Alchemist Class

The magical elements have fascinated intelligent creatures since before recorded history. Wizards and sorcerers strive to harness the mental command over nature, to control reality with a word and a gesture. Alchemists take a more practical approach; by working with and refining base materials, they can concentrate the magical elements within base substances. By mixing and applying these elements, they can work magic. They do this without actually channeling the power through themselves, through a process akin to science.

Adventures: Alchemists are not commonly adventurers; they earn their keep by keeping shop in cities, creating and identifying magical items. Their lore is found through research and experimentation rather than dug up in old tombs. When they do go on adventures, it is often for a cause; to eradicate some evil, to spread enlightenment or out of simple greed.

Characteristics: Alchemists are arcane spellcasters, but do not actually use spells in the ordinary sense. Rather, they prepare concoctions (just as a regular spellcaster prepares spells) and uses these alchemical substances to create magical effects. Alchemists work their magic through powders, explosions and sleight-of-hand. But these effects are still magical; they can be detected, dispelled and manipulated just like other magical effects.

Alchemists use natural substances and refine magical elements out of them. Mostly, this is normal materials like spring water, ash, a spring breeze or fermented dung. Through processes like dissolving, distillation, fermentation and heating, these substances are refined into magical materials. This is a part of the everyday spell preparation of the alchemist. But all alchemists dream of one day working with gold and precious metals, and alchemical spell research involved exotic experiments with expensive materials. The dream of many alchemists is the permanent transmutation of base metals into gold.

An alchemist masters all forms of elemental magic, and the magic of change and substance. They can create, transform and manipulate the elements and their manifestations in physical objects and creatures. They can boost or stymie the abilities of other creatures. They are masters of potions, and very talented in the creation of all sorts of magical items. They can create life, and heal almost as well as clerics. But they lack affinity for pure energies, such as those manifested in force or teleport spells. Most enhancements and necromancy is also beyond their ken, as are illusions that do more than change the appearance of a single target. They are masters at locating and analyzing magic and objects, but otherwise poor at divination.

Alignment: Alchemy is akin to science, and the rigorous discipline needed promotes lawfulness. Alchemists cannot be of chaotic alignmen at the start of their career. An alchemist that turns to chaos will not be accepted in the ordered guild structure, and the guilds may try to censure or even persecute her, but she can still progress in the class and continue to use her class abilities. However, she only gains a single new spell upon advancing in level instead of the usual two.

Religion: Alchemists rarely follow any gods, in their belief any intelligent creature can manipulate reality just as well as a god. Those that do worship gods tend to choose gods of magic and learning. Others devote themselves to inhuman elemental gods. Gnomes consider Garl Glittergold the greatest alchemist, and many alchemists of other races also turn to him in their quest to turn base metals to shining gold.

Background: Alchemy is a learned science, and most alchemists are trained at guilds and universities. A few grow up under the tutelage of a mentor. Some were placed into such institutions by ambitious guardians, but many alchemists are unable to get such privileged students, and pick up some intelligent stray they encounter to be their handyman and later their apprentice. Almost all alchemists are members of guilds, that tightly regulate the craft, teach spells, set the price of magic items and services and regulate the number of practicing alchemists in each area. A common reason for young alchemists to adventure is that there is no opening for them to set up shop in their home town.

Races: Most civilized races have their fair share of alchemists. Elves dislike alchemy, seeing it as a base and simplified version of wizardry. Dwarfs excel at it, it fit's their mentality much better than regular arcane magic. Gnomes make particularly fine alchemists because of their keen sense of smell. Humans and halflings find alchemy a practical tool, more worldly and less demanding than wizardry. Half-orcs rarely have the intelligence to become either alchemists or wizards, and alchemists are completely unknown among savage humanoids, but ancient and intelligent races like the Yuan-Ti and Mind Flayers sometimes master the alchemical arts.

Other Classes: Alchemists rarely work alone. Their magic works best in support of other classes, whether sneaky rogues or mighty barbarians. They can work with other spellcasters, but many prefer not to; the alchemist considers his versatile collection of spells superior to that of other spellcasters, both divine and arcane. Alchemists tend to be less intimidating than true wizards. Regular folk consider them eccentric and mysterious, and might not invite them over for dinner or be happy about one marring into the family. But the 'scientific' approach of an alchemist makes her much less feared than a true mage. After all, if you take away her toys, she cannot do any harm.

Hit Die: d6

Class Skills:

Alchemy (Int), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha, restricted skill).

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the alchemist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Alchemists are proficient with all simple weapons, but not with armor or shields. In a world with gunpowder weapons, the alchemist is proficient in these as well. Note that the standard armor check penalties to skills apply. Like other arcane spellcasters, alchemists risk spell failure when casting spells with somatic components in armor.

Spells: An alchemist casts arcane spells. She is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day, according to her class level. A alchemist must prepare spells ahead of time by getting a good night's sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the alchemist decides which spells to prepare. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a alchemist must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell's level. A alchemist's bonus spells are based on Intelligence. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against alchemist spells is 10 + the spell's level + the alchemist's Intelligence modifier.

When the numbr of spells for a given level is zero, the alchemist can only cast spells of this level if she has sufficient Intelligence to have bonus spells of this level. She can still cast such spells as Laboratory Spells, see below.

Alchemical Concoctions: Preparing alchemist spells requires the preparation of alchemical concoctions. This means that all alchemist spells lack verbal components, as if cast using the Silent Spell feat, but always require material components. There is no way for an alchemist to get around the material component requirement, feats or other special abilities notwithstanding. An alchemist cannot prepare his spells unless he has access to an alchemist's kit.

The materials required for these concoctions are made out of base elements by the alchemist herself, and does not cost any money. For spells that normally require material components, the alchemist must put these components into her concoctions when preparing the spell in addition to the normal alchemical materials. If the spell is not actually cast after preparation, then the material component can be salvaged to be used another day, but it has lost it's sale value.

Prepared alchemist spells are stored in tiny bottles, similar to potion bottles. Actually casting the spell involves mixing and dispersing the contents of these bottles. Only the alchemist that prepared them can use these concoctions, but if they are taken away from her, the alchemist loses the spells contained in them.

Laboratory Spells: An alchemist can cast spells of a higher level than normal under laboratory conditions. A * indication on the alchemist spell table indicates the alchemist can cast spells of this level under laboratory conditions, but not in the field. To cast such a spell, the alchemist must spend one hour with her alchemical kit in a quiet place suitable for spell preparation, then immediately cast the spell. This uses up a spell slot of her highest available spell level. She may not cast any other spells outside the laboratory that day. This ability is mainly used to cast spells for magic item creation, but also by commercial alchemists who perform magical services for hire.

Spellbooks: Alchemists must study their spellbooks each day to prepare their spells. An alchemist cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook (except for read magic, which all alchemists can prepare from memory). Alchemists cannot learn the Spell Mastery feat.

Free Spells: An alchemist starts out knowing all level 0 spells but no spells of level 1 or higher. Each level, he gains two free spells that he learns as a part of his ongoing studies. These spells must be picked from the alchemist list of spells and be of a level he can cast at her new level. She may not pick a spell she can only cast using the Laboratory Spells ability. An alchemist can learn further spells from research, scrolls, captured spell books and by trading with other spell casters. It is possible for an alchemist to learn a spell of a level she cannot yet cast, for use with the Laboratory Spells ability.

Brew potion: At 1 st level, an alchemist learns the Brew Potion feat. Ignore the normal level requirements for this feat.

Produce chemicals: The alchemist learns to produce alchemical concoctions at a much greater rate than normal. Production rate is per day, rather than per week. See the craft and alchemy skill descriptions for more on this.

Item creation feat: At fifth level, and every five levels thereafter, the alchemist learns one item creation feat that she otherwise qualifies for.

Potion batch: The alchemist can create simple potions with great facility. Each time she creates a potion with a caster level less than half her class level, she will actually create a batch of 1d3 potions. Add one to this for every five points of skill bonus in the alchemy skill. Cost in money and experience points is the same as for a single potion.

Potion batch: The alchemist can create simple potions with great facility. Each time she creates a potion with a caster level less than half her class level, she will actually create a batch of potions. Make an Alchemy roll and divide the result by five (rounding all fractions down, as usual), the result is the number of potions created. Cost in money and experience points is the same as for a single potion.