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For the purposes of an Alchemist's class abilities, are poisons considered alchemical items?
Good question. The RAW is unclear.
What is clear is that you use Craft(Alchemy) to make poison. That makes me think that they are. However, there is a pretty clear list of alchemical items, such as tanglefoot bags and tindertwigs, and poison isn't on this list. Which makes me think they aren't, though that's somewhat just RAI.
However, unless it's more clearly defined somewhere, I think the skill that is used to make them constitutes a more certain definition than an assumption about the equipment list.
Poisons can be made using Craft (alchemy). The DC to make a poison is equal to its Fortitude save DC. Rolling a natural 1 on a Craft skill check while making a poison exposes the crafter to the poison. Crafters with the poison use class feature do not risk poisoning themselves when using Craft to make poison.
Side note: if you want to live long, make yourself a few Neutralize Poison potions before you start making the actual poison. Just in case.
Good question. The RAW is unclear.
What is clear is that you use Craft(Alchemy) to make poison. That makes me think that they are. However, there is a pretty clear list of alchemical items, such as tanglefoot bags and tindertwigs, and poison isn't on this list. Which makes me think they aren't, though that's somewhat just RAI.
The rules are more ambiguous than that. For what most people are referring to as "alchemical items", the list is labeled as "Special Substances and Items" both in the chart and description area.
Which implies that anything that is made with craft (alchemy) counts as an alchemical item... However, this is made all the more vague by the feat Master Alchemist which says:
Prerequisite: Craft (alchemy) 5 ranks.
Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on Craft (alchemy)
checks, and you may create mundane alchemical
items much more quickly than normal. When making
poisons, you can create a number of doses equal to your
Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) at one time. These
additional doses do not increase the time required, but
they do increase the raw material cost.
In addition, whenever you make alchemical items or
poisons using Craft (alchemy), use the item’s gp value as its
sp value when determining your progress (do not multiply
the item’s gp cost by 10 to determine its sp cost).
Note that in the bold part of text that it clearly classifies poison and alchemical items as separate categories. So it's a bit annoying that no official ruling stands on what exactly the definition of "Alchemical Item" is. But when the alchemist gains a bonus to crafting alchemical items, but poisons are what really need the boost for crafting time, my group has ruled that poisons DO qualify. Means that with the feat a 10th level alchemist can craft int mod number of doses of Deathblade in a week.