Chemist Base Class

[Goober4473]

I had a cool idea, and it seemed unique enough to be a base class, so here it is. The Chemist: http://www.edanet.com/goober/Chemist.doc

What do you all think? There's a lot of things to consider, including the spell list.

[WildBill]

Personally, I think that the chemist needs to be able to run more reactions per day, and more reactions in general. Maybe he could subscribe to the Journal of the Fantasy Setting Chemical Society or something.
But I could just be thinking my chosen class should be more powerful.

[gnownek]

Why spells? Give him the power to make a certain number of temporary potions and bombs per day...

His 9th level Bomb Potion involves radiation!

[Maryring]

Very intresting, but it seems a bit broken, since a chemist can technically create nearly unlimited amounts of potions. Or am I misreading something?

[gnownek]

Certain number per day...+ temporary.

Say they only last for 2 days and have a 50% failure rate on the 3rd day. A guy who can make 2 first level spell potions a day
Will only have 6 first level potions maximum of which 2 are unreliable. Which makes him comparable to a spell caster who can toss around say 3 first level spells per day.

The only thing is you'd have to have a rule making some of the potions hard to use if an alchemist didn't use it*. Percentage change of self-immolation/poisoning with the attack/buff potions if carried/used by a low level 'chemist', by a non chemist using 'use magic device'.

*Assume last minute mixing.

Percentage chance of spilling when used in armor.

You can base it off the Bard instead of the Mage. instead of songs you get potions and thrown offensive potions linked to know: chemistry skill. And your spell list is transformative rather than enchanting.

Note Chemists like crossbows. Big double repeating heavy crossbows are the traditional weapon.
Two shots. Reload as a move action, reloads both bows.

Evil alchemist get poison. Good alchemist get a bonus to their healing potions.

[hyenahyena]

you've got storm of vengence there on the list. It requires concentration checks to keep it casting. thats weird. If the dude throws a vial full of stormy goop at a dragon, he's hardly casting the spell, and him doing a concentration check on that seems kinda absurd.

However i love that you've got the summon monster spells on that list. buahaha, id love to see someone throw a bottle at someone and have an angry imp or sumfin pop into existance on the target. Roll save vs magical creature landing on you!

Im guessing 'brews per day' is just a translation for spells per day. which is cool.

The only issue with this is, like, hows a pc going to carry around enough bottles to like, get himself through a dungeon? and what does he use for components? Seriously, he'd need to like, drag around a cart filled with stuff. What if he has nothing to make potions with? is he then like, as useless as a wizard without a spellbook?

and, if i read that right, at level 20 his potions never go bad...does, that mean, he can spend a week making fireball potions and then walk through a dungeon with a bag of holding, armed with like, 60 casts of fireball?

can he get metamagic feats to do with these potions? can he get an enlarged fireball potion? can he take the same feat a wizard would?

Also, why wouldnt someone just be a wizard? they get the same hit dice, same spell progression, access to MORE spells, and a familiar.
what makes this class attractive and innovative?

[EKU_DM]

It seems to me like for the most part it would be more advantageous to make some of the Chemist special abilities into feats available to arcane casters. Then you could essentially have an arcane caster who specializes in brewing potions/alchemical items.

[WildBill]

Originally Posted by hyenahyena

what makes this class attractive and innovative?

As a gamer chemist, I see it as a fun character to play in a short campaign.
And I want a lab coat of protection +5.