The Alchemist

---

---

Overview & Creation

A wiry halfling is cornered in an alley by two thugs. She takes a swig from a flask and suddenly grows and mutates into a hulking brute, ready to bash their heads in.   A jovial dwarf smashes a vial on the ground, and xe and xer allies breathe in the vapors to bolster their courage and swiftness.   A cackling elf lights a fuse on a bomb with a snap of her fingers, then takes aim and launches it; it explodes in a conflagration of lightning and thunder.  

Magic as a Science

Alchemists study magical chemistry, and the various effects it has on the physiology of those who imbibe potions. While all are skilled in the creation of simple potions, each alchemist can specialize in the particulars of their studies, whether it be through warping their physical form, launching powerful magical explosives, or treating their allies wounds.  

Creating an Alchemist

  How does your alchemist feel about their choice of study? In the Federation, alchemy is considered by some to be the "great equalizer." Did your character come into alchemy because of its practical applications, or did they bounce around in other arcane studies before settling into "the Material Magic?"  

Quick Build

  You can make an alchemist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Intelligence should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity, or Constitution if you're planning on becoming an Internalist. Second, choose the Sage background.

---

Class Features

Alchemical Specialty
At 3rd level, you have mastered the basics of alchemy and can pick your focus in one of the various specialties: the Pharmacist, the Internalist, and the Explosioneer. The specialty you choose grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 7th, 11th, 15th and 18th level.  

Alchemical Homunculus

Also at 3rd level, you finish work on a creature called an Alchemical Homunculus. Whenever you finish a long rest and your alchemist's supplies are with you, you can form this homunculus in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you. If you already have a homunculus from this feature, the first one immediately dies. The homunculus is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See this creature's game statistics in the Alchemical Homunculus stat block.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or two ability scores by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.  

Alchemical Oils

At 6th level, you learn how to create elemental oils to apply to your weapons and ammunition. When you finish a long rest, choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. You may apply an oil to one melee weapon and one ranged weapon; they don't need to have the same oil. The damage type of the weapon changes to the oil's type, and is considered magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance to nonmagical damage.  

Alchemical Brilliance

At 10th level, you've learned so much about alchemy that you've more or less an expert in your field. Whenever you make a skill check using your Alchemist Supplies, you may add your proficiency bonus a second time. You can also make skill checks involving alchemy with advantage. If you know the Alchemical Formulae Alchemical Acid, Fire, Ice or Poison, you may channel up to half of your Alchemist level, rounded down, to add that many dice of the appropriate type to the damage roll, as well as impose disadvantage or any saves. For Alchemical Poison, the number of dice added is equal to twice the amount of Essence channeled.  

Hardy Constitution

At 14th level, your constant exposure to your various potions and fumes has made your body tougher than normal. You are immune to poison damage, can't have the poisoned condition and have advantage on Constitution saving throws.  

Unending Essence

At 20th level, whenever you roll for initiative and have fewer than 10 Essence points, you gain Essence equal to the difference.

---

Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:  

• a handaxe and a light hammer
• a light crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) scale mail or (b) studded leather armor
• alchemist's supplies and a dungeoneer's pack

 

---

Spellcasting

You have studied the workings of magic and how to channel your spirit into your potions. As a result, you have gained the ability to cast spells. To observers you don't appear to be casting spells in a conventional way; you look as if you're producing wonders using mundane items or outlandish inventions.   

Spells in a bottle

You produce your alchemist spell effects through your potions. You must have your Alchemist's Supplies on hand when you cast any spell with this Spellcasting feature. See chapter 5, "Equipment," in the Player's Handbook for descriptions of these tools.   

Cantrips (0-Level Spells)

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the alchemist's spell list. At higher levels, you learn additional alchemist cantrips of your choice, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Alchemist table.   

Preparing and Casting Spells

  The Alchemist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your alchemist spells. To cast one of your alchemist spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. 
 

---

Subclass Options

The Pharmacist

Tools of the Trade

At 3rd level, you've gained a basic understanding of simple medicines as well as the creation of medicinal (and not-so medicinal) alcohol. You gain proficiency in brewer's supplies and herbalism kits.  

Improved Healing Draft

Also at 3rd level, you gain the Healing Draught formula; it doesn't count against your formulae known. You also get the following bonuses to that formula:

• You may channel Essence equal to half your Alchemist level, rounded down, and roll that many additional d8s when using Healing Draught. You can only use this feature once per short or long rest.

• Whenever a creature gains hit points from your Healing Draught, they gain an additional amount of Hit Points equal to your Intelligence modifier (at least 1).

   

Medicinal Vapor

At 7th level, you gain the ability to vaporize your alchemical concoctions. You may channel your essence into your Alchemical Formulae or other potions that don't deal damage to make them affect more people, though somewhat diluted. Whenever you use a formula that doesn't deal damage (or grant abilities that deal damage, such as Stonefist Stout) and affects only one person, you may channel 1 Essence in addition to any other costs to use that formula or additional features. If you do, it affects all creatures within a 20-foot-radius circle, but equal to half, rounded down, of what it would do to only one target. (If you used Healing Draught this way, at 7th level, all creatures within a 20-foot-radius circle would gain ((3d8/2)+Intelligence Modifier Hit Points, rounded down.) At 11th level, you no longer need to channel Essence to use this feature.  

Careful Dosing

At 11th level, you've become so adept at channeling your Essence into your Alchemical Formulae, you can do so more efficiently than normal. Whenever you channel Essence to use your Alchemical Formulae, you may get back half the Essence spent, rounded down.  

A Little Somethin' Extra

At 15th level, you've learned how to infuse your formulae with a little bit of extra healing magic. Whenever you use an Alchemical Formula on an allied creature or yourself, the drinker gains bonus temporary HP equal to your alchemist level. (If the formula would give the drinker temporary temporary HP, it is combined with this bonus.)  

Waters of Life

At 18th level, you've finally cracked the secrets of true long-lasting youth, and of life-restoring magic. You no longer seem to physically age, and truly only grow older at a rate of 1/20th the normal rate for your ancestry. You can also channel 5 Essence as an action to create a special potion that can bring the dead back to life, as the spell raise dead, without the usual verbal, somatic, or material components. This special potion requires an action to use, and takes only 1 minute to take effect. You can't use this feature while the potion exists. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. This special potion can't be affected by your Medicinal Vapor feature.  

---

 

The Internalist

Triggers of Mutation

At 3rd level, you've studied toxins and poisons for their mutagenic properties. The has left you with quite the considerable knowledge of poisons. You are now proficient with the poisoner's kit.  

Mutagens

Also at 3rd level, as an Internalist, you've learned how to create mutagens: a foul alchemical concoction tailor-made for your biology. These mutagens will change your physiology using dark science and magic that you'll enhance your body or your mind, but at the cost of the other. As an action, you may channel 1 Essence to create a special potion to enhance an ability modifier of your choice by adding either your Constitution or Intelligence modifier to the chosen ability modifier, as well as decreasing either your Constitution or Intelligence modifier, setting it to 0. You may channel additional Essence to mitigate the decrease of your Constitution or Intelligence modifier, channeling 1 essence for each point desired above 0. (If you want to keep a +2 bonus to your Intelligence, you must channel 2 additional Essence.) When you choose to decrease your Constitution this way, recalculate your Max HP; if it were previously +2, decrease your Max HP by (2*your Alchemist Level).  

Alchemical Augmentation

At 7th level, your use of mutagens has drastically affected the makeup of your body. Your armor is considered magical, and gains a +1 bonus to AC from your alchemically charges sweat; this requires contact with your body to maintain. The same goes for your weapons and unarmed strikes, and gain a bonus +1 to damage; your unarmed strikes deal 1d6+your Strength modifier+1 bludgeoning damage.  

Guided Evolution

At 11th level, your mastery over your mutagens is becoming more and more comprehensive. You've learned how to permanently change elements of your body. Choose 2 of the following:

• Claws: your unarmed strikes deal 2d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier slashing damage.
• Gills: you can breathe underwater.
• Scales: your base AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. Light or Medium armor can increase this.
• Wings: you have a flight speed of 25 feet. You must be able to flap your wings to fly.

 

Self-Experimentation

Sometimes, necessity leads to take risks, make mistakes and get messy, and this includes drinking strange potions of dubious quality. Starting at level 15, you may use an Internalist Alchemical Formula that you don't know that for which you otherwise meet all the prerequisites. You must still channel any required Essence. When you do, make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If you fail, you gain a level of exhaustion and take 2d10 necrotic damage as something has gone wrong with your formula, though it otherwise works as normal. You can't use this feature again until you complete a long rest.  

Mutant Genius

At 18th level, your constant use of mutagens has finally got to the point where you can mutate at will. You can gain the effects of any Alchemist Formulae that you know that are unique to the Internalist specialty by only channeling that Alchemical Formula's Essence cost as a bonus action. You may channel additional Essence as part of the bonus action to gain the effects. (You don't need to make or take the Alchemical Formula.)  

---

 

The Explosioneer

Taking Stuff Apart

At 3rd level, you've learned how to work with your hands, whether it be constructing bombs or disarming traps. As a result, you gain proficiency with thieves' tools and tinker's tools.  

Bomb Launcher

Also at 3rd level, you construct a device capable of doubling the range of your Alchemical Formulae. If you use this Launcher next to a hostile creature, that provokes an Attack of Opportunity.  

Bomb Traps

At 7th level, you learn how to stabilize your Alchemical Formulae so they can be used as traps. The stabilization process takes an hour, and if the bomb trap is moved, it destabilizes and becomes inert. You may choose any Alchemical Formula that you know that deals damage. You may spend an hour and create a trap on a surface, or object that can be closed, and choose a trigger for the trap, such as standing on it, and may set exemptions, such as a standing on it without saying the password. When the trap is triggered, it goes off as if you had just used it.  

Controlled Chaos

At 11th level, you've learned how to control the inherently chaotic explosions of multiple energies of your formula create. Whenever you use an Alchemical Formula that deals more than one type of damage, you may channel 1 Essence and choose to swap one of the damage dice of one type with one of the others. (If you're rolling both fire and radiant damage, you may swap one of the fire dice with one of the radiant dice.)  

Quick Construction

At 15th level, you can use your Essence to speed up the creation of your Alchemical Formulae. Whenever you use an Alchemical Formula with a use time of 1 action, you may channel 1 Essence to make it a bonus action.  

Maximize Explosions

At 18th level, you become a master of destruction. Whenever you use an Alchemical Formula that deals damage, you may channel 4 Essence to maximize the damage rolled. THe first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 1d6 necrotic damage for each Essence channeled to use the formula, including the Essence to use this feature, immediately after you use it. Each time you use this feature again before finishing a long rest, the necrotic damage per Essence channeled increases by 1d6.

---