Pathfinder Player Companion: Alchemy Manual (PFRPG)

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Pathfinder Player Companion: Alchemy Manual (PFRPG)
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Master your Craft!

Harness the powers of alchemy with Pathfinder Player Companion: Alchemy Manual! Along with nearly 100 never-before-seen alchemical items, this volume features a brand-new rules subsystem for creating potent alchemical items on the fly using a variety of alchemical reagents and alchemical recipes. Whether you’re brewing the magical dwarven ales of the Five Kings Mountains or honing the deadly secrets of the Daggermark Poisoners’ Guild, you’ll discover all the tools you need inside the Alchemy Manual!

Inside this book, you’ll find:

  • New rules for crafting a wide variety of alchemical items in mere seconds using specialized reagents and alchemical processes.
  • Over 85 new alchemical tools, weapons, remedies, poisons, and drugs.
  • Entangle your foes with Kyonin alchemical arrows, bolster your allies’ defenses with Belkzen bloodgorge or Pei Zin incense, and disintegrate the armor of entire armies with Thuvian wish alchemy.
  • Details on some of Golarion’s most famous alchemical practitioners and their methods, including the firework makers of Varisia, the derro magisters of the Darklands, and the homunculus crafters of Ustalav.
  • New ways to craft and use alchemical items ranging from the practical to the bizarre, such as a method to use herbalism in place of alchemy and rules for crafting living oozes from raw ingredients.
  • A new class archetype, over a dozen new pieces of adventuring gear, new magic bottles to contain your alchemical creations, and much more!

This Pathfinder Player Companion is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder campaign setting, but can easily be incorporated into any fantasy world.

Written by Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, and David N. Ross
Cover Art by Kerem Beyit

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-605-8

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

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Raise a Toast for a Book That Fills a Hole!

4/5

I binned my first draught, as most has been said by the others, and decided instead, to celebrate this product in verse.

So here's my tribute to the Lords of The Boards.
Apologies to all concerned; you know it's in fun.

Damiel's Drink (to the tune of 'Lily The Pink', by The Scaffold)

(Chorus)
We'll drink a draft or two
Of Damiel’s Patent Mutagen Brew
It works on any sentient race
You may not get what you ever expected
But you’ll be totally off your face

Sebastian Brony became a pony
But being earthbound made him cry
So after a snifter, of Mutagen Lifter
This Pegasister has learned to fly

Leprechaun Spanky looked tired and manky
He was constipated and cold
But one application of Lubrication
Now he’s pooping pots of gold

We'll drink a draft or two
Of Damiel’s Patent Mutagen Brew
It works on any sentient race
You may not get what you ever expected
But you’ll be totally off your face

Mikaze was frantic, a hopeless romantic.
Wanted Men and Orcs to wed
But after they rubbed on some Rootagen Powder
Now they're never out of bed

TriOmegaZero, the Caydean hero
Would pour anything down his throat
He hosted a hearty fraternity party
And now's he's fathering a goat

We'll drink a draft or two
Of Damiel’s Patent Mutagen Brew
It works on any sentient race
You may not get what you ever expected
But you’ll be totally off your face

Ashton Sperry was notably merry
From the Muse-Booze he'd imbibed
Till the morning, when he was drawn in
Inside the pictures he had scribed.

Mister Timitius found potions delicious
Wondered what could be the harm.
One too many deadlines, then we all read the headlines,
'Man Grows Extra Pair Of Arms'

We'll drink a draft or two
Of Damiel’s Patent Mutagen Brew
It works on any sentient race
You may not get what you ever expected
But you’ll be totally off your face

Poor Damiel, he became unwell, he
Self-medicated till he burst.
But with a final, defiant gamble,
He dared the Gods to do their worst

To the Cathedral he ascended
The Starstone pulsing holy power.
And now it's time to pack them all in;
The Church is calling Happy Hour!

We'll drink a draft or two
Of Damiel’s Patent Mutagen Brew
It works on any sentient race
You may not get what you ever expected
But you’ll be totally off your face


A mixed alchemical bag.

3/5

I've got a mid-level bomb-focused alchemist in PFS and I had just started to look into what alchemical items were available from Ultimate Equipment to create a proper alchemical arsenal in my backpack, when I found this book had come out. There's some underwhelming reviews here, but I took a chance anyway.

Seems that the reviews before mine are pretty spot on. Spontaneous Alchemy Poisons are the only categories of feats the book covers, and there's only 5 feats in the whole book. Homonculus maintenance, Ooze crafting and Mythic options. The dreaded "a DC 13 Fortitude save negates this effect" rears its ugly head in a few of the new items, rendering them fairly worthless.

Having said that, there are a few items that do stand out - Focusing Flask lets you throw several of the same splash weapon at a time and raises the save DC (700gp). Winged Bottle lets you drop a splash weapon from above from 130ft away, and it flies there (1620gp). Durable Arrows (1gp) don't break on a hit or a miss with some minor exceptions (among other "Alchemical Archery" options like this).

Spontaneous Alchemy isn't terrible - the idea of creating items like Antitoxins, Alchemist's Fire, Trip Arrows, Desiccating Lubricant, Tanglefoot Bags with a standard action, at the cost of a feat is pretty cool. Poisons, Drugs and Alcohol never fall into this category, which are reduced to a minimum of 1 hour instead. If you can take advantage of this, it's probably the best part of the book, and there's a nice 2-page table that covers the details pretty well.

There's 6 more fireworks, 4 new "ales" to buff then break you, 16 new "alchemical reagents" that function the same as the Adventurer's Armory alchemical material components (which are great, but I don't see any stand-outs, and all of them are consumed when used). There's actually more if you include reagents that aren't listed with the other Alchemical Reagents on the front and back covers, such as Pesh (under Drugs) and Ginger Extract and Mugwort Extract (under Herbalism).

I thought there was an Alchemist archetype in the book, but I can't see it. The book says it covers options for Alchemists, Barbarians, Bards, and Rogues, but there's only a single archetype? Based on a alcohol drinking barbarian?

And that archetype isn't referenced in the (very-weak) Contents page. Thankfully the following page has a second sort-of-Contents page that points to pages that have the new alchemical rules in the book (which aren't bookmarked in the PDF version).


Ring Side Report-RPG Review of Alchemy Manual

4/5

Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product- Pathfinder Player Companion Alchemy Manual

Producer-Paizo

Price-$13(PDF)

System-Pathfinder

TL; DR-Lot's of alchemy types, but not much depth. 87%

Basics- Let's Cook! Alchemy Manual is a splat book in the truest sense. This book moves at a rapid fire pace presenting over 10 different types of alchemy traditions in the Pathfinder world. Each tradition gets two pages to introduce the story behind the alchemy type as well as a few potions or poisons that distinguish one from another. In addition, numerous items, small additions to spells/alchemical items, and new ways to craft alchemical items are presented.

Mechanics or Crunch- First things first, alchemy has always been somewhat tricky in the 3.X systems. You end up with things that are two broken for the rules or underpowered to uselessness. This book tends to be closer to underpowered. The items presented are on par with the standard alchemy items, but those items tend to be useless as the player has better options with spells or abilities. The book does introduce some nice new feats and items, but those same items may not be the first thing a player will grab for when looking how to battle a problem. Also, the book introduces several different types of alchemy. That's nice from a flavor standpoint, but no one type gets enough of a foundation to stand alone. Each tends to get 3/4 of a page of items, so you left wanting more for each one. 3/5

Story of Fluff-While this is an item book, I was honestly impressed with the detail each type of alchemy was given in its presentation. Readers learn a lot about several different types of alchemist in the Pathfinder world. The stories do make for some rather interesting reading. I enjoyed this far more then I enjoyed the mechanics of the book. 5/5

Execution-This is a Paizo book. I have a tradition of giving them high marks, but that's because the consistently know how to may a book look nice and be readable. I'd like the text bigger, but I mostly read on an IPad, so the page is smaller than the print version. Great art and a well done layout lead to excellent ease of reading. 5/5

Summary-Alchemy is always a touchy subject in Pathfinder and 3.X games. To powerful and all the players use it. To underpowered and it's a waste of time to introduce it. This book is an ok. Honestly, it won't change your opinion of alchemy. It's well done for the story aspect, but if you are deciding if you want to buy a mechanics supplement, you really have to ask yourself "Do I like alchemy already?"


Great Edition to Alchemy

5/5

I love this new book, it open up a lot of options for all characters who use alchemy and poison. the new reagent crafting option are fun and add some great flavor, but easy to leave out if you dont want to use them. Some great new alchemical items and a few magic items. it also has rules for using Profession (herbalism) instead of craft (alchemy) If you a you are looking for a Manual on Alchemy this is the book for you.


Great and useful new options

5/5

Read my full review on Of Dice and Pen.

I tend not to get hugely excited by books that are mostly new “crunch” options for the game. The fact of the matter is that Pathfinder has a ton of options already and new ones tend to get lost (in my mind, at any rate) amidst all the others. However, the Alchemy Manual introduces a ton of new options that I can see immediate use for. With alchemy not receiving quite as much attention as feats, spells, and archetypes, this book stands out as a collection of things that truly enhance the game. As such, this is a book that really does excite me. I can’t wait to introduce its new options into my games.


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1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

Yay Damiel!

Also: "wish alchemy"? I wish to know more.


Herbalism instead of alchemy. Interesting.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

O.O

Liz is God!

No but awesome timing Liz, love it! :)

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Are we finally going to add to the alchemist the ability to make an alchemical construct?


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Golem: Uh, Master I think the boiler is about to...
Damiel: Not now! I've almost got it....
Golem: But the boiler's about to...
Damiel: NOT NOW!
*Boiler next to golem explodes*
*Damiel covered in multi-colored soot looks at the golem*
Damiel: Not one word about this to anyone. Ever.


"Wish Alchemy"?! Also creating living oozes with alchemy.


zergtitan wrote:

Golem: Uh, Master I think the boiler is about to...

Damiel: Not now! I've almost got it....
Golem: But the boiler's about to...
Damiel: NOT NOW!
*Boiler next to golem explodes*
*Damiel covered in multi-colored soot looks at the golem*
Damiel: Not one word about this to anyone. Ever.

Have you seen, like, any other illustration with him in it? He kind of screws up everything. Always.

...Aww, sweetie. Just keep trying :)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Liz Courts wrote:
Updated product image and description! (So yes, zergtitan!)

I really, really love this cover. I'd buy this anyway but the cover is so excellent.


Very nice cover!!

Contributor

5 people marked this as a favorite.

Well folks, this product has Dwarven Magic Ale as a new school of alchemy. It includes a drunken barbarian archetype.

I want for nothing ever again.

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'm enjoying that Craft Ooze is now a Feat that exists; I hope to see it continue getting expanded Ooze-crafting options as new Oozes are added to the game. I also like how the overall number of alchemical items has been expanding and now even includes some mythic ones.


Nifty.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Oh my. They found a way to introduce recipes written in alchemical formulae without losing any material or being overly complicated. Very nice addition!

Shadow Lodge

Okay please someone please spoil this, the wait for mine to ship is killing me.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

What do you want to know?


Feros wrote:
What do you want to know?
Quote:

New rules for crafting a wide variety of alchemical items in mere seconds using specialized reagents and alchemical processes.

New ways to craft and use alchemical items ranging from the practical to the bizarre, such as a method to use herbalism in place of alchemy

Could you expand more on these than the examples they have given?

I hope the second one means you can craft more powerful versions of the existing alchemical items. Like a more powerful version of Alchemist Fire.


This looks really cool. I really liked the alchemist before this due to how many variants you could build, now this is gonna get even better! Can't wait for it to ship!

Contributor

Rub-Eta wrote:
This looks really cool. I really liked the alchemist before this due to how many variants you could build, now this is gonna get even better! Can't wait for it to ship!

It actually focuses more on creating alchemical items than the alchemist's discoveries / extracts.

There are feats an alchemist can take and have a lot of fun with (the spontaneous alchemy system comes to mind, as does the Daggermark Poisoner feats), but most of the book doesn't care if you're an alchemist or not and there's actually very little alchemist-specific content.


Alexander Augunas wrote:
Rub-Eta wrote:
This looks really cool. I really liked the alchemist before this due to how many variants you could build, now this is gonna get even better! Can't wait for it to ship!

It actually focuses more on creating alchemical items than the alchemist's discoveries / extracts.

There are feats an alchemist can take and have a lot of fun with (the spontaneous alchemy system comes to mind, as does the Daggermark Poisoner feats), but most of the book doesn't care if you're an alchemist or not and there's actually very little alchemist-specific content.

That's even better!

But just because there's no prerequisite stated that it's just for alchemists doesn't mean that it won't add the most to alchemists. (I'm thinking it will since they're already ahead in the field).

Unless there are feats and such that specifically help non-alchemists to get to the same level of creating alchemical items as an alchemist.

And if there are feats like that it only means you can play an alchemist with other classes as well!


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Hobbun wrote:
Quote:

New rules for crafting a wide variety of alchemical items in mere seconds using specialized reagents and alchemical processes.

New ways to craft and use alchemical items ranging from the practical to the bizarre, such as a method to use herbalism in place of alchemy

Could you expand more on these than the examples they have given?

I hope the second one means you can craft more powerful versions of the existing alchemical items. Like a more powerful version of Alchemist Fire.

The first one uses specific alchemical reagents in certain recipes to allow you to make any alchemical item in far less time than the usual minimum of a day to a week. Most items listed in the book can be made in less than a day, some in as little as ten minutes! Alchemist's fire is one than takes only ten minutes with an alchemist's lab and the right reagents.

With the feat Instant Alchemy, you can do these recipes as a standard action if they normally take ten minutes, ten minutes if they would take an hour, etc.

With this rush and the requirement of pure reagents, this can result in it being very expensive and has a chance of a mishap—melting your equipment, exploding, or producing a toxic gas as examples of mishaps.

The second part is about different Golarion methods of alchemy, from orcs shamans and witchdoctors of Belkzen, to making Daggermark Poisons,
Pei Zin Herbalism, and Varisian Fireworks as examples.

A feat called Poison Focus does allow you to make more potent forms of poisons (Daggermark Poisons section).

For making more potent versions of current items, I suggest using the masterwork rules under the Craft skill entry would allow more potent damage levels (or just assign higher DCs to such items or both). Designing such items and the times involved, this book would still be very much of use.


Feros wrote:


The first one uses specific alchemical reagents in certain recipes to allow you to make any alchemical item in far less time than the usual minimum of a day to a week. Most items listed in the book can be made in less than a day, some in as little as ten minutes! Alchemist's fire is one than takes only ten minutes with an alchemist's lab and the right reagents.

With the feat Instant Alchemy, you can do these recipes as a standard action if they normally take ten minutes, ten minutes if they would take an hour, etc.

With this rush and the requirement of pure reagents, this can result in it being very expensive and has a chance of a mishap—melting your equipment, exploding, or producing a toxic gas as examples of mishaps.

It sounds like the changes for making alchemical items faster really aren’t all that beneficial for actual Alchemists, which is pretty disappointing.

Alchemists already get Swift Alchemy (cutting the time in half) and eventually Instant Alchemy where they can make items as a full round action, and that is done with no additional risk than your standard risk when crafting. Kind of strange they used the same name for the feat as the Alchemist ability (Instant Alchemy).

Feros wrote:

The second part is about different Golarion methods of alchemy, from orcs shamans and witchdoctors of Belkzen, to making Daggermark Poisons,

Pei Zin Herbalism, and Varisian Fireworks as examples.

A feat called Poison Focus does allow you to make more potent forms of poisons (Daggermark Poisons section).

Well, this isn't as relevant for me as our GM builds his own world. Although I guess depending on what additional items are made through these different Golarian factions (shamans, witchdoctors etc), our GM may allow them. Would be interested to see what new items there are. At the very least I can probably use/craft them for my PFS Alchemist.

Feros wrote:
For making more potent versions of current items, I suggest using the masterwork rules under the Craft skill entry would allow more potent damage levels (or just assign higher DCs to such items or both). Designing such items and the times involved, this book would still be very much of use.

Ok, so there are rules on designing more potent alchemical items in this book? Or do you just mean doing it on our own, making it Masterwork and figuring out how the potency changes?

If there are rules on it, I can see my GM using it, but otherwise it’s just homebrew on what to assign (for extra damage).


Alexander Augunas wrote:

Well folks, this product has Dwarven Magic Ale as a new school of alchemy. It includes a drunken barbarian archetype.

I want for nothing ever again.

There's already a drunken barbarian archetype. It's in Ultimate Combat. It's called Drunken Brute. ;)


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Hobbun wrote:

It sounds like the changes for making alchemical items faster really aren’t all that beneficial for actual Alchemists, which is pretty disappointing.

Alchemists already get Swift Alchemy (cutting the time in half) and eventually Instant Alchemy where they can make items as a full round action, and that is done with no additional risk than your standard risk when crafting. Kind of strange they used the same name for the feat as the Alchemist ability (Instant Alchemy).

Alchemists get almost 100 new items in this book, augmented homunculi as lab assistants, and some mythic rule support. So there is a lot in here, but they augment the Alchemist instead of giving him new abilities.

Hobbun wrote:
Well, this isn't as relevant for me as our GM builds his own world. Although I guess depending on what additional items are made through these different Golarian factions (shamans, witchdoctors etc), our GM may allow them. Would be interested to see what new items there are. At the very least I can probably use/craft them for my PFS Alchemist.

All of the material is easily adapted to home brew settings. If your GM won't allow the crunch it could be a problem, but I have always liked taking other people's ideas and running with them. At least the alchemical substances are there.

Hobbon wrote:

Ok, so there are rules on designing more potent alchemical items in this book? Or do you just mean doing it on our own, making it Masterwork and figuring out how the potency changes?

If there are rules on it, I can see my GM using it, but otherwise it’s just homebrew on what to assign (for extra damage).

Nope, that was just my suggestion. The masterwork rules are already in the CRB, and that is all that is there. How that gets interpreted by the GM is up to him.

For the record, the substances in the Thuvian Wish Alchemy section seem more what you are talking about. Artokus’s Fire is more potent Alchemist's Fire, which get's even more powerful when wielded by a mythic creature. Ignore the mythic sections of these alchemical substances and they work fine as just more powerful alchemical substances.

There are no rules for creating stronger versions of previously existing alchemical substances in this book.


Does it mention elvish cooking from Elves of Golarion (which used alchemy)?


I have a problem with Artokus's Fire: it shouldn't be mythic.

That description pretty much matches Greek fire, made in the real world by real people thousands of years before the quasi-medieval-renaissance time period of Golarion. Why should something so grounded in ordinary reality be "mythic"?

Shadow Lodge

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

I have a problem with Artokus's Fire: it shouldn't be mythic.

That description pretty much matches Greek fire, made in the real world by real people thousands of years before the quasi-medieval-renaissance time period of Golarion. Why should something so grounded in ordinary reality be "mythic"?

Most likely because Greek fire was literally a mythic weapon for its time, a liquid fire that could burn in water and no one was able to duplicate. Sounds pretty mythic to me thematically.

Now what about the herbalism alchemy?

Sczarni RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32

Something looks weird with the new poisons. Many of them have secondary effects, which I thought was something done away with Pathfinder. Was I wrong?


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Let's deal with the mythic stuff first: you don't have to be mythic to create it and in non-mythic hands, it just acts like intense alchemical agents. A mythic wielder has to use it in order to imbue it with mythic power. The alchemical stuff is simply so well made it responds to the presence of mythic power. It can still be used by normal people.

The only alchemy mentioned in regards to Kyonin is alchemical archery.

The herbalism is Tian in origin, allowing the practitioner to use Profession (herbalism) instead of Craft (alchemy) so long as the alchemical recipes they use have plant based reagents (Alchemical Fire uses spirit wine and magnesium, for example. Spirit wine is one of the reagents that is plant based, so it could be made).


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
CalebTGordan wrote:
Something looks weird with the new poisons. Many of them have secondary effects, which I thought was something done away with Pathfinder. Was I wrong?

Nope. Blue Whinnis, Drow Poison, and others have secondary effects. They are just rare.


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

What is the new class archetype?


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Drunken Rager (Barbarian Archetype). They gain a point pool when drunk that allows them different abilities (like staggering around and effectively gaining evasion instead of uncanny dodge).

Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

I have a problem with Artokus's Fire: it shouldn't be mythic.

That description pretty much matches Greek fire, made in the real world by real people thousands of years before the quasi-medieval-renaissance time period of Golarion. Why should something so grounded in ordinary reality be "mythic"?

I'm pretty sure alchemist's fire is already supposed to be Greek fire, so Artokus' fire is more like napalm.

Grand Lodge Contributor

I'm assuming that the game effects of pesh as found in Dark Markets: A Guide to Katapesh have been overruled by the game effects found in the Gamemastery Guide.

I notice in the Alchemy Guide that two new forms of Pesh are listed: black pesh and golden pesh.

[1] The Inner Sea World Guide describes refined pesh as sticky black blocks. Is that what the stat block for black pesh represents?
[2] What form does golden pesh take?
[3] And what form does the pesh found in the Gamemastery Guide take? Is this raw pesh?


What is the wish alchemy stuff, if you don't mind spoiling more.

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Feros wrote:
Drunken Rager (Barbarian Archetype). They gain a point pool when drunk that allows them different abilities (like staggering around and effectively gaining evasion instead of uncanny dodge).

Uhh... isn't there already a Drunken Brute barbarian archetype? Do they stack?


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Drunken Brute exchanges fast movement out and so does Drunken Rager, so no they do not stack.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Rowe wrote:
What is the wish alchemy stuff, if you don't mind spoiling more.

Artokus Kieran has lots of time on his hands due to his invention of the youth-granting sun orchid elixir. Thuvian Wish Alchemy is the name given to the collective works of Artokus and his assistants in the Citadel of the Alchemist.

While the big discoveries—like the sun orchid elixir—are beyond anyone who isn't a mythic alchemist, there are "lesser" materials that even mundane alchemists can make. These items are so pure they respond to mythic power and as such a mythic wielder can make these items function even better than their rather potent regular functions by infusing them with mythic power.

There are also a couple of items that are only of use to mythic creatures.

The motto of this alchemical technique? Distilled Fate and Bottled Glory.

The entry includes two 1st Tier Universal Mythic abilities that augment use of alchemical splash weapons.


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Feros,

The additional items are nice, but I have the same issue as many as a lot of the alchemical items that require saving throws lose their effectiveness at higher levels, that is why I was hoping there were rules on augmenting these items.

Being an Alchemist, the damage-based alchemical items aren’t as bad, as I can add my INT modifier, but a 12 DC for Sneezing Powder is always going to 12. I wish they would have put rules in there to be able to raise that.

As for the current rules for Masterwork under the Craft skill, I really think that is more geared towards weapons and armor, as well as the tool kits, as Paizo already has clear rules on what the bonuses give you.

What does a Masterwork Alchemist Fire do? What about Masterwork Tanglefoot Bag? Yes, a GM can always take more time to make up numbers for that, but that can be time-consuming, as well as challenging in trying to keep it balanced.

Besides the fact, is someone really going to spend 300 GP for an alchemical (weapon) item for a one-time use? Even if you charged the minimum 50 GP (associated with the tool kits), would someone pay 70 GP for a Masterwork Alchemist Fire?

Not trying to completely put the book down, I will buy it either way as I am curious what new items were added. But I can’t say I’m not disappointed they haven’t addressed some of the older and ongoing issues with alchemy items losing their usefulness at higher levels.


I was about to make an Alchemist, but when I saw this I pushed it back till I get this shiped. However, is worth waiting? I mean: Is there any content that is aimed at early game or could be heavily used as foundations to new builds? Or is everything new stuff you can add to an already exsisting character?


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

Can't wait to get my hands on this book, my archer alchemist could really use some more options. Being a Kyonin native these "alchemical arrows" will fit right in with the backstory and playstyle!


They didn't add in anything to increase the DC of the alchemical items yet? Ah well, at least it sounds like there is something for making poisons useful. Might actually do something with the Poison Use ability for once, lol.

Dark Archive

For those interested in increasing the DCs of items, if you're ok with third-party materials, Krazy Kragnar's Alchemical Surplus Shop pdf (available here at paizo.com) includes Alchemical Goad which does exactly what you're looking for.

Webstore Gninja Minion

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Robert Smythe wrote:
For those interested in increasing the DCs of items, if you're ok with third-party materials, Krazy Kragnar's Alchemical Surplus Shop pdf (available here at paizo.com) includes Alchemical Goad which does exactly what you're looking for.

Krazy Kragnar's Alchemical Surplus Shop—all sales of alchemical items final, no refunds! :P


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Hobbun wrote:

Feros,

The additional items are nice, but I have the same issue as many as a lot of the alchemical items that require saving throws lose their effectiveness at higher levels, that is why I was hoping there were rules on augmenting these items.

Being an Alchemist, the damage-based alchemical items aren’t as bad, as I can add my INT modifier, but a 12 DC for Sneezing Powder is always going to 12. I wish they would have put rules in there to be able to raise that.

As for the current rules for Masterwork under the Craft skill, I really think that is more geared towards weapons and armor, as well as the tool kits, as Paizo already has clear rules on what the bonuses give you.

What does a Masterwork Alchemist Fire do? What about Masterwork Tanglefoot Bag? Yes, a GM can always take more time to make up numbers for that, but that can be time-consuming, as well as challenging in trying to keep it balanced.

Besides the fact, is someone really going to spend 300 GP for an alchemical (weapon) item for a one-time use? Even if you charged the minimum 50 GP (associated with the tool kits), would someone pay 70 GP for a Masterwork Alchemist Fire?

Not trying to completely put the book down, I will buy it either way as I am curious what new items were added. But I can’t say I’m not disappointed they haven’t addressed some of the older and ongoing issues with alchemy items losing their usefulness at higher levels.

I actually agree that there was an opportunity here to put forward a method of upping the DCs or damage (or both) of alchemical items. A noticeable absence. It's a shame.


I wonder if it will have rules for crafting a grapple gun?


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You would think they would just give the alchemist to have the DC of his items be the same DC as his bombs.

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Feros wrote:
Drunken Brute exchanges fast movement out and so does Drunken Rager, so no they do not stack.

>_> This is my disapproving face.

Shadow Lodge

2 people marked this as a favorite.
mysticbelmont wrote:
You would think they would just give the alchemist to have the DC of his items be the same DC as his bombs.

Alchemical know how: your abilities with the alchemical arts are second to none and you know how to improve alchemical items on the fly. Whenever you use an alchemical item you can choose to use either the item's DC or the DC of your bombs whichever is higher. In addition, items with duration effects last for either the the listed duration of dice or the number of dice you roll for bomb damage (so a tangle foot bag lasts for 3d4 rounds instead of 2d4 rounds if thrown by a 5th level alchemist). Using this ability consumes a bomb from the alchemists daily allotment.

If you want to make it a discovery make it need like a level 2-4 requirement one.

There hope that helps people.

Shadow Lodge

Can someone start spoiling some of the new alchemical items in this? The wait is killing me and from the looks of it they will not hit my inbox till after Easter.

Sczarni RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32

doc the grey wrote:
mysticbelmont wrote:
You would think they would just give the alchemist to have the DC of his items be the same DC as his bombs.

Alchemical know how: your abilities with the alchemical arts are second to none and you know how to improve alchemical items on the fly. Whenever you use an alchemical item you can choose to use either the item's DC or the DC of your bombs whichever is higher. In addition, items with duration effects last for either the the listed duration of dice or the number of dice you roll for bomb damage (so a tangle foot bag lasts for 3d4 rounds instead of 2d4 rounds if thrown by a 5th level alchemist). Using this ability consumes a bomb from the alchemists daily allotment.

If you want to make it a discovery make it need like a level 2-4 requirement one.

There hope that helps people.

Is that from a book or did you just make that up?

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