I want to like the alchemist

[Freesword]

I really wanted to like this class, and at first glance I did. The class abilities seem to be headed in the right direction. Mix stuff together and drink it to make you better or throw it at a target to affect it, make and use poisons, pretty much delivering what is advertised.

Then I took a closer look.

The class does several thing and does none of them particularly well. A caster can blow stuff up bigger and more often. Maxed out mutagens and extracts still make you weaker than any primary melee class. In fact melee wise you are at best equal to a cleric without domains or channel energy and who only focuses almost exclusively on self buffing spells. At best it can specialize at being second rate at something. Below are my suggestions as to where the class needs work.

Make Extracts, Bombs, and Mutagens Extraordinary Abilities rather than Supernatural (removing the "infusing with magic" preferred). They should bypass SR, but still work in anti-magic zones.

Change mutagen to alchemical bonus instead of enhancement. Stacking with magical enhancements shouldn't prove game breaking and fits better thematically.

Change mutagen Charisma damage to penalty to charisma based skills except for Intimidate with duration equal to double the mutagen duration. The penalty is too high for the benefit gained and while under the effect of mutagen the alchemist should be more intimidating rather than less (as Intimidate is Charisma based).

Reduce prerequisite of Greater Mutagen to one previously learned discovery (becomes available at 8th level), keep Grand Mutagen as is (becomes available at 16th level). Brings it more into line with Barbarian rage progression and keeps it the benefit more level appropriate.

Split the bomb discoveries out and have them chosen at every other increase in bomb damage 2d6 (3rd), 4d6 (7th), 6d6 (11th), 8d6 (15th), and 10d6 (19th). The bombs are weak as they are and the class cannot afford to split focus between bombs and self enhancing mutagens/extracts.

Make retrieving the catalyst for bombs a free action or an automatic part of preparing process. As written it would take over 1 full round to use a bomb and provoke 3 attacks of opportunity.

Remove the AoO from preparing a bomb as the ranged attack already provokes and the move action for preparation precludes a 5 foot step.

Placing a delayed bomb should provoke and AoO.

More alchemical items, especially ones that are useful at higher levels.

Remove extracts that are offensive spell effects targeting other creatures (such as Eyebite and Nightmare).

I know various points above have their own discussion threads, this is merely my overall summary of where I think the class is and where I would like to see it go. Of the 6 classes, this one in my opinion requires the most revision.

[Christopher Van Horn]

Having play tested the alchemist last night I found 2 things about the class I felt was underpowered or really just not useful.

1. Discoveries come to slowly, I would prefer to see 1 discovery every 3 levels and the removal of the extra 2 at 20th level. I found that even at 10th level the variability of the class to be useful to the party left me with 1 free discovery, I used infusion because the help to the party is incredible. a massive amount of potions for the party on a daily basis is really useful and makes the alchemist a much better team player.

2. poisons aren't very good for the alchemist because of the 1 save cure on most injury poisons, yes you can poison someone a whole bunch of times and yes either quick draw or sticky poisons make your poisons very effective. but with the limited number of attacks per round and the fact that a single save negates the poisons. without a lot of money to use on poisons, upwards of 1000gp a dose, you simply can't keep someone poisoned with the current mechanics.

other than that I love the flavor of the alchemist, and combining it with the drow alchemy from second darkness makes it a very interesting class indeed.

[Mnemaxa]

Christopher Van Horn wrote:

2. poisons aren't very good for the alchemist because of the 1 save cure on most injury poisons, yes you can poison someone a whole bunch of times and yes either quick draw or sticky poisons make your poisons very effective. but with the limited number of attacks per round and the fact that a single save negates the poisons. without a lot of money to use on poisons, upwards of 1000gp a dose, you simply can't keep someone poisoned with the current mechanics.

You should consider the fact that an alchemist who makes poisons does so at 1/3 cost and 1/2 time spent before giving up on poisons entirely; sticky poisons mean potent debuffs for the character, especially if they take a high dex and weapon finesse.