So, I kinda want to discuss alchemists for a bit. I know I'm new to posting on these boards but I haven't seen this really touched on, to my knowledge.
So, alchemists as crafters.... I mean, I know that is what they are, their main mechanic is to craft alchemical items. But why is it then that they get little to no support in downtime crafting of alchemical items? They get two feats that support the crafting skill, Alchemical Savant at first level and Efficient Alchemy at fourth level. The only one of those two that effects downtime crafting is Efficient Alchemy. Now, while I don't really want the craziness that was 1st edition alchemist, where they could craft alchemical items so fast your head would spin, I would have liked to see maybe a feat or two that helped support the alchemists crafting a little.
An example I came across is that goblins get an ancestry feat that among other things allows them basically a free day to reduce the cost of the crafting, and yes I am aware of the junky property and the unreliability to sell the item, but for personal use it's fine and can be used on anything basically. That sounds like a good feat an alchemist could get just for alchemical crafting, being able to get maybe a free day of cost reduction for alchemical items, or maybe a feat that allows the alchemist to reduce the prep time below the four-day minimum prep time required to craft.
I feel like the alchemist's feat pool is restricted to either alchemist as a combatant with bomber, and kinda mutagenist? Or as a healer with chirurgeon. Neither of which the alchemist does particularly better than a class meant for such a role, though from my testing they don't do particularly poorly as battlefield medics, at least not as poorly as they do in combat compared to fighting classes (from my own experience) and overall it would be nice to see more feats that supported alchemist as a crafter for party.
This all kinda stemmed from me playing in a campaign as one, and I don't think I have ever felt like I've contributed less in a game of pathfinder. But I want to hear the community's thoughts on the matter if you all are willing to share them.
And I wasn't sure where to put this as I kinda see this as just a thought, So I thought it best in general.