Okay I don't remember where I read this but at some point today I thought I had seen that an Alchemist only needs a single formula per item to be able to make any level of it. Can someone please clarify this for me?
That would be from GMCore: Crafting Items
Or more specifically GM Core pg. 223 2.0 wrote: If you have the formula for an item, you don't need a different formula to Craft a different type of that item that's just a higher-level upgrade. For example, if you have the formula for a +1 weapon potency rune, you don't need to secure a new formula to etch a +2 weapon potency rune. This works similarly with items such as a spacious pouch with its multiple types or doubling rings with a base version and greater version. Once you have the formula for one of the stages, like a Minor Elixir of Life. Then you effectively have the formula for all versions of Elixir of Life.
Just be aware that the final paragraph within the multiple types section states that variants beyond simply being higher level (greater/minor, Types 1-4 etc) do need individual formula. Such as Resist energy potions, aeon stones and marvelous miniatures and so on.
The GM is the one who decides if you need a separate formula whenever its unclear, such as Resist Energy potions. But there are printed adventures where you do find formulas for potions for specific damage type potions of resistance, And similar items that were printed afterwards do have clarifying text that each specific damage type is a separate formula. like Elemental Ammo.
Agree with NorrKnekten. I supose this is a decent rule change, and I'm sure a lot of players are happy with anything that makes their lives easier, but I'm tempted to view it as a "dumbing down" of the character. But then, IMO Pathfinder isn't really a role playing game, it's a "kill the monsters" game.
This is also called out specifically for Alchemist on Alchemist itself:
Formula Book wrote: As normal, having the base formula is sufficient when Crafting upgraded types of the item—you don't need to learn higher-level formulas. For instance, if you have the 1st-level formula for a minor elixir of life, you can create a minor, lesser, moderate, greater, major, or true elixir of life as long as you meet the level and other prerequisites. Items with type entries that have widely varied functions require separate formulas, but most alchemical items have a structure similar to elixir of life. Amusingly, I learned about this change in GM Core only when I saw it on Alchemist and thought "what do they mean, as normal?"
This makes low level formula an extremely sound investment for Alchemists, as a versatile formula book is huge.
Yeah, this was not a small change for Alchemist.
Because you have so many "core" items, the price of formulas just from leveling up existing formulas was frankly, absurd.
And the *only* selling point of the class is the "full book all times" nature of being "book spontaneous." This means that being an Alch with a tiny formula list is to throw away the one advantage you have.
Tracking down weird and abnormal formulas *should* be one of the fun parts of the class, and this used to have a lot more friction / asterisks tied to it due to the need to keep dumping gp into it so it wouldn't fall behind.
It's also a rather huge improvement on the Munitions Crafter feat from gunslinger, Keeping up with the cost of upgrading your munitions formula does get rather expensive in the long run. And unlike the alchemist they didnt get to learn formula per level.
Infact, Every character who invests into crafting did get a welcome boost from this, be they making consumables like healing potions in a group with little in combat healing, or permanents like spellhearts since there were no exception to needing a formula when upgrading items either.
NorrKnekten wrote: That would be from GMCore: Crafting Items
Or more specifically GM Core pg. 223 2.0 wrote: If you have the formula for an item, you don't need a different formula to Craft a different type of that item that's just a higher-level upgrade. For example, if you have the formula for a +1 weapon potency rune, you don't need to secure a new formula to etch a +2 weapon potency rune. This works similarly with items such as a spacious pouch with its multiple types or doubling rings with a base version and greater version. Once you have the formula for one of the stages, like a Minor Elixir of Life. Then you effectively have the formula for all versions of Elixir of Life.
Just be aware that the final paragraph within the multiple types section states that variants beyond simply being higher level (greater/minor, Types 1-4 etc) do need individual formula. Such as Resist energy potions, aeon stones and marvelous miniatures and so on.
The GM is the one who decides if you need a separate formula whenever its unclear, such as Resist Energy potions. But there are printed adventures where you do find formulas for potions for specific damage type potions of resistance, And similar items that were printed afterwards do have clarifying text that each specific damage type is a separate formula. like Elemental Ammo.
Thank you very much for the sanity check! I very much appreciate it.
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