A room with a locked door and sleeping guard

Gripping her shortsword tightly, Vanessa stepped through the archway and into the darkness. She saw flickering torch light announcing the presence of a larger room up ahead. She peered through the doorway into the room. The only obvious exit leading away from the room was a sturdy wooden door with an equally sturdy padlock. Near the door, Vanessa spotted a dwarven guard napping on a chair. He had a key hanging in a ring from his belt. He looked tough and next to him lay a nasty looking battle axe.

Vanessa eyed the guard for a moment, considering her options. She had the stealth potion and could try to grab the key and sneak past him, but she didn't want to risk waking him up unnecessarily. She could also try to use the distraction potion, which would either allow her to sneak past him or land a critical hit, kill him and snatch the key and whatever loot he had on his person. "Also, if I am expected to use the Potion of Distraction, does it work by throwing or drinking it?", Vanessa mused.