At 1st level, an alchemist discovers how to create a mutagen that he can imbibe in order to heighten his physical prowess at the cost of his 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 he brews 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, he selects 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 him 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 his mental ability scores. If the mutagen enhances his Strength, it applies a penalty to his Intelligence. If it enhances his Dexterity, it applies a penalty to his Wisdom. If it enhances his Constitution, it applies a penalty to his Charisma.
Discoveries:
Level 2: Feral Mutagen
details:
Whenever the alchemist imbibes a mutagen, he gains two claw attacks and a bite attack. These are primary attacks and are made using the alchemist's full base attack bonus. The claw attacks deal 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if the alchemist is Small) and the bite attack deals 1d8 points of damage (1d6 if the alchemist is Small). While the mutagen is in effect, the alchemist gains a +2 competence bonus on Intimidate skill checks.
Beastform Mutagen: A beastmorph's mutagen causes him to take on animalistic features—whether those of an animal, a magical beast, an animal-like humanoid (such as a lizardfolk), or a monstrous humanoid. For example, when the beastmorph uses his mutagen, he may gain a furry muzzle and pointed ears like a werewolf, scaly skin like a lizardfolk or sahuagin, or compound eyes and mandibles like a giant insect. The beastmorph also gains his choice of one of the abilities listed in the alter self spell, which persists as long as the mutagen. He may select a different ability each time he creates a mutagen.
Cruel Anatomist: Use Knowledge (nature) in place of Heal skill checks
Traits, Feats, and Skills Traits: Subject of Study (campaign) (+1 damage vs humanoid(shapechanger))
Scholar of Ruins (race) (+1 to knowledge(dungeoneering) & (geography), 1 is class skill) Feats: Brew Potion (Alch 1), Throw Anything (Alch 1), Improved Initiative (Human), Alertness (Lvl 1), Blind-fight (Lvl 3)
Trained Skills: Craft (alchemy) (Int) +12, Disable Device (Dex) +9, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +9, Knowledge (dugeoneering) +10, Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (history) +5, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) (Int) +9, Perception (Wis) +8, Spellcraft (Int) +8
Background:
Dantrian has been fascinated with ruins and past civilizations for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately for him, his overzealous enthusiasm while exploring a dilapidated ruin led to an encounter that forever changed the course of the bright young man's life. While examining some crumbled bit of art within a damp ruin on the shore of Lake Encarthan, Dantrian was attacked by a werewolf. He somehow survived the encounter, but not without getting bit by the creature. Who his attacker was and why he was left alive remain unanswered questions that continue to haunt Dantrian.
Nervousness and desperation drove him to abandon his research and instead seek out a famous professor in the area, Petros Lorrimor. Dantrian found the professor before turning, and the Professor agreed to administer a prototype elixir he'd been working on that might perhaps cure Dantrian's burgeoning lycanthropy. Dantrian agreed without hesitation and remained with the professor for several lunar cycles for observation. To Dantrian's absolute joy, the concoction was effective.
The professor provided Dantrian with explict instructions for the brewing of the serum, for Dantrian would need to take it regularly to ensure the lycanthropy didn't reassert itself. Lorrimor also insisted that Dantrian write him quarterly with a review of his condition.
Dantrian found through preparing the serum that he enjoyed the lab as much as he did digging through ruins, but as the lab was considerably safer, he opted to change career paths and pursue the science of alchemy. He excelled in his new arena of study, but his happiness would not last forever.
Several years after receiving Professor Lorrimor's help, Dantrian began to feel... odd, during waxing lunar cycles. He contacted the Professor asking for advice, but never heard back. After several months, during which time Dantrian kept a very detailed journal, he decided he couldn't wait for the professor's letters - he would need to set out for Ravengro and speak to the man directly before the beast in him broke free. To his ever increasing dismay, Dantrian arrives just in time for the professor's funeral.
Appearance:
Dantrian is of average height and build, standing 5'7" and weighing a healthy 190lbs. Despite his bookishness, his years spent crawling around in ruins and other hard-to-navigate sites left him rather fit. His face is average and forgettable except for the fact that his long, formerly mousy brown hair had turned nearly all grey within a year of his attack. It wouldn't be such a strange thing if Dantrian were older, but the sharp-minded man is only 33, and his hair makes him appear considerably older than he is.
Personality/Mannerisms:
Dantrian isn't an evil person, but he isn't a kind person either. Most of his work for the last near-decade has been focused on alchemy and his condition - to the exclusion of almost everything else. He has grown into something of a recluse without realizing it and has lost what little patience he once had for anything he considers thoughtless or ill-conceived. He's selfish and abbrasively rude at times, but not deliberately. He has an extremely disciplined mind though, and rather enjoys being presented with problems he can approach in a leisurely, academic capacity.
As time goes on (represented by Dantrian gaining levels), his fears will begin to come true as the bestial side of him begins to exert more and more influence over him. It's reassertion has already granted Dantrian keener senses and faster reaction times (Alertness and Improved Initiative), and the effects will only become more pronounced as time wears on.
Future Developments:
At level 2, Dantrian will pick up Feral Mutagen as his 1st discovery. At this point, besides just a sensory change, Dantrian will begin to showcase elements of a physical transformation as well (growing claws and a bite attack).
At level 3, his mutagens will become beastform mutagens - resulting in an even more dramatic physical change. His feat at this level will be Blind-Fight, to further show the sharpening of his senses.
Down the line, Dantrian will shift into the Master Chymist Prestige Class, his bestial side finally becoming strong enough to exert itself entirely. The twist here is that the beast that will emerge from Dantrian will be much more selfless, friendly, and even heroic than the prepossesing alchemist. So, whereas Dantrian's alignment will be Lawful-Neutral, his alter ego will have an alignment of Neutral-Good.
[dice=Acid Flask (rngd tch)]1d20+4[/dice][dice=for]1d6+3[/dice]
[ooc]4 Splash damage[/ooc]
[dice=Alchemist's Fire (rngd tch)]1d20+4[/dice][dice=for]1d6+3[/dice]
[ooc]4 Splash damage, if direct hit: full round action + DC 15 reflex to extinguish[/ooc]
[dice=Acid Flask (rngd tch, Str Mutagen)]1d20+4[/dice][dice=for]1d6+2[/dice]
[ooc]3 Splash damage[/ooc]
[dice=Alchemist's Fire (rngd tch, Str Mutagen)]1d20+4[/dice][dice=for]1d6+2[/dice]
[ooc]3 Splash damage, if direct hit: full round action + DC 15 reflex to extinguish[/ooc]
-Dexterity Mutagen-
[dice=Acid Flask (rngd tch, Dex Mutagen)]1d20+6[/dice][dice=for]1d6+3[/dice]
[ooc]4 Splash damage[/ooc]
[dice=Alchemist's Fire (rngd tch, Dex Mutagen)]1d20+6[/dice][dice=for]1d6+3[/dice]
[ooc]4 Splash damage, if direct hit: full round action + DC 15 reflex to extinguish[/ooc]
[dice=Javelin (Dex Mutagen)]1d20+5[/dice][dice=for]1d6+3[/dice]
Centipede Poison (EX)
Injury; save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex damage; cure 1 save.
