So you want to be an Alchemist

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So you want to be an Alchemist. So You Want to Be an Alchemist On the Quest for the Philosopher's Stone Welcome, my name is sketchyz, and I'm here to begin writ

So You Want to Be an Alchemist

On the Quest for the Philosopher's Stone

Welcome, my name is sketchyz, and I'm here to begin writing some quick lore guides on the different classes of Pathfinder, though they can be retrofitted into D&D 3.5 and aren't focused on the mechanics, rather the lore. They're going to be in alphabetic order, which is why we are starting with the Alchemist. Here's a few important links:

D20PFSRD: www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/alchemist
Optimization Guide: docs.google.com/document/d/1hChbcEsEfQsR7NkwKlzO-GLYtrOtxlkGHpRQgKKZ5gc/edit
Pinterest Art Source: www.pinterest.com/sk37chyz/ (There isn't an alchemist board, but check the "Commoners and Nobles," "Wander and Bards," or any spellcaster board and you'll likely find something.

As an alchemist your primary character features are that you can: 1) drink mutagens and mutate yourself harmlessly, 2) can throw anything fine, and 3) can brew potions that have spell effects.

Keep these three in mind as you build your character.

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Now, here comes the meaty part. Most alchemists probably didn't know they had these abilities from birth, indicated by the fact that ingesting mutagens if you're a non-alchemist is a bad idea, so when they discovered it, it was through one simple thing: that first potion. Therefore, the impetus of most Alchemist characters would be, simply:

What made you take that first potion?

Was it out of curiousity, perhaps? Were you forced to do so, maybe experimented upon? It could have been for science!!! Or it could have been in desperation. Maybe you went to an alchemist academy, or you did it entirely by accident. The point is, you know that you possess the particular traits that allow you to exercise the three class features without being harmed.

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Well, now that you know, there are generally three different paths an alchemist can take: Bruiser, Bomber, or Hybrid. Bruisers will focus more on mutagens, bombers will focus more on chucking bombs, and hybrids will employ a mix of either one. Bruisers will generally be the big guy or stone wall, bombers will be ranged attackers, DPRs, or buff/debuff battlefield control.

Some of the Archetypes can make you into different things, however, and a casual glance should be taken if the above three options don't satisfy you. The Vivisectionist, for example, gains a sneak attack and a couple of Rogue class features.

Well, that's how I'll be handling these lore contents. Any feedback or suggestions are welcome in the comment section. I know that Alchemist isn't necessarily the most popular or core, but it's the first alphabetically. Well, have a great day and thanks for taking the time to read this.

Other Classes:
Alchemist: /channel/dungeons-n-drags/So+you+want+to+be+an+alchemist/oavbLbn/
Barbarian: /channel/tabletop-gaming/So+you+want+to+be+a+barbarian/TLwbLGY/
Bard: /channel/tabletop-gaming/So+you+want+to+be+a+bard/kuwbLxh/
Cavalier: /channel/tabletop-gaming/So+you+want+to+be+a+cavalier/jqxbLwd/
Cleric: /So+you+want+to+be+a+cleric/funny-pictures/5597273/
Druid: /channel/tabletop-gaming/So+you+want+to+be+a+druid/mRBcLzE/
Fighter/Brawler: /channel/tabletop-gaming/So+you+want+to+be+the+very+best/suBcLfh/
I’m doing all the Core and Base classes right now, after that I’ll do hybrid and prestige. They’ll always be in alphabetic order.

Tags: sketchyz | classes

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Views:	17408
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Submitted:	06/24/2015

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#1 - sketchyz [OP](06/24/2015) [+] (32 replies)

stickied by sketchyz

As standard, if anyone wants to be mentioned for these, just reply to this comment.

+41

#6 - embuer (06/25/2015) [-]

+21

#15 to #6 - romuarska (06/25/2015) [-]

hello potion seller, im going into battle

#56 to #15 - anon (06/25/2015) [-]

and i need your strongest potions.

+13

#2 - urchinator (06/24/2015) [-]

played a grenadier alchemist archetype. rolled so many critical misses throwing bobms, so I did more damage to the party than the bad guys did. also I was an arab.

#3 to #2 - sketchyz [OP](06/24/2015) [-]

Excellent job.

#5 to #2 - heyyoutoo (06/24/2015) [-]

Sure, "rolled" critical misses.

+10

#18 - ompalomper (06/25/2015) [-]

"so you got your alchemist ready?"
"yupp right here"
"all right, lets hear it"
"ok, so, my guy grew up in a prison. father was a criminal and ditched his mom and the asshole lord decided to let my guy take the punichment of rotting away in a prison forever. he grew up to be the biggest meanest bastard in there by beating the competition to death. the lord's crazy alchemist then decides to test a new brew-"
"mutagen"
"right. so the alchemist tested the mutagen on him which made him even beefier but he needed one dose a day to not feel extreme pain. having determined that the alchemist was a dick, he decided to escape, kill the alchemist and steal the recipe for the mutagen. he then learned to make the mutagen himself and just decided to wander. oh, and since he is still wanted he decided to wear a mask to hide his identity."
"alright, if you are sure about the addiction thing then go for it. what was the name?"
"the prisoners named him Bane so that is what he calls himself"
"ok, any goals? motivations?"
"only one."
"what?"
"TO BREAK THE BAT"
"wa- oh for ***** sake david!"

#59 to #18 - samyek (06/25/2015) [-]

For those who didn't get the joke

#22 - roguekek (06/25/2015) [-]

>make throwable mutagens
>make one that turns everyone it hits into John Cena
>throw at all my teammates
>watch as the John Cena brigade destroys all

#25 to #22 - animedudej ONLINE (06/25/2015) [-]

>throw at sun
>sun explodes spreading trillions of John Cena molecules across the universe turning everything into John Cena
>everything is now John Cena

#34 - cursesnew (06/25/2015) [-]

The only Alchemist class I actually liked is the one from Ragnarok Online.

Enter Creator the Rebirth version of Alchemist and this class could throw Acid Demonstration which was fun to play around with. Quite powerful too. There is a higher version of this class but I didn't play with that one too much.

#33 - asotil (06/25/2015) [-]

But if they fall over they're ****** since their entire arsenal breaks

#31 - elsenortamatoe (06/25/2015) [-]

Hey op, Care to share some of the stats for this class? This would work great as class that has the power of a wizard, but would benefit from playing like a rouge (throwing powder that makes people turn to stone would be cool). The main limiter would be coming up with regents, but I really want to know hitdie mods, attack bonouses, dodge bonuses, feats, etc

#37 to #31 - sketchyz [OP](06/25/2015) [-]

The thing is, that pulls in a bunch of numbers and I'm horrible, read: attrocious, at running numbers and minmaxing. It's something I wish I could do, but that's why I link the optimization guides.

#38 to #37 - elsenortamatoe (06/25/2015) [-]

Haha ok. I like to DM, so all the data is like crack. I love running the numbers to set up scenarios

#42 to #38 - sketchyz [OP](06/25/2015) [-]

Go ahead and make a numbers post if you want, I think it would be helpful. It may not be as entertaining, but people will like it.

#60 to #42 - elsenortamatoe (06/25/2015) [-]

ok ill do some research, and mention you

#61 to #60 - sketchyz [OP](06/25/2015) [-]

Knock yourself out. I'm going through all the base and core classes, one per day ideally, so feel free to keep that pace.

#30 - anon (06/25/2015) [-]

yo where i can i learn d&d stuff? do i need the books and **** ? ive been watching alot of d&d The west marches on twitch on a channel called itmejp and looks so ******* fun.

How do i get started? what do

#39 to #30 - sketchyz [OP](06/25/2015) [-]

I have on word and one word alone for you: dndxplain.

#40 to #39 - dndxplain (06/25/2015) [-]

ah nu cheeki breeki

#41 to #40 - sketchyz [OP](06/25/2015) [-]

Thanks, fam

#29 - dwarfboy (06/25/2015) [-]

Mutha ****** alchemist is the best class. Especially if you're a cheeky cunt when thinking up things. Negotiated with the GM to allow me to change spell effects with different componants. led to me getting about 20 million gp worth of gems with detect metal attributed to gemstones

And yeah, character background was pretty spot on. Love me some random polymorphing kobold alchemist

#28 - blackmore (06/25/2015) [-]

I kinda built my alchemist to be a profiteering lizardman, Who Is mostly just out for a well earned profit.

#21 - stimtheone (06/25/2015) [-]

We just got this guy joining us with a fumigator alchemist and oh boy is he obsessed with poisons. He can basically cloud the battlefield in poison to take out everyone. He's also lawful evil. I concluded that our new party member is Hitler.

There's also this other guy in another campaign who was basically a drug dealer before. Cue my paladin getting along with him since she used to do a lot of drugs before.

Alchemists are actually kinda sweet if you know what you're doing.

#10 - kingmadness (06/25/2015) [-]

i feel like being an alchemist would cost an arm and a leg though

#16 to #10 - drellburda ONLINE (06/25/2015) [-]

well played

#63 - datocelotthou (07/07/2015) [-]

>party meets alchemist
>max charisma grill paladin tries to swindle him with womanly charms
>her hair was burnt and she was wearing male armor
>Alchemist couldn't tell her sex
>eventually though conversing he finds out she is a grill
>proceeds to hang himself in front of the party due to shock
>mfw

#62 - solarisofcelestia (06/28/2015) [-]

>drink mutagens and mutate yourself harmlessly,

#58 - ZetsuYang (06/25/2015) [-]

Im actually running a Ratfolk Alchemist in one of my friends games, I am 100% bomb focused. I got feats in Burrowing so with the delayed bomb discovery I can lay alchemical land mines that blow up for absolute minimum 9 dmg with a splash radius of 20ft and all creatures in the splash radius take that minimum dmg. At most right now at lvl 5 my bombs deal 3d6+1d6 Fire+my Intelligence Mod which is 5 which maxes out at 29.