Just wondering if anyone has rules or suggestions for bigger and better alchemical items. Some of the Wizards splatbooks I've seen have more options but do little to expand on the standard stuff found in the PRD. Specifically i'm looking at increasing the damage dice, save DCs and/or duration of good ol' Alchemist's Fire, Tanglefoot Bags, Thunderstones, etc.
Suggestions for increased cost, Craft DCs, feats, etc, are all welcomed.
So basically you want alchemists to make napalm, superglue, and nitroglycerin.
The superglue already exists in game--it's called Sovereign Glue.
There used to be "Oil of Fiery Burning" which sounds pretty much like napalm.
I'm not certain on the others.
You could take a clue from the poisons section and see about mixing two doses of alchemist fire together to increase the DC by 2 and perhaps the damage by a 1d6?
So basically you want alchemists to make napalm, superglue, and nitroglycerin.
The superglue already exists in game--it's called Sovereign Glue.
There used to be "Oil of Fiery Burning" which sounds pretty much like napalm.
I'm not certain on the others.
I'm not looking for the alchemist to supplant magic. I just find it odd that the only benefit that a character with 20 ranks in Craft: Alchemy can do is make the stuff faster (assuming lower ranks can make their checks). At least the 'mundane' crafts can produce Masterwork goods, but there's no such thing for Alchemic items.
I suppose Master Craftsman plus Wonderous Items could open up some of the alchemically-flavored stuff like Soverign Glue, various elixirs and dusts, etc. This is still low-level stuff though, with low DCs that quickly become irrelevant. I guess that's my main concern. Why can't a high-level Alchemist make a more potent concoction than a low-level one?
Check out Tangent Games (found here on Drive Thru RPG)
They have several books, including Better Damage through Alchemistry, Even More Damage through Alchemistry and Mineral Magic, Vol 1-3, all of which should make the budding alchemist drool :)
Paizo has a few of their products in the store, but doesn't carry thess specific ones, unfortunately.
|
Epic rules for Alchemy are here;
To 'de-Epic' these options, change the DC modifier to +10 instead of +20 and make the Feat non-Epic, requiring 8 ranks in Alchemy (for Pathfinder) or 11 ranks (for 3.5).
Generally speaking, this stuff is pretty weak, and not worthy of being called 'Epic,' but some may see the word 'epic' and freak, thinking that a flask of Alchemist's Fire that does 2d6 instead of 1d6 is somehow on par with Epic spellcasting or something.
Well I tried to post what I could remember of the system my brother, one of my friends, and I came up with. Unfortunately I took to long to write it and forgot to copy it before I posted it, so it got lost. I'll try to get the full copy and post it later.
Look at the Gnomish Artificer from old Magic of Faerun. There were ways to make various things which were alchemical as opposed to magical, and thus could be used in an antimagic area.
Part of the reason why Craft Alchemy is kept to the lower level stuff is that alchemy can be done in bulk, and it can cause nasty effects to a world if you allow Greek fire, napalm and mustard gas in. Not to mention fireworks and black powder.
Do you want cannons in the game?
Here's the notes.
Alchemy
DC to find stuff 10+ 1/2 DC of of the item
DC x 150 to buy components
Elemental Damage - Fire
Base DC 10
+4 per d6 of damage
+0 if you need to light it - Fire
+2 if you don't need to light it, like air - Fire
+4 per each round fire persists
Frost
+5 per d6 of damage
+4 generating ice that entangles - trip = 1/2 DC of potion
+2 each round ice persists
+6 2x2 area of effect
+12 3x3 area of effect
Acid - Damage
+2 per die of damage starting at d3
+2 for round it persists
+6 corrode metal - Ignores Hardness for Metal
+6 ignores hardness from stone
+2 ignore hardness from wood
Acid Neutralizer
DC 15 to make, when applied stops acid from working
Second round half damage, round after no damage
DC 20 no half damage second round
Element protectors
DC 15 prevents non lethal damage from frost and fire - (i.e. burning a hall, swimming in cold water with no clothes)
Protects for an hour
DC 20 - 5 ER from lethal damage
+5 5 ER more
De-icer
DC 20 - 1 cubic ft of ice
+10 per additional cubic foot
De-salinator, Bright Light, Loud Noise, Fluid that disrupts undead, etc etc
DC - 20 mimics a cantrip of your choice
Glues
10 + 1/2 Str check needed to break it (ie 18 Str check needed, 19 DC to make)
+6 2x2
+12 3x3
Grease
10 + 1/2 Dex check needed to not slip it (ie 18 Dex check needed, 19 DC to make)
+6 2x2
+12 3x3
As a side note, it is funny to see how acid always take an important part in fiction and RPGs, but bases often are left unmentioned. If I remember my chemistry, strong bases are just as damageable as strong acids, at least on human beings...
A strong base could find its niche by being a solid rather than a liquid (as most acids are portrayed anyway). I thinks there is potential in basic-sand traps! By this I mean "opposite of acidic" basic, not "simple" basic...
humm, maybe that's why people stick with acids...
'findel
I recently was in a game where the black dragon's nest was in this lake of acid. My wizard use Minor Creation to create huge blocks of lye to drop into the lake of acid. The dragon was not pleased.
I don't mind the idea of making acid neutralizer, but basically what this means is your adventurer is running around the dungeon with a box of baking soda.
I'm thinking of just houseruling Acid Splash to be Caustic Splash and the caster gets to choose whether they get an acid or a base so long as they have at least 5 ranks in Craft Alchemy.