Alchemist

Whether secreted away in a smoky basement laboratory or gleefully experimenting in a well-respected school of magic, the alchemist is often regarded as being just as unstable, unpredictable, and dangerous as the concoctions they brew. While some creators of alchemical items content themselves with sedentary lives as merchants, providing tindertwigs and smokesticks, the true alchemist answers a deeper calling. Rather than cast magic like a spellcaster, the alchemist captures their own magic potential within liquids and extracts they create, infusing their chemicals with virulent power to grant them impressive skill with poisons, explosives, and all manner of self-transformative magic.   The alchemist’s reputation is not softened by their exuberance (some would say dangerous recklessness) in perfecting their magical extracts and potion-like creations, infusing these substances with magic siphoned from their aura and using their own body as experimental stock. Nor is it mollified by the alchemist’s almost gleeful passion for building explosive bombs and discovering strange new poisons and methods for their use. These traits, while making them a liability and risk for most civilized organizations and institutions of higher learning, seem to fit quite well with most adventuring groups.  

Alignment

Any.

Hit Dice

1d6

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor, no shields.
• Weapons: All Simple Weapons and bombs.
• Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Craft (any) (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
• Skill Points Per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

 

Class Features

All of the following are features of the Alchemist class.  

Alchemy (Su)

When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an alchemist gains a Competence Bonus equal to their class level on the Craft (alchemy) check. In addition, an alchemist can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using Detect Magic. They must hold the potion for 1 round to make such a check.   Alchemists are not only masters of creating mundane alchemical substances such as alchemist’s fire and smokesticks, but also of fashioning magical potion-like extracts in which they can store spell effects. In effect, an alchemist prepares their spells by mixing ingredients into a number of extracts, and then “casts” their spells by drinking the extract. When an alchemist creates an extract or bomb, they infuse the concoction with a tiny fraction of their own magical power—this enables the creation of powerful effects, but also binds the effects to the creator.   An alchemist can create three special types of magical items—extracts, bombs, and mutagens. Bombs are explosive splash weapons, and mutagens are transformative elixirs that the alchemist drinks to enhance their physical abilities—both of these are detailed in their own sections below.

• Extracts

  Extracts are the most varied of the three. In many ways, they behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by effects like Dispel Magic using the alchemist’s level as the Caster Level. Unlike potions, though, extracts can have powerful effects and duplicate spells that a potion normally could not.   An alchemist can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. Their base daily allotment of extracts is given on Table: Alchemist. In addition, they receive bonus extracts per day if they have a high Intelligence score, in the same way a Wizard receives bonus spells per day. When an alchemist mixes an extract, they infuse the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from their own magical aura. An extract immediately becomes inert if it leaves the alchemist’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to their keeping—an alchemist cannot normally pass out their extracts for allies to use, though some discoveries alter this behavior. An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before becoming inert, so an alchemist must re-prepare their extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work—most alchemists prepare many extracts at the start of the day or just before going on an adventure, but it’s not uncommon for an alchemist to keep some (or even all) of their daily extract slots open so that they can prepare extracts in the field as needed.   An extract is “cast” by drinking it, as if imbibing a potion (usually a Move Action to retrieve and drink, or a Swift Action to drink if in hand; see Manipulate an Item for more details) —the effects of an extract exactly duplicate the spell upon which its formula is based, save that the spell always affects only the drinking alchemist. The alchemist uses their level as the Caster Level to determine any effect based on Caster Level.  

• Formulae Lists

  Although the alchemist doesn’t actually cast spells, they determine what spell-equivalent extracts they can create from the Alchemist Formulae List. An alchemist can utilize spell-trigger items if the spell appears on the Alchemist Formulae List or Alchemist Extended Formulae List, but not spell-completion items (unless they use Use Magic Device to do so).   Creating extracts consumes raw materials, but the cost of these materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements (alchemist extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement).   An alchemist can prepare an extract of any formula they know. To learn or use an extract, an alchemist must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the extract’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an alchemist’s extract is 10 + the extract level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier.  

• Formula Books

  An alchemist may know any number of formulae. They store their formulae in a special tome called a formula book (following the same rules as Spellbooks). They must refer to this book whenever they prepare an extract but not when they consume it. An alchemist begins play with two 1st level formulae of their choice, plus a number of additional formulae equal to their Intelligence modifier. At each new alchemist level, they gain one new formula of any level that they can create. An alchemist can also add formulae to their book just like a Wizard adds spells to their spellbook, using the same costs and time requirements (see Learning New Spells). An alchemist can study a Wizard’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A Wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An alchemist does not need to decipher arcane writings before copying them.

 

Bomb (Su)

In addition to magical extracts, alchemists are adept at swiftly mixing various volatile chemicals and infusing them with their magical reserves to create powerful bombs that they can hurl at their enemies. An alchemist can use a number of bombs each day equal to their class level + their Intelligence modifier.   Bombs are unstable, and if not used in the round they are created, they degrade and become inert—their method of creation prevents large volumes of explosive material from being created and stored. In order to create a bomb, the alchemist must use a small vial containing an ounce of liquid catalyst—the alchemist can create this liquid catalyst from small amounts of chemicals from an alchemy lab, and these supplies can be readily refilled in the same manner as a spellcaster’s component pouch. Most alchemists create a number of catalyst vials at the start of the day equal to the total number of bombs they can create in that day—once created, a catalyst vial remains usable by the alchemist for years.   Drawing the components of, creating, and throwing a bomb requires a Standard Action that provokes an Attack of Opportunity. Thrown bombs have a range of 20 feet and use the Throw Splash Weapon special attack. Bombs are considered weapons and can be selected using feats such as Precise Shotand Weapon Focus.   On a direct hit, an alchemist’s bomb inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage + additional damage equal to the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier. The damage of an alchemist’s bomb increases by 1d6 points at every odd-numbered alchemist level (this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike). Splash damage from an alchemist bomb is always equal to the bomb’s minimum damage (so if the bomb would deal 2d6+4 points of fire damage on a direct hit, its splash damage would be 6 points of fire damage). Those caught in the splash damage can attempt a Reflex Save for half damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier.   Alchemists can learn new types of bombs as discoveries (see the Discovery ability) as they level up. An alchemist’s bomb, like an extract, becomes inert if used or carried by anyone else.  

Brew Potion (Ex)

At 1st level, alchemists receive Brew Potion as a bonus feat. An alchemist can brew potions of any formulae they know (up to 3rd level), using their alchemist level as their Caster Level. The spell must be one that can be made into a potion. The alchemist does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat.  

Mutagen (Su)

At 1st level, an alchemist discovers how to create a mutagen that they can imbibe in order to heighten their physical prowess at the cost of their personality. It takes 1 hour to brew a dose of mutagen, and once brewed, it remains potent until used. An alchemist can only maintain one dose of mutagen at a time—if they brew a second dose, any existing mutagen becomes inert. As with an extract or bomb, a mutagen that is not in an alchemist’s possession becomes inert until an alchemist picks it up again.   When an alchemist brews a mutagen, they select one physical ability score—either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. It’s a Standard Action to drink a mutagen. Upon being imbibed, the mutagen causes the alchemist to grow bulkier and more bestial, granting them a +2 Natural Armor Bonus and a +4 Alchemical Bonus to the selected ability score for 10 minutes per alchemist level. In addition, while the mutagen is in effect, the alchemist takes a –2 penalty to one of their mental Ability Scores. If the mutagen enhances their Strength, it applies a penalty to their Intelligence. If it enhances their Dexterity, it applies a penalty to their Wisdom. If it enhances their Constitution, it applies a penalty to their Charisma.   A non-alchemist who drinks a mutagen must make a Fortitude Save (DC 10 + 1/2 the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier) or become Nauseated for 1 hour—a non-alchemist can never gain the benefit of a mutagen, but an alchemist can gain the effects of another alchemist’s mutagen if they drink it. (Although if the other alchemist creates a different mutagen, the effects of the “stolen” mutagen immediately cease.) The effects of a mutagen do not stack. Whenever an alchemist drinks a mutagen, the effects of any previous mutagen immediately end.  

Throw Anything (Ex)

All alchemists gain the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. An alchemist adds their Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any. This bonus damage is already included in the bomb class feature.  

Discovery (Su)

At 2nd level, and then again every 2 levels thereafter (up to 18th level), an alchemist makes an incredible alchemical discovery. Unless otherwise noted, an alchemist cannot select an individual discovery more than once. Some discoveries can only be made if the alchemist has met certain prerequisites first, such as uncovering other discoveries. Discoveries that modify bombs that are marked with an asterisk (*) do not stack. Only one such discovery can be applied to an individual bomb. The DC of any saving throw called for by a discovery is equal to 10 + 1/2 the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier.   A complete list of discoveries can be found here: Alchemist Discoveries.  

Poison Resistance (Ex)

At 2nd level, an alchemist gains a +2 bonus on all Saving Throws against poison. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, and then again to +6 at 8th level. At 10th level, an alchemist becomes completely immune to poison.  

Poison Use (Ex)

Alchemists are trained in the use of Poison and starting at 2nd level, cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a weapon.  

Swift Alchemy (Ex)

At 3rd level, an alchemist can create alchemical items with astounding speed. It takes an alchemist half the normal amount of time to create alchemical items, and they can apply Poison to a weapon as a Move Action.  

Swift Poisoning (Ex)

At 6th level, an alchemist can apply a dose of Poison to a weapon as a Swift Action.  

Persistent Mutagen (Su)

At 14th level, the effects of a mutagen last for 1 hour per level.  

Instant Alchemy (Ex)

At 18th level, an alchemist can create alchemical items with almost supernatural speed. They can create any alchemical item as a Full-Round Action if they succeed at the Craft (alchemy) check and have the appropriate resources at hand to fund the creation. They can apply Poison to a weapon as an Immediate Action.  

Grand Discovery (Su)

At 20th level, the alchemist makes a grand discovery. They immediately learn two normal discoveries, but also learn a third discovery chosen from the grand discoveries list, representing a truly astounding alchemical breakthrough of significant import. For many alchemists, the promise of one of these grand discoveries is the primary goal of their experiments and hard work.   A complete list of grand discoveries can be found here: Alchemist Discoveries.  

Alchemist Variants

Many variations exist that alter or replace aspects of the Alchemist class.