Master Chymist (Apath)
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When alchemists blithely use mutagens to turn themselves into hulking creatures of muscle and reflex, civilized folk often turn their heads and mutter that such transformations must have a price. For a few alchemists, that price is transformation into a master chymist, a creature able to take a monstrous brute form as an act of will.
Master chymists become two personalities sharing a single body. Both the hulking “mutagenic form” of alchemical prowess and the original alchemist who created it think of themselves as the true form, and they must learn to work together to achieve their joint goals. More often than not, master chymists eventually become their mutagenic form, and the original alchemist’s body and mind may only be brought forth when required by social custom or a need for obscurity and stealth arises. Unfortunately, the mutagenic form of a master chymist is often a more violent, unforgiving personality (which can lead to conflict between the two versions of the same character).
Class Information
This is a prestige archetype from Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Player's Guide.
Prestige Class: Master chymist.
Build Classes: Alchemist.
Alignment: Any. A master chymist actually has two alignments (see the mutagenic form ability). The only restriction on these alignments is that they cannot be exactly the same.
Role: Master chymists are rarely accepted by society once their nature is revealed, and thus they have a strong motivation to keep on the move. Adventuring is one of the few activities that their monstrous form can be useful for, leading many to constantly explore dangerous areas on the edge of civilization. A master chymist’s resilience and ability to combine bomb-throwing mayhem with up-close melee carnage is a great benefit to many adventuring parties, buying the master chymist allies who are at least willing to overlook her more distasteful features.
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The battle herald's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (any) (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The master cymist has all the alchemist's class features except as follows:
Brutality (Ex)
At 2nd level, a master chymist’s taste for violence leads her to strike more powerful blows with weapons easily mastered by her bestial mind. At 2nd level, a chymist in her mutagenic form deals +1 damage when attacking with simple weapons and natural attacks. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 levels after level 2. This replaces poison resistance.
Mutagenic Form (Ex)
At 2nd level, when the master chymist uses his mutagen ability, he changes into a mutagenic form. A master chymist’s mutagenic form is an alter ego that has a different personality than her normal form, an outgrowth of the mental changes caused by the mutagenic potions she has consumed over the course of her career. The mutagenic form shares memories and basic goals with the chymist’s normal personality but goes about meeting those goals in a different manner. The mutagenic form is often ugly and monstrous and may even appear to be a different race or gender than her normal form; they may look as different as two unrelated people. Indeed, the mutagenic form often has his or her own name, and may attempt to maintain independent relationships and strongholds (though the alter ego’s limited time in existence often makes this difficult). The mutagenic form even has his or her own alignment (which is selected by the player, but must be different from the master chymist’s normal alignment). The change in alignment only affects the master chymist while in her mutagenic form.
Example: Darabont is a neutral good gnome master chymist. Her mutagenic form is a deformed, twisted creature called Butcher. Butcher is neutral, and more interested in seeing the world kept in balance than promoting the greatest good. Butcher is aware she exists only when called on by Darabont, but seeks to build her own circle of like-minded friends during the hours she exists. Butcher does not dislike Darabont, but feels her gnome form is too soft and innocent to survive in the harsh world the chymist lives in. As Darabont, the character detects as good and is affected as a good character by spells with effects that vary by alignment; as Butcher, the same character is neutral, is not revealed by a detect good spell, and is treated as neutral for all spells and effects.
Advanced Mutagen (Su)
At 4th level, the mutagenic form of the master chymist can continues to evolve and develop as she grows in power. Each time the master chymist gains a discovery, instead of a normal discovery, the master chymist can select an advanced mutagen, a power that changes how her mutagen form works or can only be accessed in her mutagenic form. Once this ability is gained, a master chymist can only learn a new discovery if his number of advanced mutagens known are currently higher than his number of known discoveries. The chymist cannot select the same advanced mutagen more than once. This replaces poison use.
Burly (Ex): In her mutagenic form, the master chymist’s heavy physical frame gives her an alchemical bonus on Strength checks, Constitution checks, and Strength-based skill checks as well as a bonus to CMB and CMD. The bonus is equal to her brutaily bonus.
Disguise (Ex): When in her mutagenic form, the chymist can temporarily change her appearance to her normal form and still retain most of the abilities of her mutagenic form. As a standard action, she may make a Will saving throw (DC 20) to assume the appearance of her normal form for one minute. Each additional minute beyond the first requires a new saving throw with a +1 increase to the DC. Failure means the chymist assumes her normal form (as if ending the use of mutagenic form) or reverts fully to her mutagenic form (her choice). At any time while using this ability, the chymist can resume her normal form as a standard action or relax her will and revert to her mutagenic form as a free action. Once this ability ends, the chymist cannot use it again until 10 minutes have passed. Obvious physical changes in mutagenic form such as draconic mutagen, feral mutagen, and growth mutagen do not work while the chymist is disguised in her normal form. Time spent disguised counts toward the chymist’s time in her mutagenic form.
Draconic Mutagen (Su): When the chymist assumes her mutagenic form, she gains dragon-like features— scaly skin, reptilian eyes, and so on, resembling a half dragon. The chymist chooses one dragon type (see the draconic bloodline) when selecting this advanced mutagen; once selected, this choice cannot be changed and determines her draconic resistances and breath weapon type. The chymist gains resistance 20 to the dragon’s energy type. The chymist’s breath weapon deals 1d8 points of energy damage per two master chymist level (Reflex half, DC 10 + half the chymist’s class level + the chymist’s Intelligence modifier); she may use her breath weapon once per transformation into her mutagenic form. The character must have a master chymist level of at least 16, must know the form of the dragon I extract, and must have the feral mutagen discovery or advanced mutagen to select this ability.
Dual Mind (Ex): The chymist’s alter ego gives her a +2 bonus on Will saving throws in her normal and mutagenic forms. If she is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC; if she succeeds, she is free of the effect (as if she had made her original save) and immediately changes to her mutagenic form or back to her normal form. If she has no more uses of the mutate ability remaining for the day, she cannot use dual mind. The character must have a master chymist level of at least 10 to select this ability.
Evasion (Ex): This mutagen functions as the rogue ability of the same name, except that it only applies in the chymist’s mutagenic form.
Extended Mutagen (Ex): The duration of the master chymist’s mutation is doubled.
Feral Mutagen (Ex): This mutagen is identical to the alchemist discovery of the same name and counts as that discovery for the purpose of qualifying for other discoveries or advanced mutagens.
Furious Mutagen (Ex): The damage dice for the feral mutagen’s bite and claw attacks increase by one die step. The character must have a chymist level of at least 11 and must have the feral mutagen discovery or advanced mutagen to select this ability.
Grand Mutagen (Ex): This mutagen is identical to the alchemist discovery of the same name and counts as that discovery for the purpose of qualifying for other discoveries or advanced mutagens. The character must have a master chymist level of at least 16 and must have the feral mutagen discovery or advanced mutagen to select this ability.
Greater Mutagen (Ex): This mutagen is identical to the alchemist discovery of the same name and counts as that discovery for the purpose of qualifying for other discoveries or advanced mutagens. The character must have a chymist level of at least 12 and must have the feral mutagen discovery or advanced mutagen to select this ability.
Growth Mutagen (Su): When the chymist assumes her mutagenic form, she increases one size category, as if under the effects of an enlarge person spell. The character must have a chymist level of at least 16 and must know the enlarge person, giant form I, or polymorph extract to select this ability.
Night Vision (Ex): The chymist gains darkvision 60 feet and low-light vision in her mutagenic form.
Nimble (Ex): The master chymist’s lithe physical frame gives her an alchemical bonus on all Dexterity checks, Dexterity skill checks, and CMD, and a natural armor bonus to her Armor Class. The bonus is equal to the master chymist’s brutality bonus.
Restoring Change (Su): When the chymist assumes her mutagenic form or returns to her normal form from her mutagenic form, she heals a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + her character level.
Scent (Ex): The master chymist gains the scent ability in her mutagenic form.
Alchemy
Except as noted, this is the same as the alchemist ability of the same name. Beginning at 4th level, a chymist gains the ability to make a small number of infusions of level one to four. The chymist has no access to infusions of level 5 and six, and those are not on his class infusion list.
Through 3rd level, a chymist has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is equal to his chymist level – 3.
Mutate (Su)
At 9th level, as a result of repeated exposure to her mutagens, the master chymist can now assume a mutagenic form once per day without imbibing her mutagen. In this form, she gains all the bonuses and penalties of her mutagen and mutagentic form. Taking a mutagen or using the mutate ability again while in her mutagenic form works normally (with the new mutagen’s modifiers replacing the current modifiers, and the longer duration taking precedent). The chymist remains in her mutagenic form until its duration expires, her magic is interrupted (as with an antimagic field), or she expends another use of her mutate ability. This replaces swift poisoning, poison immunity, and instant alchemy.
A chymist may be forced to take her mutagenic form against her will by stress or damage. Anytime the character is in her normal form and has daily uses of the mutate ability available, she may be forced to switch after suffering a critical hit or failing a Fortitude save. In these situations the chymist must make a DC 25 Will save; if she fails, on her next turn she uses a standard action to change to her mutagenic form (which counts as a use of the mutate ability).
At 12th level, the master chymist can assume her mutagenic form two times per day; this increases by an additional time per day for every three levels after level 12.
Persistent Mutagen (Su)
At 14th level, the effects of a mutagen (and thus mutagenic form) last for 1 hour per level.
Table: Master Chymist
| Class Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | Spells per Day | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Alchemy, bomb 1d6, brew potion, mutagen, throw anything | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Brutality +1, discovery, mutagenic form | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Bomb 2d6, swift alchemy | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Advanced mutagen, discovery | 0 | — | — | — |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Bomb 3d6, brutality +2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Discovery | 1 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Bomb 4d6 | 1 | 0 | — | — |
| 8th | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Discovery, brutality +3 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 9th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Bomb 5d6, mutate 1/day | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 10th | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Discovery | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Bomb 6d6, brutality +4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 12th | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Discovery , mutate 2/day | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 13th | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Bomb 7d6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 14th | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | Discovery, persistent mutagen, brutality +5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 15th | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 | Mutate 3/day | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Discovery | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Bomb 9d6, brutality +6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Discovery , mutate 4/day | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Bomb 10d6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Grand Discovery, brutality +7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Summary of Changed Class Abilities
These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype:
- Poison Resistance (all)
- Poison Use
- Alchemy
- Swift Poisoning
- Poison Immunity
- Instant Alchemy
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