Researching Alchemical Items

[Borthos]

So I'm playing an Alchemist, and my DM is allowing me to research my own alchemical items. I told him I'd draft a set of rules and run it by him for review. Problem is, I was going to base it off the rules for creating spells, but I can't see how I'd take those rules for alchemical goods. Does anyone have any ideas for how I might draft these rules?

 

[paradox42]

Key variables with an alchemical item are cost (to craft, that is) and what sort of "spell" it effectively duplicates. I don't have specifics in front of my right this second, but IIRC the alchemical items which duplicate things like Grease are lower-cost than those duplicating stuff like Blur. A Sunrod would seem to be the most obvious exception, since it's relatively cheap but approximates Daylight, but it may be a case of "the exception proves the rule."

If you can come up with a formula to get a reasonable cost for each use of an alchemical item, based on its effect and relating that to similar magic items, then that will let you go back to the spell research rules and come up with a way to research a new alchemical item. You'll base the alchemy-research rules on final item cost, and research time & expense will look similar to the time & expense required to research a spell of the same level you're approximating with the item.

 

[TanisFrey]

Key variables with an alchemical item are cost (to craft, that is) and what sort of "spell" it effectively duplicates. I don't have specifics in front of my right this second, but IIRC the alchemical items which duplicate things like Grease are lower-cost than those duplicating stuff like Blur. A Sunrod would seem to be the most obvious exception, since it's relatively cheap but approximates Daylight, but it may be a case of "the exception proves the rule."

If you can come up with a formula to get a reasonable cost for each use of an alchemical item, based on its effect and relating that to similar magic items, then that will let you go back to the spell research rules and come up with a way to research a new alchemical item. You'll base the alchemy-research rules on final item cost, and research time & expense will look similar to the time & expense required to research a spell of the same level you're approximating with the item.

Remember that if an alchemical item replicates a spell, it does so poorly. The Sunrod provides a daylight effect, however is not a substitute for a daylight spell. The sunrod has a critical flaw to it, it does not work in a darkness spell. A daylight spell will negate the darkness spell, a sunrod will not. So any alchemical item you propose that replicates a spell should have a weakness to it.

 

[Phoenix1985]

Also, something I recently found out because I was trying to research alchemical items myself: the feat Augmented Alchemy allows you to double the damage, duration, or area of mundane alchemical items. Trouble is, it's an Epic feat. So for some reason the D&D designers figured that abilities like killing every living creature in a 40-foot radius in a single turn, or creating bridges between the planes and summoning the personal guardsmen of the Gods themselves, or warping the very fabric of reality on a whim were somehow less impressive than the ability to make a 2d6-damage jar of alchemist's fire.

Edit: This is my first post? Whoops. Er, hi everyone. I should go to the introduction forum...

Edit Edit: And this isn't a D&D question, it's a Pathfinder question. Oy. Sorry, I'm going to go nut the wall now.

 

[Glade Riven]

If an alchemical item exactly replicates a magical effect, follow the magical item creation rules. Like brewing a potion of Cure Light Wounds. Whether it is Alchemy (ergo, Mad Science) or Magical (Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble), the effect is the same while the fluff is different.

 

[Set]

I try to keep alchemicals well below spell effects (particularly *good* spell effects) in potency.

If I want an alchemical slippery-slime that acts like the grease spell, I'd limit it to a single 5 ft. square per application, and have it last a minute, tops.

But I'd also much reduce the cost to create, compared to crafting a new spell. Half cost, depending on the rules being used. I wouldn't want to go much cheaper, because a new alchemical compound can change the world much more readily than a new 1st level spell, as it is available to a much vaster number of people than just those who can cast 1st level spells of that type, including thousands of NPC experts, etc.

I prefer more utility stuff anyway, for alchemy, like long-term preservative oils, or alchemical shellacs that strengthen bone to make it as hard as iron (for use in crafting bone weapons and armor, or making tougher than expected skeletons to throw at the party), or similarly stain and strengthen wood, allowing one to make darkwood breastplates (for druidic use), stuff to cause hair to grow (or not grow), scars to fade, skin to remain wrinkle-free, alchemical dyes that can affect hair, skin, or even eyes, fertility elixirs (or contraceptive draughts), a salve that causes stone to become temporarily malleable like clay, for stoneworking, etc.

Of course, the best thing is that so many alchemical concoctions have already been made for various 3.X products;

Spoiler

Places to check for Alchemy stuff;

PHB 3.5 (p 70-71, 128-129)
Acid
Alchemist's Fire
Antitoxin
Smokestick
Sunrod
Tanglefoot Bag
Thunderstone
Tindertwig

Book of Vile Darkness (p 41-44
Feather Powder
Festering Bomb
Weeping Stone
Agony (Liquid Pain)
Baccaran
Devilweed
Luhix
Mordayne Vapore (Dreammist)
Mushroom Powder
Redflower Leaves
Sannish
Terran Brandy
Vodare

Libris Mortis (p 73-74)
Brittlebone
Embalming Fire
Ghostoil
Liquid Night

Races of the Dragon (p 122-123)
Bitterleaf Oil (DC 15)
Ditherbomb (strong (DC 20), weak (DC 15) or wyrm (DC 25), can’t take 10 on these checks)
Fire Beetle Lamp (DC 10)
Sundark Goggles (DC 15)

Races of the Wild (p 168)
Leafweave Armor (also requires Craft (armorsmithing))

Races of Stone (p 159-161)
Blasting Pellets
Blister Oil
Hearthfire
Spiderlily Essence

Complete Mage (p 134-135)
Auran Mask
Crackle Powder
Fast Torch
Screaming Flask
Weeping Flask

Complete Adventurer (p 118-122)
Blend Cream
Focusing Candle
Catstink
Fareye Oil
Flash Pellet
Freeglide
Hawk's Ointment
Healer's Balm
Keenear Powder
Lockslip Grease
Nature's Draught
Softfoot
Suregrip
Antitoxin Capsule
Ironman Capsule
Leap Capsule
Stability Capsule
Strongarm Capsule
Swiftstride Capsule
Ghostblight
Quickflame
Quickfrost
Quickspark
Quicksilver

Draconomicon (p 116-117) *requires Dragoncrafter feat*
Blood Elixir

Lords of Madness (p 114-115) *requires Grell Alchemy feat*
Grell Crystal
Lightning Lance (magic item, requires Alchemy)
Greater Lightning Lance (magic item, requires Alchemy)
Silver Spear (magic item, requires Alchemy)

Heroes of Battle (p 134-137)
Acid Stone
Alchemist's Stone
Holy/Unholy Stone? (should require a priest, not an alchemist)
Tanglefoot Shot

Stormwrack (p 108)
Stinkpot

Frostburn (p 78-79)
Armor Insulation
Freeze Powder
Frostbite Salve
Ice Chalk
Melt Powder
Polar Skin
Razor Ice Powder
Whale Grease

Sandstorm (p 101-103)
Armorbright
Blackeye
Deep Draught
Ironthorn Extract
Keepcool Salve
Shapesand
Slumber Sand
Sunshade Lotion

Special: Oleum (no Alchemy Craft DC, but it seems like it should be craftable)

Arms & Equipment Guide (p 32-35) *some repeated in Cadv*
Bladefire
Acid Bullet
Flame Bullet
Focusing Candle
Restful Candle
Clearbreath
Darkvision Powder
Defoliator
Dehydrated Food
Dwarfblind
Farflame Oil
Fleetfoot
Ghostoil
Gravebane
Hawk’s Ointment
Instant Rope
Longbreath
Motelight
Nature’s Draught
Polar Skin
Signal Torch
Sparkstone
Stonebreaker Acid
Verminbane
Vicious Bleeder

Savage Species (p 46-48)
Breathing Mask
Flashtube
Frostfire
Sculpter’s Slime

Eberron Campaign Setting (p 120-121)
Acidic Fire
Alchemist’s Frost
Alchemist’s Spark
Noxious Smokestick

Magic of Eberron (p 139-140) *no Alchemy Craft DCs*
Bloodspike (defiling)
Bloodspike (glowbug)
Bloodspike (spatter)
Bloodspike (tempo)
Bloodspike (thickener)

Faiths of Eberron (p 153-154) *no Alchemy Craft DCs*
Breath of the Devourer
Euphoric Sacrament
Flayskin
Mordrei’in
Silverburn

Oriental Adventures (p 78)
Eggshell Grenades (dust, flashpowder, pepper, poison smoke)
Flash Paper (moeragara)
Jade Powder
Liquid Smoke (ekitai kemuri)
Sleeping Fire (hinemuri)

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (p 96-97)
Alchemical Sleep Gas
Disappearing Ink
Scentbreaker

Dungeonscape (p 34-37)
Acid Neutralizer
Bottled Air
Firmament Stone
Ghostwall Shellac
Lava Stones
Lockslip
Trollbane

Drow of the Underdark (p 93-94)
Bile Droppings
Darkvision Powder
Dwarfblind Stone
Shedden
Spelunker's Oil
Stoneburn Acid
Vilegrip


Dragon magazine 280, article Better Living Through Alchemy, has some great stuff. Issue 301 also has a large article on Alchemy, but I don't recall it specifically. Quite a few (perhaps even all of them) seem to be reprinted in the Dragon Compendium.


Places checked;
PHB 3.5 (p 70-71, 128-129)
Book of Vile Darkness (p 41)
Libris Mortis (p 73-74)
Races of the Dragon (p 122-123)
Complete Mage (p 134-135)
Complete Adventurer (p 118-122) quite a lot of ‘em
Draconomicon (p 116-117) requires Dragoncrafter feat (only 1 item)
Lords of Madness (p 114-115) requires Grell Alchemy feat (only 3 items)
Heroes of Battle (p 134-137) alchemical siege shot
Stormwrack (p 108)
Frostburn (p 78-79)
Sandstorm (p 101-103)
Arms & Equipment Guide (p 32-35) quite a few, some repeated in CA
Savage Species (p 46-48)
Faiths of Eberron (p 153-154)
Eberron Campaign Setting (p 120-121)
Magic of Eberron (p 139-140)
Oriental Adventures (p 78)
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (p 96-97)
Drow of the Underdark (p 93-94)

Of 3rd party stuff, the best one I’ve seen for a meaty and balanced selection is the Kingdoms of Kalamar Players Guide (p 113-116), but you can also find a few gems in other Kalamar products, in Monte's Arcana Unearthed, in Relics & Rituals 2, etc, etc. if you have them lying around.