Alchymist (3.5e Class)

Alchymist

“	Failure is just another kind of success, the wrong kind.	”
—Razzil, Smallkeen Alchymist

Making an Alchymist

The Alchymist is a skill-based class that is able to pepper the battlefield with explosive concoctions and volatile acids while their more physically imposing assistants keep them safe from harm in exchange for empowering, addictive drugs and the gold the Alchemyst synthesizes from his defeated enemies. The Alchymist eventually chooses whether they will specialize in Alchemy (transmutation into gold) or Chymistry. (manufacturing drugs)

Abilities: Intelligence is most important for the creation of the most effective alchemical concoctions. Charisma is second for the recruitment (or brainwashing) of strong assistants. Wisdom and Con are important for Alchymists who take an interest in their own drugs, to help avoid negative side affects.

Races: Physically weaker races would be more likely to be drawn to the path of the Alchymist, particularly Gnomes.

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: 5d4×10 gp (125 gp).

Starting Age: Complex.

Table: The Alchymist

Hit Die: d4

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Secrets of Chymistry, Brain Meets Brawn
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Greevil's Greed
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Acid Spray
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Unstable Concoction
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Alchemy or Chymistry
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Chemical Rage
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Greevil's Greed II
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Acid Spray II
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Unstable Concoction II
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Alchemy or Chymistry II
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Chemical Rage II
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Greevil's Greed III
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Acid Spray III
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	Unstable Concoction III
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Alchemy or Chymistry III
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Chemical Rage III
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Greevil's Greed IV
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Acid Spray IV
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Unstable Concoction IV
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Alchemy or Chymistry IV
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Alchemist) (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis) Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) Use Magic Device (Cha)

“	That's you, distilled to your essence.	”
—Razzil, Smallkeen Alchymist

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Alchymist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Alchymists are proficient with all simple weapons and with throwing their vials of acid and unstable concoctions. They are also proficient with light armor but not with shields.

Secrets of Chymistry: The Alchymist's skill in their craft is so great that their abilities border on magical. The Alchymist gains caster levels equal to their Alchymist class level. These caster levels are neither arcane nor divine so they cannot use these caster levels to qualify the Alchymist for feats and prestige classes that require either type in particular, but they do qualify for item creation feats and other feats and prestige classes that do not specify arcane or divine caster levels. The Alchymist also gains a bonus equal to their caster level to the Craft (Alchemy) skill.

Brain meets Brawn: The Alchymist may maintain assistants of total HD up to equal their own HD. These assistants most often take the role of bodyguard and test subject to the frail and inquisitive Alchymist. A good Alchymist would pay their assistants a fair wage (DM's discretion, to be based on NPC's level, class, equipment, attitude towards you, etc.) but an evil Alchymist may bully and intimidate and even drug and mentally dominate their assistants into slavery. (See Chemical Rage)

Greevil's Greed: At level 2, the Alchymist makes a gruesome breakthrough in their Alchemical experiments. They learn to maximize their gold per encounter by processing the blood of their slain enemies into gold! After collecting the bodies, the Alchymist drains the blood (Usually 10% of body weight, rounded down, DM's Discretion) and works it through a long alchemical process. The Alchymist rolls their Craft (Alchemy) and the result is equal to the max weight of blood processed within a 6 hour period. (rolling higher than the total blood available shortens the processing time) This transmutation has 20% efficiency (20% of weight of blood converts to gold) but will get more efficient with levels. 1 pound of gold is worth 50 gp.

Greed II: 30% efficiency

Greed III: 40% efficiency

Greed IV: 50% efficiency

Acid Spray: At level 3, the Alchymist learns how to create a particularly potent splashing acid that produces vapors that burn creatures inside the AOE and make their non-magical equipment vulnerable to sundering. The materials to create this acid are common and can be easily gathered in most biomes. (Survival DC 15) It takes 10 minutes at an Alchemist's Lab and a Craft (Alchemy) check of at least 15 to make 1 vial of Acid Spray. The Alchymist can throw this vial to create a puddle of Acid with a 20 ft radius that lasts for 2d6 rounds. All creatures entering within the AOE roll a Fortitude Save DC 10 + 1/5(Craft (Alchemy) check) for half damage. All creatures within the AOE take 1d4 Acid damage per round and all their equipment has its Hardness reduced by 6 and any armor's bonus to AC is reduced by 2. This acid will hold its potency in the vial for 1 week before becoming neutralized.

Acid II: 1d6 damage per round, Fort Save DC 15 + 1/5 Craft check, 25 ft radius

Acid III: 2d4 damage per round, Fort Save DC 20 + 1/5 Craft check, 30 ft radius, reduce armor bonus to AC by 3, Hardness by 9

Acid IV: 2d6 damage per round, Fort Save DC 25 +1/5 Craft check, 35 ft radius

Unstable Concoction: At level 4, the Alchymist learns how to make an unstable, explosive mixture that may stun anyone too close to the blast. The materials to create this concoction are common and can be easily gathered in most biomes. (Survival DC 15) It takes 10 minutes at an Alchemist's Lab and a Craft (Alchemy) check of at least 15 to make 1 unstable concoction. The unstable concoction consists of 2 half full vials of chemicals that, when mixed as a standard action that DOES provoke attacks of opportunity, begin reacting immediately. However, the Alchymist must wait until at least their next turn to throw the concoction, otherwise it will not reach its full explosive potential, dealing half damage and having a -5 on its Fort Save DC to resist being stunned. If the concoction is used as a projectile it will explode on impact. If it is not thrown, it will explode at the end of the Alchymist's turn, 2 rounds after it has been mixed. The explosion deals 1d8 fire damage in a 5 foot radius. Anyone taking damage from the explosion much succeed on a Fort Save DC 10 + 1/5 Craft check or be stunned for 1 round.

Concoction II: 2d8 damage, Save DC 15 + 1/5 Craft check or stunned for 1d2 rounds.

Concoction III: 3d8 damage, Save DC 20 + 1/5 Craft check or stunned for 1d3 rounds.

Concoction IV: 4d8 damage, Save DC 25 + 1/5 Craft check or stunned for 1d4 rounds.

Alchemy or Chymistry: At level 5 the Alchymist chooses whether they will specialize in the field of Alchemy, to further their research into transmutation, or Chymistry, to create more powerful rage tincture that allow the brainwashing of more powerful creatures. This specialization advances at levels 10, 15 and 20.

Alchemy: Greevil's Greed now allows the conversion of any non-magical metals (steel, silver, copper, etc) into Gold the same way as blood with half efficiency. +1 Int

Chymistry: Rage tincture Phys abilities +2, On failed Will Save Mental abilities -2. +1 Cha

Alchemy II: Greevil's Greed time required per transmutation halved. +1 Int

Chymistry II: Rage Tinctures grant DR 5/-. +1 Cha

Alchemy III: Greevil's Greed now allows the conversion of common stone into Gold, but with 1/5 normal efficiency. +1 Int

Chymistry III: Rage Tincture now always lowers the subject's mental ability scores to 3 on a failed Will Save. +1 Cha

Alchemy IV: Transmutation efficiency with metals and blood becomes 98%, 20% with stone. +1 Int

Chymistry IV: Subjects who would normally be immune to rage tincture because of immunity to poison or lacking a con score (like undead) are no longer immune. Subjects who would normally be immune to brainwashing due to immunity to mind-affecting are no longer immune, but mindless creatures are still immune. +1 Cha

Chemical Rage: At level 6, the Alchymist's experiemental Chymistry makes a breakthrough with the recipe for a Rage Tincture; a chemical mix that can be consumed to grant the user temporary great strength, speed and fortitude at the possible expense of mental ability drain. The materials to make this tincture are uncommon but can be found in most biomes with diligent searching. (Survival DC 20) It takes 30 minutes at an Alchemist's Lab and a Craft (Alchemy) check of at least 20 to make 1 rage tincture. A critical success results in a rage tincture that grants an additional +2 str, dex and con, +5 speed, +5 fast healing and 1 extra round, and it has its Will Save DC increased or decreased by 5, Alchymist's choice. When consumed, the subject receives a bonus +4 Str, Dex and Con, +10 speed, +5 fast healing and a +2 bonus on Will Saves for 2d3 +1 rounds. At the end of the buff's duration, the subject rolls a Will Save DC 15 +/- 0.2x Craft (Alchemy) check (rounded down). For example, when creating the rage tincture, the Alchymist rolls a Craft (Alchemy) skill check of 25. The Alchymist then may create a rage tincture that has a Will Save DC of 10 or 20 (25 x 0.2 = 5). If the subject fails, their Int, Wis and Cha are all reduced by 4 (to a minimum of 3) for 48 hours and they are rendered docile. If any of the subject's mental ability scores reach 3, the Alchymist could attempt to brainwash the subject. The Alchymist would roll their Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate, depending on the nature of the method of brainwashing, opposing the subject's Will save. If the Alchymist rolls higher, the subject is considered dominated for as long as they have at least one mental ability score at 3 or below and will obey all but obviously suicidal commands from the Alchymist. This effect is mind-affecting. Subjects who are immune to poison would be immune to the rage tincture. The Detect Poison spell would detect the rage tincture for 48 hours after consumption and would also reveal if a subject is under mental ability drain due to it. The neutralize poison spell would only be effective if the caster rolled higher on an opposed skill check (caster's Spellcraft vs. alchymist's Craft (Alchemy)) Consuming a rage tincture is a move action that DOES provoke attacks of opportunity. A subject can only be affected by one rage tincture every 12 hours.

Rage II: +6 Str, Dex and Con, +15 speed, +10 fast healing, +3 to Will saves for 2d3 +1 rounds. Will save DC 15 +/- 1/4 Craft check. Will save fail penalty -6 Int, Wis and Cha. (Min 3)

Rage III: +8 Str, Dex, and Con, +20 speed, +15 fast healing, +4 to Will saves for 2d3 +1 rounds. Will save DC 15 +/- 1/3 Craft check. Will save fail penalty -8 Int, Wis and Cha. (Min 3)

Epic Alchymist

Table: The Epic Alchymist

Hit Die: d4

Level	Special
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
8 + Int modifier skill points per level.

Gnome Alchymist Starting Package

Armor: leather armor (+2 AC, 0 check penalty)

Weapons: longspear (1d6).

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 8 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Concentration	2	Con	—
Craft (Alchemy)	4	Int	—
Craft (any other)	4	Int	—
Disable Device	4	Int	—
Heal	4	Wis	—
Knowledge (any)	4	Int	—
Open Lock	4	Dex	—
Sense Motive	4	Wis	—
Survival	4	Wis	—
Use Magic Device	4	Cha	—

Feat: Skill Focus (Craft (Alchemy))

Gear: two flasks of acid, two flasks of alchemist's fire, one tanglefoot bag, one thunderstone, bedroll, waterskin, flint and steel, 1 day's trail rations, 1 bag of caltrops, three empty vials, explorer's outfit. (all alchemical items made before starting adventure)

Gold: 4 silver pieces

Campaign Information

Playing an Alchymist

Religion: Depending on the Alchymist's motivations, they may worship gods of knowledge, medicine, secrets, travel, nature, trade or just worship gold itself.

Combat: The Alchymist throws explosive and acidic vials at his enemies while his beefier, extremely well-equipped, (due to the Alchymist's wealth) steroid-enraged assistant(s) keep attackers off his back.

Advancement: Arcane and Divine spellcasting classes synergize well with the Alchymist's neutral caster levels.

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