Samuel Caldwell's page

Hey All! Wanted to say thank you to everyone who comments on these threads for their feedback and ideas. The more we discuss, the more we can help Paizo. Keep up the great work :)

A problem I notice is that the alchemist is build as a generalist class, and as such are a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. As a result, buffing part of the alchemist could lead to unintended side effects.

I think a few general changes, as well as providing 4 branches of Alchemy [which I'm going to term Alchemy Fields] that provide a focusing tool for the class similar to the Druid/Wizard/Barbarian/etc, will help the alchemist. An alchemist who starts with an Alchemy Field could then feat to improve their versatility with another alchemy discipline (again similar to other classes like the Druid). I'm interested in what you think!

General Changes
- Class DC scales with the class, and applies to all items made by the alchemist. At 13th and 17th level, the alchemist's proficiency increases to Expert and Master.
- Advanced Alchemy runs off it's own resource pool equal to the Alchemist's level + Intelligence modifier.
- Quick Alchemy runs off a Alchemy Point pool, equal to the alchemist's Intelligence modifier. Feats that apply to Quick Alchemy increase this pool by 2.

Bombs / [Grenadier Alchemy Field]
- Grenadier's add their proficiency bonus to their bomb attack rolls. That would be trained to start (as it is currently), Expert at 13th, and Master at 17th. Touch AC is not very different from standard AC in PF2, and the Grenadier should be better at hitting with bombs than other alchemists.
- Grenadier's can create 3 bombs in a batch with Advanced Alchemy, instead of 2. Bombs are a Grenadier's bread-and-butter, and for their focus on bombs they can create additional bombs with their daily preparations. Simple Weapons are an alchemist's fall-back/at-will "cantrip" feature, they aren't as good but then again they aren't supposed to be.
- Grenadier's gain the Empowered Bomb class feature (as...

Too Complex. I like the way it works now I just want Clarification on the initial points I had problems with.

Interesting you should say that. They are called out in the paragraph about buying starting gear as something only an Alchemist should be able to buy at character generation. That also suggests a distinction.

There's also another reason that Alchemical items shouldn't be covered by Junk Tinker (which was the original issue): One aspect of Junk Tinker is that all items created with it are of inferior quality. Alchemical items don't seem to have any rules regarding quality (unlike the items in the Equipment section, another clear distinction). If you're running the game and you want to consider Alchemical items as ordinary for the purpose of Junk Tinker, feel free. I'm quite confident you'll be going against intent to do so, but it's your prerogative.

Also, it would be a bit bizarre for a cleric to buy Elixir of Life from their church unless their church worships a deity of Alchemy. Most churches that sold such things would probably sell Healing Potion.

Because its wrong to allow other classes to just have what makes a class special. Imagine everyone having AoO again. A better example would be everyone having Flurry of Blows.

[/QUOTE="Scythia]One aspect of Junk Tinker is that all items created with it are of inferior quality. Alchemical items don't seem to have any rules regarding quality (unlike the items in the Equipment section, another clear distinction).

They do, and they affect only bombs, specifically.

[/QUOTE="Scythia]If you're running the game and you want to consider Alchemical items as ordinary for the purpose of Junk Tinker, feel free. I'm quite confident you'll be going against intent to do so, but it's your prerogative.

If the devs intended for alchemy items to not be ordinary, they should have clearly defined it somewhere.

The problem with that is that the majority of class feats that modify your Alchemy only work on quick Alchemy and not on Advanced. Imagine if wizard feats applied only to spells prepared on empty slots.

You're literally better at making stuff on the spot than when you spend time on them.

IMO, the short list of Alchemist issues can be summed to:

-Not enough resources. (Say goodbye to all resonance use magic items)
-Doesn't have scaling class DC from the get-go, when he gets it, it doesn't work on the few things that actually have DCs
-3 rounds onset on their mutagens (feat tax JUST to remove that that literally does nothing else)
-Your preparation brings you over normal Bulk. Alchemical items need to be - bulk and not L, and the kit needs to be 1 bulk down from 2
-Stuff that works on quick Alchemy need to also work on advanced Alchemy (no reason I can only make debilitating bombs if I make them on the spot as an example)
-Bomb focus, and it still doesn't make bombs great, just passable
-No sustainability (passive bonuses, at will abilities, something)
-Craft (Alchemy) has exactly 0 uses for an alchemist.
-Huge "stacking" issues (no reason for any mutagen to have the specific +item bonus on saves when all and every magic armor offers a generic +item to all saves). Simply put, every other buff except Alchemist is conditional...

Valid Points. I don't agree with the following statements though.

-Not enough resources. (Say goodbye to all resonance use magic items).
Reasoning: There's a Feat For that.
-Stuff that works on quick Alchemy needs to also work on advanced Alchemy (no reason I can only make debilitating bombs if I make them on the spot as an example)
Reasoning: If you could just spend downtime for a month before an adventure to make infused bombs, well.... you would have a ton of bombs! So many bombs it wouldn't be fair. Especially with these Infused enhancements.
-Bomb focus, and it still doesn't make bombs great, just passable.
Reasoning: Empowered Bombs Fixes this.
-No sustainability (passive bonuses, at will abilities, something)
Reasoning: You are the sustain, if you build right. Especially if they remove the double tax on Potions.
-Craft (Alchemy) has exactly 0 uses for an alchemist.
Reasoning: This is a really helpful downtime activity that if used properly, can give your party an unexpected advantage. Imagine you have a day or two, your goblin alchemist has Junk Tinker, and the rules have been cleared up to allow it to work as intended(Speculation at this point). You could, in theory, make 2 antidotes and 2 antiplagues.

My reason for not grouping alchemical items as ordinary is that they aren't listed in the equipment section, rather in the treasure section near the magic items. That seems like a clear differentiation to me.

By that logic, those items shouldn't be allowed to be bought, because they are difficult to come across. Everyone I have played with has bought them or the other Magical Variation. It doesn't break the game, don't be so close-minded, realize that a definition is needed, not a guess.

Would you want you rogue to not be able to buy or steal poisons?

Should your cleric not have access to purchasing Elixir's of Life from his church?

Also, Time is still a price you pay if you crafting something. It "Costs" Downtime Days, and Coin. Period.

Also, it makes no sense that Alchemy Potions Created with Resonance Points Require an additional tax of more Resonance points to use. They have already been paid for once. Infused items should just work without resonance, period, as those items have already been paid to "use" via the maker. 3 resonance points for a key class feature makes them excessively unviable. Ordinary Items should be clearly defined as(In MY opinion) "Any item that isn't enhanced via class specifics such as those listed under the alchemist class suite of abilities", OOORRRRRRRRRRR "Items that aren't Magical in Nature IE all currently craftable items except magic items, runes, scrolls, actual potions(Those without the Alchemical Tag), or those with higher quality makes than normal or expert." The current Resonance System highly disfavors Alchemists by denying the benefit of the class granted abilities to party members by taxing them. Even at higher levels, when players have more resonance because of their level, they will be forced to choose to either take the Alchemist's Potion when they get low health or using their magic items for the day or whatever. Alchemical healing becomes a bad choice for these particular cases. Would you make a Wizard Spend Resonance to cast spells? Probably not. would you make an enemy spend a resonance when being hit by a harmful or helpful wizard spell? Probably not.

-Does Junk Tinker Work? What the hell is an ordinary item? Can I use this on Alchemy or Magical Items that I have in my formula book and if I also have the feat for doing so? Does it decrease Time spent as well, cause that's a cost too unless you are specifying that is isn't?