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So this issue came up in one of my games, and I wanted to verify that my ruling is, at present, and accurate one. Wizards, Clerics, and Druids all suffer from an issue with recent casting if their rest is interrupted. Clerics/Druids don't, strictly speaking, have to rest before preparation, but they do need to go 8 hours without casting spells to get the full preparation benefit. But Alchemists don't seem to have that particular limiter on their Extracts. The only limiter on an Alchemist is that their extracts last for 24 hours from preparation, and they can only prepare so many extracts within any given 24 hour period. Relevant quotations from the Core chapter on Magic spoilered below.
Recent Casting Limit: As with arcane spells, at the time of preparation any spells cast within the previous 8 hours count against the number of spells that can be prepared.
My original instinct was that an Alchemist would suffer from the same limitation as a Wizard in Extract preparation, and so if rest was interrupted, new extracts would count against the next day. But then, on further reading, I changed my interpretation to this: that the extracts prepared the previous day would last until the 24 hour mark, when they went inert, and so they could be used if rest was interrupted and they hadn't already been used up.
Scenario: Alchemist can prepare 4 1st-level extracts per day. He prepares 1 Bomber's Eye, 1 Illusion of Calm, and 2 Cure Light Wounds infusions. During the day, he uses the Illusion of Calm, and 1 of the Cure Light infusions. He has 2nd watch during the night, and the party is attacked (random encounter). He uses the Bomber's Eye from the previous day, and the remaining Cure Light Infusion. After his watch is over, he gets 3 or 4 hours of sleep, and can prepare Extracts as normal, regardless of those expended during the night.
I would agree.
The only limiter on an Alchemist is that their extracts last for 24 hours from preparation,
So what you're saying, is that an Alchemist is exactly like a Green Lantern?!
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I haven't found any evidence that alchemists need a period of rest to prepare extracts at all. Alchemists are not spellcasters, and there's no mention of needing a period of rest in the Alchemy class feature (which covers preparing extracts).
I saw the FAQ that said that, and I'm curious how it jibes with this:
The alchemist uses his level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level.
If we use the recent ruling on racial subtypes as precedent, "any effect based on caster level" includes feat prerequisites, the same as "any effect based on race" includes feat prerequisites.
Setting that question aside, I'm with you on Alchemists not being like Wizards and needing a period of rest. But Clerics/Druids, who also do not need a period of rest, are impacted by the 8-hour rule. Are extracts just that dissimilar from spells?
I haven't found any evidence that alchemists need a period of rest to prepare extracts at all. Alchemists are not spellcasters, and there's no mention of needing a period of rest in the Alchemy class feature (which covers preparing extracts).I saw the FAQ that said that, and I'm curious how it jibes with this:
The alchemist uses his level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level.If we use the recent ruling on racial subtypes as precedent, "any effect based on caster level" includes feat prerequisites, the same as "any effect based on race" includes feat prerequisites.
Setting that question aside, I'm with you on Alchemists not being like Wizards and needing a period of rest. But Clerics/Druids, who also do not need a period of rest, are impacted by the 8-hour rule. Are extracts just that dissimilar from spells?
Theres an faq that specifically states that Alchemist do not apply for feats that require a caster level like Craft Construct.
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Theres an faq that specifically states that Alchemist do not apply for feats that require a caster level like Craft Construct.I haven't found any evidence that alchemists need a period of rest to prepare extracts at all. Alchemists are not spellcasters, and there's no mention of needing a period of rest in the Alchemy class feature (which covers preparing extracts).I saw the FAQ that said that, and I'm curious how it jibes with this:
The alchemist uses his level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level.If we use the recent ruling on racial subtypes as precedent, "any effect based on caster level" includes feat prerequisites, the same as "any effect based on race" includes feat prerequisites.
I know. I've seen the FAQ. I'm just disagreeing with it on the aforementioned point, using the reversal of the racial prerequisites as my precedent.
I know. I've seen the FAQ. I'm just disagreeing with it on the aforementioned point, using the reversal of the racial prerequisites as my precedent.Theres an faq that specifically states that Alchemist do not apply for feats that require a caster level like Craft Construct.I haven't found any evidence that alchemists need a period of rest to prepare extracts at all. Alchemists are not spellcasters, and there's no mention of needing a period of rest in the Alchemy class feature (which covers preparing extracts).I saw the FAQ that said that, and I'm curious how it jibes with this:
The alchemist uses his level as the caster level to determine any effect based on caster level.If we use the recent ruling on racial subtypes as precedent, "any effect based on caster level" includes feat prerequisites, the same as "any effect based on race" includes feat prerequisites.
Thats quite a bit of construing to bend "any effect" especially in the context of them saying specifically that the Alchemist isn't really a caster.
In any event, the Alchemist is a very solidly built class and well balanced. I feel they are quite nice where they're at.
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Thats quite a bit of construing to bend "any effect" especially in the context of them saying specifically that the Alchemist isn't really a caster.
I agree that they have currently stated that. They also explicitly stated that Half-Orcs and Half-Elves did not count as Orcs and Elves respectively for purposes of feat and archetype prerequisites, then reversed their decision when it was demonstrated that the ruling was inaccurate according to RAW. The RAW wording that changed that ruling, and the wording here, are near enough to the same that I don't seen it as presumptuous or particularly misconstrued. But that is a separate question.
I do actually like the Alchemist class, although they are very confusing.