I am working with my players (I am the DM) on the finer points of the PF system and they are coming to me with questions so we can get as much as possible straightened out before the campaign begins.
I was approached by a player who wanted to go make alchemy a big part of his character (largely from an RP perspective, but also for the mechanical advantages). It was brought to my attention that creating potions as a cleric, it will cost him hundreds of GP to make one potion (above level 1) and thousands to make any kind of supply. Having played D&D in the past, this seems like a high amount and I was asked if I would be willing to houserule it down by some percentage.
So, I yield to those with experience, are potions cost prohibitive in the PF system? Has there been any problems in your games? Has anyone ever considered lowering the cost?
Thanks.
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Potions are same cost as 3.5 so I'm not sure what your issue is. Being spell in a can I think they should have a cost to them.
If it's mainly for RP give him a nice shop in their home town and be done with it. The business takes care of itself with perhaps a small profit, but the majority of any income goes to running and improving the shop.
If you want to give mechanical advantage have him contribute to a slush fund of sorts. When the need for a particular potion he doesn't have on hand comes up drain the gold from his fund to 'purchase' the item he suddenly remembered brewing up some time back.
For example: player 1: Darn it the treasure just fell off the boat...
Potion guy: I got this... ::digs around in his inventory, notices he isn't packing breathe water right now:: Let me check my backpack again. ::takes the gold it costs for the potion from his fund, removes needed potion from backpack:: Ah there it is! I thought this would come in handy some day.
Thanks for the input. In terms of 3.5, I haven't played since AD&D back in high school and the most exposure I've had since then is in Knights of the Dinner Table comics, so I'm sure my memory is off anyway.
He wants to have a shop, but I don't want to just give him an array of potions assuming he did the work. But working in the time it would take is also impractical for game flow.
So maybe work out a system where he has a shop and I roll for loss/gain (a marginal amount either way) and then give him a roll for X number of potions and also roll for what type they are? That's the only way I can see working it out so he doesn't get a big edge, but he can maintain his alchemist RP.
Given that what NotMousse just described is identical to one of the better class abilities of the Pathfinder chronicler, I'd hesitate to just give that away as a bonus power for flavor's sake. Having access to whatever 4th-or-lower spell you need whenever you need it is more than a little good.
I really wouldn't change anything and flavor it as a start-up business that doesn't have the funds for a large stock, so he mostly does commissioned work. Either that, or let him re-skin scribe scroll as a "potion" (i.e. only the brewer can drink or administer the potion, but it costs half as much and uses his caster level and ability scores).
You could probably get away with reducing the cost on a lot of potions, since potions in general aren't super-powerful, but then the few good ones (i.e. potion of Spell With Long Cast Time) would be pretty nutty.
I agree with what the other guys on here are saying Ray, and here is my own imput:
There is a big difference between a Potion of Cure Light Wounds, and a medicinal healing salve. In campaigns i've run or been in, Craft(Alchemy) was mainly used for semi-magical splash weapons like acid flask, and alchemist fire, as well as poisons. There are some curative potion recipes, but they aren't nearly as good as an actual magical potion of Cure Light Wounds. I'd say that if he wants to make mundane curative potions with crafting, vs actual brew potion, have them at lower levels increase heal checks and work like healing kits. while the actual magical potions of healing, which are imbued with the Cure X Wounds/Disease/Poison go off the costs related to casting the spell and making the potion that way.
It strikes a fair balance between fluff and power, but YMMV. As i'm going to be running a character who is a heavy alchemist/apothecary in an upcoming campaign, I would be perfectly okay with it myself, as most of what i'm going to be creating is poisons and the splash weapons to use from afar.