Action Requirement for Infusion


Rules Questions


The alchemist's extract is a standard action for an alchemist to use. If an alchemist uses infusion, may he use his extract on another as a standard action for himself or must he give it to someone else as a move action for himself and the other person use it as a standard action for themself?

My thought was that infusion allows an alchemist to "cast" his extracts on others much like any other caster, but RAW I'm not sure this is the case. Thanks!

Scarab Sages

I believe he gives the infusion to them, and they use their own standard action to drink it. Or, possibly, the Alchemist could take a full-round action to give them the infusion like a potion.

There are items/spells that let an Alchemist deliver an Infusion as a standard action/attack. The Poisoner's Gloves and the Touch Injection spell, for example.


You have to hand it off like a potion. It isn't 'cast' like a spell. Mind you that also means that you can hand them out before combat, etc.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

From my read, the person on the other side of that transaction needs to draw the extract to use it. The rules back-up is that the alchemist is able to draw and drink as a standard action, but there's no indication that other people can, as well. I could believe that I'm incorrect in that read, though.


I would agree with that; for anyone but the alchemist you would have to manipulate it like any other item... although I guess if you handed it to another alchemist it gets murky.


Does it take the alchemist a move action to hand it off, or can he hand it off as a part of the standard action to create it?


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

It takes a move action to draw and another to hand it off, but presumably before combat. It takes a minute to create an extract and that generally happens outside of combat.


Shaun wrote:
Does it take the alchemist a move action to hand it off, or can he hand it off as a part of the standard action to create it?

An alchemist does not create an extract as a standard action. Extracts take 1 minute to prepare each and are typically made at the beginning of the adventuring day, like the way wizards prepare spells.


Sorry, I meant a standard to use it. It's a standard action for them to produce it and use. Is it also a standard action to produce it and give it away?


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

No, there's no special action economy on handing it off, so they need to treat it as passing off a normal item. That means it takes a move action to hand it off and they need it in-hand, which typically takes another move action.

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