Pathfinder 1E Alchemical Allocation= What exactly can I do with this?

[RUMBLETiGER]

I've recently started a new Pathfinder game and I've rolled up a Gnome Alchemist, I'm new to the class and I'm expecting a lot of fun out of it.

Upon reading the Alchemical Allocation Formulae, It appears to me that I only need to prepare one potion of all my other formulae and then prep this one a lot. It appears I can even use this level 2 formulae to "cast" level 3's from potions. Am I understanding this correctly?

Does Pathfinder allow you to prep lower level spells into higher level slots like 3rd edition does? If so, would it be safe to assume this extends to Formulae?

The Volatile Vaporizer magic item appears to require a feat that Alchemists cannot use (Craft Wondrous Item) and a "spell" only Alchemists can know (Alchemical Allocation). How exactly is this supposed to work?

 

[N'raac]

I've recently started a new Pathfinder game and I've rolled up a Gnome Alchemist, I'm new to the class and I'm expecting a lot of fun out of it.

Upon reading the Alchemical Allocation Formulae, It appears to me that I only need to prepare one potion of all my other formulae and then prep this one a lot. It appears I can even use this level 2 formulae to "cast" level 3's from potions. Am I understanding this correctly?

Does Pathfinder allow you to prep lower level spells into higher level slots like 3rd edition does? If so, would it be safe to assume this extends to Formulae?

I don't believe anything would prevent you filling a 3rd or 4th level slot, say, with a second level formula. It means you spend a standard action for one round on this formula, then get to use a formula next round that isn't used up, so it takes two rounds to use that second formula, instead of one, but you get to use it again later.

The Volatile Vaporizer magic item appears to require a feat that Alchemists cannot use (Craft Wondrous Item) and a "spell" only Alchemists can know (Alchemical Allocation). How exactly is this supposed to work?

Item creation is not prevented if you lack a prerequisite. Instead, the DC of creating the item is increased by 5. As well, prereq's can be provided by assistants to the caster, so a wizard with Craft Wondrous Object could be assisted by an alchemist with the spell. Finally, an alchemist is a caster so he can take Craft Wondrous Item. An extract is "cast" by drinking it and he has a caster level.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Item creation is not prevented if you lack a prerequisite. Instead, the DC of creating the item is increased by 5. As well, prereq's can be provided by assistants to the caster, so a wizard with Craft Wondrous Object could be assisted by an alchemist with the spell. Finally, an alchemist is a caster so he can take Craft Wondrous Item. An extract is "cast" by drinking it and he has a caster level.

I'm fairly new to Pathfinder, so still figuring differences between 3.5 and this.
However, according to the FAQ Here, I was of the understanding that Alchemists are not casters and cannot meed prereqs for Craft Wondrous Item.
I do get how an Alchemist can work with another caster, however, good point, I didn't consider that.

 

[N'raac]

The Design Team considers it an issue, anyway. I can see a case for either approach, but it's good to have the official word.

 

[paradox42]

While it is true that Alchemists are not casters and thus can't qualify for Item Creation feats on their own (aside from Brew Potion, of course, which they get automatically as a class feature), there is a feat your analysis overlooked: Master Craftsman.

Any character with the 5 ranks in one Craft skill can take that feat, and in most cases, an Alchemist who doesn't max out Craft (Alchemy) is pretty much an idiot. So, pretty much any Alchemist should be able to qualify for Master Craftsman at 5th level and thus take Craft Wondrous Item later.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

....Master Craftsman.

O.O

Hot Dog, you go Pathfinder! This promises to be ridiculously useful for my Alchemist, thank you @paradox42!

 

[paradox42]

Some people consider it a cheese move, but I've never really seen why, since it requires an extra feat to get access to two feats (not all Item Creation feats, just the two) that actual spellcasters can get for free. I had an Alchemist in a friend's game that was his party's item crafter, and it worked out great for us.

Well, until the TPK that is, but that was partly because of the wonky adventure the GM chose to run us through and partly because of the fact that he's a serious character and tactical optimizer when he's on the player's side of the screen and those tendencies were not in the least reduced when he was actually behind it. C'est la vie.

 

[DogBackward]

Item creation is not prevented if you lack a prerequisite. Instead, the DC of creating the item is increased by 5.

The wording here actually confused me at first, as well, but this isn't quite how it works. You still have to have somebody cast the required spells for item creation... it's just that if the one creating the item isn't the one casting, the DC increases by 5. You can't, for example, completely ignore a spell requirement just by increasing the DC.

 

[N'raac]

Yes, you specifically can ignore the spell requirement by increasing the DC by 5. Note the FAQ at http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/item-creation-feats/brew-potion-item-creation---final stating Brew Potion is a specific exception to that usual rule. If another caster provides the spell, that satisfies the prerequisite entirely.