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I've been working on the concept of a spontaneous alchemist. I have been thinking of the idea for a while, partly because I've been rewatching both Fullmetal Alchemist series, partly because I've been thinking of the more magical/religious implications of alchemy, and partly because I like symmetry (sorcerer/wizard, oracle/cleric). So here it is and I'd like some help making sure it's balanced, flavorful and playable. I'm not quite finished, this is the basic skeleton, mostly because the Disciplines and Sigils are a doozy to design.
So what's missing?
Firstly the Disciplines. I have ideas but I'm still working them out on paper before I start typing. The general idea is for the first level power to modify or expand on the Alter Touch class feature. Ideas on the drawing board include making it heal/repair instead of destroy, allow it to do elemental damage and create items. The rest of the powers I intend to interact with the changed alter touch in some way or do something with the magicite produced with it.
Secondly Sigils. Each time I design a new one I have to backtrack to each previous one to make sure it works out and reevaluate the entire system. What sigils are is a type of item that costs money in alchemical regents and are traced upon an object or surface. They are inert unless touched and activated. Its like a potion in the form of a rune only with more mundane effects instead of spells. The effects range from giving mending/healing to granting enhancement bonuses to negating specific magics. These are alchemical items so require a feat and craft(alchemy). Part of the reason to do this was that magic is so prevalent and required in Pathfinder I wanted to make a means of granting minor magic to anyone as a means to bypass a few required magic items in a roundabout way. For example one that I'm still trying to balance out was able to be evoked as an immediate action to automatically succeed a will save against a fear effect, another increased the enhancement bonus on a weapon for one minute.
Perfect Being: I'm drawing a blank here. I wanted the Transmuter to evoke the feel of not studying alchemy but understanding the philosophy of it so much that you can perform it. The natural goal in such an endeavor is personal spiritual perfection.
So, any ideas, suggestions or corrections? I'll be working on the document adding and changing things based on suggestions and what I've been working on on paper.
When I began reading your post I was hoping the class was actually a spontaneous version of the alchemist, who devised extracts through intuition and experimentation, but without formal study. Oh well.
You have a very top heavy class, I think. A 1 level dip grants a great deal.
Transmogrification
Nice C&H reference. A DC is usually calculated as 10 + 1/2 class level + ability modifier. Yours is calculated at full class level. When you copy and paste from another class, remember to go through an remove references to the other class, such as "bard".
Alter Touch
Kind of an awkward name. Are you settled on it? What does magicite do?
Curious Insight
This isn't a bid deal if the character never multiclasses, but I consider swapping the ability score for so many skills to be overkill. Changing the ability score for a single skill is pretty rare. I suggest dropping this class feature altogether.
When I began reading your post I was hoping the class was actually a spontaneous version of the alchemist, who devised extracts through intuition and experimentation, but without formal study. Oh well.
Part of it was that I wanted to somehow differenciate it from Alchemist enough to justify it being its own class and part of it was that I was trying to decide exactly what a spontaneous Alchemist actually is. Somehow I settled on someone who used alchemy by understanding the logic of the world and the energy behind it through philosophy rather than study. Otherwise I'd just make a more jury rig alchemist archetype.
You have a very top heavy class, I think. A 1 level dip grants a great deal.
I saw that and was hoping it wasn't a big deal because Alchemist gets like 5+ class features at first level. If you have suggestions I'd like to hear them.
Transmogrification
Nice C&H reference. A DC is usually calculated as 10 + 1/2 class level + ability modifier. Yours is calculated at full class level. When you copy and paste from another class, remember to go through an remove references to the other class, such as "bard".
My mistake I'll go in and change it after this post.
Alter Touch
Kind of an awkward name. Are you settled on it? What does magicite do?
I'm not set on any of the names. Originally Transmogrifications were called Alters and Alter Touch was called Deconstructing Touch. Magicite is meant to be used as ingredients for some of the discipline powers, basically breaking something down into magicite and then using magicite to construct something new.
Curious Insight
This isn't a bid deal if the character never multiclasses, but I consider swapping the ability score for so many skills to be overkill. Changing the ability score for a single skill is pretty rare. I suggest dropping this class feature altogether.
Would it be better if I limited it to Craft (alchemy) and Spellcraft checks?
I also think the alchemist is a top heavy class.
Just those two skills would be betterr, but why do the ability scores need to be changed at all? You want the chatracter to be good at some key skills. To me, thats like saying that Knowledge (religion) should be a Wisdom-based skill so a cleric can be as good with the skill a Wizard. Wisdom already has some great skills (Perception and Sense Motive) come to mind. If you want them to have a better skill bonus, perhaps just throw down a flat +2 to each skill like the Druid gets.
Perhaps instead of Alter Touch or Deconstructing Touch, just Deconstruct?
Mostly flavor. A transmuter uses philosophy and wisdom to understand alchemy so I presumed that a transmuted would use wisdom as opposed to Int because they 'understand' rather than know things.
[edit] Compare to the Inquisitor's Monster Lore class feature which adds wisdom to all knowledge checks when used for creatures to determine weaknesses.