Crafting, and the limits of the rules as written


Advice


I have a goblin, and he likes to be gross like a proper goblin should.
Here's the question, combining the goblin trait "eat anything," craft alchemy, and the crafting rule:
"All crafts require artisan’s tools to give the best chance of success. If improvised tools are used, the check is made with a –2 penalty. On the other hand, masterwork artisan’s tools provide a +2 circumstance bonus on the check."
Could my goblin take a -2 to attempt to brew an alchemical concoction in his stomach? Albeit, there would have to be some kind of risk attached to it, but we'll cross that bridge when we figure out if it's even possible, or if it's bending the rules too far.


For reference:
Eat Anything says Raised with little or no proper food, many goblins have learned to survive by eating whatever they happen across and can digest nearly anything without getting sick. Goblins with this trait gain a +4 on Survival checks to forage for food and a +4 racial bonus on saves versus effects that cause the nauseated or sickened conditions. This racial trait replaces skilled.

I don't really see how Eat Anything helps you with this other than fluff and flavor reasons.

I also don't see anything in the Brew Potion feat or Craft:Alchemy rules that say you can't brew the potion in your stomach assuming you pay the price for the materials and allocate the proper amount of time to do so.

And obviously have the Brew Potion feat, with the Craft:Alchemy skill.


Creating Potions wrote:
The creator of a potion needs a level working surface and at least a few containers in which to mix liquids, as well as a source of heat to boil the brew.

I think you're gonna be out of luck on this one. But it's too awesome an idea to abandon so easily, so try to convince your GM to design something for this. : D

Addendum: It is also likely to be difficult to imbue the contents of one's stomach with a spell, but admittedly the details of the imbuement process are not explicitly specified.


VoodistMonk wrote:

For reference:

I don't really see how Eat Anything helps you with this other than fluff and flavor reasons.

Yeah, mainly for flavor, but the +4 vs nauseated/sickened fits well, considering I'd throw in a check to avoid being nauseated/sickened as a GM.


blahpers wrote:
Creating Potions wrote:
The creator of a potion needs a level working surface and at least a few containers in which to mix liquids, as well as a source of heat to boil the brew.

I think you're gonna be out of luck on this one. But it's too awesome an idea to abandon so easily, so try to convince your GM to design something for this. : D

Addendum: It is also likely to be difficult to imbue the contents of one's stomach with a spell, but admittedly the details of the imbuement process are not explicitly specified.

Well hold on there, I'm talking about craft: alchemy, so creating alchemical fire and the like. Which is a lot simpler than potion creation. I mean, who doesn't want to vomit alchemical cement?


blahpers wrote:
Creating Potions wrote:
The creator of a potion needs a level working surface and at least a few containers in which to mix liquids, as well as a source of heat to boil the brew.

I think you're gonna be out of luck on this one. But it's too awesome an idea to abandon so easily, so try to convince your GM to design something for this. : D

Addendum: It is also likely to be difficult to imbue the contents of one's stomach with a spell, but admittedly the details of the imbuement process are not explicitly specified.

I think the feat Flame Heart would work. Then there's no reason you couldn't guzzle down the boiling liquid and/or hot stones for the purpose of heating the mixture. The only downside is that the feat requires you to be 5th level. Which might put a damper on things if you are trying to accomplish this earlier.


MisterPlacebo wrote:
blahpers wrote:
Creating Potions wrote:
The creator of a potion needs a level working surface and at least a few containers in which to mix liquids, as well as a source of heat to boil the brew.

I think you're gonna be out of luck on this one. But it's too awesome an idea to abandon so easily, so try to convince your GM to design something for this. : D

Addendum: It is also likely to be difficult to imbue the contents of one's stomach with a spell, but admittedly the details of the imbuement process are not explicitly specified.

Well hold on there, I'm talking about craft: alchemy, so creating alchemical fire and the like. Which is a lot simpler than potion creation. I mean, who doesn't want to vomit alchemical cement?

Huh, I could have sworn the post said "potions".

Using Craft to create nonmagical items is even less specific when it comes to explicit procedures, but you're expected to use "common sense". I can't really see one manipulating Craft (alchemy) materials once they're in the goblin's belly, so you'd have to do most of the crushing, distillation, mixing/blending (when turbulence matters), and so on outside the body. That might lessen the appeal of the process.


As long as you take the -2 there really isn't a mechanical difference between whether you use your stomach to craft the alchemist fire or whatever you have lying around (absent the extremely rare circumstance when would have the ingredients but nothing else you could use to improvise tools) so the question is really just one of whether the 'fluff' is appropriate or not.

That of course is going to vary from group to group and campaign to campaign, so I don't think anything else anyone writes will be that helpful.


These are really insightful opinions, and in the end I do agree that it depends on the group/GM/campaign. I'm pretty satisfied with how to move forward. For fun's sake, I'm basically post your guy's last two responses on the rules board, and see what people's opinions are.


Good luck and happy goblining!


blahpers wrote:
Good luck and happy goblining!

You have no idea how excited I am for this character


Some GM might let you do it, but I wouldn't. Improvised tools are you coming up with something that should do the job even if it isn't perfect. What the OP is describing is basically a goblin eating stuff, and when it comes out it isn't going to be any different than the usual.

I'm all for using buckets, barrels, cans, wine bottles, and even sea shells for impromptu alchemy supplies but trying to do alchemy in your stomach sounds like a DC comic character, or a Toon game gone horribly wrong.


May I introduce you to Breath Weapon Bomb:
"Instead of drawing the components of, creating, and throwing a bomb, the alchemist can draw the components, drink them, mix them within his body, and then expel them as a breath weapon as a standard action."
Checkmate unbelievers


Yeah, that's a thing, but only for bombs. Very gobliny!

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