposed use of Craft (Drugs) was to create medicinal or helpful substances that could be consumed. For example, one use of it would create a drug that boosted willpower and resistance, another would give bonuses to resisting fatigue, and various other small circumstantial bonuses.

[Shades of Gray]

Craft (Alchemy) Works for both of these actually. Look at the DC to make alchemist's fire, and simply up the DC for each d6 you want to add to the damage for more powerful explosives. Dunno about the herbs...

[Pyrusticia]

Craft (Alchemy) is definitely what you're looking for.

Eberron Campaign Setting (p. 121) includes a number of different "explosives" including Alchemist's Frost (cold dmg), Alchemist's Spark (elec dmg), and Acidic Fire (acid & fire dmg).

Your druggist is a little trickier, but if you look through old Dragon magazines, you'll find a wealth of information. Some examples:

Dragon 324: Blood Thickener (+2 Con, -2 Dex, lose hp while dying at 1/2 rate)

Dragon 334: Miner's Milk (+2 vs Poison, save or fall unconcious)
Dwarven Grave Ale (+2 vs Fear, +1 to attacks and dmg)
Evermead (temporarily lose all physical penalties due to aging, keep all mental benefits)

Dragon 344: Liquid Courage (+2 vs Fear effects, -2 Dex)

If you're looking for an alternative approach, there was an old manual that had a prestige class based entirely on crafting 'infusions' (not to be confused with the artificer's ability of the same name). These were basically identical to potions in their crafting and effect, except that they were created using herbs and mushrooms, and (IIRC) you could get a bonus to the crafting of them if you had sufficient skill in Profession (Gardening). Wish I could be more specific, but it's been an awfully long time since I saw it.

Anyway, hope this is of some help.