I've been looking through a lot of alchemical items lately, mostly to separate the wheat from the chaff for future games. I've found a handful that I'm rather fond of, some that are pretty fun for what they do, and others that I wouldn't touch with Sun Wukongs extending pole.
Anyone here got a favorite alchemical item? Either because of its usefulness or just comedic potential, I'd love to hear about what people do with alchemy.
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here's a couple for you...
1) Desiccating lubricant - the only alchemical weapon that I know of that does nonlethal damage. So an Alchemist can splash around some when you're wanting to NOT kill things...
2) Tress tincture - not because it's very effective, just because it is so FUNNY!
Tanglefoot Bags give a lot of bang for your buck, especially if you have an alchemist in the party crafting for you.
I like to keep air crystals and impact foam handy. My characters have a tendency to jump into/out of things first and not overly concerned with questions.
I also like to have a couple tinder twigs just in case something needs to be on fire quickly and smoke sticks for covering dramatic entrances or exits.
Air cystals are strictly worse than a potion of Air Bubble unless you go swimming in an anti-magic field. With the potion you can cast verbal spells (possibly even talk) and they don't taste bad.
Tanglefoot Bags are still pretty good, but they had a really nifty hidden use in 3.5: They severely limited a flying target's maneuverability and forced them to go straight or lose altitude if they couldn't hover. This still exists to some degree, but most fliers can make a DC10 check.
Potions underwater need a potion sponge to consume (full round action in addition to the move action to draw), air crystals only take a standard+draw time. Not terribly many circumstances where the difference matters, but they exist.
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Potions underwater need a potion sponge to consume (full round action in addition to the move action to draw), air crystals only take a standard+draw time. Not terribly many circumstances where the difference matters, but they exist.Air cystals are strictly worse than a potion of Air Bubble unless you go swimming in an anti-magic field. With the potion you can cast verbal spells (possibly even talk) and they don't taste bad.
Tanglefoot Bags are still pretty good, but they had a really nifty hidden use in 3.5: They severely limited a flying target's maneuverability and forced them to go straight or lose altitude if they couldn't hover. This still exists to some degree, but most fliers can make a DC10 check.
I actually tend to go with an Oil of Airbubble... for those times I need to ensure an item remains dry. Put it on a gun for example... or a torch. Map or note or other piece of paper...
A tunnel creeper is a cute way to infiltrate, in the times before someone in the party gets dimension door or similar. Maybe for a while afterward in some cases.
An oil of air bubble on an item doesn't just keep the item dry. Hold it by your face (within 1') and lo, you can breathe. I'll have to remember that.
Alchemist's fire, you can't go wrong with a classic.
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People of the Wastes introduced Mineral Acid. While regular acid is 10gp for 1d6, for only 50gp this does 2d6, doubled against creatures of crystal, earth, or metal.
Technically, you could use both with the hybrid funnel for 3d6 acid, but generally I like mixing it a condition-imposer, such as...
Ghast Retch Flask, which at least sickens and might nauseate. (50gp)
If I'm feeling spendy, a Slime Grenade (100gp) also does 2d6 acid, but adds 3d6 damage to their armor, ignoring hardness (though a reflex 15 halves the armor damage). And despite the name, it doesn't have the fuse grenade problems.
Burst Jars are good against spellcasters, for no-save deafening (with a slight delay). Also alchemists can use them as a way to get some decent sonic damage at low levels before taking the discovery for sonic bombs.
Soul Stimulant is good to carry with every 1 time use breath of life to help with the negative level.
Alchemical Grease is super cheap and good on frontlines with 2-handed weapons. Works on casters too, but a lot of grappling monsters have absurd CMBs so it's better to use it on someone with a better initial CMS too ensure it makes a difference.
I like carrying liquid blades as backup weapons. It's much better for NPCs though, as you can afford things like poison or not having magic weapons or using splintering/disposable weapon feats. Fun for the occasional enemy mercenaries.
Also, Alchemist Kindness is dirt cheap, weightless, and fantastically useless. Literally have not once seen it help, but I usually carry a sack of 50 or so on characters that drink anyway. Its only 50gp and can be good for RP.