Advanced Player's Guide Playtest - Round 3: Alchemist and Inquisitor PDF

[lodiir]

Playtesting the Alchemist

After playing an alchemist from level 1 to level 8, I can clearly see the potential that this class has. The few things that my GM and I would change are minor at best.

Weapon & Armor Proficiency:
We added the Alchemy Blade (an exotic weapon from Magic of Eberron) to the list of weapon proficiency of the alchemist.

Alchemy:
After a while we discovered that the basic DC of most alchemical items are good at low-level but begin to be less challenging as the opponents encountered are of higher level. We played around with an increase in the save DC as part of the Alchemy class ability ( a +1 DC at every odd level or at every 3rd level ). We also tried a +1 DC per +2 craft DC increase of the base item created. This caused alchemical items to still be useful at higher levels.

We also tried increasing the damage output of alchemical items ( by increasing the damage die : 1d6 to 1d8 & etc. or doubling the damage die : 1d6 = 2d6 ) but found it overbalancing as a class ability. We are now thinking of using feats ( as seen for the sneak attack damage increase in the “Swashbuckling adventures campaign setting rulebook”) or as a Discovery class ability.

Throw Anything:
We thought of adding a few other feats as class abilities or as basic feats, such as :
• Far Shot : keyed to alchemical items only
• Shape Splash ( Races of Eberron ) : Removing the racial requirements
• Grenadier ( D&D Players Handbook II )
• Mad Alchemist ( D&D Players Handbook II )
• Exceptional Artisan ( Eberron Campaign Setting ) : keyed to alchemical items only
• Extraordinary Artisan ( Eberron Campaign Setting ) keyed to alchemical items only
• Extra Bombs : like any “extra (insert class ability)” feat

Mutagen:
We believed that the Charisma penalty was more like a “Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde” kind of thingand as such is only temporary. We also thought of having Wisdom penalties to play more into that role with the mutagen giving a rush of power and over-confidence lowering your overall judgement.

Alchemist Formulae:
Since the Formulae are supposed to alter/augment the alchemist physically, we replaced Shield with Mage Armor believing that it would affect the alchemist’s aura or his skin, augmenting his AC, not create a floating invisible shield before him.

We also thought about adding Formulae based on touch spell or some “breath” spell found in Spell Compendium.

Alchemical Items:
Most of our after game discussions concerned the lack of alchemical items. So at each game, many of the other players and the GM ended up bringing copies of D20 RPG books with alchemical items and items for alchemist in general, which my group hopes, will be at least looked at by the game designers before the end of the BETA playtest.

The series of Ultimate Equipment Guide by Mongoose Publishing, contains a wealth of alchemical items that can emulate certain fun spells ( ex: Tripvine = Web spell ). It also contains the many “Quick(energy type)” oils that can be applied to weapons for a short while.

The Eberron Campaign Books also have many interesting alchemical items.

These are personal opinions of my gaming group and are up for constructive debate.

[Gamer Girrl]

lodiir wrote:

lots of good stuff

You might want to repost this in the Playtest forum where it will be seen by those that need it.

[Lockgo]

I'm loving Inquisitor so far, as not only are you able to support, but you are still capable in standing on your own. But at the same time it isn't over powered at all. A good balance. I'm a bit confused how many 0 level spells the Inquisitor gets.

Alchemist seems a bit confusing, and its hard to to place his role in a party. Could use some work. Although I see how he could see how he could be used to debuff opposing foes, as well as shape the battle field.

[Dudu Luiz]

I already have played with the alchemist, and it´s a interesting class, with some versality and good abilities, but, the problem i figured about the extracts class feature is that the number of extracts that it´s known is like the sorcerer number of spell mechanic, but for alchemy it isn't the same, doesn't work well. The alchemist has notes, scrolls with secret studies, schematics, and others things, that make more similar to the wizard and his grimory. Will be more adequated if it has the same mechanic: some 'alchemy book', were the alchemist inscribe news formulaes learned.

[Mark Rennick]

Wow, this has been an interesting addition to the base rules folks! The Inquisitor looks to be the best of the six ceated, but maybe I'm a little biased toward divine classes!